(continued on page 3)

n the next four issues, QEd will focus on the

science and practice of reading instruction.

We begin with a brief primer on scientific

research and the four components of adult

literacy instruction. 

For more than a century, adult literacy

educators have built their profession through

experience, respect and caring for their students,

and intuitive insight about what works. Today, the

rigorous, scientific study of adult literacy

instruction promises to deepen our understanding

of educators’ successful practices and generate

new knowledge about how adults learn to read. 

The National Reading Panel’s report of 2000

yielded a scientifically reliable body of knowledge

of how children acquire literacy. Similar scientific

research is underway for adults. The words

“scientifically based reading research” first

appeared in the Reading Excellence Act in 1998,

and later in the No Child Left Behind Act in 2002.

The definition of scientifically based reading

research has become the “gold standard” for

research quality across the spectrum of reading

instruction from early childhood to adulthood. 

What Is Scientifically Based 

Reading Research? 

A National Institute for Literacy publication,

Using Research and Reason in Education by Paula

J. Stanovich and Keith E. Stanovich (see

Publications, page 6), discusses the scientific

process, particularly as it applies to educational

research, in clear terms. The authors suggest

three criteria a scientific claim must meet: 

• Publication in refereed journals (scientific

publications that employ a process of peer

review). Peer review is a minimal criterion. As

philosopher Daniel Dennett puts it, “Science is

making mistakes in public.” Any idea, theory, 

or practice that has not passed scrutiny by

other experts in the field should be regarded

with strong skepticism.

• Duplication of the results by other researchers.

Scientific knowledge is held tentatively, subject

to change based on new evidence. Scientific

claims must be openly tested by other

scientists in order to be credible. 

• Consensus within a particular research

community on whether there is a critical mass

of other studies that point toward a particular

conclusion. In the quest for usable knowledge,

scientists—and teachers—can rely on

consensus, that is, when most evidence 

points to a particular conclusion. No single

experiment can be definitive, but numbers of

experiments may point in the same direction.

Meta-analyses, such as the National Reading

Panel’s examination of reading studies, are

often used to aggregate the results from many

smaller studies.

Experimentation

Science subjects the world to structured,

systematic observation. Observation alone is not 

Strengthening the Foundations of 

Adult Literacy Instruction

Scientifically based research

I

Scientific Evidence for Adult Literacy Educators

Q Ed

Number 1 of 5 2007

The National Institute for Literacy

is pleased to bring you QEd, a

five-issue series for the adult

education community—literacy

educators, paraprofessionals,

program directors, and

volunteers. 

QEd will bring you ideas and

information from the expanding

scientific research base on how

adults learn to read. This first

issue tells the story of how

researchers are using the high

quality, scientific standards that

adult literacy deserves and

demands. 

This issue also brings 

you news of an exciting new

publication, Applying Research in

Reading Instruction for Adults:

First Steps for Teachers, which

offers specific connections

between the research and the

classroom. In future issues, QEd

will amplify the key literacy

elements discussed in this book.

We invite you to download a

copy of the publication from the

Institute’s newly redesigned

website, www.nifl.gov. While

you’re there, check out other

useful resources, including our

discussion lists, which continue to

provide the adult education

community with its most

energetic, interactive resource.

Adult educators have a

cherished history of collaboration

and camaraderie. Scientifically

based research inspires and

challenges us as we work together

to understand its implications

and the power of its findings. 

Please join us on this journey

of reflection and renewal! Send

your thoughts and ideas to us at

info@nifl.gov. I look forward to

hearing from you!

Sandra L. Baxter, Ed.D.

Director, National Institute for

Literacy

Welcome to QEd

ALRWG Committee Update 5

Milestones 5

Publications 6

Resource Spotlight 7

INSIDE
2

What the Research Says

About Adult Literacy 

Research, such as that summarized by

the National Research Council and the

National Reading Panel, has shown

that four components are crucial in

learning to read. They are alphabetics,

fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

The Adult Literacy Research Working

Group used them as the framework for

its review of adult reading instruction

research, published by the Institute as

Research-Based Principles for Adult

Basic Education Reading Instruction

(see page 6). The next four issues of

QEd will cover the four components,

along with assessment. Here is a brief

overview of each.

