Lost in translation: the problems and contradictions of a competency based model for adult literacy in South Africa

Transcription

1 International Adult Literacy Conference September 2007 Concurrent Session 4.5 Lost in translation: the problems and contradictions of a competency based model for adult literacy in South Africa Elda Lyster, University of KwaZulu-Natal

2 SA context Population: 45 million Unemployment: 40% HIV/AIDS infection: 5 million (10% of total population) 33% of women between 25 and 30 Crime: murders per annum (NZ 45) Total illiteracy: 4.7 million totally illiterate (approx 11% of adults) 4.9 million functionally illiterate (18% of adults) 9.6 million Note: These are estimates for 2006

3 Why Adult Basic Education is seen as part of the solution income generation (which will in turn have an impact on crime) health education (HIV/AIDS and other serious problems like TB) active citizenship general human, social and political development

4 Historical background Late 1980s and early 1990s, transformation of entire education and training system remove gross inequalities rectify injustices of the past enshrine key principles of equity, access and redress What a competency-based system promised (called Outcomes-based Education OBE in South Africa) occupational and educational mobility and progression abolition of the mental/manual divide portability of skills and qualifications recognition of prior learning attainment of key generic competencies

5 National Qualifications Framework Higher Education and Training Band 8 Doctorates, Further research degrees 7 Higher degrees, Professional qualifications 6 First degrees, Higher diplomas 5 Diplomas, Occupational certificates Further Education and Training Band 4 School / College / Training certificates 3 School / College / Training certificates 2 School / College / Training certificates General Education and Training Band 1 Grd 9 / ABET (Adult Basic Education and Training) Level 4 Grd 7 / ABET Level 3 Grd 5 / ABET Level 2 Grd 3 / ABET Level 1 1 year Early Childhood Education

6 General Education and Training Certificate for adults Fundamental Learning Areas (Compulsory) Language, Literacy and Communication Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy Core Learning Areas (Compulsory) Natural Sciences Technology Human and Social Sciences Economic and Management Sciences Arts and Culture Life Orientation Elective Agriculture and agricultural technology Small, medium and micro-enterprises Auxiliary health worker

7 Language issues easier and better to learn to read in your mother tongue /or language in which orally fluent English dominant but spoken by minority of mother tongue speakers majority do not learn by immersion most English teachers are second language speakers themselves

8 General problems in Adult Basic Education and Training qualifications and quality of teachers in ABET system not adequately trained to teach literacy, ESOL or Numeracy multiple and demanding roles: organiser, community development worker, skills trainer, AIDS counsellor with very little institutional support formal ABET system is moribund, bureaucratic, inefficient, generally managed by people with no training or interest in Adult Basic Education material conditions generally very poor

9 Key general problems with OBE the system remains incomprehensible to the majority of teachers (let alone learners) unit standards set by representative panels (not generally experts) proliferation of qualifications and unit standards intensely bureaucratic and incompetent recognition of prior learning undeveloped reductionist in terms of knowledge range statements unclear

10 Problems specific to adult education in a competency-based system very few adult learners benefit it takes too long before reach any recognised level at all (ABET Level 1) it takes much too long to get a recognised qualification (GETC) many learning areas like Agriculture inaccessible because of language constraints indigenous languages undervalued by learners and system reading is often not overtly taught due to misunderstanding about outcomes reading of fiction (a cornerstone of reading promotion and the development of reading fluency) not embraced political correctness (non-racism, non-sexism etc) leads to limited view of literacy

11 General Education and Training Certificate Fundamental LLC 4 MML 4 LLC 3 MML 3 LLC 2 MML 2 Core etc etc Hum Soc Sci Elective etc Agriculture LLC 1 MML 1 Alternative GETC model (not implemented) Fundamental Core Elective LLC 4 MML 4 LLC 3 LLC 2 LLC 1 MML 3 MML 2 MML 1 MTL 1

12 Language, literacy and communication Summary unit standards for NQF level 1 (ABET level 4) (To illustrate how difficult they are to understand and interpret) Title 1: Show a critical awareness of language usage Title 2: Engage with aesthetic, affective, cultural and social values in texts Title 3: Access, process, use and present information Title 4: Use appropriate communication skills, conventions, and structures for specific purposes and situations. Title 5: Explore and use a variety of strategies to learn. Title 6: Demonstrate an understanding of discourse structure in texts.

13 Title 1 details: Show a critical awareness of language usage Specific Outcomes: 1. Identify and analyse the likely purpose, audience and source of texts. 2. Explain ways in which language is used to transmit and shape socio-cultural ideas and values. 3. Identify, analyse and respond effectively to the manipulative, ideologically driven and biased uses of language and text. 4. Make inferences from texts. 5. Reflect critically on a writer s/speaker s point of view. 6. Explain, challenge and respond to attitudes towards languages and language varieties. 7. Produce a text to show critical awareness of language.

14 Title 2 details: Engage with aesthetic, affective, cultural and social values in texts Specific Outcomes: 1. Identify, analyse, evaluate and use literary and stylistic devices. 2. Give and justify opinions on texts. 3. Review opinions in relation to the opinions of others. 4. Relate texts to own personal lives and lives of others. 5. Identify ways in which context affects meaning and understanding

15 Alternatives to the mainstream NGOs and CSOs (Civil Society Organisations) forefront of innovative, politically progressive work in adult literacy since the 1960s now at the forefront of efforts to link literacy to social issues such as AIDS etc move to link Adult Basic Education to Social movements/csos move to promote Adult Basic Education as a basic human right decimated by lack of funding and having to compete with government Campaigns series of government campaigns which have attempted to operate outside of the mainstream formal system but been pulled back and bedevilled by the same bureaucracy and inefficiency SANLI Masifundisane New campaign due to start in 2008

16 Quote from senior government official The plan (for a campaign) is necessary because South Africa s system of ABET is not reducing the number of illiterates and functional illiterates in spite of the constitutional right of all South Africans to basic education in their own language Ministerial Committee on Literacy May 2007

17 Examples of innovative work Learn with Echo newspaper supplement New Readers Publishers easy readers for adults Family Literacy Project Operation Upgrade

18 Key implications of competencybased education on key issues Multilingualism suffers credit is not given for first and second language at the same level first and second/additional language are treated as the same Poverty reduction suffers structural inequalities not dealt with tendency to individualise the problem and blame the victim Social justice suffers competencies appear to be neutral neglect ideological issues competencies promote individualised critical thinking not radical thinking Diverse needs and lives of adult literacy learners neglected competencies promote a one size fits all model learners want very different things read the Bible; help with children s homework; read a story for fun etc not all instrumental or employment related

19 Interview with adult learner I want to learn to read letters so that I can laugh and cry by myself.