Living Literacy: Rethinking Development in Adulthood

This is easily the first essay I feel that I have learned valuable information and have been completely interested the whole time. I feel this is largely because in a week I begin my tutoring of illiterate adults. I have to say I am very scared, but after reading this essay I feel that I have a new wave of ideas on how to approach this upcoming tutoring.

The first thing I enjoyed about this essay was that it covered the stereotypes that go along with illiterate adults. "Fingeret concluded that "illiterate" adults do not necessarily fit the stereotypes of dependency, weakness, and failure affixed to them by mainstream culture" (Lytle 379). I think by her then going on to prove then that they can have positive qualities such as intelligence, it starts to open people's minds to move towards accepting illiterates as "normal."

I, then, agreed with her approach on how illiterate adults should be looked at and taught. The normal way available today in literacy centers includes limited, cognitive ways which leads to illiterates not being taught to their full potential. The author brings up the idea of participatory approach. "Participatory approaches not only involve learners in negotiation the curriculum, but also in program management and governance, thereby providing opportunities for developing literacy within the program as an organizational, not just an instructional setting" (Lytle 385) She discusses how people group all illiterate adults into on category but should be looked at as different because they each come from different backgrounds, have different ways of learning, and have different goals they want to achieve.

I also agreed with the idea that in order to become motivated enough to learn, the learner must have some control over what they are going to learn and the way they do it. It is important because they feel more personally connected and more a part of the process in their learning.

I thought this was a very informative and important approach to improve literacy development in adults and after reading this I feel even more motivated to make a difference and be an active member in stopping adult illiteracy.