II
A range of learner-centred literacy programming

This section turns attention from the overall extent of literacy programming, to its form — and to questions about general directions of development. It could be thought of as discussing a yet-to-be-realized "system" or "strategy" for adult literacy education.

Policy declarations, whether from governments, advisory bodies, or practitioners organizations, often describe ideals for literacy programming. Two common themes are the importance of learner-centred and community-oriented programming, and of a range of programming to meet the range of learners' needs. Achieving a range of learner-centred programming depends not only on knowledge and skill in the literacy field, but also upon overall policy and strategy for literacy. Some aspects work to attain these ideals, in both programming practice and policy, are discussed in this section.

From packaged to learner-centred teaching practice

Learner-centredness is a central theme in literacy work. Indeed learner-centredness could be called the wisdom of literacy work. It suggests starting teaching (and evaluation) with the individual or collective knowledge and experience of students. There is extensive experimentation in learner-centred literacy work, in areas including student writing; "thematic" approaches to curriculum; mother-tongue literacy teaching; involving students in program control; and the use of volunteers.

Practitioners are learning to shift from structured program packages and tutoring routines to more flexible and responsive teaching practices. In some programs, (including certain "drop-in" centres with one-to-one teaching and certain institutional continuous-entry programs), instruction is "individualized" in the sense that it employs self-paced program packages. Individuals can begin at any point in the sequence, and proceed at various speeds. Specially designed pre-tests and post-tests, integrated with study modules, strictly define the learning process. Some such program packages are workbooks; others are computerized. An example of the latter is the YES Canada Pathfinder program, a computerized-managed instructional system based on an amalgam of provincial secondary curricula. Such program packages, along with highly structured tutoring schemes, and publishers' workbooks, have allowed programs to be set up where experienced teachers are not available or where administrators are skeptical of innovation. Yet the predominant discussion within literacy work emphasizes flexibility in response to students, and the bureaucratization of learning can often be avoided. Documentation of programs shifting from packaged to more responsive teaching and curricular practices is important.