Literacy in Theory and PracticeThis book challenges conventional theories about literacy, and the practices which often arise from them. It attempts to provide a new perspective through which the variety of literacy practices across different cultures can be viewed and from which the practical issues that arise in specific literacy campaigns and programmes can be approached. Dr Street first examines the explicit theories developed about literacy within different academic disciplines, on the premise that these underlie statements about literacy within development campaigns and in everyday usage. He analyses in detail arguments about the 'technical' and 'neutral' nature of literacy and its supposed 'cognitive' consequences in the work of some psychologists, linguists and social anthropologists. He claims that these amount to a coherent but flawed model that he terms the 'autonomous' model of literacy. Against this he poses an 'ideological' model, one which pays greater attention to the social structure. He attempts to bring together recent shifts in this direction in writings on literacy and to construct a coherent model for further work. |
From inside the book
Page 1
... fact derive from specific ideologies which , in much of the literature , are not made explicit . I claim , then , that analysis of the uses and consequences of literacy fre- quently fails to theorise , in a way that is adequate for ...
... fact derive from specific ideologies which , in much of the literature , are not made explicit . I claim , then , that analysis of the uses and consequences of literacy fre- quently fails to theorise , in a way that is adequate for ...
Page 4
... fact depends upon the learnt conventions of the discoverer's society . 7 The actual examples of literacy in different societies that are available to us suggest that it is more often ' restrictive ' and hegemonic , and concerned with ...
... fact depends upon the learnt conventions of the discoverer's society . 7 The actual examples of literacy in different societies that are available to us suggest that it is more often ' restrictive ' and hegemonic , and concerned with ...
Page 5
... fact , enter caveats against taking these views too literally and , in parti- cular , claims that he is not arguing a determinist case . But the language , the texture of the argument , and the treatment of the ethnography tend to ...
... fact , enter caveats against taking these views too literally and , in parti- cular , claims that he is not arguing a determinist case . But the language , the texture of the argument , and the treatment of the ethnography tend to ...
Page 6
... fact rejects these assumptions and represents an import- ant example of the shift towards the ' ideological ' model ( 1980 ) . A re- analysis of some of the material on cargo cults in terms of the ' ideological ' model of literacy ...
... fact rejects these assumptions and represents an import- ant example of the shift towards the ' ideological ' model ( 1980 ) . A re- analysis of some of the material on cargo cults in terms of the ' ideological ' model of literacy ...
Page 7
... fact were the conventions of writing in their own culture . Recent writers ( Crystal , 1976 ; Linell , 1983 ; Deuchar , 1983 ; Stubbs , 1980 ) have challenged this view and have argued for more precise descriptions of the variety of ...
... fact were the conventions of writing in their own culture . Recent writers ( Crystal , 1976 ; Linell , 1983 ; Deuchar , 1983 ; Stubbs , 1980 ) have challenged this view and have argued for more precise descriptions of the variety of ...
Contents
The Autonomous Model I Literacy and Rationality | 19 |
The Autonomous Model II Goody | 44 |
Literacy and Linguistics | 66 |
The Ideological Model | 95 |
Introduction | 129 |
Maktab Literacy | 132 |
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Common terms and phrases
abstract academic adult literacy ALBSU anthropologists appear argue argument associated assumptions attempt autonomous challenge Cheshmeh claims Clanchy classical Greece cognitive commercial communication concepts consequences of literacy context conventions culture described Dinka language economic English establish ethnocentric explicit fact forms of literacy framework functions Goody Goody's Graff Greenfield groups Hadith Hildyard and Olson ibid illiterate individual instance institutions intellectual involved Iran Iranian Islamic kind knowledge Koran learning linguistic literacy campaigns literacy practices literacy programmes literacy skills literate modes logic Lyons maktab Mashad meaning model of literacy mullah neutral Nicaragua non-literate objectivity oral and literate orchards organisation paralinguistic Parry particular political and ideological problems recognise relation represented scientific significant simply social society speech structure suggests tajers Tanzania teachers teaching theory tion tradition Unesco unschooled Vai script village western Wolof words written forms written language