esl literacy readings

Here are a couple of good ESL Literacy resources that have been mentioned on the National Institute for Literacy Adult English Language Learners mailing list recently:

1. How Should Adult ESL Reading Instruction Differ from ABE Reading Instruction? by Miriam Burt, Joy Kreeft Peyton, and Carol Van Duzer of the Center for Adult English Language Acquisition, March 2005

Increasing the English reading skills of adult immigrants is an important task. Unfortunately, little research exists on how adult immigrants learn to read in English and which instructional practices are the most successful. In order to provide evidence-based suggestions for teaching reading to adult English language learners, this brief summarizes the research base on adult English speakers learning to read and the suggestions for instruction from these studies (Kruidenier, 2002). Then, using findings from a synthesis of research on adult English language learners learning to read (Burt, Peyton, & Adams, 2003), the brief describes how these learners differ from native English speakers and how these differences should affect instruction.

2. Volume 24 of the Minnesota and Wisconsin TESOL Journal is a special issue on Research and Best Practice Concerning the Instruction of ESL Learners with Low Levels of Literacy

Literacies author James Simpson (Skills for Life in England, Wales and Northern Ireland or Be careful what you wish for) especially recommends Patsy Vinogradov's article: “Maestra! The letters speak.” Learning to Read for the First Time: Best Practices in Emergent Reading Instruction.