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This report investigates teaching and learning practices applied to reading in the United Kingdom. The research project began in July 2003 and was completed in March 2006, collating information on 500 learners in each study. Researchers interviewed learners and teachers, observed teaching methods, and correlated these strategies with any changes in learning. Learners' achievements and perspectives were evaluated twice during their participation in the project. Main findings are: learning is more effective in partnership or groups; women are slightly more successful than men; workers are better learners than unemployed people; and people with a further education/National Vocational Qualifications (FE/NVQ) qualification make better progress than those with no qualifications. Age, ethnicity, English as first or additional language, age of leaving full-time education, time since last course and having dyslexia or pre-test scores in reading are not factors that impact upon progress. Recommendations are made about reading, teacher training and continuing education, diversity in learning communities and ideas for further research, for example, phonics teaching in adult literacy and its effectiveness in the classroom. Show less

The series looks critically at how emerging and published research can inform the development of teaching and learning strategies for adults. It is designed to support practitioners working in a variety of settings. Each guide in the series aims to update teachers on research and to encourage them to reflect on their practice. They are intended to inspire teachers to try ideas and approaches which research suggests are effective. Principles of good practice are illustrated by clear and relevant case studies from current research.

This guide arose from a major research project on the teaching of reading in adult literacy classrooms. In close consultation with a group of experienced practitioners, teacher-trainers and managers, plus an action research group of teachers (trialling oral reading fluency), the author has included helpful guidelines for teaching reading to adults. The book draws on practitioners' experience and insights and is informed by what happens in adult literacy classrooms and by teachers' concerns. Burton looked at the effects on achievement of dyslexia and of having a first language other than English and the actual words of teachers and learners are used throughout. This guide will be useful as a source of ideas and suggestions for classroom practice, and will help to stimulate reflection by teachers on their own practice.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

This report examines three strategies (phonics, oral reading fluency and sentence combining) used by teachers in the project being reported on. These three teaching strategies had been identified as being 'promising' in terms of their potential to assist in the progress of adult literacy learners, and therefore, worth investigating via evidence-based research. This study also found that a high quality of teaching correlated with students' progress and would indicate a case for continuing professional development for adult literacy teachers. The report concludes with recommendations for adult literacy theory, policy, practice and further research. Show less

This report presents a series of linked reviews undertaken by the National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy (NRDC). The reviews are: (1) an expert review; (2) a scoping review; (3) a systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs); and (4) a systematic review of controlled trials (CTs). The reviews have been designed to address the current lack of systematic reviews of all the randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and other controlled trials (CTs) in the area of adult literacy and numeracy. The expert review complements the scoping review and the two systematic reviews. The latter three reviews sought to identify which factors in teaching adult literacy and numeracy caused learners to make progress in learning. Few clear pedagogical recommendations resulted. As a result, the expert review investigates a broader range of evidence: (1) those based on randomised and other controlled trials; (2) those based on correlational evidence; and (3) those based on researchers' and other experts' judgements. It is designed to assess whether any rigorous evaluations have been undertaken of interventions that could be implemented and to inform the research agenda for future RCTs or CTs that may be used to evaluate interventions in adult literacy and numeracy. The overview of all the experimental research in the fields of adult literacy and numeracy since 1980 identified only six studies out of a total of 36 trials demonstrating a statistically significant positive outcome for the intervention. There is some evidence that adult literacy and numeracy programs are effective although this finding may be 'undermined by the presence of substantial publication bias'. Because of the dearth of efforts to subject common adult literacy or numeracy programs to rigorous evaluation, it is difficult to formulate recommendations as to the kind of adult education, in terms of policy and practice, that should be encouraged. In contrast, however, the review does provide a strong direction for educational researchers. It is suggested that, because of the present inadequate evidence base, rigorously designed RCTs are urgently required. Show less

Background: Incentives have been proposed as a method to improve attendance in adult literacy classes. In the UK, several areas have piloted the use of incentives to promote attendance at adult literacy classes. To date no rigorous evaluation of this policy has been undertaken. This paper describes (as far as we are aware) the only UK-based randomised controlled trial to evaluate the use of financial incentives in order to promote attendance in classes for adult learners.

Methods: We used a cluster-randomised design. Twenty-nine adult literacy classes were randomised in two groups using minimisation. Intervention group learners received 5 (US$10) for each class attended. The main outcome was class attendance; the secondary outcome was literacy scores.

Results: After allocation, one class was found to be ineligible for the study. In the 28 remaining classes there was a statistically significant reduction of about 1.5 sessions (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.28, 2.79; p = 0.019) attended by the intervention group compared with control, after adjusting for cluster size and baseline scores. The difference in reading scores between the intervention and control group, conditioned on baseline scores, was -2.38 (with controls scoring higher than the intervention group), but this difference was not statistically significant (95% CI -7.40 to 2.57, p = 0.33).

Conclusion: Payments to attend adult literacy classes had an adverse effect on attendance. This trial needs urgent replication, ideally with a larger incentive, before this approach is widely used by policy makers.

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less