MODULE 2

TYPES OF LITERACY LEARNERS

What This Module Is About

In this module, you will learn about learners you may meet in literacy class. This module focuses on general characteristics, needs, interest, and capabilities of different kinds of literacy learners. Objectives: After going through this module, you are going to be: 1. Familiar with types of literacy learners such as the following: Preschoolers in Day Care Centers Pupils in Formal School Setting Out of School Youth Who Intend to Go Back to School Out of School Youth Who Intend to Look for Employment Unemployed Adults 2. Update you with necessary characteristics, needs, interests of these types of literary learners

LESSON 2.1

WHO ARE THE LITERACY LEARNERS?

What do I Want to Know?

The Learner Apparently, among the three components of the educative process, namely, the learners, learning process, and the learning situation, it is the learner which is considered as the center. One task of the teacher/ or a literacy volunteer depends upon his/her understanding of learners.

A teacher can do his/her job well if he/she knows information about growth and developmental characteristics of the learners
Specifically, the knowledge on human development will help the teacher to know what to expect of learners, and at what approximate ages certain patterns of behavior may appear or are expected to appear. Table 1 and 2 clearly point these out.

Growth refers to quantitative changes in an individual as he progresses in chronological age. It may refer to increases in size, height, or weight.
Development refers to progressive series of changes of an individuals maturation.

Table 1 The Learners Stages of Development

Developmental Stage
Pre-natal (Conception to Birth) Infancy (Birth to 2 years) Early childhood (2 to 6 years) Late childhood (6 to 12 years) Adolescence (Puberty to 18 years) Early Adulthood (18-40 years) Middle Age (40 years to retirement) Old Age (Retirement to Death)

Characteristics
Age when heredity endowments and sex are fixed and all body features, both external and internal, are developed. Foundation age when basic behavior patterns are organized and many ontogenic maturational skills emerge. Pre-gang, exploratory, and questioning, when language and elementary reasoning are acquired and initial socialization is experienced. Gang and creativity age when self help skills, social skills, school skills, and play skills are developed. Transition age from childhood to adulthood when sex maturation and rapid physical development occur resulting to changes in ways of feeling, thinking and acting. Age of adjustment to new patterns of life and new roles as spouse, parent, and bread winner. Transition age when adjustments to initial physical and mental decline are experienced. Retirement age when increasingly rapid physical and mental decline are experienced.

Table 2 Summary of Categories for Developmental Tasks

STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT INFANCY TO CHILDHOOD LATE CHILDHOOD ADLOSCENCE EARLY ADULTHOOD

Physical Skills

Learning to walk. Learning to talk. Learning to control elimination of body wastes.

Learning physical skills necessary for games.

Accepting changes in ones physique and using the body effectively.

Maintaining physical health and well-being

Intellectual Skills

Getting ready to read.

Developing fundamental skills in reading, writing, and calculating. Developing concepts necessary for daily living.

Preparing for an economic career with knowledge gained from academic exposure.

Getting started in an occupation

Social Skills

Learning sex differences and sexual modesty.

Learning to get along with age-mates. Beginning to develop appropriate masculine or feminine social roles. Developing attitudes toward social groups and institutions.

Achieving new and mature social relations with age-mates both sexes. Achieving a masculine or feminine social role. Desiring, accepting, and achieving socially responsible.

Learning to live with a marriage partner or independently Selecting a mate Taking on civic responsibility Finding a congenial social group

Economic Skills

Learning to distinguish right and wrong and beginning to develop a conscience.

Building a wholesome attitude toward oneself as a growing individual. Developing a conscience, a sense of morality, and a scale of values. Achieve personal independence.

Achieving emotional independence from parents and other adults. Preparing for marriage and family life. Acquiring a set of values and an ethical system as a guide to behavior depending on ideology

Starting a family Rearing children Managing a home

General characteristics are those, which every learner has, but which may not be common to all learners. Example includes gender, age, work, experience, education and ethnicity. The teacher should also consider the learners intelligence, interest, abilities, skills, attitudes, and cultural background.

Who Is Your Learner? What Can He/She Do?

To determine what to teach your learners, try to find out what they know, what they dont know. You diagnose them. Based on your diagnosis, you can plan what to teach. You may do this through interviews, observations, or simple surveys using questionnaires. This is an example of a questionnaire if you want to get information about the learners.

Questionnaire
1. What is your name? 2. How old are you? 3. Have you ever attended school? When? ____________________ Where? ____________________ 4. What are things you like to do most? 5. Which reading materials do you like most? 6. What lesson do want to study or learn most? 7. Which can you do best? Rank the following: ___ read ___ write ___ work with numbers ___ recite and/or sing 8. Are you interested to attend a study group? Why or why not? 9. Can you attend a class every day? 10. Why didnt you go to school? 11. What do you want to be in the future?

Summary of findings from the questionnaire will give you something like this:
1. Average age of learners is 16. 2. The majority finished Grade V. 3. They like to read Tagalog comics. 4. They want to learn but cannot attend a learning session every day. 5. Most of them want to be employed at as factory workers in their town. The questionnaire gives you important information about the learners. You can do other things to know more about them. Knowing them will help you work with them comfortably and effectively.