• Alphabetics, the basic building

block of reading, consists of

phonemic awareness (the ability to

hear and manipulate the basic

sounds—phonemes—of spoken

language) and word analysis (the

ability to connect letters to the

sounds they stand for). Teachers can

assess word analysis by having a

learner sound out or pronounce

groups of letters or words. Explicit

instruction in letter–sound

relationships is an effective way of

teaching word analysis.

• Fluency is the ability to read easily

and quickly. Readers must be able

to decode, or make sense of, what

they are reading. Many beginning

readers are not fluent; they hesitate

or read slowly when reading aloud.

Speed, accuracy, and prosody

(reading with the right emphasis

and rhythm) are the three elements

of fluency. Fluency can be measured

by having learners read aloud and

improved through guided repeated

oral reading.

• Vocabulary is all the words a

reader recognizes and understands.

It is crucial to the ability to

understand text—to recognize

decoded words. Vocabulary can be

assessed through oral questioning

(although oral vocabulary—the

spoken words one understands—

is often greater than reading

vocabulary), multiple choice, or

other tests. There is little conclusive

vocabulary research with adults, but

studies with children suggest that

vocabulary can be increased through

explicit instruction and association

methods, among others. 

• Comprehension is making sense

of what is being read. It is the

whole point of reading. Teachers

usually measure comprehension by

having students read a passage and

then answer questions. Research

has shown that direct instruction 

in comprehension strategies 

can help readers increase their

understanding of a text’s content.

Reading comprehension depends

on all the other components. If a

reader cannot decode a word

(alphabetics), he will not likely

recognize it as a word he knows

(vocabulary). Without understanding

the individual words, comprehension

will suffer. Teachers must focus 

not only on the four individual

components, but on how they

interact. 

• Motivation and reading

assessment also play important

roles in adult reading instruction.

Motivation is particularly important

because adults face more barriers to

success—such as a lack of free

time, or embarrassment about their

inability to read. Assessing reading

ability is important because adults’

abilities may range widely from

beginner to more advanced.

Q.E.D. What Does It Mean?

Q.E.D. abbreviates the Latin phrase “quod erat demonstrandum,” literally, “that which was to

demonstrated” and is taken to mean “it is shown.” Mathematicians often use Q.E.D. to show

that the result necessary to complete a proof has been reached. We have named this

publication series QEd in the spirit of embracing the scientific research that informs adult

literacy instruction.

DERIVING PRINCIPLES

To research adult literacy, the Adult Literacy Research Working Group

(ALRWG) identified the major topics to study, set standards for evaluating

studies, located and evaluated studies, and categorized them by topic.

The most important findings, or emerging principles, were based on peerreviewed articles, and the greatest weight was given to studies that

compared adults in different treatment groups. Descriptive studies were

used as supporting evidence.

Because the number of studies was relatively small, ALRWG

supplemented the emerging principles with ideas and comments carefully

selected from the K–12 research, taking into account the important

differences between adult and child readers.
enough, however: a researcher may find that two things are

related, but without true experimentation, cannot conclude

which causes which—or whether a third factor altogether has

caused the change.

True experiments use manipulation and control: a

researcher manipulates one factor, or variable, and looks 

for an effect while holding other variables constant, to the

extent possible. In education (and medicine) researchers

usually compare the effects of an intervention on both a

control and “intervention” group. In randomized controlled

trials, participants are randomly assigned to one group or the

other, giving us more confidence that differences in the

outcomes occurred because of the intervention, not some

other unknown, unexpected, or unseen factor.

When True Experiments Are Not Possible 

This “gold standard” is not always feasible. Randomized trials

are expensive and require fairly large numbers of participants.

More important, they must be done carefully, so that results

can be linked to the intervention, not some other factor (e.g.,

different levels of teacher skills). Other factors may

compromise a study. Are the researchers collecting the right

data? How do they define outcomes? (For example, in a study

on retention, what does “dropping out” mean?) Could the data

collectors be biased? (In the best case, data collectors don’t

know who is in which group—control or intervention).

When random assignment is not possible, most

researchers accept well-done non-random comparison group

(quasi-experimental) studies. In these studies, researchers use

statistical techniques to try to match the groups under study,

so that the intervention is the only differing factor.

Researchers also look at non-experimental studies, such as

case studies and other qualitative approaches that also must

be peer reviewed or approved by a panel of experts. 

