7 Types of Material used for teaching Adults (Print) –Part I

Dr. Asha Patil

epgp books

 

Content Outline

  • Introduction
  • Objectives
  • The materials as exemplars
  • State Resource Centres
  • Core Curriculum Framework for Adult Literacy
  • Training of Literacy Educators
  • Print material
  • Variety of Teaching
  • Improved Pace and Content of Learning (IPCL)
  • Levels of literacy
  • Procedure followed for development of material
  • Types of material used for teaching adults
  • Structure of primer
  • Characteristics of lesson
  • Conclusion

 

Introduction

 

Teaching-learning material plays a vital role in literacy programme. Since the inception of adult education programme in India, various agencies have developed teaching – learning material. For example, The Directorate of Adult Education (DAE), New Delhi; State Resource Centres (SRCs) in various states; National Book Trust (NBT), New Delhi; Bombay City Social Education Committee, Mumbai; Lucknow Literacy House and so on. Type and quality of material for different phases of the adult education programme in India varies in many aspects. In this module, we are going to discuss in detail how print material is used in current literacy programme in India namely Saakshar Bharat (SB) Programme.

 

Learning objectives

 

1.    describe types of print materials used for teaching adults

 

2.    identifies characteristics of print materials used for imparting adult literacy

 

3.    explains formats of adult literacy teaching-learning material

 

4.    describe the quality and relevance of curriculum for Adult Literacy

 

5.    compares various forms of print material used in literacy classes

 

6.    Distinguishes the learning outcomes after using various forms of print material

 

7.    Evaluates the impact of print material on the development of learners

 

 

Print material is extensively used in literacy classes. The main advantage of it is one can carry it easily. Compared to other electronic audio-visuals, it is easy to handle. Also it is less expensive.

 

Print material is the most widely used teaching learning material in adult literacy class. The printed material is often considered as the means par excellence of achieving the immediate Post Literacy objective, i.e., the prevention of a relapse into illiteracy. It helps for consolidating the knowledge acquired, gaining knowledge and skills through participating in continuing education).

 

The materials as exemplars

 

An exemplar is a resource material, which illustrates a set of principles and procedures and which can be used and adapted in the development of relevant materials meeting local training needs by individual countries.

 

The National Literacy Mission Authority, Government of India has developed a manual for preparation materials for adult learners. To help this process, specifications have been provided for a range of additional functional literacy topics. In addition, support material has been provided to aid in the design and implementation of a total national programme.

 

The important feature of the exemplar lesson materials is that they build in step-by-step guidelines and instructions for teachers. This has been done on the assumption that it would not be practicable to provide comprehensive training for the many thousands or hundreds of thousands of literacy teachers working in a country employed either as government employees or volunteers. Each exemplar manual is produced in two editions, one for the literacy learner and one for the literacy facilitator.

 

The print material used in literacy classes include lessons on issues related to learner’s daily life as well as that of national concern.

 

State Resource Centres

 

In India, each state (except Manipur, Nagaland) has at least one State Resource Centre (SRC). The main responsibility of this centre is production of teaching-learning material for adult learners and training of various functionaries working in literacy programme. Each SRC has a separate unit of material production who shoulders the responsibility of material production, as per the needs of the learners.

 

Core Curriculum Framework for Adult Literacy

 

Different objectives for literacy programmes place diverse demands on curriculum of literacy programmes. A relevant curriculum is conducive to better learning outcomes. Hence, for basic literacy, primers are prepared. For post literacy programme, bridge primers are prepared. Primers and bridge primers are prepared by State Resource Centres in their respective states. National Institute of Open School (NIOS) prepares books for equivalency programme. All these materials are standardized and maintain quality. The National Literacy Mission Authority has prepared ‘Handbook for developing Improved Pace and Content of Learning’ material. All the SRCs follow these guidelines while preparing print material especially primers. It has core academic areas and locally relevant issues, teaching-learning methods and processes for achieving the literacy norms.

