Teaching Adult Literacy: principles and practice (Developing Adult Skills)

394 Pages·2010·2.81 MB·English

by  Nora Hughes

DEVELOPING ADULT SKILLS
Teaching
SERIES EDITORS: DAVID MALLOWS AND WENDY MOSS
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Adult Literacy e
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Principles and Practice i
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Are you teaching or training to teach literacy to
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adult learners? u
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Adult Literacy
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Yes! Then this is the essential book for you! i
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In this book, the authors offer friendly guidance on how to work with adult r
learners to develop their literacy skills and practices. They challenge the a
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negative view of adult literacy learners as social ‘problems’, often described in
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terms of their deficits. They promote an alternative view of people who have
rich resources and skills in many areas of their lives which they can bring to the Principles and Practice
learning process. P
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The contributing authors have a wealth of experience as practitioners and n
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researchers in the field. They pull together a wide range of current theory and
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research on adult literacy, offering new perspectives on theory and
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applications to everyday practice. e
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Key features include: a
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❯ Case studies of real student experiences d
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❯ Samples of learners’ writing with commentary and analysis r
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❯ Application of linguistic theory to literacy teaching c
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❯ Practical suggestions for teaching, planning and assessment ic
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❯ Guidance on supporting learners with dyslexia and global
learning difficulties E
❯ Reflective tasks, encouraging readers to develop and apply d
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their knowledge t
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This book is an invaluable resource for trainee teachers studying on literacy
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specialist courses leading to teaching qualifications, as well as for experienced
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practitioners wishing to update and deepen their practice. H
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Both lead authors work at the Institute of Education, University of London, UK. g
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Nora Hughesteaches on the PGCE Literacy/ESOL and the MA Adult Literacy,
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Language and Numeracy. s
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Irene Schwabis course leader for the PGCE Literacy/ESOL and also teaches on
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the MA Adult Literacy, Language and Numeracy.
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Edited by
Cover design Hybert Design (cid:129)www.hybertdesign.com
www.openup.co.uk Nora Hughes& Irene Schwab
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Teaching Adult Literacy
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Developing Adult Skills
Series Editors: David Mallows and Wendy Moss
The Developing Adult Skills series is written to support Adult Literacy and ESOL
professionals,particularlythosewhoarestudyingforthenewteachingqualifications.
Each book offers strategies and practical tips as well as helping to link theory and
practice. The editors and contributors are all experienced practitioners and research-
ers who share their experiences of meeting the diverse needs of learners.
Titles in the series:
Teaching Adult Literacy: principles and practice
Nora Hughes and Irene Schwab
Teaching Adult ESOL: principles and practice
Anne Paton and Meryl Wilkins
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Teaching Adult Literacy
Principles and Practice
Nora Hughes and Irene Schwab
Series Editors: David Mallows and Wendy Moss
NRDC
Open University Press
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The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not
necessarily represent the decisions or the stated policy of the Institute of Education.
Open University Press
McGraw-Hill Education
McGraw-Hill House
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Maidenhead
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email: [email protected]
world wide web: www.openup.co.uk
and Two Penn Plaza, New York, NY 10121—2289, USA
First published 2010
Copyright © Institute of Education 2010
All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purpose of
criticism and review, no part of this publication may reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the publisher or a licence from the Copyright Licensing Agency
Limited. Details of such licences (for reprographic reproduction) may be obtained
from the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd of Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby Street,
London, EC1N 8TS.
A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library
ISBN-13:978-0-33-5237364 (pb) 978-0-33-5237357 (hb)
ISBN-10:0-33-523736-3 (pb) 0-33-523735-5 (hb)
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Printed and bound in the UK by Bell and Bain Ltd, Glasgow.
Fictitious names of companies, products, people, characters and/or data that may be
used herein (in case studies or in examples) are not intended to represent any real
individual, company, product or event.
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Contents
Notes on the contributors vi
Acknowledgements viii
Introduction 1
Section 1 Literacy in its social context 5
1 The social context of literacy
Mary Hamilton 7
2 Who are the learners?
Yvon Appleby 29
Section 2 Language awareness for literacy teachers 49
3 How language works
Irene Schwab and Nora Hughes 51
4 Language variety
Nora Hughes and Irene Schwab 99
Learner profiles and texts 129
Section 3 Teaching and learning literacy 147
5 Reading
Irene Schwab 149
6 Writing
Nora Hughes 209
7 Speaking and listening
Irene Schwab and Nora Hughes 264
8 Planning and assessment
Jay Derrick and Judith Gawn 278
Section 4 Inclusive learning 311
9 Dyslexia
Margaret Herrington 313
10 Literacy learning for adults with global learning difficulties
Sam Duncan 331
11 Embedding literacy
Theresa Latham 344
Glossary 365
References 367
Index 377
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Notes on the contributors
