Pilot study: Literacy and the introduction of the adult literacy curricula
Sophia Monerville
Paper presented as an item of coursework required on the EdD programme at the University of Greenwich
Introduction:
Literacy is a phenomenon which Street (1993; p1) states will be transformed by the cultural concerns and interests of the individuals who chose to define literacy in their own cultural context. Moyle (197?), Friere (1973), O’Neil (1977) and Gregory and Williams (2000), suggest that an understanding of literacy requires detailed, in depth accounts of actual practice and purpose in different cultural settings and that the purpose of adult literacy defines different types of functionalism within the context of cultural norms. But when viewed as part of what Freire describes as a massification process (1973; pp. 32-41) the culture, purpose and role of literacy from a providers perspective is derived from the perspective of the central educational policy makers and that of the adult literacy curricula they develop in pursuit of socio-economical ideals.
The Research Question
The research question posed: How has the introduction of the adult literacy curricula influenced the teaching culture of lecturers working in adult learning programmes in a South West London college of further education?
Theoretical Context
Functionalism and Culture
The basic premise of functionalism is that social coherence and human phenomena are underpinned by transmission of efficient structures of formal rules, signs and arrangements and that meaning, language and culture can be understood on the basis of what underpinning structures are identified and need to be in place (Radcliffe-Brown; 1952; pp 178-188). In effect, educational systems such as the adult literacy curricula are being constructed to perpetuate the ‘accepted culture’. Within this there is also the implication that there is a consensus about which values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviours should be transmitted and an acceptance of the ideology perpetuated through the use of ‘overt and official’ national curricula in adult learning institutions and through adult learning inspection processes.
Methodology
For the purposes of this pilot study, phenomenology is the qualitative research method and philosophical perspective used to address the research question.
Rationale
According to Moustakas (1994) and Creswell (1998) and as suggested by Gubrium and Holstein (2003), phenomenology, as opposed to other qualitative methodology, produces a description the ‘meanings’ and ‘essences’ of lived experiences. It is through processes of theoretical reflection and philosophical analysis of themes generated by questioning participants, that the composite perception of the lived experiences is established and this is used to understand the implications of the implementation of national curricula for the teaching culture in the context of a further education college department.
Data Collection
Semi-structured, audio-recorded individual interviews were carried out in designated staff rooms with interviewees who are: currently further education lecturers, teaching adult literacy and have working knowledge of the adult literacy curricula introduced in 2002. Each interviewee was asked to provide a verbal description of what teaching adult literacy was like prior to and since the introduction of the adult literacy curricula. The interviews lasted between fifteen (15) and twenty (20) minutes. For the purposes of the interview, the following questions were asked and if deemed necessary, the associated prompts:
· Please describe what the teaching of literacy was like prior to the introduction of the adult literacy curricula.
· Please describe what literacy teaching has been like since the introduction of the new adult literacy curricula
Prompts: Resources; planning processes; consideration of meaningfulness to students; support for lecturers.
Treatment and analysis of data
The responses given by the interviewees to the interview questions were recorded onto an audiocassette tape from which all the audible responses were transcribed verbatim. The data was then subjected to a method of phenomenological data organisation and analysis based upon a modified method presented by Moustakas (1994; pp 121-122) which involved the following reduction processes: From the transcriptions, significant, non-repetitive and non-overlapping, statements (‘horizons or meaning units’) relating to culture were isolated for teaching prior and post the introduction of the adult literacy curricula (Tables 1.1 and 1.2). Horizons were clustered into three central themes (Tables 1.3); horizons, themes and verbatim examples were placed into a general description of the experience or ‘textures of the experiences’ (Table 1.4). Through approaching the phenomenon from differing perspectives (‘Imaginative Variation’), a description of how the phenomenon was experienced or ‘structures of the experiences’ was derived at (Table 1.5). The final part of the process was to construct unifying meaning of the composite experiences or ‘textual-structural description of the meanings and essences of the experiences’ as experienced by the interviewees (Table 1.6) and for validation, compared with the original transcriptions.