Science is a powerful, democratic tool. By understanding

the basic principles of scientific research, practitioners can

consult the research and decide a claim’s validity for

themselves. “Professional wisdom,” the wisdom teachers

acquire through experience, is strengthened when empirical

evidence can back it up. The term “evidence-based 

education” is widely used today to describe educational

practices that integrate teachers’ professional wisdom with

the soundest research. 

Strengthening the Foundations of Adult Literacy Instruction

(continued from page 1)

The National

Institute for Literacy

has proudly served

the adult education community for 

15 years. Programs like Bridges to

Practice and resources such as the

LINCS website have made the Institute

the leading provider of information for

adult literacy educators.

The Institute’s mission, and funding,

stem from both the Adult Education

and Family Literacy Act in the

Workforce Investment Act (WIA) 

and, more recently, the No Child Left

Behind Act (NCLB). WIA directs the

Institute to provide national leadership

on literacy, coordinate literacy services

and policy, and serve as a national

resource for adult education and

literacy programs. NCLB requires the

Institute to disseminate information on

scientifically based reading research on

children, youth, and adults.

The intense focus on scientifically

based research gives the Institute 

an opportunity to expand both the

quality and number of adult literacy

resources it offers. As the adult literacy

profession matures and deepens 

by virtue of well-studied, wellimplemented programs, the Institute

will continue to be a primary source

of information about the uses of

research to improve instruction 

and resources based on the best

research available.

3

A NEW ERA FOR RESEARCH AND THE INSTITUTE

DEFINITION OF READING 

As defined in the No Child Left Behind Act,“reading” is a

complex system of deriving meaning from print that requires

all of the following:

• the skills and knowledge to understand how phonemes, or

speech sounds, are connected to print,

• the ability to decode unfamiliar words,

• the ability to read fluently,

• sufficient background information and vocabulary to 

foster reading comprehension,

• the development of appropriate active strategies to

construct meaning from print, and

• the development and maintenance of a motivation to read.
4

New Book for Adult Literacy Educators 

Is Grounded in Real-Life Examples

dult learners come from many literacy backgrounds. Some

are highly fluent in their native language. Others have 

never learned to read in any language. Adult educators need a

powerful toolkit to meet the needs of such a diverse group of

students. Applying Research in Reading Instruction for Adults:

First Steps for Teachers, by Susan McShane of the National

Center for Family Literacy and published last year by the

National Institute for Literacy, is a highly useful “field manual”

for using reading research effectively with adult learners. 

Drawn from “the resource of first resort for adult

educators,” as McShane calls John Kruidenier’s Research-Based

Practice for Adult Basic Education Reading

Instruction, Applying Research is intended as

a series of “first steps” for teachers—a way

of setting out in the right direction, with a

strong sense of the goals, means, and

avoidable pitfalls in making research-based

instructional decisions.

Applying Research is written with the

realities of adult literacy instruction in mind, such as mixed

ability levels and continuous enrollment. It makes the research

principles identified in Research-Based Principles concrete

through plentiful examples and through modeling the kinds of

thinking, planning, and problem-solving a skilled adult educator

would use in a classroom. (Examples are fictionalized, but based

on real events.) Each section of the book contains checklists and

other forms teachers can use with their own students.

McShane treats each component of adult literacy learning

and instruction evidenced by the research—alphabetics, fluency,

vocabulary, and comprehension—in its own chapter, proceeding

through a series of questions for each component: What is it?

Why is it important? Who needs to develop it? How can we

assess it? What kind of instruction is most effective in teaching

it? What does practice in it look like? All references are cited

directly in the text so the reader gains constant familiarity with

the research base. 

In other chapters, McShane presents a short primer on

evaluating research claims (amplified in an appendix on the

design of educational research studies), offers some suggestions

for beginning teachers, and explores assessments in depth. She

describes the rationale for and specifics of assessing students’

learning, gives an overview and explanation of the different

types of assessments and their purposes, clearly explains

technical assessment terms such as validity and reliability, 

and takes the reader through the process of planning initial

assessments. 

The book culminates in a “guided

tour” of a fictional class of adult learners.

McShane shows how a (fictional) teacher

approaches her class of nine students of

widely varying reading ability, from initial

interviews to individual learning plans.

McShane offers sample class schedules for

whole and small group learning, discusses ways to group

students for optimal learning, shows how to graph assessment

results for easy understanding, and makes suggestions for how

students can continue their reading outside of the classroom. 

