Prepare for a literacy program

by Stephen L. Walter Mary Morgan Leah B. Walter

© 1996 Summer Institute of Linguistics, Inc.

Complete Table of Contents

Summary

Any literacy program takes place in a defineable social, political, economic context which will constrain and define how literacy work is done. You must identify and understand that context as well as possible before implementing a program. This book has been prepared to help you understand, in broad terms, the "typical" context in which literacy will be done in emerging countries, and give you background information and guidance for setting the stage for literacy.

It will help you understand the effect of illiteracy on the world's population, think about important issues concerning literacy, prepare people for the future literacy program, and develop relationships with others who are interested in promoting literacy. Good preparation will provide a strong foundation for an effective literacy program.

Preparing for a literacy program

Doing preliminary research and planning for a literacy program

Gathering baseline data

Exposing people to reading and writing

Creating a print-rich environment

Developing language awareness

Modeling reading and writing

Reading to people

Talking about reading

Writing down things people say

Assembling a local literacy team

Networking in a language program

Establishing a broad networking base

Networking at the local level

Networking at the regional level

Networking at the national level

Networking with national governments

Networking with nongovernment organizations

Networking with nationally represented international agencies

Networking at the international level

Networking with international agencies

Networking at academic associations and conferences

Networking at sectoral meetings and consultations

Networking through activities

The big picture in literacy, by Stephen L. Walter

General literacy statistics

Some facts and figures about illiteracy

Countries with the lowest rates of literacy

Countries with the lowest per capita GNP

Countries with the lowest per child spending on education

The profile of worldwide literacy

Where the people cannot read

Population growth and illiteracy

Profile of literacy among ethnic minority peoples

Literacy in SIL

SIL legislative statements on literacy

Literacy in the Articles of Incorporation

Assignment of literacy specialists

Literacy consultants

The International Literacy Coordinator

SIL statement of goals with respect to literacy (1971)

SIL statement of goals with respect to literacy (1979)

Statements of possible strategic innovation

Literacy in the overall SIL program

SIL goals in literacy

A typology of SIL literacy programs

Background issues in literacy, by Stephen L. Walter

Conceptualizations of literacy

Literacy and education: For what?

Literacy and development

Facilitating versus doing

Formal versus nonformal education

Literacy, education, and the language issue

Women and literacy

The problem of relapse into illiteracy

Geopolitics and funding for literacy programs

The sustainability of literacy programs

Networking issues, by Clinton D. W. Robinson (compiler) and Trudy K. Stewart (compiler)

Reasons for networking

Guidelines for effective networking

Expected outcomes from networking

Possible difficulties of networking