Table 1.1 Significant Statements:Prior to the introduction of the adult literacy curricula
1. People [lecturers] made it up as they went along
2. We tended to look at children’s books as a starting point which was not always appropriate and the material had to be adapted – changed so as not to cause offence both with language and content
3. One had to look for their own sort of support
4. It was assumed that if you can teach you would formulate your own resources
5. It was taken for granted that you would just get on with it
6. It was a question of creating materials, looking for ideas
7. Mostly relying on a lot of one’s own skills
8. Being creative and imaginative and trying to respond to individual [student] needs
9. It’s definitely more structured now
10. Hand to mouth existence
11. Slightly hit and miss
12. It was not very organised on some levels
13. It depended on the enthusiasm of the tutor and the teaching style of the tutor
14. Nothing in terms of here’s a guideline or here’s one I prepared earlier
15. There was not anything you could pick up and run with
16. It wasn’t as inclusive
17. Maybe some of the students missed out
18. There were confusions about levels and expectations of students and confusion about where they go
19. Students just went around the literacy block and ended up doing the same thing again
Example: Statements 1-5 are taken from the following transcription: “I think people made it up as they went along, there were no resources available when teachers started to teach adults. We tended to look at children’s books as a starting point which was not always appropriate and the material had to be adapted, changed so as not to cause offence both with language and content [prompt]…so its just trying to make it real and meaningful as well as giving them the pleasure of reading in a creative way [prompt]…I suppose one had to look for their own sort of support be it library or internet and so on. I think it was assumed that if you can teach you would formulate your own resources and do your own background work and so on and it was just taken for granted that you would just get on with it.”
Table 1.2 Significant Statements:
Post introduction of the adult literacy curricula
1. It’s more structured
2. It involves more work, more organisation, ,more planning and having to work to think about student’s levels
3. Resources are definitely easier to get hold of
4. It’s meaningful
5. It’s made a difference to how they [students] respond
6. We’ve all had the training
7. We can all support each other
8. We are all versed in the use of the material
9. It can be marvellous if you’re very organised
10. It’s more coherent
11. We’ve been given clear guidelines and a clear framework in which to work
12. Some teachers will just photocopy them [resource packs] and give them out and that’s deadly
13. Made me think to focus in on individual tasks for students and how they can achieve particular goals within the curriculum framework
14. It’s a very complex structure
15. Everyone is talking a common language now
16. There’s a much more comprehensive feel to the kind of support
17. Telling them [students] they’re at level one actually has a meaning
Example: Statements 10 -17 are taken from the following transcription: “Well it’s, I feel it’s more coherent .I mean, personally, I’ve now begun to work with students who are, um, um, more receptive and more able to access um, um, literacy for their own personal needs and make it relevant to them and make it work and I get much more feedback from my clients, I mean students [prompt]…It’s more meaningful now and I think it’s more meaningful as well because we’ve been given clear guidelines and a clear framework in which to work [prompt]…I think the resource packs from the Basic Skills Agency have been good. A good sort of starter kit [long pause] I think it depends on the skills of the teacher really. I think some teachers will just photocopy them and give them out and that’s deadly, and I think, but I think [pause]. But if they are to be used successfully they are to be used in a way in which I’ve always worked, which is to adapt and blend and make it work for the student [prompt]…It’s made me think to focus in on individual tasks for the students and how they can, umm, how they can, umm, achieve particular goals within the, umm, curriculum framework. Which is not to say that I am completely o-faye with the framework, cos I don’t want you to feel that I am. I think it’s very complex; it’s a very complex structure [prompt]… I think there is far more support in terms of, you know, being able to access stuff from the internet. I think, you know, everyone is talking a common language now, so there is [pause]. You can get [pause]. There is a, a, a, much more comprehensive feel to the kind of support and the kind of materials, their quality they’ll have. I don’t feel we get much support within the college [prompt]…And students can see that they can now [pause]. Telling them they’re at level one actually has a meaning. Cos level two means GCSE’s and all those things that they crave.”
Table 1.3 Clusters of Themes
Prior to the introduction of adult literacy curricula
Support:
· Lecturers had to seek their own support
· Lecturers were left with the responsibility of student progression and sense of failing the student if not achieved
· Lecturers had a sense of not being part of a cohesive team
· It was assumed that lecturers had the skills and abilities to perform their teaching roles and facilitate learning
Meaningfulness:
· Students were not clear learning goals and progression was difficult to map out
· Students and Lecturers were confused about where literacy was placed in relation to mainstream qualification and accreditation systems
Resources:
· Resources were limited and had to be devised and or adapted from other sources
· Potential to cause offence if the teaching resource in terms of language and content was not appropriate
Post introduction of the adult literacy curricula
Support:
· Lecturers have specific training and guidelines for the use of the curricula
· Lecturers can support each other now a common language is used despite its complexities
Meaningfulness:
· Learning outcomes for students are much clearer with defined progression routes
· Lecturers and students can map achievements to the mainstream qualification and accreditation frameworks and understand the relationship between the twos systems. Different but equal.
