| Issue VII: Resource material
|
| |
|
Resource material used in adult basic education programs
does not reflect the needs and life experiences of a Canadian woman. The
material more often reflects: the values of other countries, predominantly the
United States; middle class values and life styles; and stereotyped sexist
attitudes about women. |
Background
Much has been written on this topic in relation to elementary
and secondary school resources. Rather than reviewing this literature, while it
is certainly relevant, we chose to investigate our concerns about adult
learning resources. There was not much to discover since a great deal of the
resource material for adults was written originally for adolescents and young
children. That is clearly the first problem - - the general lack of any
resource material for adults. Three other concerns surfaced:
| 1. |
Resource material written by Canadians for Canadian life
styles and experiences is almost |
|
non-existent. The LINC and BLADE programs
developed resources for adults and are now in use throughout Canada. Examples
of the LINC material are to be found in Appendix E. These materials are very
pragmatic. They give the appearance of austerity and lack the general flare of
U.S. material on the same topics. The quarterly publication of the Movement for
Canadian Literacy, Literacy Alphabétisation, recently published
two lists: one on Canadian magazines and periodicals and one on Canadian
literature. Each item is listed with a notation of its style and applicability
and with a measure of its reading level. One of these lists is reproduced in
Appendix E. The other can be obtained through the
organization.(1) |
|
|
| 2. |
Resource material which reflects the life experiences and
needs of women, particularly the |
|
women who must need adult basic education
programs, is even harder to find. We met several women who have developed their
own material but very few other resource people know of this work. There are
currently several programs which are developing material for women using the
techniques described by Paulo Freire.(2) |
(1). For information write: The Movement for
Canadian Literacy, 692 Coxwell Avenue, Toronto, Ontario.
(2). Information on the work of Paulo Freire can
be obtained by writing: The Paulo Freire Resource Collection, c/o the
Department of Adult Education, 252 Bloor Street, Toronto, Ontario
|