The reading skills of adult learners of English as a second language
Date
1989
Authors
Taylor, David Robert
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Abstract
This investigation examines the validity of instructing adult ESL readers using graded word recognition and comprehension skills sequences designed for native English speakers.
A cluster sample of eighteen adult ESL students who were literate in their native language and conversant in English was obtained from an open-enrollment basic literacy class. The students were given reading tests based on word recognition and comprehension skill sequences found at each grade level of basal reader programs for native English speakers. The skills test scores were then analyzed by comparing students' achievement on the skills tests with their overall level of reading proficiency as indicated by an informal reading inventory.
Spearman's rank order correlation coefficient showed a high correlation between students' overall level of reading proficiency and students' level of word recognition and comprehension skills.
Wilcoxon's two-tailed rank sum test further indicated some significant differences in word recognition and comprehension among ESL learners grouped by the following levels of reading proficiency: ninth-grade, fifth- to seventh-grade, first- to second-grade, and pre-primer to primer. In word recognition, the group reading at fifth to seventh-grade levels had significantly better skills than the group reading at first- to second-grade levels.
In comprehension, Wilcoxon's two-tailed rank sum test showed a significant difference in performance between all proficiency groups except the group reading at first- to second-grade levels and the group reading at pre-primer to primer levels.
Percentage comparisons of students' mastery of graded basal skills showed that the more proficient readers had mastered more skills than the less proficient readers.
Students were divided into two groups by reading level (fifth-to ninth-grade and pre-primer to second-grade) and Chi-square tests of each groups' scores on the first- and second-grade word recognition and comprehension skills tests and the third- to fifth-grade word recognition and comprehension ski 11 s tests were compared. No differences between proficiency groups were found on the results of the first- and second-grade tests. However, the fifth- to ninth-grade group performed significantly better than the pre-primer to second-grade group on the third- to fifth-grade tests.
The results of this investigation indicate that the adult ESL readers of this study had acquired the sequences of word recognition and comprehension skills appropriate to their reading level as outlined in basal reading programs for native English speakers. Based on this finding, it appears justifiable to use these two skills sequences in teaching reading to this group of adult ESL learners.
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UN SDG 4: Quality Education