Resources:
· Resources are readily available, accessible, organised and comprehensive
· Potential for over reliance on the resources that accompany the adult literacy curricula
Table 1.4 Descriptions of the textures of the experiences
Prior to the introduction of the adult literacy curricula
The teaching culture prior to the introduction of the adult literacy curricula is perceived by the interviewees as one that assumes that the lecturer had the qualities, skills and ability to individually resource the learning needs of their students without directive frameworks or support structures and systems being in place. There was no sense of being part of a team and the teaching practice was inconsistent, non-standardised and ’ad hoc’ in an atmosphere that fostered not easily recognisable progression routes for students who were seen as ‘going round the literacy block’. Lecturers were left entirely with the sense of responsibility that the education system for teaching literacy was containing adult students as opposed to educating them in a meaningful way. The teaching and learning was repetitive and lecturers were confused about how recognisable student achievements could be adequately mapped against mainstream qualifications or what the achievements meant in a mainstream context.
Post introduction of the adult literacy curricula
The teaching culture post introduction of the adult literacy curricula is perceived by lecturers as one that has a consensus of values with ‘common language’, purpose and structure that is accessible, resourced and standardised, despite its complexities, and in which lecturers versed in the use of the curricula can support each other in respect to its interpretation. Students on adult literacy programmes are now part of a meaningful achievement stratification process based upon the students’ abilities to demonstrate the literate behaviours as set out by the adult literacy curricula. The system is such that even the students can recognise their own achievements within the context of mainstream qualifications and accreditation structures.
Table 1.5 Descriptions of the structures of the experiences
Prior to the introduction of the adult literacy curricula
In the absence of the adult literacy curricula, the teaching culture did not lend itself to a sense of uniformity and lacked common intentions and or common aspirations for the educational experience of adult learners. The individualist culture fostered and embodied the resilience, ideology and value systems of the individual lecturer whose working environment relied heavily upon the assumed vivacity, commitment and skills of the lecturer to negotiate and actuate meaningful learning experiences for their students. Lecturers were susceptible to heightened vulnerability and isolation in answer to the responsibility for determining resources, student progression and student learning outcomes in an atmosphere where professional and pastoral support for the lecturer was self sought. Ambiguities about the functionality of adult literacy were fostered as was the potential for ambivalence between lecturer and learner in terms of what ought to be taught in the learning environment.
Post introduction of the adult literacy curricula
In the presence of the adult literacy curricula, prescription (the stick), potentially removes or reduces individual responsibility from the lecturer and places emphasis instead upon adult learning outcomes and progression acknowledged within the adult literacy curricula, and as an achievement, is rewarded by being mapped against mainstream qualification frameworks (the carrot), which influences the meaningfulness of the learning experiences for adult learners. Individualist teaching culture becomes supra-personal and anonymous as the central values and beliefs reflected in the adult literacy curricula begins to influence teaching culture and direct and dictate cultural change through the use of readily accessible but demanding resources that have defined parameters for what is considered functionally literate behaviours in adult learners.
Table 1.6 Composite textual-structural descriptions of the meanings and
essences of the experiences
Prior to the introduction of the adult literacy curricula
The lecturers in this study were reconciled to the fact that with freedom comes responsibility and that adult literacy teaching culture was heavily dependent upon and reflected their individualistic ideology, professionalism, flexibility and creative enthusiasm, which was hampered by the absence of a definable team spirit, limited support and limited resources. The culture was one in which there was a sense of their own students being contained by the institution and whose literacy achievements meant very little beyond the students’ presence in an educational situation and being of no officially acknowledged significance in a wider social context.
Post introduction of the adult literacy curricula
The lecturers in this study readily accepted the changes brought about by the introduction of adult literacy curricula and demonstrated an enthusiasm to discard the teaching culture as it was prior to this introduction. The culture is now one that places the emphasis on the lecturer’s knowledge of and ability to use the highly structured adult literacy curricula and transmit the ideology it contains to students so that their literacy achievements can be deemed significant and become recognisable in a wider social context.
Conclusion