Published In
Literacy and Numeracy Studies
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2008
Subjects
Adult literacy -- Research and Pedagogy
Abstract
The social practices framework has had a major impact on adult literacy and numeracy research over the past quarter century in the US, the UK and other countries. To date, the social practices view has had far less influence on the development of policies and programs in adult literacy and numeracy education. To help this happen, new kinds of assessment tools aligned with the social practices framework are needed to support appropriate changes in curriculum design, learner assessment and program evaluation.
In this article research is presented that illustrates how measures of adults’ engagement in literacy and numeracy practices can be used in conjunction with well-entrenched proficiency measures to provide a richer quantitative framework for adult literacy and numeracy development. Longitudinal data about learners indicate that adult education programs are more closely aligned with practice engagement measures than with proficiency measures. Program participation leads to increased practice engagement that, over time, leads to the very gains in proficiency currently valued by policy makers.
Locate the Document
DOI
10.5130/lns.v0i0.1276
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/34606
Citation Details
Reder, S. (2008). Scaling up and moving in: Connecting social practices views to policies and programs in adult education. Literacy and numeracy studies, 35-50.