 

Training of Literacy Educators

 

Teaching adults is an art. It requires a specialized set of skills. Involving trained adult educators/teachers is, therefore, a pre-requisite for the success of the programme. Since the programme does not engage professional teachers, but relies mainly on volunteers with little or no previous teaching experience, they are given intensive high quality training in andragogy. These training programmes are usually organized at the local or block levels. They are in local language. Most of the adult educators are trained both before starting the actual teaching-learning process as well as during the course of the literacy programme. A cascading approach to training is adopted so that the trainers of today are trained to be potential trainers of tomorrow. As the key focus of the programme is on women and other disadvantaged groups, the literacy educators are especially sensitized on gender, social, and cultural issues. Special attention is given to training in numeracy.

 

Let us see the various print material used in literacy classes.

 

Print material

 

Word has its own power. Word composition is able to change the society. When words get composed to literature it acquires the power to change humanity. Taking into consideration the adult psychology, (andragogy), creation of literature especially for adult learners is a difficult task. For creation of literature for adults, one has to use simple and interactive language, known situations, qualities, folk culture, etc., which is truly challenging. The most important thing in it is it should be relevant to learners’ life.

 

Directorate of Adult Education (DAE), New Delhi is involved in development of teaching-learning material since 1971. It is also actively involved in formulation of policy for preparation, development and dissemination of teaching-learning material for adult education programme. It provides orientation and training to State Resource Centres (SRCs) in material preparation. It has produced and distributed a number of handbooks /guidebooks on preparation of teaching-learning material, exemplar material for different phases like basic literacy, post literacy and continuing education.

 

The teaching-learning material is usually prepared in writers workshops where creative writers and artists are invited to write various types of material for learners and neo-literates.

 

Variety of Teaching – A variety of printed learning material is prepared and used for teaching adults. The print material used for teaching adults and neo-literates includes primers, supplementary reading materials, extension literature, press clippings, or wall-newspapers. The print material used in literacy classes could be classified based on factors such as type, periodicity, form of publication, goals to be achieved, gradation, etc.

 

This can be classified as:

  • Based on type – textual material, follow-up material, supplementary reading materials, extension literature, the rural press, or wall-newspapers, consolidation material, didactic material etc.
  • Based on periodicity – periodicity includes monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, annual publication.
  • Based on Forms of publications- include whether the print material is in the form of Brochures, books, booklets, leaflets, calendars, posters, rural newspapers, wall-newspapers, etc.
  • Based on the goal envisaged-The goal envisaged material includes follow-up material, extension literature, supplementary reading material, consolidation material, didactic material etc.
  • Based on sequencing – The sequencing includes whether the material is graded or non-graded.

 

According to Ms. Nishat Farooq (2015), the teaching-learning material can be classified on the basis of material used in different phases of adult education programme. Thus, it includes:

 

  1. Instructional material:
  • Basic Literacy Primer
  • Bridge Primer
  • Vocational Skill Development Primer
  • Teachers Guide
  • Teaching Aids and Supplementary materials

 

2.  Continuing education material for neo-literates — booklets, newsletters etc.

 

3. Basic education material – For level A (equivalent to class III), B (equivalent to class V), and C (equivalent to class VIII), developed by National Institute of Open School (NIOS).

 

4. Publicity material

 

The print material produced for basic literacy (Basic Literacy Primer) and post literacy (Bridge Primer) is based on Improved Pace and Content of Learning (IPCL). This is a unique type of material specially prepared for adult learners, taking into consideration the adult psychology. This material is in all major spoken Indian languages with the switch over technique to regional languages. This enables learners to initiate literacy in their mother tongue, at the same time learn the state language, which helps them to remain with the main stream.

 

Improved Pace and Content of Learning (IPCL)

 

It is a pedagogical concept. It attempts to provide an answer to the problems of slow and poor learning. If IPCL followed properly, learning would be qualitatively better and faster. Learning experience for learners becomes joyful, robust and lively. This also boosts the confidence of learners to learn at this age of life.

