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Sample Activity

Research-based Adult Reading Instruction

6. INTRODUCTION TO THE COMPONENTS OF READING (60 MINUTES )

Explain that participants will be working in pairs or small groups to discuss the components in greater depth.
Post around the room the four newsprints of reading components: Alphabetics, Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension.

Alphabetics

When alphabetics are part of beginning reading instruction, reading achievement may increase.
Beginning adult readers may have better sight word knowledge than phonemic awareness.
Specific teaching strategies may include blending and segmenting.
Phonemic awareness and word analysis should be taught together.

Fluency

It is important to assess adult readers’ oral reading fluency.
Teaching fluency may lead to increases in reading achievement.
One strategy to increase fluency is guided and repeated oral reading.

Vocabulary

Even though adults have more life experience, their oral vocabulary knowledge may be limited if their reading level is low.
Teaching vocabulary through specific contexts (e.g., workplace) may be useful for vocabulary instruction.

Comprehension

It is likely that most adults in ABE classes will need to be taught specific comprehension strategies.
Direct instruction in reading comprehension strategies may be effective in improving comprehension.
Instruction in alphabetics, fluency, and vocabulary also improves reading comprehension.

Point out the four newsprints posted around the room. Tell participants that you have noted a few main points from the readings on each newsprint. Explain that in this next activity, they will work in pairs to add notes, implications, and questions about each of these reading components.

Point out that making notes in the margins while reading is a specific comprehension strategy often taught to readers to help them improve their metacognitive reading skills. So if they took notes while they read, they engaged in the type of comprehension strategy that their students might also find useful.

Invite participants to find a partner that they have not yet had the chance to work with and whom they may not already know.

Ask each pair to go to one of the four newsprints where they will:

Add additional main points, using any notes they made while they read the readings for this session
Write implications for teaching they feel these points raise
List questions they have about that component of reading

Tell participants that they will have 15 minutes to work, and then they will be asked to move to the next newsprint.

After 15 minutes ask the pairs to rotate to the next newsprint to build on what was written by the previous pair. If there are less than four pairs, the first pair should move to a newsprint that has not been addressed.

In addition to adding main points, implications, and questions, ask participants to place a check by those comments already listed that they agree with and, if they have a different perspective about a main point, to list it. Tell them that they will have ten minutes to work at this second newsprint.

After 10 minutes, ask the pairs to rotate to the third newsprint to build on what has been written by the first two pairs. Tell them they will have five minutes to work at this newsprint.
After five minutes, ask the pairs to rotate to their fourth newsprint and spend five minutes reading and adding any additional comments they wish.
After all pairs have worked at each newsprint, ask the group to take a few minutes to silently walk around to the newsprints, considering the main points, comments, implications, and questions raised.
Facilitate a whole group discussion about what has been written on the newsprints. Begin by asking if anyone wishes to respond to any of the questions listed on the newsprints. Continue the discussion by asking such questions as:

- What stands out for you in terms of main points, implications, or questions raised around each of these components?

- What are your thoughts about teaching these component skills to the students with whom you work?

- What might be the implications of incorporating the components of reading in your own teaching practice?

Explain that you will save these newsprints and revisit them during Session Three when each person will be asked to make an action plan for teaching adults to read. The questions they have raised now may inform their next steps.