Locating Literacy Programs
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Running head: LOCATING LITERACY PROGRAMS IN SCHOOLS AND ADULT CENTERS
Locating Adult Literacy Programs
In Regular Schools and Adult Education Centers:
What the Learners Have to Say
Marion Terry, Ph.D.
Brandon University
Marion Terry
Brandon University
Brandon, Manitoba R7B 2V5
Telephone: (204) 727-7443
Fax: (204) 725-2143
E-mail: terry@brandonu.ca
This manuscript was prepared using the 4th edition of the Publication Manual of the American
Psychological Association. There are 15 links: 5 internal links, 6 links to appended files, and 4
links to internet sources. Interactive forums comprise the last 2 internal links. One link to an
appended file is embedded in another appended file.
Locating Literacy Programs
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Locating Adult Literacy Programs in Regular Schools and Adult Education Centers:
What the Learners Have to Say
[underscore = internal link to body of the manuscript]
Marion Terry, Ph.D.
[underscore = external link to http://www.brandonu.ca/gallery.asp?PH_ID=156]
Brandon University
Biography
Marion Terry (terry@brandonu.ca) is the learning skills specialist responsible for
Brandon University’s writing center in Brandon, Manitoba. [underscore = external link to
http://www.brandonu.ca/studentsvc/writingcentre/the_writing_centre.htm] She has a Ph.D. in
educational administration from the University of Regina, Saskatchewan, with a research focus
on adult education (Terry, 2005). Her previous publications include articles in Adult Basic
Education: An Interdisciplinary Journal for Adult Literacy Educators, Adult Learning, Canadian
Journal for the Study of Adult Education, Educational Research Quarterly, Journal of College
Reading and Learning, Literacies [underscore = external link to
http://www.literacyjournal.ca/literacies/6-2005 /pdf/terry.pdf], New Horizons in Adult Education
[underscore = external link to
http://www.nova.edu/~aed/horizons/volume18no4Winter2004.pdf], and Perspectives: The New
York Journal of Adult Learning.
Locating Literacy Programs
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Abstract
Finding appropriate and affordable classroom facilities is an ongoing problem for adult literacy
programs. Choosing to rent less expensive space in an adult education center or to access a free
classroom in a regular school would seem an ideal way to save money that could then be used to
hire more teaching staff or purchase more learning materials. Neither alternative, however, was
favored by the majority of learners interviewed in the adult literacy study upon which this article
is based. These learners’ views add a crucial dimension to the process of selecting literacy
program facilities.
Locating Literacy Programs
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Locating Adult Literacy Programs in Regular Schools and Adult Education Centers:
What the Learners Have to Say
Finding appropriate and affordable classroom facilities is an ongoing problem for adult
literacy programs. Renting less expensive space in an adult education center, or accessing a free
classroom in a regular school, would seem an ideal solution. This article examines adult literacy
learners’ opinions of these alternatives, in order to add a crucial dimension to the facility
selection process. The data reported are from a qualitative study of adult literacy programs in
western Canada. [underscore = link to appended PhD abstract] All given names are pseudonyms.
The term regular school refers to a private or public grade school building. The term adult
education center refers to a building that houses adult academic and/or vocational courses.
Overview of the Literature
[underscore = internal link to references list]
While regular schools have stable and substantial government funding, adult education
programs are notoriously underfunded (Butterworth, 1996; Hayes, 1997; Sticht, 1995).
[underscore = link to appended quotations on funding]. Adult basic education and literacy
programs’ reliance on temporary grants is well documented (Blaxter, 1999; Mulcrone, 1993;
Parker, 1990). Quigley (2001) asserts, “Few in the public domain know that funding is woefully
inadequate compared with any other educational system” (p. 56). In Manitoba, Canada,
community-based literacy programs can apply for ongoing funding from the provincial
government, but at much lower levels of fiscal support than regular schools or post-secondary
institutions (Darville, 1992).
The adult education literature also attends to the role that physical settings play in the
learning process. Yates (1999) stresses the need to provide adult education in adult learning
Locating Literacy Programs
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centers, blaming the associations that adults make between school settings and past schooling
failures for adults’ reluctance to attend literacy and adult basic education programs in regular
schools. Hoddinott (1998) affirms that adult education facilities “are important because they
reflect the conditions under which Literacy and Adult Basic Education services are delivered and
the value which we, as a society, attach to both the services and the clientele” (pp. 137-138).
[underscore = link to appended quotations of adult learners’ and instructors’ comments on
physical environments] Physical settings are thus an integral part of what Sokol and Cranton
(1998) refer to as the “psychosocial ambiance” (p. 15) of learning environments.
