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Introduction :
While preparing this paper I have taken the policy statement issued by the Ministry
of Education and Social Welfare, New Delhi, and the standards of achievement as
expected in the area of three Rs as a basis.
Some may consider
only the content of adult primer while thinking of contents. But the policy statement
very clearly specifies that the efforts for removing illiteracy have failed in
the past because the emphasis in the programmes for removing illiteracy was on
three Rs. The life experiences of the learners were given minor consideration.
The policy statement clearly specifies that the -Adult illiterate should be given
an opportunity to grow into a whole integrated person. He should understand his
own importance as a productive citizen and that he should be able to enhance his
productive capacity with the help of science and technology in his life and vocation
i.e., he should not only be aware of himself and be able to produce more but that
he should be aware of himself and be able to produce more but that he should be
aware of his responsibility towards other ans hat it is he, who is the master
of his own destiny. This means the contents and approaches of the Adult Literacy
Programme should be based on creating awareness in him and on increasing his functionality
both in his vocation and as a creative Social unit in the Society and the Nation.
Concepts can not directly be translated into methods and programmes. There should
be various steps for the said procedure of translating the concepts into action-programme.
These steps can be survey of learner's needs, mobilizing the local resources,
people's co-operation and participation of need based material etc.
Main aim of all these steps should be to create better learning situation rather
than teaching situation.
Different agencies have different
goals as follows :
Names Objectives
Census
Literacy Ability to read and write a short simple
sentence with comprehension.
Functional Literacy Attainment of usable and retainable literacy
by which
life functions of the learners become smooth and easy.
Work oriented functional Literacy for qualitative improvement of
literacy
: work and occupation with some sketchy
knowledge of related areas.
Conscientisation : Critical understanding of the conditions
under which the
learners live, use of this understanding to overcome obstacles for the liberation
of the learning group.
Problem Centres : Understanding of
the socio-economic
problems of the learning groups and using education for
finding the solution.
NAEP Literacy, functionality and
awareness for
huge number of illiterates in a time bound programme covering
the deprived social groups.
Major aspects of literacy
programme
The content of literacy should not only include
the content of the adult primer but it should consider first the whole programme
based on the life needs or problems of the learner creating awareness and for
motivating him for learning. Secondly it should also have consideration for the
contents and approach of adult primer providing both literacy and numeracy i.e.,
language and mathematical skills. The programme of literacy should also include
material for further reading for continuation of motivation and for vitalizing
his interest for reading, writing and counting and for developing his skills and
understanding. The literacy programme should also provide for follow up work.
In short the content of literacy may include the following four aspects.
(1)
Motivational programme based on creating awareness.
(2)
Adult primer content based on enhancing awareness and functionality of
the learner.
(3) Further work :- Meant for
continuation of motivation and developing skills and interests.
(4)
Follow-up programme :- It is a common experience of Adult Literacy instructions
all over, that the illiterate adults have no desireto learn. The literacy content
which does not include the provision for creating motivation is
bound to
fail. The motivational programme should include the following aspects:
(1)
The learner should become aware of that :Illiterate brings inconvenience and loss
and trouble.Literacy helps him to increase his productive capacity.Literacy helps
him in understanding, helping and guiding his wards in studies.
The wealth of the country and the society increases with knowledge.
Knowledge is power and that knowledge depends on literacy.Literacy helps in understanding
the religious literature.
Literacy can save him from being cheated or misguided.II.
Literacy Proper :- Adult primer - when the adults grow eager for learning i.e.,
reading, writing and Arithmetic, properly prepared Adult literacy primer should
be introduced.
The primer introduces the learner to language
and arithmetic. The lessons may be so divised and so graded that the learning
of the primer slowly increases his awareness and functionality. The learner learns
all alphabets only when he completes the primer or some 15-20 lessons. By then
the learning of numerals, addition and substraction may also be integrated.
Just for illustrating my point, I would invite your attention to one of the several
literacy primers prepareeed in Gujarati with a view to develop awareness and functionally
while developing literacy viz. Primer for seafarers, where in the alphabets are
covered and drilled in 26 lessons. The lessons are mostly framed from he seafarers'
occupational songs, through which the learners are made aware of the poverty,
need of removing poverty and how education, science and technology help in vitalizing
their functions as seafarers and as citizens.
Thus the
awareness of the problem and functionally will run side by side through words
and and sentences leading to the ultimate goals of all round development of the
learner through self learning process.
III. Learning of
this primer may take 3-4 months and learners will acquire preliminary skills of
the working situation. Now the learners should de provided with a series of small
lessons which lead the learner into a continuous process of awareness and functionality
through letters and words. The lessons may start from 100 words to 150 words and
each booklet of an idea or ideas can have about 10-20 lessons.
Second step is the other book of 150 to 200 words. His knowledge and skill should
be arranged in these lessons that the learning group can think not only for himself
but also for his society, nation and the humanity at large.
Thus the content should have capacity not only to memorise the material learnt
but to act as active democratic citizen in all his life situation.
IV.
Follow up programme
The follow-up programme is a most
important point for any activity. This programme is also widely thought of. It
should also contain functionality.
We can take an example
The primer contains a simple sentence. We are poor and it will be discussed in
the class in reading and writing process.
In the drilling
lesson it will contain five/seven sentences for increasing reasoning capacity
and a line of action for solving the problem of poverty.
In the third stage it may be in a more artistic manner and each idea may contain
some sentences. It can be like this.
Geer OLAD nee Gaya,
vali Mehasanani Bhesh.
Doodhe Valu nu Kare, Khay Chhash ne Ghesh.
Kambe
kadalam Vedhala, Chudala, Kanthi, Dul
Papapanan, ne, pokharia, Vintine vali
zool
Aasha to hati E Vaddhi, Papa Aavakaman Nahi Jor
Dhananee Aavak Dharman
Rakhi Aasha Por.
It means that the cow of Geer Breed and
Buffalo of also good breed yet the Cowherds have no milk in supper. Only they
use Chhash (Butter Milk).
The woman had a desire for having
various ornaments mentioned above it was like hoping against hope and the programme
was postponed for the next year.
After these steps the
content may be selected from the general literature which may be useful to this
newly reading public.