Literacy and Numeracy Gain in Local Youth Programs

1
Literacy and Numeracy Gain in Local Youth Programs

• Presented by
• Bill Diehl and Amewusika Sedzro
• Youth Pathways, Commonwealth Corporation

2
Agenda

• The Importance of Literacy and Numeracy
  Programming
• Making Gains Assessment, EFLs and Common
  Measures
• Understanding Literacy and Numeracy Development
• Promoting Literacy and Numeracy in WIA Youth
  Services What does this mean for our vendors,
  programs, service elements, practices ?

3
Agenda Items

• AND
• well integrate some learning ideas in the
  process
• AND in keeping with what we know about attention
  and learning
• well intersperse activities - using the 20 - 5
  rule (more or less)
• AND well have fun!

4
Todays Tools

• Manuals with LOTS of information
• Application Activities
• Post-it notes and highlighters
• Parking lot
• Burning Questions sheet
• Wisdom sheet

5
Getting Started...
What do skilled readers do??
Application Activity 1

• Main Ideas
• Look at the reading selection.
• Generate a list of ten strategies used by good
  readers.
• If you are a teacher/instructor, what strategies
  would you employ to teach these skills?
• Remember, there are no right or wrong answers!

6
Why Incorporate Literacy Numeracy into WIA
Programs?
7
Why Incorporate Literacy and Numeracy in WIA
Programs?
In WIA and other non-traditional learning
environments, youth can

• See and learn the adult applications of literacy
  and numeracy (contextualized)
• Understand labor market connections
• Cultivate life-long learning skills
• Build self-esteem
• Re-connect with education school
• Find new motivation after possibly being turned
  off from learning

8
What is Literacy?

• BASIC Ability to read write a simple sentence
  in any language
• FUNCTIONAL Ability to perform literacy tasks
  necessary for success in life (and in jobs)
• NEW BASIC SKILLS Solve complex problems, think
  critically, communicate effectively, use
  computers and other technology

9
What is Literacy?

• Literacy is
• the ability to read, write, and speak in
  English, and compute and solve problems at levels
  of proficiency necessary to function in society,
  to achieve ones goals, and to develop ones
  knowledge and potential.

10
What is Numeracy?

• Managing a situation or solving a problem in a
  real context
• by responding
• to information about
• mathematical ideas
• that is represented in a range
• of ways
• and requires activation of a range
• of enabling knowledge, behaviors, and processes

11
Of Real, Material and Lifelong Consequence

• Critical for
• Achieving the knowledge and skills necessary to
  succeed at school, work, in the family, and as a
  citizen
• Being productive in the 21st Century including
  continuing to learn
• Completing high school,the GED, and
  post-secondary ed or training

12
Of Real, Material and Lifelong Consequence

• Literacy is inseparable from opportunity, and
  opportunity is inseparable from freedom.
• The freedom promised by literacy is both freedom
  fromfrom ignorance, oppression, povertyand
  freedom toto do new things, to make choices, to
  learn....

13
Of Real, Material and Lifelong Consequence

• We must recognize that literacy is not just
  about the mechanics of reading and writing but is
  about personal dignity, the right to participate,
  the empowerment of the marginalized and the
  excluded, and the opportunity to learn in a
  variety of ways and settings, both formal and
  nonformal.
• Koichiro Matsuura, Director General
• 2001 UN International Literacy Day

14

• Between 1996 and 2006, the average literacy level
  required for all American occupations is expected
  to rise by 14 percent.
• The twenty-five fastest-growing professions today
  have far greater than average literacy demands,
  while the twenty-five fastest-declining
  professions have lower than average literacy
  demands.
• Barton, 2000

15
Projected Percentage of Jobs that will Require
Low- High Levels of Language Skills by 2014 and
Average Salary
64,071
23,762
48,945
15.9
23.1
30,349
29.1
30.6
Source Bureau of Labor Statistics
16
Labor Market Connections Top 10 Industries with
the Fastest Employment Growth, 1998- 2008
Source USDOL
17
Labor Market ConnectionsThe 10 Fastest Growing
Occupations, 1998-2008
Source USDOL
18
The 10 Fastest Growing Occupations, 2002-2012
(numbers in thousands of jobs)
Source Boston Redevelopment Authority, Research
Division
19
The 10 Occupations with Largest Job Growth,
2002-2012 (numbers in thousands of jobs)
Source Boston Redevelopment Authority, Research
Division
20
We CAN Make a Difference !

