difficulty level of grade one to a readability level of grade four
in a few hundred heavily illustrated pages or less. None provide
for sufficient practice within a given reading grade level. To
meet the needs of your classes, you will have to rely in part on
individualized reading, in part on the experience method, and in
part upon materials devised by yourself.

 Undercutting is frequently advisable in selecting materials.
Undercutting means choosing materials at or below the independent
level of the student for his initial instruction. Adults needing
basic reading instruction are very apt to be doubtful of their
ability to learn to read. By undercutting, one provides immediate
success and encouragement for these students.



 WRITING MATERIALS FOR THE INTRODUCTORY STAGE


 It may be necessary to prepare supplementary materials. You
may even want to develop a basic text slanted toward the particular
group with which you work. The following principles will help with
either task: (1) Clearly outline the objectives. (2) Keep in mind
the objectives of the students and the thinking levels, in terms:.of
abstractness, at which they habitually operate. (3) Try to meet con-
crete needs of the student. Write about areas touching on his basic
and immediate needs right from the beginning. (4) Relate the subject
matter to the student's social groups and economic aspirations. (5)
Try to maintain an informal style and introduce conversation as early
as feasible. (6) Write what you have to say in a natural style and
later reduce the readability by cutting the sentence length and sub-
stituting easy words for hard ones. (7) Use a word list such as
The Teacher's Word Book of 30,000 Words (Bureau of Publications,
Teachers College, Columbia University) or A Core Vocabulary (Educa-
tional Developmental Laboratories). The list will indicate the grade
level of words and provide a source of words which can be used to sub-
stitute for harder words. (8) Vary the length of sentences and para-
graphs. (9) Use non-glare paper and 14 point or preferably larger
print. (10) Check the material for readability by applying a read-
ability formula. (11) Try the materials on adults whose reading level
is known. (12) Revise the materials in accord with the results of
the try-out with the students.

 It will be wise to cut down the readability of some materials
so that adults at the introductory level can read them. When cutting
others' writing, be sure that you do not violate the copyright laws!
It is relatively safe to use materials available from the United States
Government Printing Office. These are not usually copyrighted. Most
newspapers will grant permission to use their articles. Many magazines
will also cooperate in your venture. Another caution must be mentioned.
The interest of any selection can be killed by too much cutting.


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