Applying Research also pays close attention to the adult

educator’s own learning needs. McShane suggests ways that

teachers can assess their own needs for further study and plan

how to acquire additional skills and knowledge, and offers a list

of resources for further learning. To download a free copy, go to

• PDF version – http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/

publications/applyingresearch.pdf

• HTML version – http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/

publications/html/mcshane

Copies can also be ordered by contacting the National Institute

for Literacy at www.edpubs.org, calling 1-800-229-8813, or by

emailing edpubs@inet.ed.gov.

As teachers and programs 

become more capable of applying

research-based principles...the

real winners should be adult

learners and their families. 

A

Understanding what scientifically based research means can be a useful skill for

teachers when they assess the progress of students, decide what claims of

educational effectiveness are defendable, and choose what educational

materials to use.

The National Institute for Literacy offers two publications written just for

teachers: Using Research and Reason in Education and What is Scientifically

Based Research? If you would like to be a better research “consumer,” see the

Publications section (page 6) for information on how to get these publications.

GOING DEEPER: PUBLICATIONS FOR TEACHERS 

ABOUT SCIENTIFICALLY BASED RESEARCH
Milestones features some of the

exceptional people who have been

part of the long history of adult literacy

education in the United States. It also

illustrates the movement toward

integrating professional wisdom and

scientific approaches in teaching

reading to adults.

Tom Sticht, an international

consultant in adult education,

received UNESCO’s Mahatma Gandhi

medal in 2003 for 25 years of

volunteer service on UNESCO’s

International Jury for Literacy Prizes.

CommitteeUpdate

he Reading Research Working Group (RRWG), established 

by the National Institute for Literacy (the Institute) and the

National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy

(NCSALL) in 2001, answered many questions about effective

practices in teaching adults to read. Their work resulted in the

publication of Research-Based Principles for Adult Basic Education

Reading Instruction, the field’s first major compendium of findings

on what works best in adult literacy classrooms. Drawing on the

adult basic education (ABE) reading instruction research and

relevant findings from the National Reading Panel’s review of

research on instructing children to read, Research-Based Principles

set the stage for further investigation into adult reading instruction.

The Institute also recognized the need to bring the research

findings to the field. With NCSALL, the Institute established an

expert group called the Adult Literacy Research Working Group

(ALRWG) to recommend dissemination activities and new reading

resources and assist in the continuous review of the literature.

Members of the ALRWG have supported the Institute's work on

reading by making presentations at conferences and workshops,

and participating in teacher training sessions.

On the research front, the Institute is expanding and updating 

the body of research-based principles for adult literacy instruction,

drawing from recent studies in peer-reviewed journals; recent nonpeer reviewed studies vetted by the ALRWG; relevant research

studies on other, non-ABE populations (children, adolescents,

community college students, and those learning to read in a second

language); and the effects of writing instruction on reading. 

At the same time, the Institute, at ALRWG’s suggestion,

produced shorter, less technical versions of the research-based

principles, such as Teaching Adults to Read, which synthesizes the

findings in Research-Based Principles for ease of use by adult

literacy practitioners. ALRWG is also producing a workshop on

Research-Based Principles to give participants hands-on experience

in applying these principles in teaching reading to adults.

The ALRWG comprises more than 40 experts from education,

private industry and goverment. It makes recommendations

through five committees:

• Planning—provides direction, oversight, and input to ALRWG

projects. In addition to adult literacy experts, it includes

representatives of five federal agencies. 

• Research—reviews and evaluates current research to update

the research-based principles and practices in Research-Based

Principles and advises the full ALRWG on study methodologies

and data quality. 

• Research Review for Non-Peer Reviewed Articles—conducts

independent reviews, similar to those used by journal editors,

of non-peer reviewed studies to determine their applicability to

the research-based principles of adult literacy instruction. 

• Resource Development—identifies existing, and produces new,

resources on adult literacy of value to the field. These resources

may include paper and electronic documents (on CD-ROMs or

websites) and teacher training programs and materials. 

• Dissemination—targets adult and family literacy practitioners,

policymakers, and researchers with information about the

ALRWG and products it has created. The committee matches

materials to audiences for the greatest effect on adult literacy.

