Critique One Empirical Relating to Adult Education - Article Example

? -- Atlanta Covington Cohort PSE 6660 – Term 07/T3 Critique Introduction This essay will provide a critique on the article “The Effects of Listening While Reading and Repeated Reading on the Reading Fluency of Adult Learners” by Winn et al. (2006). The source will be provided, followed by the summary, implications for education, and personal opinions. 1. Source Title of article: The Effects of Listening While Reading and Repeated Reading on the Reading Fluency of Adult Learners. Authors of article: Winn, Skinner, Oliver, Hale, and Ziegler Publication: Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy Date of Publication: 2006 Volume and page numbers: Volume 50, pp. 196-205 2. Summary Winn et al. (2006) wanted to test if two reading strategies applied to children and adolescents can also be used to improve the reading fluency of adult learners. Fluent reading is a skill in rapid and accurate reading (p.196). The researchers recognized the gap in adult education research in the context of fluent reading and believed that K-12 research can help provide teaching tools, when research on adult education strategies and practices is lacking. They hypothesized that it is important to enhance reading fluency, because this can also increase the preference for reading (p.197). They stated that non-fluent readers are less motivated, have less cognitive resource management success, and have weaker reading reinforcement; thus, it is critical to enhance reading fluency, so that comprehension skill and probability of reading among adults can also be improved (p.197). The study used three reading strategies: 1) controlled, 2) repeated reading (RR) and 3) listening while reading (LWR). The research design was an experimental design with a comparison made between pre and post-results. Their sampling included twelve (12) participants, who studied literacy skills in an adult education center. The dependent variables were words read correctly per minute and errors per minute (EPM). Researchers collected the baseline data for reading fluency using the 1996 Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE). Findings showed that RR and LWR conditions showed higher scores in WCPM than the control condition. Errors per minute were lower in RR condition than control and LWR conditions. Furthermore, WCPM scores were higher when RR and LWR conditions were used. There were also no differences in words correct per minute using the LWR and RR conditions. Within subject comparisons of WCPM across LWR, RR, and control conditions showed greater reading fluency under LWR and RR conditions. Hence, RR and LWR both enhanced reading fluency more than the control condition. 3. Implications for Education The information in this article can be used by educators to improve adult education, because it underlines the importance of testing successful teaching strategies in the adult sector, using children or adolescent educational theories and research, it provided practical measures for improving reading fluency among adult learners, and it demonstrated the need for greater research on adult education literacy skills. First, this study showed that successful adult teaching strategies can be based on children or adolescent educational theories and research, although with some modifications. For instance, the topics of the reading materials were based on the interests of the adults, since this can improve the probability of reading. Second, the study gave practical tools and strategies for enhancing reading fluency among adult learners. RR and LWR conditions already have step-by-step procedures that can be easily applied to adult learning settings. These steps were also simple and feasibly applied for resource-stricken and time-limited adult education programs and centers. Third, the study recognized the gap in adult education research, such as lack of reading strategy studies for adult students. This points the direction for future studies, which include identification and evaluation of existing reading fluency strategies used in adult education centers. If this study examined former reading strategies for children, other education scholars can start research from “what works” in existing adult education centers and create theories and tools that can be tested in other less successful adult education centers. Or, researchers can evaluate existing adult learning strategies and evaluate them using adult education theories, and then use conceptual studies to develop and test adult education strategies. 4. Opinion I agree with the findings of the article that it is possible that RR and LWR conditions can enhance adult reading fluency, especially if their reading levels correspond to that of children or adolescents. It must be noted, however, that though these children/adolescent cohorts of previous reading studies share the same cognitive or reading skills as the adults tested, there may be differences in internal and environmental factors or conditions between the two age group levels that can impact reading fluency outcomes. I believe that researchers should also consider how these various individual and environmental factors, both individually and together, can impact how, why, and how much adults improve their reading fluency levels, so that the validity of reading strategies can be greatly improved. Also, like the researchers noted, the reading topics were focused on areas of interest to adult learners and did not necessarily indicate any improvement in reading compression and long-term functional reading skills. In real life, adult learners cannot improve reading skills and probability just by reading what they “like” or are interested in. To participate fully in a wide range of meaningful adult social activities, they must also be able to use functional literacy skills, such as reading newspapers and using critical thinking skills in reading and even data collection to improve the quality of their opinions, ideas, and arguments. For instance, some non-fluent readers wanted to improve how they generate “election” decisions and reduce their dependence on “emotional” responses to candidates. It will be pertinent for them to gather and read more information about these candidates from different, independent resources, which may be beyond their interest and/or reading skills. When they come across certain more difficult or less interesting sources, they might feel frustrated and give up the idea of “critical reading.” My main point is that it is also important to engender the level of reading fluency that will also prepare adult readers to become more informed and critically-writing-and-speaking citizens of their society. This can be a good way of improving their motivation in reading, since they can see the direct impact of fluent reading on their ability to digest and express more sophisticated opinions, ideas, and arguments. The authors of the article recommended applying these strategies to test generalized reading performance and reading comprehension and to try different interventions for each reading strategy. They recommended diverse ways of teaching reading skills and expanding dependent variables to reach greater functional literacy skills. These recommendations are feasible, because they mirror what I also believe in. We should be teaching adult students to not only read what they want, but to also read what they need in order to function as competent and active participants of their societies. For me, it is a great goal to help adults read so that they can function better in their jobs or be promoted. The greater outcome of reading fluency, in my opinion, is going beyond work-related outcomes and including civic and socially-related aspirations. These learners must learn to read well enough for them to function as better human beings, who are more critical in their thinking and acting, and who can make educated decisions in various roles in life. Thus, we should also have a framework for teaching adults to read, so that they can be more critical and socially-participative individuals in the future. Reference Winn, B.D., Skinner, C.H., Oliver, R., Hale, A.D., & Ziegler, M. (2006). The effects of listening while reading and repeated reading on the reading fluency of adult learners. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 50 (3), 196-205. Read More