Literacy Methodology
Design

Primer Construction - A Note

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The 350 hours of instruction in adult literacy and education as envisaged in National Adult Education Programme (NAEP) may be devoted as follows :

A. 75 hours to teach initial literacy skills in about 25 lessons dealing with (a) Single letters, (b) Matras, (c) Conjuncts, (d) Writing simple sentences (e) Dictionary order of alphabets.

B. 40 hours for teaching numeracy in about 16 lessons dealing with (a) Counting (upto 1000), (h) additions involving three digits, (c) subtractons upto three digits, (d) multiplications involving three digits (in the multiplicand) and two digits (in division), (f) decimals and fractions.

C. 35 hours for developments and reinforcement of literacy skills in about 17 lessons consisting of (a) tales, (b) social information, (c) knowledge about health and hygiene (d) poems, (e) narratives etc.

D. 75 hours of teaching materials for select groups like (a) women (b) urban labour (c) rural labour (d) fishermen (e) weavers and the like dealing with (a) local mythology and geography (b) news paper reading (c) professional subjects like weaving, carpentary smithy etc. (d) re-writing stories or events read, heard or seen.

E. 50 hours for practice in functional materials such as (a) telling the time from clock, (b) calendar reading, (e) filling up forms, (d) reading public announcements and notices, (e) preparing family budget (f) sending an M. O. (g) writing a petition (h) using dictionary (i) helping children with school texts (j) understanding measures and weights, distance etc.

F. 75 hours for (a) discussion of social issues, learners problems, reading of news items, health manuals, singing of group songs, (b) preparation of visuals like charts, flash cards, graphics etc., by the learners (c) guest lectures and demonstrations etc.

The number and length of units are as follows :

A. 25 units in 76 pages
B. 16 units in 32 pages
C. 17 units in 50 pages
D. Units, pamphlets, booklets etc. . of
46 pages
Total 204

On roughly 200 pages of learning materials covering the whole gamut of literacy skills and interests of the learners. These materials are accompanied by a manual for the teacher and a copy book for the learners. For the convenience of the teacher, learner, and the publisher the learning material may be brought out in the form of several handy primers.

In following the guidelines the writers, teachers, and organizers should bear in mind the following points :

1. Though the lessons in each segment are sequential the segments themselves are not. For example in A and B the items can be interspread. Since numeracy does not need much language some of the numaracy units can be started very early in the programme. Secondly, items under F can be spread all over the instruction period. Actually the literacy programme should be preceded for some days (7 to 10) with reading and discussions.

2. The plan does not contemplate any home work for the learners. All the lessons are self-containing with materials, exercises, and practice items. Even a teacher new to the profession can handle the materials with a little training and orientation.

3. Considerable amount of time is devoted for numeracy in order to make education more functional.

4. The teacher must be able to use his/her discretion with regard to (a) the appropriate time to introduce ancillary activities like group singing, guest lectures etc., and (b) the amount of time devoted to individual items.