• We can break some of the negative cycles
• We can help close the achievement gap

21
Hence.

• The WIA Literacy and Numeracy Performance Measure

22

• Making Gains
• Understanding Assessment, EFLs and Common Measures

23
Common Measures - Literacy/Numeracy Gain

• Official Definition
• Of those out-of-school youth who are basic skills
  deficient The number of participants who
  increase one or more educational functioning
  levels divided by the number of participants who
  have completed a year in the program (ie., one
  year from the date of first youth program
  service) plus the number of participants who exit
  before completing a year in the program.

24
Calculation
numerator

• Number of participants who increase one or more
  educational functioning levels

• Number of out-of-school youth who are basic
  skills deficient who have completed a year in the
  program the number who exit before completing
  a year in the program.

denominator
25
Common Measures Requirements

• Individual must advance at least one EFL level
• Gain can occur in literacy or numeracy
• EFLs consistent with Adult Basic Education
  National Reporting System (NRS)
• Pre-tested within 60 days and post-tested before
  the end of one year
• Participants are only included in measure a
  second time if they complete a second full year
  of participation

26
Common Measures Requirements

• Based on out-of-school youth who are Basic
  Skills Deficient
• The individual computes or solves problems,
  reads, writes or speaks English at or below the
  eighth grade level OR
• The individual is unable to compute or solve
  problems, read, write or speak English at a level
  necessary to function on the job, in the
  individuals family or in society
• States and grantees have the opportunity to come
  up with their own definition as long as the above
  language is included.

27
Common Measures Requirements

• Of 1,507 youth who exited from WIA Title I Youth
  programs in FY2007, at least 33 were
  out-of-school youth who were basic skills
  deficient and therefore would be measured through
  the Literacy/Numeracy Common Measure.

28
Common Measures Requirements

• Most Out-of-School Youth served in WIA Title I
  Youth programs are in at least one educational
  activity.

29
What is an Educational Functioning Level (EFL)?

• ABE levels range from Level 3, Beginning Literacy
  (grade level 0-1.9) to Level 8 - High Adult
  Secondary Education (grade level 11-12).
• ESL levels range from Level 1 - Beginning
  Literacy to Level 7 Advanced ESL.
• ABE levels describe reading, writing, numeracy
  and functional workplace skills.
• ESL levels describe speaking and listening, basic
  reading, writing and functional workplace skills.

Source TEGL 17-05 Change 1, Attachment B
30
EFL Crosswalk
Source TEGL 17-05 Change 1, Attachment B
31
NRS Assessment Tools

• Must use one of NRS cross-walked tests or equate
  alternate test to NRS scale
• Tests cross-walked with ABE and ESL levels
  include
• Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System
  (CASAS)
• Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE)
• Adult Basic Learning Examination (ABLE)
• Student Performance Levels for ESL
• Basic English Skills Test (BEST) for ESL
• WorkKeys (for the top 3 ABE levels)

32
The MAPT

• Massachusetts Adult Proficiency Test or MAPT
• aligned with curriculum frameworks established by
  ACLS ABE community in MA
• The MAPT provides excellent information, BUT
• Not currently one of the NRS-recognized tests
• Cannot be used for WIA pre- and post-testing.

33
Examples of EFL ImprovementPre-test to
post-test, within one program year
EFL 5
EFL 4
EFL 3
EFL 2
EFL 1
Youth 2
Youth 1
Youth 3
Youth 4
Youth 5
Youth 6
Youth 7
34
Examples of Literacy and Numeracy EFL
ImprovementPre-test to post-test, within one
program year
Literacy
Numeracy
Literacy
Numeracy
Numeracy
Literacy
Youth 3
Youth 2
Youth 1
35
Examples of Literacy and Numeracy EFL
ImprovementPre-test to post-test, two program
years
Literacy
Numeracy
Numeracy
Literacy
Year 2
Year 1
36
Data from Massachusetts Adult Education From
FY2006 Federal NRS Report
37
Data from Massachusetts Adult Education From
FY2006 Federal Federal NRS Report
ABE Enrollees, By EFL Level
38
Data from Massachusetts Adult Education From
FY2006 Federal Federal NRS Report
ESOL Enrollees, By EFL Level
39
MAKING GAINS

• What exactly are we trying to achieve?
• How will we know?
• How do we promote improved performance?

