Helping adults with low literacy learn reading and writing
Official title: A Multi-skills Approach for Low Literate Adult Learners
Funded at Mount Holyoke College · NIH-11221117 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project compares reading and writing in adults with low literacy and children with similar skills to find better ways to teach adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mount Holyoke College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (South Hadley, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2011 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $560,134 |
| NIH project number | 2R15HD067755-04A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11221117 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults enrolled in adult basic education programs with reading levels below a 7th-grade level are the ideal participants.
✕Less likely to help
Adults who already read at or above a 7th-grade level or whose reading difficulties stem primarily from severe hearing, vision, or neurological disorders may not benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
You would take part alongside adults in adult basic education (ABE) programs who read below the 7th-grade level and children who match those reading skills. Researchers will match people on socio-economic background and measure how they read and write using targeted assessment tasks. The team will look for which specific skills or obstacles differ between adults and children. Results will be used to create assessment tools and teaching approaches designed specifically for adult learners.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to adult-focused tests and teaching methods that help adults improve reading, find work, participate in civic life, and understand healthcare information.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work indicates adult reading behavior can differ from children, but adult-specific assessment and intervention research is limited and this project builds on that small evidence base.
Where this research is happening
-
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Binder, Kathy Susan — Mount Holyoke College
- Study coordinator: Binder, Kathy Susan
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.