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The article illustrates a heuristic model that describes the multidimensional interdisciplinary social phenomena of functional illiteracy in a clearly arranged way. To implement professional literacy programmes that match the different target groups, scientific findings about educational deprivation, life circumstances and barriers to equal participation in connection with low literacy skills are to be arranged in a proper order. One result of the research project “HABIL” is the development of …
In today’s societies literacy is regarded as the prerequisite for participating in the professional and private spheres of everyday life. It is regarded as a human right, a tool for personal empowerment and a tool to influence the behaviour of individuals, families and communities. Despite the international consensus that literacy skills determine opportunities and provide access to today’s information-based societies, many adults in both industrialized and developing countries find themselves …
This paper deals with a new approach in the promotion of literacy, which focuses on social integration. This approach has been inspired by a concept of adult education aiming at integration and by social work oriented to the life world of the addressees. These concepts are being adapted to the work with functionally illiterate persons. The approach discussed here includes different forms of action promoting literacy: both learning and consulting, and also institutional cooperation in networks. …
This article describes the attempt to reveal the most suitable methods of learning for learners of the German language without previous knowledge of the Latin alphabet (Literacy DaZ Courses). Seven different methods of learning are compared in four different courses so that each syllabus will be mediated in one course with method A and in another with method B and so on. The method of teaching/learning will be switched with each new syllabus. The article focuses on the critical description of t…
Die Bedeutung von Alphabetisierung und Grundbildung in nationalen wie internationalen Bildungsdebatten ist unbestritten. Die in Deutschland angelaufenen Projekte werden im Jahr 2009 erste Arbeitsergebnisse vorstellen können. Die Beiträge dieses Heftes werden vornehmlich einen Beitrag zur Theorieentwicklung leisten und damit Grundlagen für die weitere Forschung auf diesem Gebiet schaffen.
The report presents first results of a study dealing with the whereabouts of former participants of literacy classes. Assuming courses of adult education have a beginning and an end, the authors pursue the phenomena of participants sojourning permanently at adult education courses. Taken data material into account, the reconstruction of possible reasons for staying in the courses finally leads to the demand for an initial consulting – analogical to the starting and learning consultation in the …
This article explores „biography“ as a separate field of research within adult education. It focuses on analysing the outcome of alphabetization and basic education courses on biographies and coping mechanisms of functional illiterates. At the same time, the importance of biography research for practical work with illiterates is highlighted. The article also discusses a list of requirements that need to be met for an innovative adjustment of such practical work, and thus making better use of it…
As part of a joint project a learning game is currently being developed for adults who are functionally illiterate. Following a generally positive experience with the role of the new media in teaching work with this target group, the partners in the project, including the German Institute for Adult Education (DIE), are now focussing specifically on game-based training. This article introduces the reader to the basic concept of the game and identifies the factors in its use which are critical to…
Dieser Studientext beschreibt den nationalen und internationalen Stand der Forschung zum Phänomen des funktionalen Analphabetismus. Der Autor grenzt Begrifflichkeiten voneinander ab, veranschaulicht Argumentationsstränge und schafft damit eine fundierte Basis zur Entwicklung neuer Perspektiven und Ansätze für die weitere empirische und theoretische Erforschung von Lese- und Schreibfertigkeitsdefiziten. Studierende der Erwachsenenbildung und interessierte Akteure im Umfeld der Alphabetisierung…
Im Rahmen des Projekts „Alphabit“ wurden mit Kursleitenden aus dem Bereich Alphabetisierung und Grundbildung telefonische Interviews durchgeführt. Sie konzentrierten sich u. a. auf die Aspekte „Teilnehmende in Kursen“, „Status der Kursleitenden“ und „Neue Medien“. Ziel der Interviews war es, die Möglichkeiten für den Einsatz von neuen Medien in der Alphabetisierungs- und Grundbildungsarbeit besser einschätzen zu können. Einige Aussagen der Kursleitenden geben Anlass zu einer kritischen Betra…
