Conceptions of Literacy in Context Ian P.Cheffy
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Conceptions of Literacy in Context Situated Understandings in a Rural Area of Northern Cameroon Ian P.Cheffy PhD Thesis Lancaster University June 2008 Conceptions of Literacy in Context: Situated Understandings in a Rural Area of Northern Cameroon Ian P.Cheffy M.A. (Oxon), M.A. (All Nations Christian College) Submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Lancaster University, Department of Linguistics and English Language June 2008 This edition of the thesis has been reformatted from the original submitted to Lancaster University in order to facilitate reading and to reduce the size and weight of the printed volume. The content has not been changed. © Ian P Cheffy 2008 Abstract Conceptions of Literacy in Context: Situated Understandings in a Rural Area of Northern Cameroon Ian P.Cheffy Submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Lancaster University, Department of Linguistics and English Language June 2008 Taking a view of literacy as a communicative practice, in which a learned skill is ap- plied by individual people in their particular social contexts, this thesis examines the understandings of literacy of people in a village in northern Cameroon and explores how these are influenced by the circumstances of their lives. Many developments have taken place in local life in the last fifty years as the village has become progressively integrated into a wider world. Most people are small farm- ers; poverty and hunger are recurrent problems. Three different languages are spoken, in different domains of life. The majority of adults describe themselves as non-literate and several literacy programmes are in operation. Using a qualitative methodology, the researcher took part in local events and activities and noted the ways in which literacy was used in the community. He also conducted interviews with 59 literate and non-literate men and women, three of whom were in- terviewed in depth over several months. He found that many people thought that literacy offered advantage and status and that it facilitated personal correspondence. It gave some people a sense of autonomy. However, learning to read and write was not a high priority in relation to the immedi- ate pressures of survival. Religion was a significant influence on local understandings of literacy with Christians being mostly positive towards literacy. Protestants viewed literacy as useful for reading the Bible, and Catholics associated it with development. Literacy in French was seen as relevant for education and employment, literacy in the local language for religious purposes. This study confirms the view that literacy has to be understood as situated in its local context and it reveals that people’s conceptions of literacy, and not only their uses of reading and writing, need to be understood in the context of their lives. i Declaration I confirm that this thesis is my own work and has not been submitted for the award of a higher degree elsewhere. ii Acknowledgements While the above declaration is entirely true, it is also true that I could not have com- pleted this thesis without the help and support of a great many people. The last three and a half years have been very enjoyable, but also very stretching. I am particularly grateful to my supervisor, Uta Papen, for her constant interest and encour- agement throughout my studies. Her comments have always been helpful and, whenever I have approached supervisions feeling apprehensive or discouraged, I have left with renewed hope and purpose. She has put herself out a great deal for my bene- fit. I am grateful also to David Barton for his guidance during Uta’s absence. This study would not have been the same without the help of the Mofu people of Cameroon who shared their lives with me and allowed me to explore their understand- ings of literacy. My thanks are due also to my SIL colleagues in Mowo, Ken and Judy Hollingsworth, who extended an invitation to me and allowed me to live in their home while they were away. I am also thankful to David Morgan, my director in the European Training Programme of SIL, for allowing me to step aside from my training responsibilities to concentrate full time on my studies, and to Ruth Weston, the ETP librarian, for unfailingly agree- ing to all my requests to buy interesting literacy books for the library. Clinton Robinson, my former departmental director, is due particular thanks for his inspiration before I began my studies. In Lancaster, I owe a considerable debt of gratitude to my friends, Brian and Joan Robinson and Colin and Jean Bevington, with whom I stayed whenever I visited the university. Gill, my wife, has had a special role in supporting me throughout my studies and tol- erating long periods when I was in Cameroon. I am grateful to her and to my brother David for carefully proofreading the text. Any remaining mistakes must have crept in after their last check. Financially, this research would not have been possible without the support of St.Peter’s Church, Loudwater. They took my research as part of the mission of the church and covered the majority of my costs. My thanks are similarly due to SIL In- ternational, to the European Training Programme and to many other individuals. Above all, I am grateful to God who made it all possible. “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory … throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20f) iii iv Contents Abstract ..................................................................................................................... i Declaration ............................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................. iii Contents .................................................................................................................... v Figures ..................................................................................................................... ix Maps ........................................................................................................................ ix Notes ......................................................................................................................... x Abbreviations .......................................................................................................... xi 1. The Purpose and Approach of this Study ........................................................ 1 1.a Literacy – a Personal and Professional Interest ............................................... 2 1.b The Challenges of Literacy Work ................................................................... 2 1.c The Relevance of this Study ........................................................................... 3 1.d A Distinctive Focus........................................................................................ 5 1.e The Nature of Poverty .................................................................................... 8 1.f Cameroon – the National Context .................................................................. 8 2. Towards an Understanding of Literacy ......................................................... 11 2.a Literacy as Reading and Writing .................................................................. 12 2.b Literacy as an Agent of Individual and Social Change .................................. 13 2.c Literacy as a Social Practice ......................................................................... 15 2.d Defining Literacy Practices .......................................................................... 18 2.e Recent Critiques of the Social Practice View................................................ 20 2.f My Approach to Literacy ............................................................................. 22 3. Methodological Approach .............................................................................. 27 3.a The Nature of this Study .............................................................................. 27 3.b This Study as a Case .................................................................................... 29 3.c Fieldwork – Location ................................................................................... 30 3.d Fieldwork – Timing ..................................................................................... 32 3.e Engaging in Local Life................................................................................. 32 3.f Interviewing ................................................................................................. 35 First interviews – literacy teachers in training ........................................ 36 Residents of Mowo ................................................................................ 37 Literacy Learners and Programme Personnel ......................................... 39 v Main Informants .................................................................................... 39 3.g Research Relationships ................................................................................ 40 3.h Use of Interpreters ....................................................................................... 43 3.i Recording and Transcription ........................................................................ 45 3.j Analysis