40
3
Important Considerations

• Youth can attain skills or make gains in many
  ways
• A specific plan is necessary to achieve and
  measure progress
• Services have to be different for different EFLs

41
Needed Plan

• Need a beginning point - baseline
• Need a framework of skills and benchmarks
• Need goals for moving from baseline to higher
  attainment in skills / benchmarks
• Need intervention / support strategies
• Need assessment of growth

42
So how do we proceed??

• Stages of Literacy Development
• Stages of Numeracy Development
• Educational elements for the ISS

43
Understanding Literacy Numeracy Development
44
Literacy 4-Stage Model

• Building decoding skills and basic word
  recognition
• Building fluency and increasing word recognition
  
• Building vocabulary and meaning
• Building comprehension and study skills

45
What do we need to know be able to do?

• Motivation
• Decoding the words (phonics)
• Fluency
• Vocabulary / concepts
• Comprehension (at different levels)
• Literal (in the text)
• Interpret (in the text and my head)
• Evaluate info or apply to new situation
• Writing or other production

46
3 components of language

• Listening and speaking
• sound
• grammar
• meaning

• Reading and writing
• sound-symbol
• grammar
• meaning

Component 1
Component 2
Component 3
47
Stage 1-Decoding Skills Basic Word
Recognition

• Learning to break the code of written language
• Building on verbal skills
• Includes phonics and sight words
• K-3rd grade level if youth has not mastered,
  may have a learning disability

48
Stage 2-Fluency Building Word Recognition

• 4th-6th grade level
• Mastered basics, but oral language more
  sophisticated than written language skills
• Task is building on literacy verbal skills
• LOTS of reading and writing with appropriate
  materials

49
Stage 3-Vocabulary and Meaning

• 6th-8th grade level
• Mastered basics oral language and written
  language equal in sophistication
• Task is USING literacy to learn

50
Stage 4-Comprehension and Study Skills

• 8th grade higher level
• Written language skills equal to / greater than
  oral language
• Task is USING literacy to understand and to learn

51
Application Activity
Application Activity 2

• Take 5 minutes to quickly jot down strategies
  that feel would be useful in helping learners
  improve their literacy skills at varying stages
  of development.

52
Stage 1-Decoding Skills Basic Word Recognition

• WHAT TO DO?
• Make referrals and be an advocate
• Is there an IEP? Can you support some of its
  components?
• Work on oral language skills
• Strategies for decoding and word recognition
• Computer assisted instruction

53
Stage 2-Fluency Building Word Recognition

• WHAT TO DO?
• Encourage lots of reading and writing --
  high-interest / low-level materials
• Work on oral language skills
• Make referrals and be an advocate
• Strategies for fluency
• Computer assisted instruction

54
Stage 2-Fluency Building Word Recognition

• Strategies
• Read-alouds and variations
• High-interest / low-level materials
• USSR and USSW
• Use reflection tools

55
Stage 3-Vocabulary and Meaning

• WHAT TO DO?
• Encourage lots of reading and writing with
  materials that can be handled independently
• Strategies for vocabulary and meaning
• Computer assisted instruction

56
Stage 3-Vocabulary and Meaning

• Strategies
• Vocabulary builders
• Graphic organizers for concepts
• CSSD

57
Stage 4-Comprehension and Study Skills

• WHAT TO DO?
• Encourage lots of reading and writing with
  materials that can be handled independently
• Stress Before-During-After
• Encourage application
• Strategies for comprehension study skills

58
The 5 Stages of Numeracy Stage 1

• STAGE 1 Beginning to recognize and use numbers
• Roughly a Kindergarten through 1st grade level
• Educational Functioning Level (EFL) 1
• Add and subtract single digit numbers
• Sort by size and shape
• Use basic math facts

59
The 5 Stages of Numeracy Stage 2

• STAGE 2 Basic use of operations (add, subtract,
  multiply, divide, use simple fractions)
• Roughly a 2nd through 3rd grade level)
• Educational Functioning Level (EFL) 2

60
The 5 Stages of Numeracy Stage 3

• STAGE 3 More complex use of operations
• Roughly a 4th through 5th grade level
• Educational Functioning Level (EFL) 3
• Can calculate well and may enjoy the pencil and
  paper approach
• Can use basic fractions, decimals, and percents

61
The 5 Stages of Numeracy Stage 4

• STAGE 4 Mastery of math operations
• Roughly a 6th through 8th grade level
• Educational Functioning Level (EFL) 4
• Whole number and fraction arithmetic
• Able to compute with and apply fractions,
  decimals, and percents
• Can use ratios and proportions

62
The 5 Stages of Numeracy Stage 5

• STAGE 5 Application to geometry, algebra, and
  real life
• Roughly a 9th through 12th grade level
• Educational Functioning Level (EFL) 5 and 6
• Basic understanding of algebraic and geometric
  concepts
• Mastered arithmetic and number properties

63
Application Activity
Application Activity 2

• Take 5 minutes to quickly jot down strategies
  that feel would be useful in helping learners at
  each stage of numeracy development.

