Action Research to Improve Youth and Adult Literacy
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Action research to improve youth and adult literacy Empowering learners in a multilingual world Hassana Alidou and Christine Glanz (eds) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Action research to improve youth and adult literacy Empowering learners in a multilingual world Hassana Alidou and Christine Glanz (eds) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization 2 Published by the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) and UNESCO Multi-sectoral Regional Office in Abuja © 2015 UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) Some rights reserved. The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) is a policy-driven international research, training, information and documentation centre of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). Active in all regions of the world, it focuses on adult and continuing education, literacy and non- formal basic education in the perspective of lifelong learning. Its publications are a valuable resource for educational researchers, planners, policymakers and practitioners. Reproduction and dissemination of material from this information product for educational or other non-commercial purposes are authorised without any prior written permission from the copyright holders provided that the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of material from this information product for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission from the copyright holders. Applications for such permission should be addressed to the Head of Publication, UIL, Feldbrunnenstrasse 58, 20148 Hamburg, Germany (e-mail: [email protected]) The choice and the presentation of the facts contained in this book and the opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of UNESCO and represent no commitment on the part of the Organizations. The designations employed and the presentation of materials throughout this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the UNESCO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area of its authorities, or the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Graphic design by Christiane Marwecki Copy-edited by Natasha Hogarth Script designs were taken from www.decodeunicode.org ISBN 978-92-820-1192-8 Table of contents Acronyms and abbreviations 7 3 Foreword 9 Acknowledgements 11 Author biographies 12 1 Introduction 14 The purpose of this guidebook 19 How to use the book 24 How and by whom the guidebook was produced 25 Point for reflection 1 27 2 Action research from a theoretical perspective 28 What is action research? 31 Using action research to improve the quality of adult literacy education 39 Common criteria for good action research 42 Point for reflection 2 47 3 Conducting action research – three examples from practice 48 Case study 1: Action research in Niger to promote a multilingual literate environment 51 Niger’s sociolinguistic and educational context 51 Publishing for formal and non-formal bilingual education: the 2PEB programme (1997–2003) 57 4 Action research for the development of a multilingual and multicultural literate environment 60 Resolved and unresolved obstacles to promoting a multilingual literate environment 71 Point for reflection 3 73 Case study 2: Action research for curriculum development: an example from Ethiopia 74 Country profile with a focus on literacy and language 75 Action research in order to embed literacy and numeracy in the coffee value chain in the Oromiya Region 81 Point for reflection 4 102 Case study 3: Action research for the training of trainers: an example from Senegal 103 Sociolinguistic context of ARED’s work 104 Enriching the multilingual and multicultural environment by training resource persons 106 Action research applied to develop training modules for trainers 112 Criteria for quality action research that emerge from our experience 117 Point for reflection 5 120 Conclusion from the three case studies 121 Point for reflection 6 123 4 A frame of reference for good quality youth and adult literacy provision in multilingual contexts 124 Five basic guiding principles 130 Point for reflection 7 141 Central fields of quality analysis 142 5 Point for reflection 8 149 5 From theory to practice: an application of quality principles and criteria 150 Participatory action research: a quality criterion 153 Creating and reinforcing a multilingual literate environment 157 Point for reflection 9 168 Curriculum development 169 Point for reflection 10 179 Training of trainers 180 Point for reflection 11 191 6 Summary of the main messages 192 Point for reflection 12 198 Glossary 199 Bibliography 209 A) Chapters 1–2, 4–6, Chapter 3 (parts written by Alidou and Glanz), and Glossary 209 B) Case study from Niger 217 C) Case study from Ethiopia 218 D) Case study from Senegal 219 6 Acronyms and abbreviations 2PEB Projet Education de Base/ Promotion de l’Enseignement 7 Bilingue (Basic Education Project/ Promotion of Bilingual Education) ACALAN African Academy of Languages ANFEAE Adult and Non-formal Education Association APENF Association pour la promotion de l'éducation non formelle (Association for the Promotion of Non-formal Education) ARED Associates in Research and Education for Development ANSD Agence Nationale de la Statistique et de la Démographie CONFINTEA VI Sixth International Conference on Adult Education CFCA Centre de Formation des Cadres de l’Alphabétisation (Centre for Training Personnel in Adult Literacy Education) in Niger CSA Central Statistics Authority DA Development Agent EFA Education for All ESDP Education Sector Development Programme et al. et alii (in Latin), and others (in English) ETP Education and Training Policy ff. and the following (pages, paragraphs, etc.) FAL Functional Adult Literacy FDRE Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia FTC Farmers’ Training Centres GMR Global Monitoring Report GoE Government of Ethiopia GVEN Gestion Villageoise des Espaces Naturels IFAL Integrated Functional Adult Literacy IFAL-CVC Integrated Functional Adult Literacy – Coffee Value Chain IIED Institut International pour l’Environnement et le Développement IIEDH Interdisciplinary Institute for Ethics and Human Rights (Institut interdisciplinaire d'éthique et droits de l'homme) LIFE Literacy Initiative for Empowerment 8 MARD Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development MARP Méthode Active de Recherche et de Planification Participative MLC Minimum Learning Competencies MoARD Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development MoE Ministry of Education MoYSC Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture n. p. no page numbers indicated NGO Non-governmental Organization p. or pp. page or pages PRA Participatory Rapid Appraisal PROGRES Programme Régional de Gestion conjointe des Ressources Agro-sylvo-pastorales SHG Self Help Group UIL UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNLD United Nations Literacy Decade Foreword With this guidebook we would like to highlight the importance of multilingual 9 and multicultural contexts for youth and adult literacy. Research and practice are leading the way, and the Post-2015 Agenda to follow the global Education for All initiative emphasizes the importance of culture. Culture gives languages, oral or written, a prominent place as a key means of communication and voice. UNESCO perceives literacy as the foundation for lifelong learning. It is grounded in multilingual and multicultural practices in societies. In recent decades, research and practise has embedded youth and adult education in its linguistic and cultural context. Theory and good practice in literacy has helped improve the quality of learning outcomes and thereby improving lives of learners and enhancing their skills for participation in democratic developments of society. It has also helped to promote respect for diversity. The present action research has identified five guiding principles for youth and adult literacy programmes: (1) inclusion; (2) lifelong learning; (3) literacy perceived from a multilingual and multicultural perspective and as an essential aspect of the human right to education; (4) a multilingual and multicultural ethos; and (5) sustainability. These guiding principles are the pillars of the quality framework for youth and adult literacy education and learning which is proposed in this book. Youth and adult literacy programmes improve their quality substantially when applying participatory and collaborative action research. Action research is an inclusive way to expand knowledge that is at the direct and immediate service of practice. In action research, the knowledge of professionals, facilitators and learners is treated as equally important. It promotes a democratic and equitable approach to learning and helps to develop learning environments that empower adult learners to take part in shaping their education and learning. Good participatory action research benefits and connects people working at all levels in the learning and educational process, including services and policies. 10 With this guidebook we pay tribute to action research initiatives that anchor youth and adult literacy programmes in multilingual and multicultural social environments. We encourage UNESCO entities, partners, training and research institutions to use this guidebook to improve the quality of literacy and non- formal education policies and practices (programme management, teaching and learning, monitoring and evaluation, promotion of literate environments, resource mobilisation