Adult Literacy

Our group examined the document dealing with adult literacy designed for adult reading tutors. It is titled "Litstart" and it was published in 1990 here in Michigan as a product of Michigan Literacy, Inc. The document contains various writing strategies designed for adults of various levels of writing capabilities. In a section which seems to be aimed towards beginner adult writers, the document's purpose states, "In order to function in today's society, it is necessary to be able to communicate in a written form" and it goes on to list various means of written communication which included a note to a child's teacher, a job application, a check, or a grocery list. The document emphasizes that adults should be able to write in both manuscript as well as cursive forms depending on the situation as it concentrated on introducing penmanship to the students. It claims that the goal of adult penmanship is legibility regardless of personal style. This section contained in it various exercises and tips that are similar to those given to beginner grade school students developing writing skills for the first time such as tracing large examples of letters in order to visualize the form. It recommended that a pencil is used at first then later exercises can be copied in ink for the obvious reason of allowing for mistakes to be erased. The document also stated that exercises should be limited to ten minutes because beginning writers may experience fatigue and hand cramps. This section recommends that students are shown various writing samples from real life and encouraged to select a model to follow encouraging them to practice often.

In later sections designed for more advanced writers, strategy 32 entails of keeping a journal in order for a record of the progress of the student to exist. The mission of this exercise is to show that writing has the purpose of communicating thoughts and ideas. This exercise is interactive in that it allows both student and tutor to discuss and agree upon a question that they both write about in a journal for their next meeting at which point the journals are exchanged and read by the other party. Exposing the students to their tutor's style of writing can be beneficial in allowing for the development of a writing style through the sampling and adopting of another's. One thing that struck me as peculiar is that spelling errors are to be ignored unless the student is interested in working on specific words.

As proclaimed in the document, the mission of these exercises is to be able to function in a society by developing a writing style that allows for communication through the written form. Spelling words correctly is vital in this process. In the document, a job application is listed as an example of written communication. In my line of work, I review many job applications. There are many qualities that can be inferred about the applicant from simply reviewing their job application. Writing style, neatness, and spelling are among the things I take into consideration when reviewing an application. The way an applicant communicates through writing often expresses their ability to communicate to the clients. Neatness of the writing often speaks volumes about the applicant's organizational skills as well as their ability to keep a clean and presentable work environment. Spelling words correctly is indicative of the applicant's attention to detail. If I reviewed two applications where the applicants had similar credentials and an equal amount of experience but one applicant incorrectly spells some words, I am more likely to call the other applicant for an interview first.

It is difficult for me to imagine that an adult is unable to function in a society because of their lack of writing skills. I feel that adults naturally develops certain skills that may or may not be as advanced as the skills of other adults that have superior writing skills that allow the former to function in their lives. A mother lacking in writing skills who goes grocery shopping may not have a grocery list that can be understood by anyone else except for her because of her inferior writing skills, however she is still able to make sense of the list and is able to complete the task. Perhaps, her inability to communicate through writing has allowed her to develop a superior ability to remember things. My point here is as human beings we learn to adapt and develop other skills that compensate for the skills we lack. The document's claim that one needs to be able to communicate in a written form in order to function in today's society can possibly alienate and discourage those who have been functional in their lives making them feel inadequate. Instead, the tutorial should emphasize that developing writing skills allows adult students to excel as apposed to simply function in a culture. This takes away the notion that any sort of value judgment is being passed on adults attempting to reach a certain level of literacy and marginalize less of those adult students who may have feelings of inadequacy.

There exist literacies that are emphasized in the document that are in line with C.H. Knoblaugh's definitions of the various literacies. The functionalist perspective is one that can be attributed to the document dealing with adult literacy. The functionalist argument emphasizes preparing people for the necessities of life through the transmission of ideas by developing certain basic skills. Cultural literacy may not automatically be developed through simply developing superior writing skills. However, it allows for adult students to become a step closer to achieving cultural literacy. This perspective entails more than a technical proficiency such as processing a writing skill. Instead, that literacy ought to include a cultural awareness of heritage and a capacity for a higher order of thinking that can be achieved through reading critically and other language practices. The literacy for personal growth perspective is definitely one that is echoed through the document dealing with adult literacy. This argument promotes the progress of society through the advancement or empowerment of the individual. The critical literacy perspective which emphasizes a high level of critical consciousness is not one that is emphasized in the adult literacy document.

According to Knoblaugh, the concept of literacy is embedded in the ideological disposition of those who attempt to enforce it as a social requirement. As adults, these students make the decision to enroll in these courses. That is, no one can force them to participate in the process to achieve a certain level of adult literacy. Regardless, this can be a sensitive process because the cultural politics assume that the ones with the power are those who possess this literacy. In order for this process to be a successful one, it needs to be culturally, sociologically, economically, as well as educationally sensitive so it does not marginalize any one person or group. If the goal of adult literacy is to promote civic responsibility as well as personal growth to improve social and political change, making every attempt to insure that active participation is encouraged and that every adult lacking in literacy skills on one level or another actively seeks to achieve it. A literacy movement that excludes or marginalizes a certain group is one that is doomed to fail. This is like having a feminist movement that excludes women of color or a movement to eliminate racism but excluded certain minority groups.