Practice makes perfect: Practice engagement theory and the development of adult literacy and numeracy proficiency

Stephen Reder,Britta Gauly,Clemens Lechner

doi:10.1007/s11159-020-09830-5

Abstract

Practice engagement theory (PET) posits that individuals’ literacy proficiencies develop as a by-product of their engagement in everyday reading and writing practices and, reciprocally, that literacy proficiencies affect levels of engagement in reading and writing practices. This suggests that literacy training which increases engagement in meaningful practices might generate proficiency growth. Research has shown that this approach does indeed seem to be effective in improving (adult) learners’ literacy proficiency. A number of cross-sectional comparisons of participants’ and non-participants’ performance in various training activities, as well as quantitative modelling of adults’ proficiency growth in longitudinal studies have confirmed the theoretical assumptions of PET. The authors of this article describe the first application of PET to literacy and numeracy development in a longitudinal study of a nationally representative adult population. Their investigation followed a sample of adults initially interviewed and assessed in the German component of the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), adding longitudinal data from three additional waves of the national extension study (PIAAC-L), which included repeated assessments of literacy and numeracy proficiency over a period of three years. The authors’ quantitative modelling of the growth of literacy and numeracy proficiency over time provides strong support for PET. Their comparisons of how various practice engagement indexes predict growth of literacy and numeracy proficiencies indicate that reading engagement is the strongest predictor of literacy growth and maths engagement is the strongest predictor of numeracy growth. The authors conclude their article by considering their findings’ implications for sustainable development, lifelong learning policy and future research into the development of adult literacy and numeracy proficiency.

Highlights

There is a large body of evidence documenting the importance of adult literacy and numeracy for a broad range of economic and social outcomes (Dinis da Costa et al 2014; Hanushek et al 2015; Hanushek and Woessman 2015; OECD 2013, 2016).Literacy and numeracy proficiencies1 have been linked to employment, earnings, health status, social trust, political efficacy and civic engagement
The findings are consistent across the literacy and numeracy proficiency domains
The specific questions we asked in testing Practice engagement theory (PET), we found that engagement in reading practices is positively associated with the development of individuals’ literacy proficiency over time

Summary

Introduction

There is a large body of evidence documenting the importance of adult literacy and numeracy for a broad range of economic and social outcomes (Dinis da Costa et al 2014; Hanushek et al 2015; Hanushek and Woessman 2015; OECD 2013, 2016).Literacy and numeracy proficiencies have been linked to employment, earnings, health status, social trust, political efficacy and civic engagement. Growth of a country’s national gross domestic product (GDP) has been associated with increasing levels of literacy and numeracy proficiency (Schwerdt and Wiederhold 2018). Beyond supporting important economic and social outcomes, literacy and numeracy proficiency are essential for sustainable development. High levels of adult literacy and numeracy are an integral part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, being both prerequisites for and the by-product of lifelong learning. Policies and programmes that foster increased literacy and numeracy proficiencies effectively support SDG 4, which calls on Member States to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” Policies and programmes that foster increased literacy and numeracy proficiencies effectively support SDG 4, which calls on Member States to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” (UIS 2018, p. 7)

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Results

Conclusion