New NCSALL Publications

The National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy would like to announce the publication of two new research reports. Submitted by WORLD EDUCATION, NCSALL’S DISSEMINATION WING

NCSALL Program Administrators’ Sourcebook:

A Resource on NCSALL’s Research for Adult Education Program Administrators

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If you administer an adult educa- successes of your program? ion program, you face a wide variety of The National Center for the Study challenges: of Adult Learning and Literacy (NC• How can you help students make ALL) conducted research relevant to S “level” gains? t ese questions. The h Program Adminis• How can you help students gain the t ators’ Sourcebookr (December 2005) is skills they need to reach their goals? esigned to give you, as a program ad-d • How can you help students stay in ministrator, direct access to research that programs long enough to meet their may help you address the challenges you goals? face in your job. • How can you prepare and retain For more information, go to: good teachers? www.ncsall.net/?id=1035. • How can you document the

NCSALL Research:

Learners’ Engagement in Adult Literacy Education This research was conducted by the pattern has a shaping factor. For NCSALL research team at Rutgers Uni- learners engaging with materials, versity, New Jersey, in partnership with the shaping factor is the routines the New Brunswick Public Schools’ Adult and procedures of IGI. For learners Learning Center, NCSALL’s partner in engaging with teachers, the shaping the National Labsite for Adult Literacy factor is the teacher’s interpretation Education. The research team studied six of his or her role and related behavclasses: three basic level classes, a GED ior; and for learners engaging with class, and two adult high school reading other learners, the shaping factor is and writing classes. the social norms of the classroom. Engagement is mental effort focused IGI is a commonly used method of on learning and is a precondition to struction in adult basic education. This in learning progress. This qualitative study study has revealed factors that shape enlooks at how learning context shapes en- gagement. Engagement, a precondition gagement. Key findings include: learning, can generally be assessed to • Students participating in classes that rough simple observation. It follows th use individualized group instruction at th learners’ level of engagement can (IGI) show a high level of engage- nction as a day-to-day marker of in-fu ment. The high level of engagement structional success. If the results of asexists for three reasons: motivation, ssment prove negative, malfunctions se the encouragement given to stu- of the instructional system, teachers’ role dents by teachers, and the voluntary haviors, and/or classroom norms may be nature of participation in adult places to search for solutions.be literacy education. For more information on the • The engagement falls into three research on engagement, read Learners’ categories: learners engaging with Engagement in Adult Literacy Education materials, learners engaging with CSALL Report #28) at:(N teachers, and learners engaging with www.ncsall.net/?id=29#28. .: other learners. Each engagement