Adult Literacy as Social Practice: More Than Skills
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Providing a very contemporary overview of literacy, numeracy and "English as a Second or Other Language" teaching, this book presents a radically new perspective on reading, writing and mathematics among adults.As literacy is predominantly shaped by social and cultural contexts, rather than by skills and techniques, Uta Papen introduces a social, rather than a skills-based understanding of literacy, and discusses its relevance for Adult Basic Education (ABE) today. This book shows how teachers and curriculum developers have much to gain from understanding the role of literacy in learners' lives, in relation to their families, social networks and their jobs. This view of literacy is particularly suited to help readers better understand:· How a social theory of literacy and numeracy compares with other theoretical perspectives· How to analyze reading and writing in everyday life using the concepts of social literacy as analytical tools.· The role of reading and writing in everyday life, and what this tells us about learners' teaching needs· What is actually happening in adult basic education and how literacy is really being taught How to examine their own practice as ABE teachers, and better meet the needs of their students.
1Literacy - what is it? : definitions, discourses and metaphors7'Adult literacy and basic education'17'Literacy as control'192A new way of looking at reading and writing : literacy as a social and situated practice22'How they fared in education : Harry's literacy practices'363Reading and writing in context : dominant and vernacular literacy practices43'Powerful literacies : an introduction'544Using ethnography to study literacy in everyday life and in classrooms59'Methodology : tools for looking up close'685The history of adult literacy educations in England77A right to read846The current context of adult language, literacy and numeracy policy in England97Skills for life : the national strategy for improving adult literacy and numeracy skills1047A critical reading of the skills for life strategy114'Improving adult basic skills, addressing a generation of neglect'1248Implications of the social view of literacy for the policy and practice of adult language, literacy and numeracy128'Ethnography for classrooms'141'Reporting soaps'143