64
Stage 1 Strategies

• STAGE 1 Strategies
• Rely on IEP or diagnostic testing to guide
  instruction
• Automatic arithmetic practice
• Calculator use to develop number sense
• Multiple modalities of instruction

65
Stage 1 What to Do

• STAGE 1 What to do
• Make referrals and be an advocate
• Is there an IEP? Can you support some of its
  components?
• Work on basic math facts
• Use think aloud
• Computer assisted instruction

66
Stage 2 Strategies

• STAGE 2 Strategies
• Applied practice
• Instruction on specific skill gaps (long
  division)
• Build on youth's current knowledge by connections
  (money to help with decimals)
• Use of manipulatives

67
Stage 2 What to Do

• STAGE 2 What to do
• Practice paper and pencil arithmetic and
  encourage calculators and estimation
• Bring in mathematically rich, meaningful problems
• Assess for possible learning disability
• Support understanding of inverse operations

68
Stage 3 Strategies

• STAGE 3 Strategies
• Provide high interest math problems with no clear
  solution
• Target instruction to support skill gaps
  (identifying equivalent fractions, ordering
  decimals)
• Stress higher order thinking
• Have youth reflect on approach

69
Stage 3 What to Do

• STAGE 3 What to do
• Provide problems where the operations aren't
  obvious or that have extraneous information
• Encourage use of diagrams, drawings, or
  rephrasing to determine operations
• Apply graphic organizers to support problem
  solving
• Compare problem solving strategies

70
Stage 4 Strategies

• STAGE 4 Strategies
• Real world practice to use fractions, percents,
  decimals
• Encourage youth to explore concept of change
• Stress higher order thinking
• Hands-on exploration of variation

71
Stage 4 What to Do

• STAGE 4 What to do
• Work on pattern recognition and generalization
• Provide opportunities to develop and apply
  formulas
• Encourage what if questions to change problems
• Provide real-world opportunities to use ratios

72
Stage 5 Strategies

• STAGE 5- Strategies
• Provide sophisticated, real-world problems with
  no clear solution or multiple solutions
• Targeted coaching in challenging math concepts
  (factoring)
• Stress higher order thinking
• Use techniques to build on knowledge

73
Stage 5 What to Do

• STAGE 5- What to do
• Encourage independent learning
• Help make connections between math concepts and
  skills
• Have youth solve problems in multiple ways
• Support discovery of real world applications

74
Promoting Literacy Numeracy in WIA Youth
Services
75
10 WIA Youth Service Elements

• Tutoring, study skills training, and instruction,
  leading to completion of secondary school,
  including dropout prevention strategies
• Alternative secondary school services
• Summer employment opportunities that are directly
  linked to academic and occupational learning
• Paid and unpaid work experiences, including
  internships and job shadowing

76
10 WIA Youth Service Elements (continued)

• Occupational skill training
• Leadership development opportunities, which may
  include community service and peer-centered
  activities encouraging responsibility and other
  positive social behaviors during non-school
  hours
• Adult mentoring for the period of participation
  and a subsequent period, for a total of not less
  than 12 months

77
10 WIA Youth Service Elements (continued)

• Follow-up services for not less than 12 months
  after the completion of participation, as
  appropriate and
• Comprehensive guidance

78
Participation in the Ten WIA Youth Service
Elements
Participation in each element as a of total
enrollees
79
Application Activity!
Application Activity 3

• Main Ideas
• Use the strategies you listed in the first
  exercise, strategies mentioned by other small
  groups, and think of additional strategies.
• In a small groups, spend five minutes completing
  the following chart.

80
Application Activity Ten Elements
Application Activity 3
81
OVERALL

• Make reading, writing, numeracy and computing
  rewarded and valued
• Incorporate in ISS
• Ask mentors and service providers to incorporate
  strategies
• Keep track and reward efforts
• Make this part of what youth give back to
  community

82
Choosing a Service Provider/ Program

• Key Consideration 1
• Must be appropriate for both
• the literacy/numeracy level and
• the age level of the youth
• involved.

83
Choosing a Service Provider/ Program

• Key Consideration 2
• Must be flexible enough to allow for
• youths different learning styles,
• abilities, backgrounds, and
• interests.

84
Choosing a Service Provider/ Program

• Key Consideration 3
• Must build on principles of effective
• education for youth and must
• incorporate youth development and
• career development (and the other
• WIA elements, as possible)

85
Choosing a Service Provider/ Program

• 20 Critical Questions
• Effective Instructional Practices
• Youth Development Practices Three key
  considerations
• Issues for Adult Educational
• Standards of Instructional Quality

86
So what can we do???

• Directly teach skills and strategies

87
Directly Teach

• For youth who are far behind their peers,
  targeted and intensive instruction, tutoring, and
  practice, often in basic literacy or numeracy
  skills, are needed .