5

One of the earliest accounts of teaching an adult to read

comes from the slave Harriet A. Jacobs (1813-1897). Even

though it was unlawful to teach slaves to read, Jacobs’ owner’s

daughter taught her to read and write. In 1861, after she

became a free woman, Jacobs wrote “Incidents in the Life of a

Slave Girl Written by Herself” (Jacobs, 1987/1861). In the

book she tells how she helped an older black man, a slave like

her, learn to read: “I taught him his A, B, C—his progress was

astonishing—At the end of six months he had read through

the New Testament and could find any text in it.”

Later, Jacobs taught literacy to former slaves in the

Freedmen’s schools during Reconstruction following the 

Civil War.

HARRIET A. JACOBS: 

LITERACY AND LIBERATION

by Tom Sticht

T

Milestones 

The Institute’s Adult Literacy Research Working Group: 

Connecting Research to Teaching

Harriet A. Jacobs
Research-Based Principles for Adult 

Basic Education Reading Instruction

This book (130 pages) presents findings from the Adult Literacy

Research Working Group’s (ALRWG) comprehensive review of

scientifically based research on adult literacy instruction and

relevant studies of teaching children to read. After establishing

the major topics it would study (alphabetics, fluency, vocabulary,

comprehension, assessment, and using computer technology) and

the standards it would use to evaluate studies (peer-reviewed

articles), ALRWG derived a set of evidence-based principles,

trends, and promising ideas in adult literacy instruction.

Research-Based Principles is intended to serve two primary

audiences: the educators and policymakers who select the

content of adult basic education reading instruction, and

researchers eager to identify new avenues of study to add to 

our understanding of this field. By John R. Kruidenier.

• PDF version – http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/

publications/adult_ed_02.pdf 

• HTML version – http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/

publications/html/adult_ed 

Teaching Adults to Read: A Summary of 

Scientifically Based Research Principles

A short version of Research-Based Principles for Adult Basic

Reading Instruction, this booklet (16 pages) is useful for

educators seeking a brief overview of the research findings. It

explains the importance of key literacy concepts (alphabetics,

vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension) and suggests effective

practices in the adult education classroom. By Mary E. Curtis and

John R. Kruidenier.

• PDF version – http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/

publications/teach_adults.pdf 

• HTML version – http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/

publications/html/teach_adults/teach_adults.html

Using Research and Reason in Education

Teachers value the power of information, but the demands of

school life makes it difficult to stay current with research on

effective instruction. This monograph (48 pages) helps teachers

become discerning consumers of educational programs and

materials. It provides guidance on how to recognize scientifically

based instructional strategies and how to use the concepts of

research in the classroom. By Paula J. Stanovich and Keith E.

Stanovich.

• PDF version – http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/

publications/pdf/Stanovich_Color.pdf 

• HTML version – http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/

publications/html/stanovich 

What is Scientifically Based Research? 

A Guide for Teachers

A short version of Using Research and Reason in Education, this

12-page booklet offers a quick introduction to the concepts of

rigorous research that have become the gold standard for

evaluating statements of educational effectiveness. The

publication helps teachers judge outcome claims, and think

scientifically when assessing the impact of their own teaching.

• PDF version – http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/

publications/science_research.pdf 

• HTML version – http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/

publications/html/science/stanovich.html 

Report of the National Reading Panel: 

Teaching Children to Read

This is the full report of the National Reading Panel, which was

created by Congress in 1997 to review the research on reading

instruction and identify those practices proven effective through

quality research. The report has been used by adult literacy

researchers for guidance in identifying reading components and

strategies with potential application for adult learners. Highly

detailed, this report is designed for educators, teachers, and

policy-makers interested in a thorough grounding in evidencebased reading research.

• http://www.nationalreadingpanel.org

Copies can also be ordered by contacting the National Institute

for Literacy at www.edpubs.org, calling 1-800-229-8813, or by

emailing edpubs@inet.ed.gov.

The Partnership for Reading at the National Institute for

Literacy has invested in the development of several

groundbreaking publications that summarize the most

current scientifically based research findings on effective

adult literacy instruction. All of these products, as well 

as Applying Research in Reading Instruction for Adults,

described on page 4, are available for free at www.nifl.gov.

