Cultural practices enhance learning
Today’s lesson really helped to identify themes for the 1-2-3 project. Our literature pointed out one of the major lessons I have learned from the class and Dr. Muth:
“To promote adult literacy, the resources used in the adult education curriculum
should draw content from the day to day activities and events adults experience in their lives. To inform the language in education policy and the school curricular, large scale research about cultural practices of literacy for the different ethnic groups in Botswana should be conducted.”
Some argue that the lessons learn here cannot be applied in other settings due to the limited scope of the study. I have learned that the consumer of the information determines the validity and usefulness.
The conclusion from Molosiwa highlights ways in which the 1-2-3 project's cultural interview responses can enhance knowledge. I am excited to utilize what I have learned in class. But at the same time I want to ensure I am either limiting or stating my biases during analysis of responses.
I had no ideas I would be learning all of these great and profound concepts within this class. I love it!
I am glad this resonates with you, Shannon! You quoted, "content from the day to day activities and events adults experience in their lives" should inform the literacy curriculum. The idea of drawing on the local dialects, customs and stories to build learning experiences is a major component of the "culturally responsive teaching" movement. Luis Moll and Norma Gonzalez do wonderful work in Arizona related to this affirming approach to diversity and learning. Of course, the real challenge is finding ways to translate these ideas to workplace learning. It's easy for elementary kids to bring in artifacts from home for show and tell; it's another thing to tap into hidden literacies at work (think about Rosa at the Triple Z pickle factory). Anyway,here's a link to a short article about Moll and Gonzalez, fyi:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.usc.edu/dept/education/CMMR/FullText/Luis_Moll_Hidden_Family_Resources.pdf
I agree. I have been thinking about this and finding ways to easily use what I have learned on the job. Thank you for the additional insight.
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