88
Model and Coach

• I do - you watch
• I do - you help
• You do together - I help
• You do independently - I watch
• OR
• Show me - help me - let me

89
Seven Strategies Used by Skilled Readers

• Uses existing knowledge to make sense of new
  information
• Asks questions about the text before, during, and
  after reading
• Draws inferences from the text
• Monitors comprehension

90
Seven Strategies Used by Skilled Readers

• Uses fix-up strategies when meaning breaks down
• Determines what is important
• Synthesizes information to create new
  understanding

91
So what can we do???

• Create learning environments rich with literacy
  opportunities

92
Creating a Literacy-Rich Environment

• Why important?
• Exposure, practice, models, direct instruction
• We are uniquely positioned to engage youth in
  authentic literacy

93
Amount of Reading
94
Creating a Literacy-Rich Environment

• 2 ideas for all programs
• Sustained Silent Reading
• Newsletter
• What have been our experiences?

95
So what can we do???

• Integrate into the 10 key program service areas

96
Five Things All WIA Programs Can Do

• In all activities, use the teachable moments
• Use different types and levels of questions
• Have students reflect regularly

97
Five Things All WIA Programs Can Do

• Incorporate proven strategies
• Involve all staff, mentors, and adult volunteers
  as role models, cheerleaders, advocates

98
So what can we do???

• Use Teachable Moments in the 10 Elements

99
So what can we do???

• Use Questions
• to Build
• Learning

100
Higher-Order Thinking (Blooms Taxonomy)
Application Activity 4
101
Application Activity!
Application Activity 4

• Imagine your city is having a local election
• 8 people are running for 4 city council seats
• Key issues are downtown development street
  violence, school budgets and community gardens.
• Use the pyramid of thinking to inspire 5
  questions that your youth program can explore.

102
So what can we do???

• Use refection and journals

103
So what can we do???

• Use strategies proven to be effective

104
Four of the Top Strategies that Improve Student
Achievement

• Identifying similarities and differences (45)
• Summarizing and note-taking (34)
• Reinforcing effort and providing recognition
  (29)
• Setting objectives providing feedback (23)
• from Classroom Instruction That Works
  Research-Based Strategies For Increasing Student
  Achievement Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock,
  ASCD, 2001

105
Identifying Similarities and Differences

• Explicit modeling
• Comparing -- talk aloud Venn diagrams
  comparison matrix
• Classifying -- categories graphic organizers

106
Identifying Similarities and Differences

• Program Goals
• Incorporate compare/contrast with 25 of new
  activities
• Post and talk-through c/c for all major new
  concepts or activities
• Youth Goals
• As part of XYZ, youth completes 5 comparison
  activities
• In reflection journal about work experience,
  youth compares/contrasts with other work, school
  experiences, etc.

107
Involve ALL Adults -Five Ways

• Be a role model
• Read, write,use math, and use computers in the
  presence of young people
• Use literacy and numeracy to solve problems and
  complete tasks in the presence of young people
• Be a mentor
• Talk about (show) how you use literacy / numeracy
  to solve problems, to get information, and for
  your enjoyment and personal growth

108
Involve ALL Adults -Five Ways

• Be a cheerleader
• Talk about specific things youve read, what
  youve liked, what youve learned, how its
  influenced you
• Be enthusiastic about anything the youth has
  read, written, or done using math or a computer

109
Involve ALL Adults -Five Ways

• Be a literacy/numeracy developer
• Include in all the activities you do with young
  people - contextualize learning
• Incorporate specific strategies to increase
  achievement
• When needed, make referrals
• Observe the skills of young people
• Know when to make referrals and to where

110
OVERALL

• Make reading, writing, numeracy and computing
  rewarded and valued
• Incorporate in ISS
• Ask mentors and service providers to incorporate
  strategies
• Keep track and reward efforts
• Make this part of what youth give back to
  community

111
We CAN Make a Difference!
In WIA and other non-traditional learning
environments, youth can

• See and learn the adult applications of literacy
  and numeracy (contextualized)
• Understand labor market connections
• Cultivate life-long learning skills
• Build self-esteem
• Re-connect with education school
• Find new motivation after possibly being turned
  off from learning

112
Time Out for Reflection

• Three - two - one
• 3 things I found out
• 2 interesting things (or ideas I will use)
• 1 question I still have