Publications

6

ONLINE FORUMS 

FOR ADULT LITERACY

STAKEHOLDERS

Since 1995, the Institute’s online

discussion lists have given

thousands of literacy stakeholders

a forum for staying current with

discussing the field’s critical issues,

posing questions to experts, and

sharing resources, experiences, and

ideas.The lists are extremely active,

with new posts daily. Each

discussion list is moderated by an

expert in the field. Sign up at

www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/

discussions.html.

List topics are:

• Adult Literacy Professional

Development

• Assessment

• Adult English Language Learners

• Family Literacy

• Focus on Basics

• Health Literacy

• Learning Disabilities

• Poverty, Race,Women, and

Literacy

• Special Topics

• Technology & Literacy

• Workplace Literacy
tudy Circles offer an interesting, hands-on way to become

familiar with adult reading instruction research. In Study

Circles, small groups of teachers—usually 8-12—explore

research topics of interest. Guided by a facilitator, the group

discusses the research in light of members’ knowledge and

experience, and plans ways to apply ideas from the Study

Circle in their work. 

A Study Circle facilitator will find everything needed to

lead three Study Circle discussions in NCSALL’s Study Circle

Guide: Research-Based Adult Reading Instruction. Based on

Research-Based Principles for Adult Basic Education Reading

Instruction and other research, the Guide includes: 

• how to organize and promote a Study Circle;

• how to prepare for and facilitate each session;

• objectives and activities for each session;

• photocopy-ready handouts and readings; and

• facilitator notes and content for flipcharts. 

The three sessions cover: 

• Session One—the reading process, the types of reading

research, and the four research-based components of reading

instruction: alphabetics, fluency, vocabulary, and

comprehension.

• Session Two—using the four components in teaching

reading, understanding adult readers, and promoting literacy

practices.

• Session Three—assessing adult learners’ reading, teaching

adults about the reading process, and applying participants’

knowledge in their own programs.

Study Circles: A Collegial Way to Explore the Research

Editor

John R. Kruidenier

Contributors

Barbara Garner

Tom Sticht

Simone Payment

Editorial and design services

provided by C. Ralph Adler,

Elizabeth Goldman, Lisa Noonis,

and Bob Kozman of RMC

Research Corporation

ALRWG's work, including this

publication, is produced under

National Institute for Literacy Contract

No. ED-03-CO-0026 with Dr. John

Kruidenier of Kruidenier Education

Consulting. June Crawford serves as

the Contracting Officer's Technical

Representative. The views expressed

herein do not necessarily represent the

policies of the National Institute for

Literacy. No official endorsement by the

National Institute for Literacy of any

product, service, or enterprise is

intended or should be inferred.

The National Institute for Literacy

Sandra Baxter, Director

Lynn Reddy, Deputy Director

The National Institute for Literacy, a federal

agency, provides leadership on literacy issues,

including the improvement of reading instruction

for children, youth, and adults. In consultation with

the U.S. Departments of Education, Labor, and

Health and Human Services, the Institute serves 

as a national resource on current, comprehensive

literacy research, practice, and policy.

The Partnership for Reading, a project

administered by the National Institute for Literacy,

is a collaborative effort of the National Institute

for Literacy, the National Institute for Child Health

and Human Development, the U.S. Department of

Education, and the U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services to make scientifically based

reading research available to educators, parents,

policy makers, and others with an interest in

helping all people learn to read well.

S

Credits|Contributors

An excerpt from the Study Circle

Guide, which is available from

NCSALL at www.ncsall.net.

ResourceSpotlight

7

New, practical research-based resources for adult reading teachers 
This Partnership for Reading publication describes strategies proven to work by the most rigorous scientific research available on the teaching of reading.

The research that confirmed the effectiveness of these strategies used systematic, empirical methods drawn from observation or experiment; involved

rigorous data analyses to test its hypotheses and justify its conclusions; produced valid data across multiple evaluators and observations; and was

accepted by a peer-reviewed journal or approved by a panel of independent experts. The application of these research-based strategies will increase the

likelihood of success in reading instruction. Adherence to scientifically based research in this publication was ensured by a review process that included

representatives of each Partnership for Reading organization and external expert reviewers. For detailed information on this review process, contact the

Partnership for Reading at the National Institute for Literacy, 1775 I Street NW, Suite 730, Washington, DC 20006.

1775 I Street NW | Suite 730 | Washington, DC 20006

alphabetics

vocabulary

fluency

comprehension

Watch future issues for news about

QEd

Scientific Evidence for Adult Literacy Educators