0.2 Part two: special topics  (Page 12/39)

(Adapted from several sources, most notably: "The National Commmission for Mass Education," with the assistance of the UnitedNations Development Program - NIGERIA)

Assignment 1: reflecting

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Assignment 1: Reflecting

• In the "Each-One-Teach-One" Program Elements on the previous page, the third general principle governing adult literacy stronglyemphasized the importance of making the books and the work relevant to the concerns of the adults in your community. It spoke about identifying "the local, practical problemsthat adults face, for which literacy (and numeracy) is the solution. Content would include issues of:
  • personal health and happiness,
  • economic and social issues,
  • government regulations,
  • how to start or grow a business,
  • how to negotiate a loan or to compare prices,
  • how to get a job,
  • how to have a happy family, etc."
  Choose any 3 ideas from the above list or add your own. Discuss in greater depth how those ideas relate to specific problems adults facein your community and how literacy can help. If you were to make books, for example, specifically for the adults in yourcommunity, what would be the titles or topics of those books? (Write 4-5 sentences per issue/idea.)

Organizing and managing first-rate literacy classes

Literacy classes must be well organized, for the students themselves require smoothness and order as they adopt a new role asa student. Disruptions hamper the learning process. Records are essential. The following forms should be developed, accompanied by a clearand user-friendly system for gathering information:

Registration Form (initially to be filled out by the instructor on behalf of the student). This form is used to judge interest,assess the community by determining a profile of students, and plan for future events and trainings.

Attendance Register (to be kept by the instructor to determine rates of attendance). If students are missing classes, it is theinstructor's duty not to embarrass or punish, but to find out why and determine how to get the student back.

Instructor's Records (including anecdotal notes on individual students as well as official scores on examinations)

Local and Regional Records (with demographics of literacy rates in order to prove that the program is successful or needs help. Suchinformation provides comparative data)

Monthly Reports (on general progress, to publish in newsletter form, post to a website, or submit to government authorities).

Supervision

Those serving as administrators for literacy programs must highlight achievements and problems, along withsuggestions for solving problems. Such adminstrators should be able to substantiate their progress by providing data to outside observers andevaluators, who shall compare this particular program with others and with the statistics and norms of national curriculum standards.