VOICES Education Center provides literacy services to adult learners. It gives our clients the ability to describe and interpret art, and to apply these skills to understanding written text. This methodology has proven extremely effective based on a study conducted in partnership with Randi Korn and Associates.
The primary question that guided this study was: Does looking at and making art teach students how to be better critical thinkers? The study focused on a sample of over 500 students. Two of the schools served as the control group and did not receive art programming and two of the schools were the treatment students who received art programming.
Professional evaluators conducted observations, case studies of students, rubric-based interviews, and looked at student scores on tests. Primary findings were determined by a rubric-based interview that captured student responses to both works of art and literature excerpts.
Findings:
The study found that art helps students become better learners and thinkers, and findings indicate that those who participated in the program performed better in all six categories of the following literacy and critical-thinking skills:
- Extended focus
- Hypothesizing
- Providing multiple interpretations
- Schema-building
- Giving evidence
- Thorough description
Based on these findings, our agency utilizes the art resources available to teach our adult learners English as a Second Language, Adult Basic Education, Literacy, Civics and Citizenship, Job Skills, and prepares them for the GED test. Our qualitative and quantitative data based on pre-assessment and post-assessment testing demonstrates the extraordinary success of our program.
VOICES Education Center disrupts the cycle of poverty by providing the knowledge and skills for adult learners to succeed in post-secondary education, compete in the 21st-century economy, and support the educational attainment of their children. It primarily serves poverty-stricken adults from under-served communities lacking the educational skills to obtain financial independence and pursue their goals.
Open Enrollment for All Classes
Please contact us for upcoming orientations for our Citizenship and Civics, ESL, GED, and Literacy programs. We also offer referral services.
By: Betsy D. Delgado Executive Director