Research Methodology
Two adult literacy programs were selected from the 37 programs receiving communitybased adult literacy grants from the Government of Manitoba in 2003. Both programs rented
commercial-grade buildings that had been renovated for classroom use, and rental payments
consumed a significant portion of their modest incomes from private donations and government
grants. Seventy stakeholders volunteered to share their program experiences through
compositions (brief responses to questions about their program experiences) and/or interviews
(45-minute conversations based on more detailed questions about their program experiences): 37
learners, 2 coordinators/instructors, 11 other staff members, 7 parents/significant others of
learners, 2 program administrators, 8 community referral agents, and 2 provincial funding agents.
Twenty-six of the learners participated in interviews, which ended with the following questions:
(1) “Do you think it would be a good idea for this program to move into a regular school building
that has an extra classroom to spare?” and (2) Do you think it would be a good idea for this
program to move into an adult education center that includes other kinds of adult education
courses?” The answers were analyzed to produce within-case and cross-case comparisons of
Locating Literacy Programs
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these learners’ opinions.
Research Findings
For most of the learners who were interviewed, the independent status of their learning
facilities was too important to approve moving the programs into regular schools or adult
education centers. Several learners also expressed concern over the potential for their programs’
warm interpersonal atmosphere to be adversely affected by moving into institutionalized
facilities. There was no clear pattern of preference for learners of different ages, skill levels, or
vocational aspirations.
Adult Education Centers
[underscore = link to appended learners’ comments on adult education centers]
Fifteen learners liked the idea of moving their literacy programs into adult education
centers. Ken thought that it would be more convenient for students if more adult education
programs were in the same facility. Patrick and Amy speculated that the different programs could
share instructional resources. Amy noted that other adult education students were already coming
for extra tutoring in their courses, and that it would be much more convenient to provide this
service if all of the adult education programs were in the same building. Leanne and April saw
potential for mixing-and-matching literacy and community college courses.
The eleven remaining learners totally rejected the idea. They feared that a larger
institutional setting would spoil the literacy programs’ informal and highly interpersonal climate.
Barbara explained, “It would take something away from the way people feel about each other and
the program.” She anticipated that computer students such as herself would end up separated into
a room full of “white noise,” instead of being included “in with everyone else.” Raymond, who
complained that he “hated the crowds” in high school, predicted an increase in student numbers.
Locating Literacy Programs
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Mike dreaded losing “that sense of home” and becoming “just another classroom.” Arnold and
Britanny thought that the commotion created by other programs would distract the literacy
students. Harvey feared that the students in higher level programs “would sneer and laugh and
say, ‘Look where he’s starting out.’” Even Phoebe, who acknowledged the financial advantages
that would accrue from sharing the costs of a larger facility, concluded, “It would be better left as
it is now.”
Regular Schools
[underscore = link to appended learners’ comments on regular schools]
Four learners responded that they would attend literacy programs housed in regular
school classrooms. Julia explained that she felt more confident now and was not worried about
what younger students in the regular school would think of her. Gavin admitted, “I might be shy
for a couple of days,” but he added that so long as there was public bus service to the building, “it
wouldn’t bother me a bit.”
Two learners had mixed feelings about moving their literacy programs into regular
schools. Patricia saw advantages in sharing expenses and a larger parking lot, but she still
insisted, “It would bother me. That’s why I quit school, years ago.” Alanna reported that she
would feel comfortable, but she understood that “other people might not, like younger people. It
would be too close to where they came from.”
The remaining twenty learners strenuously opposed the notion. They spoke of the
negative effects that a regular school could have on the programs’ instructional practices and on
the students’ self-concepts. Dean, who worked full-time, worried that his program would have to
adopt the regular school’s attendance rules. Earl anticipated that “it might change the literacy
instructors” if the two sets of teachers spent too much time together. Other learners feared how
Locating Literacy Programs
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younger students would react to them as adults. Arnold exclaimed, “Kids are cruel! If they know
you have a learning problem, they look down on you, and they make remarks.” Alex admitted, “I
would feel way out of place,” and Christine insisted, “It wouldn’t be a good idea to have
teenagers and adults together in a school.”
