Adult Basic Education for Women: A Model for Policy Development

NOTE: The separate statements made in this table are meant to be read as if they were part of a cumulative whole. Each separate contributes something to the overall attitude developed. Neither behaviour nor attitudes should be viewed apart from the context in which they occur. The possible interpretations and attitudes suggested may be used by some of the service-providers, some of the time This material is not to be reprinted or cited for publication.

Characteristics of undereducated learners	Resulting behaviour of learners	Possible interpretations by service-providers	Possible attitude of service-providers toward learners
5. I know I don't talk good and I say ain't but people should listen. If you don't keep your eye on them, you can't tell what they are talking about When I get excited I wave my hands alot.	make extensive use of oral & non-verbal styles may not use standard form of English/French; prefer oral dialect pay more attention to how a thing is said than to what is said may not be able to follow written instructions prefer personal communications	inflexible rigid intolerant prejudiced	They are childish They use physical rather than verbal dominance They are stupid They are stubborn They don't care about us They lack empathy They are too demanding
6. You never know what could happen to you in a strange place; so its better to stay in your own place I like to talk with my friends about how things are; they understand me	unwilling to try new ways or ideas; will revert to old ways under stress may fear new ways wince they feel like failures resent having to change what they are proud of tend to be isolated & alienated from others	acting-out behaviour ignorant troublemakers always get the "wrong" ideas when listening to authority figures require too much time of personnel	They are rigid and restrictive They are conservative and reactionary They are intolerant and prejudiced
7. They never get around to my problems What do they expect us to do -- live on nothing I don't like having to tell people I'm a failure They think I'm stupid just because I can't read They must be stupid; it takes so many of them to solve one little problem.	suspicious of helpers want individual attention from one helper confused by too many different helpers anxiety may develop elaborate behaviours to cover up deficiencies. eg. - diffidence - excellent oral skills - avoid answering questions	paranoid too demanding confused and stupid insecure indifferent (disbelief at their expressed need for help) unwilling to admit deficiencies / need for help	They show insecurity which is often manifested by paranoid or acting-out behaviour (neurotic) They don't want help anyway They don't care -- (Why should we?) They can't be trusted to tell the truth

Characteristics of
undereducated learners

Resulting behaviour
of learners

Possible interpretations
by service-providers

Possible attitude of service-providers
toward learners

5. I know I don't talk good and I say ain't but people should listen.
If you don't keep your eye on them, you can't tell what they are talking about
When I get excited I wave my hands alot.

make extensive use of oral & non-verbal styles

may not use standard form of English/French; prefer oral dialect pay more attention to how a thing is said than to what is said

may not be able to follow written instructions prefer personal communications

inflexible

rigid

intolerant

prejudiced

They are childish

They use physical rather than verbal dominance

They are stupid

They are stubborn

They don't care about us

They lack empathy

They are too demanding

6. You never know what could happen to you in a strange place; so its better to stay in your own place
I like to talk with my friends about how things are; they understand me

unwilling to try new ways or ideas; will revert to old ways under stress

may fear new ways wince they feel like failures

resent having to change what they are proud of

tend to be isolated & alienated from others

acting-out behaviour

ignorant

troublemakers always get the "wrong" ideas when listening to authority figures

require too much time of personnel

They are rigid and restrictive

They are conservative and reactionary

They are intolerant and prejudiced

7. They never get around to my problems
What do they expect us to do -- live on nothing
I don't like having to tell people I'm a failure
They think I'm stupid just because I can't read
They must be stupid; it takes so many of them to solve one little problem.

suspicious of helpers

want individual attention from one helper

confused by too many different helpers

anxiety may develop elaborate behaviours to cover up deficiencies. eg.
- diffidence
- excellent oral skills
- avoid answering questions

paranoid too demanding

confused and stupid

insecure

indifferent (disbelief at their expressed need for help)

unwilling to admit deficiencies / need for help

They show insecurity which is often manifested by paranoid or acting-out behaviour (neurotic)

They don't want help anyway

They don't care -- (Why should we?)

They can't be trusted to tell the truth


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