Reading – Skills for Success Practitioner Tools & Resources

Document Use

Numeracy, Reading, Skills for Success Framework, WritingDEL-2.1, DES-3.1, SFS-2.1, SFS-2.3, SFS-2.5, SFS-2.7

Document Use is reading and using signs, labels, lists, maps, entry forms, and other visual and spatial displays of information. Document Use was one of the nine Essential Skills in the original framework. In the Skills for Success Framework, it is a skill that is embedded in Reading, Numeracy, and Writing.

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (2010). Readers’ Guide to Essential Skills Profiles. http://en.copian.ca/library/learning/hrsdc/guide/guide.pdf
Document Use Self-Assessment. https://www.canada.ca/en/services/jobs/training/initiatives/skills-success/tools/document-use-self-assessment.html
Document Use at Work. SkillPlan. https://skillplan.ca/document-use-at-work/
Document Use Workbook. (2017). Skills Compétences Canada. https://www.skillscompetencescanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/DocUse_Final20Nov17_EN.pdf
Skills for Success Framework (2021): https://www.canada.ca/en/services/jobs/training/initiatives/skills-success.html
Research report to support the launch of Skills for Success (2021): https://www.srdc.org/media/553148/sfs-srdc-final-report-en.pdf

Foundational Reading Skills

ReadingSFS-3.1

Foundational reading skills are the basic skills and abilities needed to be successful at reading, including alphabet knowledge, phonics and spelling.

Learner Variability Navigator. Foundational Reading Skills. https://lvp.digitalpromiseglobal.org/content-area/adult-learner/factors/foundational-reading-skills-adult-learner/summary
Adult Learning and Foundational Skills: Findings from the first cycle of the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). https://www.cmec.ca/Publications/Lists/Publications/Attachments/422/PIAAC_2012_%20Adult_Learning_and_Foundational_Skills_in_Canada_EN.pdf
BBC Teach – Reading. https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/skillswise/reading/zn4twty

Question Structure

Assessment, Numeracy, Reading, Skills for Success Framework, WritingASS-1.1, SFS-3.1, SFS-3.2, SFS-3.3

Question structure and complexity looks at the specific elements of questions that determine their level of difficulty.

Lew, J., & Hardt, M. D. (2011). Controlling complexity: An introduction to question structure. SkillPlan.
Mosenthal, P., & Kirsch, I.S. (1994). Defining the proficiency standards of adult literacy in the U.S.: A profile approach. Retrieved July 27, 2021 from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED379531.pdf

Reading Strategies

ReadingSFS-3.1

Reading Strategies are step-by-step models participants can follow to successfully find and interpret information in text.

Hock M, Mellard D. Reading Comprehension Strategies for Adult Literacy Outcomes. J Adolesc Adult Lit. 2005 Nov;49(3):192-200. doi: 10.1598/JAAL.49.3.3. Epub 2011 Nov 9. PMID: 23087594; PMCID: PMC3474365.
Edgar, L. (2022, June 18). A Guide to Adult Literacy in BC. Decoda Literacy Solutions. from https://decoda.ca/wp-content/uploads/Decoda_Adult-Literacy-Guidebook-Web_9-20-1.pdf
PBS Learning Media. Reading Instructional Strategies: Resources for Adult Educators. https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/ristrat/

Reading Teaching and Learning Materials

Reading, Teaching and Learning MaterialsSFS-3.1

Reading teaching and learning materials are designed to help enable participants to find, understand, and use information presented through words, symbols, and images so that they can read items such as emails, reports, news articles, blog posts and instructions.

The following links include practical, printable, ready-made resources to use in the delivery of Skills for Success training.

Ivitis, S. (2020). BC Reads: Adult Literacy Fundamental English – Reader 6. Pressbooks. BC Reads: Adult Literacy Fundamental English – Course Pack 6
Decoda Literacy Solutuions. (2008). Strategies for Teaching Reading. Strategies-for-Teaching-Reading-Final.pdf

Research on Teaching Reading

Reading, ResearchSFS-3.1

Reading skills enable participants to find, understand, and use information presented through words, symbols, and images so that they can read items such as emails, reports, news articles, blog posts and instructions.