Discussion
Given the voluntary nature of attendance in adult literacy programs, and in consideration
of the negative school memories that many adults bring to the learning environment, literacy
program administrators and practitioners would be wise to think twice – and then think twice
again in consultation with their student bodies – before accepting offers of classroom space in
regular schools or adult education centers that might remind their learners of formal educational
institutions. Literacy program facility problems should be solved not by moving the programs
into other educational institutions, but by increasing the levels of funding to the point where
these programs can afford appropriate classroom space and instructional resources to meet their
learners’ needs. Do you have ideas for securing long-term funding to cover the costs of renting a
stand-alone facility? If so, please contribute them to this funding forum. [underscore = internal
link to funding forum]
Unfortunately, this solution is unrealistic for many adult literacy programs. Therefore, the
following suggestions offer a compromise to help ease the transition when the only financially
viable choice is to accept space in a public school or adult education institution:
·
Make inquiries about the institution’s rules of access. Will your learners have to undergo
criminal records checks to enter a regular school building? Will they have to adhere to
certain dress codes (e.g., no midriff shirts or bandanas)? Will you and your learners have
access to the building outside of regular working hours? What accommodations is the
Locating Literacy Programs
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school or adult education center willing to make in order to meet your program’s needs?
·
Try to secure a classroom near an outside entry door. If the classroom is in a public
school, ask to have this access route limited to your students only, so that they will not be
in direct contact with the other students on their way in and out of the building.
·
Schedule your hours of operation to begin and end 15-30 minutes before or after the other
classes in the building at the start and close of the day. If you have more than one
instructor on duty, one of you may wish to take an early shift that starts and ends before
the other classes, and the other may wish to take a late shift that starts and ends after the
other classes. Staggering the hours will make it easier for your adult learners to arrive and
leave at times when the doorways and hallways are not congested with other traffic.
·
Ask to have the speaker system turned off in your classroom, so that your students will
not be interrupted by announcements intended for others in the building.
·
Replace individual desks with tables and chairs, so that your adult learners will have more
room to work. Arrange the tables and chairs in a configuration that provides opportunities
for group work. Try to avoid setting the tables and chairs in neat rows – mix them up to
make the room look more interesting.
·
Set up a coffee corner and bring in some soft-sided chairs or sofas to create a
conversation area. Your objective is to soften the institutional atmosphere, so that your
learners feel like they are being treated to a less formal adult learning environment.
·
Put adult-friendly posters or pictures on the wall, and set some plants near the window. A
fish tank helps too, but fish require more care than plants – try sturdy stock such as
goldfish or guppies. (A betta fish is very pretty and can live in a small bowl that you can
easily transport home for holidays.)
Locating Literacy Programs
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Ask your learners what would make them feel more comfortable. Some may have wall
decorations or coffee mugs that they wish to contribute.
·
Do you have other suggestions for adult basic education and literacy providers who are
setting up quarters in regular schools and adult education centers? If so, please contribute
to this alternatives forum. [underscore = internal link to interactive alternatives forum]
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References
[underscore = internal link back to overview of the literature]
Blaxter, L. (1999). Dangerous practices? Adults Learning, 11(4), 21-22.
Butterworth, B. (1996). Programs and projects reflecting the relationship between
literacy, integrated learning supports (ILS), community development (CD), and work. Toronto,
ON: Ontario Coalition for Literacy.
Darville, R. (1992). Adult literacy work in Canada. Toronto, ON: Canadian Association
for Adult Education.
Hayes, E. (1997). The program portfolio. Adult Learning, 9(1), 25-29.
Hoddinott, S. (1998). Something to think about: Please think about this. Report on a
national study of access to Adult Basic Education programs and services in Canada. Ottawa, ON:
Ottawa Board of Education.
Mulcrone, P. (1993). Developing internal and external program resources. In P. Mulcrone
(Ed.), Current perspectives on administration of adult education programs (pp. 5-11). New
Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 60. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Parker, J. T. (1990). Modeling a future basic education. Adult Learning, 1(4), 16-18, 28.
Quigley, B. A. (2001). Living in the feudalism of adult basic and literacy education: Can
we negotiate a literacy democracy? In C. A. Hansman & P. Sissel (Eds.), Understanding and
negotiating the political landscape of adult education (pp. 55-62). New Directions for Adult and
Continuing Education, 91. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Sokol, A. V., & Cranton, P. (1998). Transforming, not training. Adult Learning, 9(3), 1416.
Sticht, T. G. (1995). Adult education for family literacy. Adult Learning, 7(2), 23-24.
Locating Literacy Programs
Terry, M. (2005). Through the eyes of the beholders: Stakeholder experiences with two
adult literacy programs that include adult and youth-at-risk learners. Unpublished doctoral
dissertation, University of Regina.
Yates, E. L. (1999). Bringing it back to the basics. Black Issues in Higher Education,
16(17), 30-33.
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