DrYvonApplebyisSeniorLecturerintheSchoolofEducationandSocialScience
at the University of Central Lancashire. Before this she was Research Fellow at
LancasterLiteracyResearchCentreworkingonseveralNRDCresearchprojects.Sheis
co-author of Literacy, Lives and Learning and author of several NRDC/NIACE Practi-
tioner Guides.
Jay Derrick has worked in adult education in the UK since 1975. Since April
2003, when he launched BlueSky Learning Ltd as his specialist consultancy, he has
workedonbasicskillsdevelopmentinworkplaces,teachertrainingdevelopment,and
research on assessment for the UK’s National Research and Development Centre for
adult literacy and numeracy (NRDC) and the OECD.
SamDuncanhastaughtadultliteracy,Englishasaforeignlanguage,poetry,and
cinemastudiesintheEnglishfurthereducationsectorandabroad,andworkedinthe
film and publishing industries. In 2005 Sam joined the Institute of Education,
UniversityofLondon,toteachontheMAinAdultLiteracy,LanguageandNumeracy
(LLN) and post-compulsory teacher education courses. She is currently working on a
Doctorate in Education, researching the use of fiction in adult reading development.
JudithGawnisaregionaldevelopmentofficerfortheNationalInstituteofAdult
Continuing Education (NIACE) in London. She was involved in fieldwork for the
Improving Formative Assessment project and in the dissemination of effective
approachesidentifiedintheresearch.BeforejoiningNIACE,Judithworkedformany
years in Hackney and Tower Hamlets as an adult literacy teacher and trainer.
Dr Mary Hamilton is Professor of Adult Learning and Literacy at Lancaster
University, member of the Lancaster Literacy Research Centre and the Research and
Practice in Adult Literacy group. She is co-author of a number of books including
LocalLiteracieswithDavidBarton;PowerfulLiteracieswithJimCrowtherandLynTett;
and Changing Faces of Adult Literacy Language and Numeracy: A Critical History with
Yvonne Hillier.
DrMargaretHerrington,avisitingprofessorattheUniversityofWolverhampton,
is an experienced adult literacy educator, manager, researcher and author. Since the
early 1990s she has worked in higher education, using a ‘research in practice’ stance
onprojectsinrelationtodyslexiaanddisabilityandtomainstream‘criticalthinking’
aboutdyslexia.HercurrentresearchinterestsareinclusivecurriculainHE,developing
research in practice and exploring the role of collaborative writing in professional
development.
Nora Hughes has worked in the field of LLN since 1979. She taught literacy and
numeracy in community, workplace and college settings for many years and now
worksinteachereducation.Sheisinterestedinwritingdevelopmentinadultliteracy
and is currently researching effective practice in teacher education.
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NOTESONTHECONTRIBUTORS vii
Theresa Latham has a background in the further education sector. She worked
for the Basic Skills Agency on a range of national projects including the Department
for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) Diagnostic Assessment materials, Core
Curriculum Training and DfES Access for All. She works as a freelance consultant.
RecentworkincludestheBetterTeachingPartnershipandLSISMigrantWorkerMaterials.
Irene Schwab has been teaching literacy since 1974. She has worked in adult,
communityandfurthereducationcontextsandisnowcourseleaderforthespecialist
Literacy/ESOL PGCE at the Institute of Education. She was one of the writers and
editors of Language and Power and is currently working on her doctorate, researching
the teaching of critical reading.
Wendy Moss currently manages a teacher training programme for adult educa-
tors at City Lit in London. She has published material and articles in adult literacy
and learning and contributed to the development of the new teacher training
qualifications for adult literacy teachers in England.
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Acknowledgements
Our main inspiration for this book has been the adult literacy learners we’ve worked
with for many years, who have shared their ideas and experience with us and whose
enthusiasm for learning has made our work so enjoyable.
Wewouldalsoliketothanktheteacherswhohaveparticipatedinourcoursesatthe
Institute of Education and have contributed many useful ideas and examples to this
book.
The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not
necessarily represent the decisions or the stated policy of the Institute of Education.
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Introduction
Wendy Moss
Teaching Literacy has been written to support the new specialist qualification in
teaching adult literacy that was introduced in England in 2001. Adult literacy has
been a key area of lifelong learning since the 1970s. However, much experience and
expertise that has been developed by adult literacy teachers has not been recorded.
Thereisalsomuchpublishedresearchonliteracy–bothonhowitisacquiredandits
role in society. This research is published in different fields – anthropology, psychol-
ogy,educationandlinguisticsforexample–andinmanydifferentcountries.It’shard
for those working in adult literacy to find their way through, or even access, all this
material. The book pulls together research and practice in a coherent and accessible
way.
The writers have all worked in adult literacy for many years, as teachers or
researchers, and, in many cases, both. The two key writers, Irene Schwab and Nora
Hughes,runhighlyregardedcoursesforliteracyteachersattheInstituteofEducation,
University of London. Much of the book is based on their experience as teacher
educatorsandtheir,andotherwriters’,longexperienceofadultliteracyteaching.We
have drawn on research from many places but particularly that carried out for the
National Research and Development Centre for Literacy and Numeracy, and the
LiteracyResearchCentreattheUniversityofLancaster.Thebookowesmostofallto
thesharingofpracticebycommittedadultliteracyteachersovermanyyears,manyof
whose ideas will be here, but not credited.
Who is the book for?
The book is intended to support both teacher trainers and people studying for a
teacher training qualification. It is not designed for you if you are an absolute
beginneradultliteracyteacher–thoughyoumaystillfindituseful–youwillfindit
of more use if you have some experience of working in adult literacy already. In
England,youmightbecompletingyourfirstyearoftrainingorenteringyoursecond
year. Or you may be a fully qualified teacher who has become interested in teaching
adultliteracyandaredoinganadditional‘specialist’qualification.Thebookwillalso
be of use to practitioners who want to update themselves and develop their practice.
For international readers, it should be made clear that the book has been
written in England, and the government Skills for Life strategy has introduced many
commonpolicies,practicesandorganizations.Theseareafeatureofaparticulartime
andplace,sowehavetried,wherepossible,tokeepreferencestothesetoaminimum.
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