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

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 samp

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Veröffentlichungsversion ; begutachtet (peer reviewed) ; In: International Review of Education ; 66 (2020) 2-3 ; 267-288

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Mannheim
• (who): SSOAR, GESIS – Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften e.V.
• (when): 2020
• Creator: Reder, Stephen ; Gauly, Britta ; Lechner, Clemens

Further information

• DOI: 10.1007/s11159-020-09830-5
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2021102113575605728107
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 25.03.2025, 1:44 PM CET