 

The main characteristics of Improved Pace and Content of Learning (IPCL) are explained in another module.

 

Levels of literacy

 

For basic literacy, the National Literacy Mission has prescribed following three levels of literacy. After completion of the primer, the learners are expected to have following skills in 3 Rs that is reading, writing and arithmetic:

 

Level I: ability to

  • Read and write words and sentences having most frequent letters and vowel signs
  • Read and write numbers up to 50
  • Do simple sums and problems of addition and subtraction up to 50
  • Write one’s name

 

Level II: ability to

  • Read and write words and sentences having almost all the letters, all vowel signs and some conjunct letters
  • Read and write numbers up to 100
  • Do simple sums and solve problems involving addition and subtraction up to 100
  • Do small sums in currency, weights and measures of decimal system
  • Write names of family members and own address

 

Level III: ability to

  • Read and write words and sentences, having any of the letters, vowel signs and conjunct letters
  • Comprehend a simple and small unknown passage or text, newspaper headings, road signs, etc.
  • Read and write numbers up to 1000
  • Do sums and compute simple problems involving multiplication and division within 1000
  • Apply skills of reading, writing and numeracy in day-to-day activities, i.e. read letters, sign boards, posters; write letters, fill up various useful forms; keep household accounts, etc.

 

Procedure followed for development of material

 

The adult education programme in India has gone through various phases. A number of experiments have been done in implementation of the programme. This has also influenced the type of material and its production. e.g. in initial phase, that is first and second Five Year Plans, Alphabetic Method of teaching adults was practiced. Hence, the primers (teaching-learning material) also focused on alphabets/consonants and vowels. It was after 1968, adult education classes started using the Eclectic Method (combination of analytic method and synthetic method) of teaching adults. This practice has also changed the structure of teaching-learning material.

 

The National Literacy Mission Authority (NLMA) is established in 1988 to eradicate illiteracy and achieve functional literacy. It adopted two main strategies namely peoples participation and Rapid Literacy Method to achieve its goal. This led to the invention of Improved Pace and Content of Literacy (IPCL) approach. Based on IPCL approach, the DAE developed an exemplar material namely ‘Khilti Kaliya’ primer.

 

Types of material used for teaching adults

 

Learning to read and write is one of the objectives of adult learner who attend the literacy class. This equips the learner with knowledge, skills and attitudes that will eventually bring a change in neo-literates’ life. It was realized that the literacy skills, if well assimilated, will form a new basis for their thinking. It will help to bring transformation in their life and may result in improving the quality of life. To bring this in reality, special printing material is prepared for adult learners.

 

Primer plays a vital role in imparting literacy skills. Primer is an essential tool in the hands of volunteer teachers (VTs). It helps to sustain the motivation of the adult learners to learn. The content of the Primer is developed in such a way that the adult learner learns to read, write and also plays with the consonants and vowels. Each lesson has exercises. They help learners to remember whatever they have learnt. Lessons are based on day-to-day issues of the learner which are very practical. Whatever the learner has learnt, they can immediately use in their life. In other words, the Primer is informative and knowledgeable to the learners.

 

Primer is used for imparting basic literacy to illiterate people. It is based on IPCL approach. During Total Literacy Campaign (TLC), the primer had three parts namely Part I, Part II and Part III. During Saakshar Bharat (SB) programme, these three parts are consolidated in one book only.

 

Following are a few names of primers produced by various SRCs:

 

 

The primer has two types of contents – (1) core content and (2) locally relevant content. Vocabulary mainly consisted of standard state language. However, precaution has been taken to use simple, known and common words having high functional value in everyday life.

 

Structure of primer

  1. The basic literacy primer is divided into 3 parts corresponding to levels of Saakshar Bharat norm.
  2. The entire learning continuum is divided into small manageable units in the form of lessons and graded from simple to complex.
  3. Content includes literacy, numeracy, exercises, tests, self evaluation and certification integrated into it.
  4. The contents of lessons have relevance to local context.
  5. There are some lessons which are informative (for creating awareness on various topics) as well as interesting stories so that learners get joy of learning. (for example lesson no. 11 in Aakhar Sathi Primer, SRC, Indore)
  6. Each lesson in the primer has all three major components i.e. reading, writing and numeracy.
  7. There are three tests in each part of primer at regular intervals (if there are 12 lessons after fourth lesson). It is known as T1,T2,T3….

