A Lurian systemic-dynamic approach to teaching illiterate adults a new language with literacy.

Abstract

The Israeli educational system faces the specific challenge of teaching Hebrew as a second language to new immigrants from Ethiopia, who are illiterate in their mother tongue. Despite good will and substantial efforts, the success of these immigrants in achieving literacy in the Hebrew language has been limited. To better meet their social and vocational needs, we revised the existing model of literacy teaching for adults and developed an alternative communicative-multicultural-neuropsychological model. This approach is based on cultural-historical approaches developed by Vygotsky and Luria and cultural neuropsychology. The analysis of neuropsychological aspects of illiteracy and changes in brain function related to literacy acquisition allowed us to suggest adding exercises that seek to train phonological awareness and visual perception to processes of learning to read and write. Forty-five students of the experimental (Orit) program had significantly better scores than a group who received an equivalent amount of literacy classes (175 h). This overall effect of the program was reflected by mean improvements in word and sentence production from pictures and letter recognition and increased self-efficacy for language learning. Such a program can be used as a research platform to teach a second language for illiterate adults who lack formal schooling.

Modifiable predictors of health literacy in working-age adults - a rapid review and meta-analysis

“…If language proficiency programmes are available, contextualized phonics teaching and oral skills development should be focused on [ 72 ]. Realistic language materials that relate to daily life conversations activities and personal documents could be further effective ways of promoting language skills [ 73 ]. Providing access to internet classes, improving internet skills and providing health-related information online can be useful methods to improve HL [ 74 ].…”

Modifiable predictors of health literacy in working-age adults - A rapid review and meta-analysis

“…If language proficiency programmes are available, contextualized phonics teaching and oral skills development should be focused on [72]. Realistic language materials that relate to daily life conversations activities and personal documents could be further effective ways of promoting language skills [73]. Providing access to internet classes, improving internet skills and providing healthrelated information online can be useful methods to improve HL [74].…”

Promoting Literacy in Adult Second Language Learners: A Systematic Review of Effective Practices

“…We selected four experimental or quasi-experimental studies (Blackmer and Hayes-Harb 2016;Condelli et al 2010;Kotik-Friedgut et al 2014;Smyser and Alt 2018), in which the efficacy of a specific pedagogical intervention was tested by comparing a treatment group and a control group (exposed to alternate treatment or no treatment), and two studies (Fanta-Vagenshtein 2011; Trupke-Bastidas and Poulos 2007) where, despite the absence of a control group, literacy gains were measured at the end of the intervention.…”

“…The only notable exception is the study by Condelli et al (2010), which was conducted on a larger number of learners (n = 1344). One common aspect of many studies is the downsizing of participants during the intervention, mainly due to dropouts (e.g., Blackmer and Hayes-Harb 2016;Kotik-Friedgut et al 2014;Smyser and Alt 2018) or unstable performance on test measures (e.g., Smyser and Alt 2018).…”