The following links include research data and evidence to support the instruction of reading:

Bell & Dolainski. (2012). What is evidence-based reading instruction and how do you know it when you see it? https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/EDVAE09C0042EBRILAUSD.pdf.
Chapman & McHardy. (2019). Adult literacy teachers’ perspectives on reading difficulties and the origins of these perspectives. Adult Literacy Education, (1), 6-18. https://www.proliteracy.org/Portals/0/pdf/Research/ALE%20Journal/ALE_ResearchJournal-v001_01-2019-06_McHardyChapman.pdf?ver=2019-03-27-140056-217.
Center for Adult English Language Acquisition (CAELA). (2012). How should adult ESL reading instruction differ from ABE reading instruction? https://www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/briefs/readingdif.pdf.
Curtis & Kruidenier. (2005). Teaching Adults to Read: A Summary of Scientifically Based Principles. Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/teach_adults.pdf.
Darling-Hammond, Hyler, & Garner. (2017). Effective teacher professional development. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/teacher-prof-dev.
Kruidenier. (2002). Research-based Principals for Adult Basic Education Reading . Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy. https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/adult_ed_02.pdf.
Kruidenier, MacArthur, & Wrigley. (2010). Adult Education Literacy Instruction: A Review of the Research. Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy. https://fileseric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED521229.pdf.
Institute of Education Sciences. (2020). Self-study guide for evidence-based practices in adult literacy education. https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/southeast/pdf/REL_2020025.pdf.
Lane, & Murray. (2018). Literacy lost: Canada’s basic skills shortfall. https://cwf.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/2018-12-CWF_LiteracyLost_Report_WEB-1.pdf.
McShane. (2005). Applying Research in Reading Instruction for Adults: First Steps for Teachers. Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy. https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/applyingresearch.pdf.
National Research Council. (2012a). Improving Adult Literacy Instruction: Options for Practice and Research. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/13242. (login required).
National Research Council. (2012b). Improving Adult Literacy Instruction: Supporting Learning and Motivation. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/13469. (login required).
National Research Council. (2012c). Improving Adult Literacy Instruction: Developing Reading and Writing. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/13468. (login required).
NRC. (2012a). Improving Adult Literacy Instruction: Options for Practice and Research. https://doi.org/10.17226/13469 (login required).
NRC. (2012b). Improving Adult Literacy Instruction: Supporting Learning and Motivation. https://doi.org/10.17226/13469 (login required).
NRC. (2012c). Improving Adult Literacy Instruction: Developing Reading and Writing. https://doi.org/10.17226/13468 (login required).
Perin. (2019). (Ed.) The Wiley Handbook of Adult Literacy. https://www.wiley.com/en-ca/The+Wiley+Handbook+of+Adult+Literacy-p-9781119261377.(login required).
Schwarzer. (2009). Best practices for teaching the whole adult ESL learner. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227837518_Best_practices_for_teaching_the_whole_adult_ESL_learner. (login required).
SRDC. (2014). UPSKILL: A Credible Test of Workplace Literacy and Essential Skills Training. https://www.srdc.org/media/199770/upskill-final-results-es-en.pdf.
SRDC. (2018). A Comprehensive Review and Development of Measurement Options for Essential Skills Initiatives. https://www.srdc.org/media/553000/oles-measurement-phase-1-report.pdf.

Vocabulary Building Strategies

ReadingSFS-3.1, SFS-3.3

Vocabulary building strategies are used to help improve participants’ vocabulary. There are several strategies that are used such as repetition, word connection, context and flash cards.

The role of vocabulary instruction in adult basic education. www.ncsall.net. (n.d.). https://www.ncsall.net/fileadmin/resources/ann_rev/comings_ch3.pdf