 

Initially up to three to four lessons, Primers have more illustrations than content. It is done purposefully keeping in mind the adult psychology. The idea behind this is adult learners understand the illustrations, thus helps the teacher to begin with discussion on pictures. This also helps to reduce the fear of learning at this age. They start taking interest in learning. Primers have less words, small sentences and paragraph. Illustrations are based on local characters, by which learners relate themselves to it. Illustrations are realistic. Contents are more relevant to the learners and they have credibility, validity and reliability.

 

Characteristics of lesson

  1. Learning section consists of visual component (illustration), literacy component (sentence, break up of sentence into words, followed by break up of words into consonants and vowels, building new words with consonants and vowels, making new words, sentences, paragraphs etc.) numeracy component (numbers, sum, etc.)
  2. Similarly practice/exercise section on reading, writing, and numeracy.

 

Let’s see how primer is used for teaching adult learners.

 

Example

 

Let us see the first lesson from the primer ‘Aakhar Sathi’ prepared by the SRC, Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

 

On the left hand of the primer, illustration is given. The teacher can show this picture and ask the learners questions such as what do you see in the picture? What the man is doing? What the woman is doing? The picture depicts which profession? Have you met such artisans? How much women labour is paid? And so on. After discussion, say about 5-10 minutes, the teacher loudly reads the lesson written on the right side of the page of the primer. The lesson contains only one sentence that is

मन का काम

Then the teacher breaks the words into consonants and vowels.

म न क ाा

Again the teacher loudly reads the individual alphabets and asks the learners to follow him/her. This is repeated 4-5 times or till the learner recognizes the individual consonant and vowel.

 

Then teacher encourages the learner to select two consonants and try to make a new meaningful word. E.g. नम, नमन (greeting), कम (less), नमक (salt), कान (ear)

 

Then the teacher asks the learner to make new words by using consonants and vowel together. E.g. काम (work), मकान (house), काका (Uncle), मान (respect/neck)

 

This is followed by preparation of a meaningful sentence. E.g. काम का मान (respect for work)

 

After completion of this lesson, immediately exercise is given so that the learning gets reinforced. The exercise also has writing part. Learners see the consonant and rewrite it in the given space. Some pictures are also given in exercise. The learners are familiar with it. Now they have to write it. This helps the learner to remember the consonants and vowels perfectly. The next lesson introduces three new consonant and one vowel.

 

Conclusion

 

Print material is used extensively in literacy class. This helps in sustaining the interest of the people. In next module we will see other print material used for teaching adult learner.

 

you can view video on 1Types of Material used for teaching Adults (Print) –Part I

 

References

  • Adama Ouane, 1989, Handbook on Learning Strategies for Post-Literacy and Continuing Education – Hamburg UNESCO Institute for Education.
  •  Manual on Saakshar Bharat, 2013, National Literacy Mission, Authority Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.
  • Guide Book, 2010, Saakshar Bharat, Centrally sponsored Scheme National Literacy Mission, Authority Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.
  • Manual on Functional Literacy for Indigenous People 1999, Bangkok, UNESCO Principal Regional office for Asia and pacific.
  • Guide Book, (1) 2000, for the Development of A Literacy Programme based on ATLP, Bangkok Asia and pacific of Education For All. (APEAL) UNESCO Principal Regional office for Asia and the Pacific. (PROAP)
  • Handbook for developing, IPCL Material, 1993, Directorate of Adult Education, Government of India.
  • Kester Osegha Ojokheta Michael Ayodeji Boyede, 2009, Paulo Freire’s Basic Philosophical Principles – An Outcome of the Application 70 (3) pp56-64