Since the publication of the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) findings in 1996, governments internationally have been cognisant of the need for functional literacy skill training for large segments of the New Zealand working-age population (Culligan1, Arnold, Noble, & Sligo, 2004; Ministry of Education, 2001; OECD, 2000). Individuals with low literacy levels generally report negative prior experiences of formal learning environments that are due to and have contributed to their current functional literacy capability (for example, see Neubauer & Dusewicz, 1988; Ross, 1987, 1988; Tilley et al., 2006). The present study aimed to systematically investigate and measure the dispositional coping styles and strategies associated with differing prose literacy capabilities. The purpose of this project was to provide an understanding of the coping-literacy relationship as a first step toward the development of coping strategy training interventions specifically targeted at improving the educational experience (current and future) of low literacy individuals. Secondary aims of the current study included exploring the relationship between persistence and coping style, adaptability, and prose literacy; determining whether and how coping styles, adaptability, and prose literacy changed over time; and, assessing the relationship between prose literacy, coping style, adaptability, and post-course goal achievement. Fifty-six students in adult vocational programmes were interviewed pre- and post-course. At each time point assessments of dispositional coping style and strategies via use of the COPE tool (Carver, Scheier, & Weintraub, 1989) were gathered, as were measures of emotional intelligence (including adaptability), and prose literacy score. Participants also took part in a semi-structured qualitative interview which gathered information on their educational and employment history, and goals post-course. Situational assessments of coping behaviours outside of the course were also gathered as part of a larger study for future analysis purposes and are outside the scope of this thesis. Respondents were also interviewed at three and six months post-course to determine achievement or non-achievement of post-course goals. Low prose literacy scores were significantly associated with more frequent use of emotionfocused coping strategies (particularly avoidance). Higher prose literacy scores were significantly associated with more frequent use of problem-focused coping strategies. Indicative data showed that non-persisting participants showed higher emotion-focused coping strategy use than their persisting counterparts alongside lower prose literacy scores. Further, emotionfocused coping, adaptability, and prose literacy score were found to change significantly over time. However, post-course goal achievement was not significantly associated with any of the variables of interest except bivariately with prose literacy. The model of transactional stress and coping (Lazarus, 1966; Lazarus & Folkman, 1984) and the control theory of self-regulation (Carver & Scheier, 1981, 2000) provided a framework for the discussion of the dispositional coping styles and strategies used by individuals of differing prose literacy ability. It was argued that a negative self-schema of the individual as a learner is developed through prior negative experiences of formal education. It was hypothesised that this negative self-schema, built from a low self-confidence and fear of educational failure and rejection, predisposed the individual to a heightened negative self-focus. This in turn was proposed to direct attention to the self and the associated emotional aspects of a response to a stressor, leading to a bias towards habitual coping strategies of avoidance and less frequent use of problem-focused strategies by this group. These findings and the associated interpretations have implications for the future development of coping strategy training interventions for individuals with low functional literacy competencies who wish to re-engage with formal education.

237 f. / Submitted by Suelen Reis (suziy.ellen@gmail.com) on 2013-04-25T18:52:28Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese_Denise Aparecida.pdf: 1207287 bytes, checksum: 9738a9ab76ca8897d95bab8d2f429fd2 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria Auxiliadora Lopes(silopes@ufba.br) on 2013-06-10T19:56:37Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese_Denise Aparecida.pdf: 1207287 bytes, checksum: 9738a9ab76ca8897d95bab8d2f429fd2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-06-10T19:56:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese_Denise Aparecida.pdf: 1207287 bytes, checksum: 9738a9ab76ca8897d95bab8d2f429fd2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Ao contrário do que muita gente acredita, ninguém aprende primeiro para fazer depois. É fazendo que se aprende a fazer, é ensinando que se aprende a ensinar, é lendo que se aprende a ler. Porém, existe uma condição indispensável para que isso aconteça. Esta condição é pensar sobre aquilo que se faz ou se está fazendo. E foi a partir dessa condição, que este estudo, sobre as representações sociais dos professores de Educação de Jovens e Adultos sobre leitura e escrita, foi idealizado e realizado. O universo desta pesquisa foi composto por 149 professores, distribuídos em escolas públicas estaduais e municipais, em Vitória da Conquista-BA. Com a intenção de um maior conhecimento do problema de investigação, considerou-se ser indispensável a diversificação de respondentes a esses instrumentos, tornando-se sujeitos da pesquisa professores de diversas áreas, que atuam nessa modalidade de ensino. Desenvolveu-se um trabalho pedagógico visando investigar as representações sociais de professores de EJA sobre leitura e escrita em Vitória da Conquista-BA, e contribuir paralelamente, no que diz respeito à formação do professor/leitor/escritor, por ser esta uma proposta metodológica de leitura e escrita em serviço desse professor. Foram utilizadas as abordagens qualitativa e quantitativa, como os métodos mais adequados para atender às expectativas deste estudo, reunindo, através delas, mais elementos para se compreender as representações sociais dos professores de EJA sobre leitura e escrita, em Vitória da Conquista-BA. Este estudo permitiu-nos constatar que para esse ensino ser eficaz faz-se necessário, entre outros fatores, que o professor mude sua prática, invertendo as prioridades que são dadas hoje no ensino de língua, em que o estudo da metalinguagem ocupa maior parte das aulas de português, sobrando tempo mínimo para a leitura e reflexão sobre os problemas por ela enfocados. Portanto, desenvolveu-se um trabalho diagnóstico, visando investigar as representações sociais dos professores de EJA, nos ambientes assinalados, e contribuir, paralelamente, no que diz respeito à formação do professor/leitor/escritor, na construção de novas metodologias e propostas de aprendizado de leitura na prática docente dos professores de EJA, tendo em vista o desenvolvimento continuado do sujeito leitor. E só o professor leitor está apto a trabalhar o aprendizado de leitura com seus alunos. Para coerência desse trabalho, coletou-se dados dos docentes com base nas suas representações sobre leitura e escrita, por meio de questionários, entrevistas e observações dos encontros entre professores e coordenadores da rede estadual e municipal. Com os resultados obtidos, observouse que as representações de leitura e escrita dos professores permanecem ainda restrita a poucos textos, e que as práticas escolares deveriam orientar-se de forma mais refletida e sistemática para o fomento de atitudes favoráveis à leitura e ao seu aprendizado crítico, capazes de perdurar após o término da educação formal e resultar numa postura ativa na busca de oportunidades de desenvolvimento cultural e educação continuada. / Salvador