REMEMBER.

Literacy learners vary in characteristics and needs.

A literacy teacher should know who his/her learners are.

There are various ways of knowing ones literacy learners.

YOUR LITERACY LEARNERS

Literacy Learners

School-based

In Non-School Setting

Preschoolers in Day Care Centers Elementary or high school students who need reading assistance

Preschoolers but not enrolled Out-of-school youth drop-outs Unemployed illiterate adults

School-based (Learners who are regular students)

Preschoolers in Day Care Centers Regularly enrolled elementary or high school students who need reading assistance lessons

The Preschoolers Children in the preschool years are usually 3 to 6 years old until they get to Grade 1. In the Philippines, preschool education, particularly in private schools is expensive. Thus, Day Care Centers are sponsored by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to children of low income family for early childhood education. DSWD is the lead government agency responsible for early child care and education services. This agency developed a day care program with thrusts towards values formation, and socialization for children aged 3 to 6 years old.

The Department of Local Government through the Barangay also operates Day Care Centers. The Barangay Day Care Law (P.D. 1567 of 1978) dictates that a day care center should be established and maintained in every barangay with at least 100 families. Refer to Appendix 1 for the aims of a Day Care Center as expressed by a Day Care Center in a local barangay. Other NGOs or non-governmental organization and churches or religious groups often operate Day Care Centers, too.

Here are some hints for you to remember What Preschool Children Are Like How Can You Use This Information

Have short attention span

Provide brief, varied activities such as storytelling, role playing, singing, dancing, or other means as you present something.

May express feelings such as Encourage children to use words anger and jealousy by hitting rather than physical behaviors to tell or kicking each other what they want. Provide outlets such as clay and play dough, water play, tearing paper, or moving to music that help children manage strong feelings.

What Preschool Children Are Like

How Can You Use This Information

Have a great deal of physical Provide indoor and outdoor energy opportunities for children to use their bodies. Follow a schedule that limits the times children have to wait or sit still. Like to try new things and to Create an environment that allows take risks children to take risks safely. For example, put mats under the climber so children wont be hurt if they fall. Offer new materials and activities regularly in response to growing skills and changing interests, and to expose children to new information and concepts.

What Preschool Children Are Like

How Can You Use This Information

Like to play make-believe and Provide and rotate as needed a wide act out roles variety of props that respond to childrens cultures, families and interests. Extend and expand childrens play by offering new props and by assuming a role and joining in the play. Like to help during chores and Work with your colleagues to develop routines plans for carrying out routines that allow children to participate according to their abilities. Invite children to help you with tasks such as moving furniture, wiping tables, or getting books ready to return to the library.

What Preschool Children Are Like

How Can You Use This Information

Are eager to please adults and Acknowledge childrens requests for may seek approval and approval and attention. attention. Help children learn to value their own skills and abilities. May be fearful of such things as, Reassure children by telling them you will loud noise, monsters, the dark, keep them safe and wont tell them be animals, or some people hurt. Encourage children to express their fears through talking, drawing, stories, pretend play, or other means. Let children know it is okay to be afraid. Can express feelings verbally Allow children as much time as they need but may shutter or use baby to express their ideas and feelings. talk

Pupils/Learners in a Formal School Setting There are times when literacy volunteers are made to assist slow learners in some schools. You mat do this different ways: 1. There can be a small tutorial class for you. 2. An arrangement can be done in a Each One, Teach One basis meaning there is one literacy volunteer for each slow learner. 3. A special schedule after the childrens school hours is set, e.g. Saturdays and Sundays.

Lessons you conduct for learners with special needs are sometimes called remedial lessons. For fast learners, literacy volunteers can offer enrichment lessons/sessions.

An enrichment session is often provided to fast learners for optimum growth and development. Most pupils who can cope their lessons fast are generally provided with this kind of instruction.

Out-of-School Youth According to the 2003 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS), the proportion of youth population 7-24 years old who were out of school and those who were unemployed and have not graduate from college increased by 852 thousand, from 3.0 million in 1989 to 3.8 million in 1994. Thus, a significant focus on these groups of learners is usually aimed. Usually, OSY are grouped:

Out-Of-School Youth Who Intend to Go Back to School

Out-Of-School Youth Who Intend to Look for Employment

In order to find out how appropriate the lessons for these groups of learners, you may ask yourself the following questions:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

How relevant is the lesson to the learners lives and experiences? Will the learners relate to the content? Can they immediately use what they learn? Will they understand the content? Will the sessions interfere with their activities? Will they play an active part in the lesson? What could be the potential problems that could hinder learning?

For the out-of-school youth who intend to go back to school you may help then by conducting lessons, which will prepare them for equivalency examinations in the Department of Education.

