Literacy education and NEETs: skills-based versus socially situated approaches to curriculum
Victoria Wright and Rob Smith Victoria and Rob work in the post compulsory education team at the University of Wolverhampton. Victoria is a senior lecturer and Rob is a principal lecturer who also works for the University's dedicated research Centre for Research and Development in Lifelong Education (CRADLE). Both have been involved in teacher education and literacy provision for a number of years.
The article shares a study of literacy education delivery in Foundation Learning and Functional Skills classes in a range of further education (FE) settings in the West Midland's region. The focus for the research arose primarily from reflective journal entries and teaching practice lesson observations of postgraduate Certificate in Post-Compulsory Education (PGCE PCE) English/Literacy student teachers. We identified a range of factors that influence literacy provision for the student group ascribed to the Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) category. The study is underpinned by New Literacy Studies research and perspectives on literacy. In particular, we look to identify ways to engage or re-engage NEET students. We share some examples of more effective teaching approaches. One example relates to the writing of Grime lyrics.
Introducing a stimulus for the research The PGCE PCE is a one year full-time course. On the English/literacy route for student teachers, the latter study professional development and English/literacy specific modules. They reflect continuously on their development as teachers and on their experiences of working in literacy education. Some student teachers in the study were working with students belonging to the NEET category. A range of issues began to surface in their reflective blogs (online journalling). These issues also became apparent in their assessed lesson observations. The student teachers discussed differences they were seeing between a more holistic, social practice model of teaching literacy (informed by discussions on the PGCE course) and a narrower autonomous approach experienced in some of their placement settings.
Definitions of literacy: differences between autonomous and social practice models The autonomous approach to literacy teaching emphasises a technical skills-based focus. Street (1984) critiques this view of literacy as “autonomous” of social context. Hamilton, Tett, & Crowther, (2012: 2) describing it as “a literacy ladder” or “step by step” approach, point out that that 'literacy is also more than this.'
In New Literacy Studies research, the social practice approach recognises literacy as 'variable with regard to its forms, functions, uses and values across social settings, and thus varying in its social meanings and effects' (Baynham and Prinsloo, 2009: 1). Street explains:
If literacy is seen simply as a universal technical skill, the same everywhere, then the particular form being taught in school comes to be treated as the only kind, the universal standard that naturalises its socially specific features and disguises their real history and ideological justifications. If literacy is seen as a social practice, then that history and those features and justifications need to be spelled out, and students need to be able to discuss the basis for the choices being made in the kind of literacy they are learning. (2012: 17)
The Literacies for Learning in Further Education (LfLFE, 2004-2007) project sought 'to uncover actual and potential overlaps and connections between literacy practices in students' everyday lives, the literacy demands of their courses and the uses of literacy in the workplaces in which they are hoping to gain employment.' In an LfLFE associated paper, Satchwell and Ivanič (2007: 315) reflect that 'success in their
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