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico / Levando em consideraÃÃo que a lÃngua escrita à um meio de interaÃÃo entre as pessoas e que à nessa perspectiva que devem ser desenvolvidas as atividades em ambiente de sala de aula de alfabetizaÃÃo, o objetivo principal desse trabalho foi investigar como à concebido o processo de ensino-aprendizagem da escrita em um programa de alfabetizaÃÃo de jovens e adultos. Para isso, analisamos a proposta curricular, o livro didÃtico de alfabetizaÃÃo de jovens e adultos e seu respectivo manual do professor, alÃm de questionÃrios respondidos por alunos e alfabetizadores. Para tanto, recorremos ao suporte teÃrico de Ferreiro (1999) e seguidores para as questÃes pertinentes à alfabetizaÃÃo; Tfouni (1988) e Soares (2000) fundamentaram as questÃes relativas ao letramento; e Bakthin (2000) respaldou a noÃÃo central de gÃnero textual. Constatamos, em linhas gerais, que o ensino da escrita ainda acontece permeado por problemas de diversas ordens a seguir enumeradas: a) apesar de a proposta curricular e do manual do professor do livro didÃtico esboÃarem uma concepÃÃo de escrita atrelada ao seu aspecto sÃcio-comunicativo, nÃo à isso que acontece nas orientaÃÃes didÃticas e nas atividades de produÃÃo de texto; b) a designaÃÃo para gÃnero textual e para os diversos gÃneros textuais solicitados nas atividades ainda à muito instÃvel; c) os gÃneros textuais trabalhados em sala de aula nÃo coincidem com aqueles mais presentes nas esferas comunicativas em que os alfabetizandos interagem; d) os gÃneros textuais propostos nas atividades de escrita nÃo atendem Ãs expectativas de aprendizagem dos alunos; e) hà uma incoerÃncia entre aquilo que o professor afirma estar trabalhando em sala de aula e aquilo que o aluno diz estar aprendendo / Taking into consideracition that the written language is a means of interaction among people and that it is in that perspective that it should be taught in literacy classes, the main objective of this work was to investigate how it is conceived in the teaching-learning process of writting skills in youth and adultâs literacy programmer . To this end, we analysed the curricular proposal, the textbook used in youth and adultâs literacy classes and the teacherâs manual, as well as questionnaires answered by students and teachers. As theorical support for the alphabetization process, we researched works by Ferreiro (1983) and follwers, Tfouni (1988) and Soares (2000) sewed as theorical basis for the issues pertaining literacy. Bakthin (2000) was the basis for the central notion of textual genre. In general lines, we noticed that the teaching writing skills happens permeated by the following problems: a) despite the fact that curricular proposal and the teacherâs manual present a conception of writing based on social-cognitive aspects, this approach is not present in the in-training sessions or the writing activities carried out in the classroom; b) textual genre definition as well as the designation of the various textual genres required in classroom activities is still very unstable; c) the textual genres proposed in the writing activities do not fulfill the studentâs learning expectations ; d) there is a discrepancy between what the teacher says he/she is working in the classroom and what the student says he/she is learning

The Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM) is a standardised health literacy test developed in the United States that has been previously administered and researched in South Africa (Lecoko, 2000). It is an objective vocabulary test which uses item recognition of 66 health-related words where recognition is measured by pronunciation. It is designed as a screening instrument to identifY the health literacy levels of patients in clinics. Lecoko (2000) found the REALM to be largely inapplicable in a South African setting, in that only eight out of the 66 words could be deemed acceptable, in that they could be either both adequately pronounced and adequately comprehended or both inadequately pronounced and inadequately comprehended. This may have occurred for a number of reasons, including the administration of the test in a population for whom English is a second or other language, and inaccurate measurement of pronunciation and comprehension of words, with a key problem being that the choice of words in the original REALM may not accurately represent the range of conditions and issues in a South African healthcare setting. This thesis was therefore premised on the principled relexicalisation of the REALM, that replacement of the words used in the test, using a sample gathered from health information and promotion texts in local clinics, would improve its applicability. In this regard, an exhaustive sample was gathered and analysed and 66 new words were chosen. The test was also modified to include a more principled approach to pronunciation and comprehension issues, and to account for language proficiency differences in administering an English language test in an English second language population. This modified test, referred to as the REALM-M was administered to a group of respondents who were statistically similar to the group to whom the REALM had originally been administered, and the results were compared. It was found that relexicalisation increased the number of acceptable words on the test from eight to 38. However, researching the key discourses surrounding health literacy and comparing these with current discourses about literacy beyond the field of health care revealed that despite improved content validity over the REALM, the REALM-M lacked construct validity. This provided the opportunity to discuss the discourses of health literacy and to suggest the application of alternative paradigms in this field.

This research report explores the implications of one central question: ‘In what ways can course materials support and improve ABET teachers’ ability in the classroom and what are the limits of that support?’ Methodologically it is an ethnographic case study of five teachers at company literacy programmes using The ELP English Literacy Course for Adults to prepare learners for examinations at ABET English Communications Levels 1&2. Conceptually it makes use of Shirley Grundy’s exposition of different paradigms for thinking about curriculum and Jean Lave’s notion of learning in a community of practice. It portrays literacy as a social practice in which people learn to master skills, make decisions about the applications of those skills and develop an emancipatory awareness. The research enables insights into the relationship between ABET teachers and texts, outlining their respective responsibilities and some implications for thinking about ABET teacher development.

This thesis documents the process of developing and evaluating a curriculum written for adult literacy students transitioning from their current literacy goals to academic and occupational pursuits. The curriculum, titled the Basic College Skills Transition Curriculum (BCS Transition Curriculum), was written for students at Project Read, a non-profit adult literacy program located at the Provo Library in Provo, Utah. The model used to design this curriculum is a variation on the ADDIE model (analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation), including the reiterative steps of research and evaluation. The lesson plans and materials in the BCS Transition Curriculum include the topics of U.S. History Vocabulary, Textbook Reading Skills, Lecture Note-Taking Skills, Study Organization Skills, Test-Taking Skills, Computer Skills, and Time-Management Skills. The curriculum is content-based, with each skill being taught through the content subject of U.S. History. This allows vocabulary to be recycled through each lesson plan and creates more opportunities for vocabulary acquisition. This also ties the curriculum together in an integrated experience that simulates an academic course in U.S. History. After the lesson plans were developed, tutors and students used the lesson plans and participated in an evaluation of the curriculum. Their feedback gave direction for revisions and provided ideas for the future development of this curriculum. Some lessons learned during this project about curriculum design include the importance of 1) including the curriculum designer's needs in the needs assessment; 2) clearly communicating needs and constraints to collaborators and stakeholders; 3) planning for problems and accepting limitations in the product; and 4) collaborating with others.

No description available.

The Common Core State Standards and the National Council for the Social Studies (C3 Framework) have recently prompted renewed emphasis on literacy, particularly in history, therefore it is important to analyze and compare what exactly the teacher educators of leading journals are saying about historical literacy. This study examines the literacy messages for the history classroom in The Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy and Theory (JAAL) and Research in Social Education (TRSE) from 2010-2015. An emergent, qualitative content analysis was used to analyze data from these journals. Results from this study indicates definitions on historical literacy vary between journals, both journals focused on elements of historical literacy over the whole concept, and historical literacy is addressed differently for distinctive intended participants. Implications from this study concerning teacher educators and history teachers are examined and possibilities for further research are also discussed.

This thesis describes a study that was done with tutors and students in Frontier College’s Beat the Street: Literacy and Basic Skills program. Using a qualitative methodology, it focuses on stories of literacy, life and learning from tutors and students. The author’s own experiences, stories and reflections as a tutor are an important piece of the work. The thesis operates on and argues for the notion that people are made up of their stories, and that they interact with other people and the world through those stories. This research process revealed many ways in which tutor and student perceptions of literacy, learning, and each other were affected by their stories. It also revealed that in the overlaps between stories lies the potential for a moment of profound connection and learning the author describes as resonance. The thesis explores some of the ways resonance was perceived to enhance the literacy environment.

This thesis describes a study that was done with tutors and students in Frontier College’s Beat the Street: Literacy and Basic Skills program. Using a qualitative methodology, it focuses on stories of literacy, life and learning from tutors and students. The author’s own experiences, stories and reflections as a tutor are an important piece of the work. The thesis operates on and argues for the notion that people are made up of their stories, and that they interact with other people and the world through those stories. This research process revealed many ways in which tutor and student perceptions of literacy, learning, and each other were affected by their stories. It also revealed that in the overlaps between stories lies the potential for a moment of profound connection and learning the author describes as resonance. The thesis explores some of the ways resonance was perceived to enhance the literacy environment.