The Alternative System (ALS) Accreditation and Equivalency Test (A&E Test) formerly the Non-formal Education A&E Test is one of the four components of the ALS A&E (then NFE A&E). It offer the successful test takers certification of learning achievements at two learning levels Elementary and Secondary that is comparable to the formal school systems certification. The ALS A&E Tests in both level are standardized paper and pencil-based tests and use multiple choice test and composition writing. The test items are based on the learning competencies of the five learning strands of the ALS Curriculum.

Literacy Levels In getting to know your literacy learners, it will help you to know their literacy levels. The checklist that follows will help you. Level 1 - Beginners To what extent does the learner To show the following: much extent To little extent To extent no

Oral proficiency in the Filipino language.

Knowledge of written symbols for oral language and other conventions of print.

Apply decoding skills in making sense of messages with controlled vocabulary, sentence structure, and sentence length.
Familiar with purpose of oral and written language.

Level 2 Fluent Reader To what extent does the learner To show the following: much extent Mastery of decoding skills. To little extent To no extent

Use of reading as a tool for learning.

Familiarity selections with other types of

Has adequate reading skills to become further literate in different subject areas.

Level 3 Proficient Readers To what extent does the learner To show the following: much extent Refined reading subject areas. skills across To little extent To extent no

Use reading for a number of purpose.

For the out-of-school youth who intends to look for employment the LCC major indicators of functional literacy skills should be enhanced.

Specifically, OSYs who intend to look for employment must be given some activities such as Identifying important points in common found permanent records such as: birth certificates, loan notes, tax forms.

Filling out forms such as personal data sheet, application forms accurately.

Adults Adult learners may include 1. Mothers who are left at home to take care of the family 2. Any unemployed adults 3. Employed adults who want to improve their skills Teaching adults is different from teaching children. Brookfield identified six main characteristics of adults. 1. They are not beginners, but are in a continuing process of growth. 2. They bring with them a unique package and experience and values.

3. 4.

They come to education with intention. They bring expectation about the learning process.

5.

They have competing interests the realities of their lives.

6.

They already have their own set patterns of learning.

Adult education is therefore most productive when:

The learners are engaged in design of learning The learners are encouraged to self-directed The educator functions as a facilitator rather than a didactic instructor The individual learners needs and learning sytles are taken into account A climate conducive to learning is established The learners past experience are used in the learning process Learning activities seem to have some relevance to the learners circumstances

Characteristics of Adults Adults Generally Desire to Take More Control Over Their Learning Than Youth

Implications Always seek to include the adult in the planning of educational efforts. Allow for self-assessment and evaluation Understand adult learners desire a peer relationship with instructors, rather heirarchical one.

Recognize that adults also expect greater availability of instructors.

Characteristics of Adults In Contrast to Youth The Learner Role is Secondary for Adults

Implications More flexibility in adult education programs than in traditional education. Give assignments far ahead of time Accept that jobs and families can create obstacles for the learner, and be willing to extend deadlines for assignments.

Accept that learners will not see their educational efforts as necessarily the highest priority in their lives
Accept that learners will be preoccupied at times with other roles and responsibilities.

Characteristics of Adults Many Adults Lack Confidence in Their Learning

Implications
Employ learning strategies that build higher confidence in adult learners. Take the time to teach better study skills and ways of improving reading comprehesion. Use collaborative learning approaches in the classroom can do much to alleviate anxiety.(i.e.,turn the classroom from a competitive environment to a collaborative one)

Adults Are More Diverse Than Youth

Allows more time for interaction between adults to allow learners to network together to sharing of perspectives and experiences. Make effort to present material in a variety of ways to accommodate different learning styles.

Characteristics of Adults Adults are More Resistant to Change Than Youth

Implications Adult learners need more explanation of the why of changes, not just the how. Link new concepts to older, understood, and accepted concepts for adults learners. Seek for incremental changes through our education efforts rather than global changes , allowing the proof gained from such incremental change to encourage the adult learner to explore yet more change.

Basic Principles of Development

1.Development follows an orderly sequence which is predictable 2.The rate of development is unique to each an individual. 3.Development involves change. 4.Early development is more critical than later development. 5.Development is the product of maturation and learning. 6.There are individual differences in development. 7.There are social expectations for every developmental period, which are often referred to as developmental tasks.

Layunin ng Day CARE Service

1.Para matulungan ang mahihirap,kapuspalad na pamilya lalo na ang abala sa gawain.Mabigyan ang kanilang anak ng magandang pakakataong mahubog sa tamang asal at kahalagahan sa lipunan.
2.Para mahubog ang mga bata sa pagtitiwala sa sarili upang maipahayag ang kanilang niluluob at magkaroon ng disiplinang naangkop sa paglaki. 3.Para maintidihan ng bata ang wastong pakikisama sa mga kapatid,magulang,sa kalaro,sa nakakatanda at sa ibang nakapaligid sa kanya. 4.Para mabigyan ang mga bata ng wastong pangangalaga na hindi kayang gampanan ng ina. 5.Para makatiyak ng pakikilahok ng bata sa katawan,isip,salita at sa gawa maging sa kanilang tahanan.

Thank you and God Bless!