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7/11/2014 5:55
PM
Learners participation in adults literacy
programmes
Content-based, Task-based & Participatory
Approaches
Content-based
giving priority to process over predetermined linguistic content
Claims that students learn best when they are working to
understand the meaning of the whole text
Work from top-down understand the overall text before work
on the linguistics forms
Errors are seen as part of learning process
Embraces Vygotskys idea about social nature of learning
learning is best served by collaboration between teacher and
students and among students
Uses the WHOLE LANGUAGE APPROACH calls for language to
be regarded holistically rather than by pieces
Content-based, Task-based & Participatory
Approaches
Task-based
aims to provide learners with a natural context for language use
as learners work to complete a task, they have abundant opportunity
to interact
Learning can be facilitated by the interaction in which learners work to
correctly understand others and make themselves understood
Learners will have opportunity to acquire language that beyond their
current level and use them later
3 types of tasks: an information-gap activity, an opinion-gap activity,
and a reasoning-gap activity (Prabhu - 1987)
An information-gap activity involves the exchange of information among
participants in order to complete a task
An opinion-gap activity requires that students give their personal
preferences, feelings, or attitudes in order to complete a task
A reasoning-gap activity requires students to derive some new
information by inferring it from information they have been given
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Content-based, Task-based & Participatory
Approaches
Task-based
Prabhu feels that reasoning-gap tasks work best:
Information-gap tasks often require a single step transfer of information,
rather than sustained negotiation
Opinion-gap tasks tend to be rather open-ended
Reasoning-gap tasks encourage a more sustained engagement with
meaning, though they are still characterized by a somewhat predictable
use of language
students use English to learn it, rather than learning to use
English - teaching through communication, rather than for it
Content-based, Task-based & Participatory
Approaches
Participatory Approaches
Difference their focus
Background
In 1960s, Paulo Freire developed a literacy program for peasants in Brazil.
He started the dialogues about problems in their lives.
The dialogues became the basis for literacy development
education is meaningful to the extent that it engages learners in
reflecting on their relationship to the world they live in and provides them
with a means to shape their world. Paulo Freire
Started in 1980s
Versus content-based:
Similarity: work on meaningful contents
Difference: nature of content
Content-based Instruction
Build on students previous knowledge
Students motivated to learn because of relevance
Teacher help to scaffold linguistic content
Language is learned best when used to deliver interesting
information
Vocabs can be easily acquired with contextual cues
Teacher give examples & use comprehensive checks with authentic
matters
Learners use authentic materials to practice language
Communicative competence = able to read, discuss, write about
content of other fields
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CONTENT-BASED APPROACH
GOALS OF TEACHERS give priority to process over
predetermined linguistic content
ROLES OF TEACHERS Assist learners in understanding subject matter
ROLES OF STUDENTS Study academic subject matters and learn a
foreign language
CHARACTERISTICS OF
TEACHING/LEARNING PROCESS
Integrates the learning of language with the
learning of some content. Language objectives
are dictated by content. Students are engaged
in purposeful use of language
NATURE OF STUDENT-
TEACHER/STUDENT-STUDENT
INTERACTION
While completing the academic tasks all
interaction types are possible
CONTENT-BASED APPROACH
FEELINGS OF STUDENTS No principles
VIEWS OF LANGUAGE AND
CULTURE
Since the purpose is content, it is easier
to master the target language
LANGUAGE AREAS Dictated by texts that are used for
content
LANGUAGE SKILLS All 4 skills
ROLE OF STUDENTS NATIVE
LANGUAGE
No role for native language
EVALUATION Evaluated for the content
Task-based Instruction
Teacher provides learners with a natural context for language use
Activity has purpose and need outcome
Teacher go through a pre-task with students before they work
individually
Teacher go through the task step-by-step
Level is i + 1
Teacher-student negotiation; ask for feedback
Teacher use language naturally without simplifying
Teacher repeat the correct form to reinforce
Students then complete a task in groups; practice authentic
listening and speaking
Students receive feedback based on the content completed task
or not
Students have input to the design & way of completing the task
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TASK-BASED APPROACH
GOALS OF TEACHERS Provide learners with a natural
context for language use
ROLES OF TEACHERS Acts as counselors and consultants
ROLES OF STUDENTS Learning language both functionally and
linguistically by solving problems with the
help of knowledge that students have
CHARACTERISTICS OF
TEACHING/LEARNING PROCESS
Tasks practiced in the classroom have
perceived purpose and clear outcome
NATURE OF STUDENT-
TEACHER/STUDENT-STUDENT
INTERACTION
All interaction types are possible student-
student when completing the task, student-
teacher when counseling and consulting
FEELINGS OF STUDENTS Low anxiety and high motivation are vital
TASK-BASED APPROACH
VIEWS OF LANGUAGE
AND CULTURE
Linguistic and cultural knowledge
are of great importance
LANGUAGE AREAS Functional properties of language are
stressed
LANGUAGE SKILLS All skills
ROLE OF NATIVE LANGUAGE Without simplifying the target language
only foreign language is used
EVALUATION No formal tests but through in class
observation and feed back
ERROR CORRECTION Reformulating and recasting what the
students have said
TECHNIQUES Information, opinion and reasoning gap
Participatory approach
Background
In 1960s, Paulo Freire developed a literacy program for peasants in Brazil.
