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
Results 6-10 of 88
Page 6
... claims that I examine regarding literacy rest upon theories that were developed within the discipline of linguistics . I devote Chapter 3 to an examination of these theories , noting that recent developments in linguistics suggest ...
... claims that I examine regarding literacy rest upon theories that were developed within the discipline of linguistics . I devote Chapter 3 to an examination of these theories , noting that recent developments in linguistics suggest ...
Page 7
... claims by John Lyons that English is different from a great many other languages in ' allowing its users to approximate to neutral , objective description ' and argue that the basis of this argument is the by now familiar assumptions ...
... claims by John Lyons that English is different from a great many other languages in ' allowing its users to approximate to neutral , objective description ' and argue that the basis of this argument is the by now familiar assumptions ...
Page 9
... claimed are facilitated by literacy , varieties of political formation are in fact possible and not just the single outcome that his ' literacy determin- ism ' suggests . Classes and the development of individualism , which Goody ...
... claimed are facilitated by literacy , varieties of political formation are in fact possible and not just the single outcome that his ' literacy determin- ism ' suggests . Classes and the development of individualism , which Goody ...
Page 10
... claims of Goody and others , it poses an unresolved contradiction between the possibility of isolating ever more precisely the ' technical ' , ' autono- mous ' qualities of literacy and the understanding that any literate practice is a ...
... claims of Goody and others , it poses an unresolved contradiction between the possibility of isolating ever more precisely the ' technical ' , ' autono- mous ' qualities of literacy and the understanding that any literate practice is a ...
Page 11
... claim that taken together their work represents a significant challenge to the ideas about literacy that have been generally accepted until recently and provides the essential starting point from which to construct an alternative ...
... claim that taken together their work represents a significant challenge to the ideas about literacy that have been generally accepted until recently and provides the essential starting point from which to construct an alternative ...
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