Teaching illiterate adults

[screw_dog]

I am currently running a course that covers a range of topics, but is largely focused on critical thinking and related cognitive abilities. I have a lot of experience delivering the material, but my current group of clients are almost all illiterate.

I was aware of this before I began, but I naively thought that we'd just cover all the material verbally. That is, I intended to simply present the material orally, perhaps with some of the less writing intensive diagrams and have my clients respond orally.

However, as the course has progressed it has become clear that this is not the best way of doing things and I've begun to branch out. I now do a lot of other activities, most involving manipulating objects, acting out scenes or impromptu "games". This has been working rather well.

My problem is this: I really have no training or experience working like this and would like more assurance than "I think it's working". Does anyone have experiences they can share? What works for you? I've tried to find resources but so far without much success. Are there any resources available for this kind of activity?

 

[Soapy Sam]

Seems like you are the expert. Remember to write up your conclusions and pass them on . Here is as good a place as any.

Seems to me that getting your clients to explain things to each other, or right back to you is the surest way to tell if they have understood. Watch out for rote repetition though; many illiterate folk have very efficient memories. (Try changing a 2 year old's favourite bedtime story if you don't believe me.)

 

[screw_dog]

Seems like you are the expert. Remember to write up your conclusions and pass them on . Here is as good a place as any.

I have learnt a lot, but it's all been trial and error so far and I don't trust myself. What I mean is, I feel like I'm doing things well but I'd prefer to have some theoretical foundation for what I'm doing.

I will definately post my conclusions here once I'm done. I've probably got about 8 weeks to go, so look out for more posts as I go through.

 

[Ducky]

Man I misread the title to this thread and came in here looking to verbally beat down on whoever had posted about "teachiing illiterate idiots."

Instead I find a caring, compassionate and intelligent person looking for advice.


Too bad I don't have any good advice, but I would second soapy sam's suggestion to have them explain it back to you or each other in a way that avoids simple memorization of the material.

Good luck! I am interested to hear more stories about this.

 

[screw_dog]

Man I misread the title to this thread and came in here looking to verbally beat down on whoever had posted about "teachiing illiterate idiots."

The only idiots I deal with are the ones who don't understand how important it is Fortunately, most people are quite understanding after I've delivered my 30 minute monologue on the importance of critical thinking for people who are marginalised in our society!

 

[Kiless]

I can't agree more with how important this is. I've been in a situation teaching primary school kids in school comprised of migrant children, where after one day of particularly great behaviour on their part, the homework was to draw a picture of their family and come to class the next day to talk about it.

I got three complaints by parents on how they depended on my sending home English and Maths homework, not art assignments, as they were learning along with their kids from the textbook and worksheets and they wanted to be just as literate as their kids. They were too unsure and embarrassed about how to get help and were depending on my assignments for building their skills.

Thankfully they did get in touch and we started up a reference night for all 'interested parties' on 'building cultural bridges', which was mostly aimed at getting people's names for the TAFE courses and community classes for adult literacy.

 

[Kiless]

My problem is this: I really have no training or experience working like this and would like more assurance than "I think it's working". Does anyone have experiences they can share? What works for you? I've tried to find resources but so far without much success. Are there any resources available for this kind of activity?

Eric Digest: http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-9220/cultural.htm

Post Grad cert a friend of mine did: http://www.latrobe.edu.au/handbook/pg/education/rgal.htm
Books cited there:
Dimensions of adult learning: Adult education and training in a global era - Foley, G. (ed)
Transforming lives, transforming communities - Bradshaw, D.

Adult ed sites from Google:
http://programs.gradschools.com/distance/adult_education.html - distance learning prog.
http://www.literacy.org/tm_wes/h_enhancing_inst.html - video blurb
http://www.infed.org/lifelonglearning/b-adedgn.htm - more good links about philosophy behind it and more texts
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/readwriteplus/ - UK site
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/AdultEd/weblinks/index.html - weblinks
http://www.libraries.psu.edu/ebsl/std/stdadult.htm - weblinks
http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/ - you in America? Should be comparable ones to this in your state?
http://calendar.sabes.org/southeast/sabesevent.2006-01-10.5742776489/view - ooooh! Use the skeptic-wiki!!


Who exactly is employing you in terms of community, education dept, private company, et al? Is there an education resource library (I have one specifically for ESL) or University with education library near you?

 

[screw_dog]

Kiless, thank you for the links, however I don't think I explained myself well enough. Here goes.

I am working with adult offenders in a correctional setting, most of whom are Aboriginal, have no schooling and are illiterate (most struggle to write their own name). I run a ten week course on problem solving and critical thinking (and a few other things) which appears designed for literate, middle-class, white Americans. I am trying to adapt the materials to the needs of my clients.

Now, most of them have very little interest in learning to read and write, or schooling in general. In the past we've simply told them they need to improve their skills before we'll consider them for inclusion. The result being that large numbers of illiterate offenders never take part in any courses.

My current thinking is that I should be able to teach basic critical thinking skill without requiring my clients to be able to read and write. To be included in the course, by definition, they have poor decision making and goal setting skills. Not the kind of people who will stick with their reading and writing classes.

Actually, by teaching them critical thinking they are probably more likely to then go on to learn to read and write. It's just a matter of teaching them critical thinking first!

I guess what I'm looking for is methods and materials for communicating with students that doesn't involve writing or reading. And maybe some evidence that it works?

 

[slingblade]

You can work the fallacies verbally, I'd think.

I'm doing this right now in a grade 11 class (mostly 16 and 17 year olds).

I verbally illustrate the fallacy (like ad hom) and ask them to come up with their own examples. They work in pairs, and try to "out-argue" their opponent.

After they've practiced at it, they then have the liberty of saying "fallacy, strawman," whenever they think they hear it in class discussions. We then stop and discuss briefly if the call was accurate or not.

It is amazing how well they take to this, whereas they dislike so much of the "standard" instruction. They feel as if they're really learning something they can use all their lives.

I hope this helps you or sparks some ideas for you. Keep up the good work. The world needs all the critical thinkers it can get!

 

[screw_dog]

That's a brilliant idea! It's just a pity that it comes later in the course so they don't get as much chance to practice. I'm a big believer in making it fun, they just switch off otherwise.

Hmmm... have to ponder further.

 

[rjh01]

How about get them to talk about themselves and how they have been treated?

 

[screw_dog]

We do a fair bit of talking about their lives, experiences, etc. I usually get them to write (develop) an obituary of themselves if they were to die now. We then develop model obituaries and talk about what changes they need to make to get the obituary they want.

It sometimes works, sometimes falls flat. My current group seem to think of themselves as angels and victims of circumstance but they are slowly shifting.

I guess the really sad thing is they all know what a eulogy is as most of them have attended literally dozens of funerals by the time they reach their mid -twenties.

Anyway, I think I'll have them do a lot of storytelling, their own and other's, as they seem to enjoy it. I'll also have them focus on "facts" and "opinions" ala slingblade's suggestion. They aren't quite at the logical fallacy stage, but they should be able to pick the difference between founded and unfounded assertions. It'll also encourage them to seek out further information to clarify when someone makes an assertion.

I'll let you know how it goes.