Literalität in sozialen Kontexten: Adult Literacy Curriculum Framework in Schottland

Ralf St.ClairUniversity of Glasgow

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TheoryTheory

• New Literacy Studies• 1980s James Gee, Brian Street,

Harvey Graff, Hanna Fingeret• 1990s David Barton, Mary Hamilton,

Yvonne Hillier, Lyn Tett

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• Literacy depends on social institutions

• Literacy can only be known through political and ideological significance

• Literacy is shaped by social structure

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• The processes of learning literacy affect the meaning

• Literacies not literacy • Literacy and context hard to separate

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Implications:

• No linear model of literacy “skills”• No single process• No differentiation of learners• No testing

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• International Adult Literacy Survey:

53% of adults in Scotland at Level 1 or 2

meaning they lack functional literacy levels

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• New Scottish government, then known as the Executive

• Small nation, but history of difference from England

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• Leftist Labour administration

• Committed to social justice

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• Small working group to develop the policy

• One member had worked with Barton et al. in Lancaster

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sets a goal to exceed world class levels of literacy and numeracy

•assists around 80,000 people over the next 3 years•more than doubles annual capacity within 3 years•develops an enabling framework for a world class literacy and numeracy service

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identifies four key principles:

1.a lifelong learning approach2.free to learners3.targeting priority groups4.grounding change in research and learner

consultation

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targets priority groups:

• people with limited initial education, particularly young adults

• unemployed people and workers facing Redundancy

• people with English as a second or additional language

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• Funded by the national government• Managed by partnerships (FE, community,

local authority)• PDA-ITALL• TQAL

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• Radically learner centered• Based on “Individual Learning Plans”• 2005 Curriculum Framework

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• So what’s good about this system?• What might be a problem?

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• Relationships with learners• Engagement with learners• Inclusivity• Confidence

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• Accountability• Initial Assessment (Her Majesty’s Inspectors)• Training Development• Employment conditions• Resources

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Current happenings

• ALNIS “refresh”• Scotland Performs (IALS)• Concordat

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What would you do next?

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