Shared Interest in Developing 21st Century Adult Learners’ Literacy Skills

Close to 30 adult literacy teachers and trainers from 13 countries met in Bratislava, Slovakia, on November 25-29 2013, for the Grundtvig workshop entitled “Developing 21^st Century Adult Learners’ Literacy Skills”. The workshop was organized and hosted by ORAVA Association for Democratic Education in partnership with Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking International Consortium (RWCT IC), with financial support from the Slovak National Agency of the Lifelong Learning Programme.

Close to 30 adult literacy teachers and trainers from 13 countries met in Bratislava, Slovakia.

The workshop aimed to a) facilitate sharing of and reflection on adult literacy practices in the participants’ countries; b) engage the  participants in learning how to plan and deliver assessment-driven adult literacy programs which at the same time develop the learners’ critical thinking skills, and c) facilitate the transfer of the new learning into the participants’ daily professional practice.

The event is expected to impact adult education providers in the participants’ respective countries, other adult educators with whom the workshop participants will be sharing their new knowledge, skills and resources, and – most importantly – adult learners with low literacy skills, the intended beneficiaries of the improved adult literacy instruction practices.

Toward the end of the workshop, the participants used the Moodle platform specifically set up for this event to share their plans to transfer their learning into their daily professional practice. These plans include applications of the assessment models shared, of the reading and writing strategies practiced, as well as of the scaffolding strategies discussed. The Moodle platform started for the workshop will be maintained as a forum of professional discussions as well as a space for further sharing resources for adult literacy educators.

The event is expected to impact adult education providers in the participants’ respective countries.

Near future plans for RWCT IC, ORAVA Association for Democratic Education and Pedagogical Center of Montenegro include building on the outcomes of the Bratislava workshop as – together with Learn & Vision Association (Romania) and the Institute of Education (UK) – we prepare to implement our new project entitled “Literacy Cubed – Focus on Roma Families”. With financial support from the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning Programme, Key Action 1 (543068-LLP-1-2013-1-RO-KA1-KA1MPR), the project aims to promote family literacy in disadvantaged Roma communities as a tool for raising the attainment level of Roma children in general education. More specifically, we will develop and field test a coherent family literacy program targeting three generations – children, their parents and grandparents -, develop an evidence-based European policy for family literacy, and engage key stakeholders in developing local strategies for implementing family literacy policy and programs.

For further information about the Developing 21^st Century Adult Learners’ Literacy Skills workshop and/ or Literacy Cubed – Focus on Roma Families, please contact RWCT IC or Project Orava.

To follow developments in Literacy Cubed – Focus on Roma Families, visit RWCT IC, the Projects section, beginning February 2014.

Tags: Adult education, Teachers