Patterns of Adult Reading

Authors

  • Jeanne S. Chall

Abstract

It is about 7 years since I attended my first large meeting on adult literacy in Washington. My presentation was on the development of reading among adults-and its similarities and differences in the development of reading among children and young people (Chan, 1987). I took the position, based on theory, research, and practice, that adult literacy-its development and problems in its development-is perhaps more similar than different from literacy among children and adolescents. Indeed, I noted that we should be prepared, as we work with more adults who seek help with their reading, to find many who will, like children and adolescents, have learning disabilities. When I made this statement, I felt a sudden cooling in the audience. I sensed that they wished I had not said that. Were they disappointed that I pulled in a medical factor rather than focussing on social, economic, and cultural factors that seemed to be the conference's major concerns. I had, in fact, been dropped as a consultanton an adult literacy project years before when I suggested that the illiterate prisoners in the project might have neurological difficulties as well as unfortunate social and economic conditions.

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Articles