Adult literacies from the perspective of practitioners and their learners: a case study from the north of England

IF 1.2 Q2 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

European Journal for Research on the Education and Learning of Adults Pub Date : 2020-02-12 DOI:10.3384/rela.2000-7426.rela9213

Gwyneth Allatt

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引用次数: 3

Abstract

This article is based on qualitative research with adult literacy practitioners and learners in the north of England. I draw on interview and focus group data to identify their perspectives on adult literacies and compare these with the understandings of literacy on which current policy-making for adult literacy in England is based. The research revealed a wide range of ways in which literacy is understood in practice, compared with a much narrower conceptualisation in current policy. The article concludes that teachers' and learners' perspectives on adult literacies reinforce the notion that literacy is not a fixed concept, but that its meanings and uses vary according to time and context. It argues, however, that a policy environment based on an understanding of literacy which emphasizes employability and economic outcomes creates challenges for teachers and learners to maintain their own perspectives in relation to what literacy constitutes and what is important in adult literacy education.

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从业者及其学习者视角下的成人文学——以英格兰北部为例

本文基于对英格兰北部成人识字从业者和学习者的定性研究。我利用访谈和焦点小组的数据来确定他们对成人识字率的看法，并将其与英国当前成人识字政策所基于的对识字率的理解进行比较。这项研究揭示了在实践中理解识字的广泛方式，而现行政策中的概念化范围要窄得多。文章的结论是，教师和学习者对成人识字的看法强化了这样一种观念，即识字不是一个固定的概念，而是其含义和用途因时间和环境而异。然而，它认为，基于对识字的理解，强调就业能力和经济成果的政策环境给教师和学习者带来了挑战，使他们无法就识字的构成和成人识字教育中的重要内容保持自己的观点。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

European Journal for Research on the Education and Learning of Adults EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH-

CiteScore

1.80

自引率

12.50%

发文量

审稿时长

6 weeks

期刊介绍： The European journal for Research on the Education and Learning of Adults (RELA) is a refereed academic journal creating a forum for the publication of critical research on adult education and learning. It has a particular focus on issues at stake for adult education and learning in Europe, as these emerge in connection with wider international and transnational dynamics and trends. Such a forum is important at a time when local and regional explorations of issues are often difficult to foreground across language barriers. As academic and policy debate is increasingly carried out in the English language, this masks the richness of research knowledge, responses and trends from diverse traditions and foci. The journal thus attempts to be linguistically ''open access''. Whilst creating a forum for international and transnational debate, contributions are particularly welcome from authors in Europe and other locations where English is not the first language. RELA invites original, scholarly articles that discuss the education and learning of adults from different academic disciplines, perspectives and traditions. It encourages diversity in theoretical and methodological approach and submissions from non-English speakers. All published contributions in RELA are subjected to a rigorous peer review process based on two moments of selection: an initial editorial screening and a double-blind review by at least two anonymous referees. Clarity and conciseness of thought are crucial requirements for publication. RELA is published on behalf of the European Society for Research on the Education of Adults (ESREA).