He started the dialogues about problems in their lives.
The dialogues became the basis for literacy development
education is meaningful to the extent that it engages learners in reflecting
on their relationship to the world they live in and provides them with a means
to shape their world. Paulo Freire
Widely discussed starting with 1980s
Versus content-based:
Similarity:
It begins with content that is meaningful to the students
Any forms that are worked upon emerge from that content
Difference:
nature of content
It is not the content of subject matter texts, but rather content that is based on issues of
concern to students
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Goal:
help students to understand the social, historical, or cultural forces that
affects their lives
help empower students to take action and make decisions in order to gain
control over their lives
Teacher use contents relevant to students lives
Curriculum is the result of problem-posed process
Students are motivated; teacher is co-learner
Students use their knowledge to act in the society
Language skills are taught to prompt action for change
Students create their own materials as text for others
Students get to evaluate themselves
Participatory Approach
What happens in the classroom should be connected with what
happens outside that has relevance to the students
Education is most effective when it is experience-centred, when it relates to
students real needs
A goal of the participatory approach is for students to be evaluating their own
learning to increasingly direct it themselves
Students are motivated by their personal involvement
Teachers are co-learners, asking questions of the students, who are the
experts on their own lives
Participatory Approach
What happens in the classroom should be connected with what
happens outside that has relevance to the students
Education is most effective when it is experience-centred, when it relates to
students real needs
A goal of the participatory approach is for students to be evaluating their own
learning to increasingly direct it themselves
Students discuss the problem in their lives and they are motivated by their
personal involvement
Teachers are co-learners
listens and takes notes
asking questions of the students, who are the experts on their own lives
leads questions with visual aids to get students to relate the problem to their experience
proposes the question in an attempt to contextualise the problem
records students answers
Students writes down what they said and reread it, edit it and revise
Participatory Approach
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The curriculum is not a predetermined product, but the result of an
ongoing context-specific problem-posing process
Students can create their own materials, which, in turn, can become texts for
other students
Focus on linguistic form occurs within a focus on content
Language skills are taught in service of action for change, rather than in
isolation
When knowledge is jointly constructed, it becomes a tool to help students
find voice and by finding their voices, students can act in the world
Language focus is not established in advance.
It follows from content and emerges from ongoing, collaborative
investigations in students lives
Participatory Approach
PARTICIPATORY APPROACH
GOALS OF TEACHERS Expose language learners to the
target language through issues of
concern to students
ROLES OF TEACHERS Conducts the flow of the lesson
ROLES OF STUDENTS Active participants
CHARACTERISTICS OF
TEACHING/LEARNING PROCESS
Content is determined by learners
social, cultural and historical background
NATURE OF STUDENT-
TEACHER/STUDENT-STUDENT
INTERACTION
All types can be observed
FEELINGS OF STUDENTS Motivated by their personal involvement
VIEW OF LANGUAGE AND
CULTURE
Both go hand in hand
PARTICIPATORY APPROACH
LANGUAGE AREAS Classroom experience and the
outside world should be connected
LANGUAGE SKILLS All skills
ROLE OF NATIVE LANGUAGE No need for mother tongue
EVALUATION No formal tests but students are evaluated
in ongoing way in the classroom
ERROR CORRECTION Self-correction
TECHNIQUES Discussions, debates, and problems posed
by the teacher
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Participation = interaction involving learners
People learn more easily when:
the new idea links with what they already know
they identify problems & solutions themselves
they go through a process of critical analysis & reflection
Principles of adult literacy in a participatory approach
Respect
Safe learning environment
Immediate usefulness
Opportunity to practice
Advantages of a Participatory Approach
What is a code?
a starting point that provides a link to existing experience e.g.,
photograph, drawing, song, role play, etc
a concrete, physical manifestation of a problem or an issue.
a visual aid with the purpose of promoting critical thinking and action.
represents the students' reality back to the class and allows them to
project their emotional and social responses in a focused fashion
by using discussion objects called "codes" followed by inductive
questioning strategy, students can ground their discussion in personal
experience, integrate that experience into the broad social context, and
together evolve alternatives
Codes in a Participatory Approach
represent a familiar problem situation immediately recognized by the group;
be presented as a problem with many sides or contradictions to avoid
conveying a good or bad point of view;
focus on one concern at a time, but not in a fragmented way; the historical,
cultural, and social connections in students lives should be suggested;
be open-ended and not provide solutions; any resolution or strategies should
merge from the group discussion ;
the problem should not be overwhelming, but should offer possibilities for
group affirmation and small actions toward change
Ex: a created artefact (poster, sculpture or drawing) , a story, a scene from Image
Theatre , or a song; it can also simply be a neutral object such as a coffee cup or
a shoe, especially with loaded issues that may be overwhelming or embarrassing
Characteristics of an effective code
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Codes can be used to:
start people talking
arouse emotions
draw out concerns
find solutions
The exploration of individuals can be viewed as having three basic
steps:
identify one's reality (recognize what the present is);
envision what could be (have a vision of the future);
how to move from one to the other (from present reality to greater equality
of condition)
Using Codes
Describe what is happening here.
How does it make you feel?
Have you seen anything like this in your community?
Why is it happening?
What can we do to change the situation?
Who will do what?
Commit to reporting back, and
reflecting on & evaluating
what has been achieved
Analyzing a code