B. Our Helpers

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Those who do not have family photos may cut a picture from a magazine of a person they would choose to represent a family member. Supply scissors and magazines.


The objectives of this section are to share personal information, to celebrate a particular personal relationship and to invoke a helper for each learner for the duration of learning.

In addition to the usual supplies, you will need corner stickers for mounting photos (or strips of paper, each with a slot cut into it) and lengths of patterned ribbon and lace for making a border around the mounted photo.

Ask learners to bring a photo of a favourite family member to class, someone that they wish to have close by them in spirit while they learn, a person alive or dead.

2. Guided discussion

* Make a decorated mounted photo with caption for yourself, to show learners before they start. Tell the learners the reason for the exercise and how it will be done. Point out that a caption underneath a picture gives information about it.

* Ask each learner in turn to show her photo and tell about it:

  • if a photo of a family member, how she is related to the person in the photo and what she likes about her/him;
  • if a picture from a magazine, who she wishes the person to represent in her family and why she chose that picture.

* Pass each picture around the circle so the group can take a look.

* Ask the learner whose turn it is to think of a caption for her photo and tell it to the group. The caption should have a name of the person, the relationship to the learner and the reason why the learner chose that person. Give help and/or ask for group help if the learner gets stuck.

* Take a turn as the tutor/instructor, but invoke your family member as helper for your instructing as well as learning to help the learners in the class. Pass your photo around the circle.

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For beginning learners not yet able to write by themselves, print the caption on a piece of paper as a model to copy.

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Note: This exercise can also be done with small significant objects to represent the helpers. These objects could then be mounted on paper and decorated, or decorated paper display boxes can be made for them and captions attached to them.

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Throughout the learning period, refer to the learners' helpers at times when the learning becomes difficult. Be sure to return the photos to the learners at the end of the program.


3. Photo display

* Pass out several half-sheets of lined paper to each learner. Ask the learners to write out their captions, using the extra sheets for drafts as necessary.

* Ask the learners to choose a colored mounting sheet and ribbon or lace to glue as a border around their mounting sheet.

* Ask the learners to mount their photos, using corner mount stickers or paper strips with slots, and to glue the caption under the photo.

* Group members who have completed their task may help the others as needed.

* Display the photos in the classroom for the duration of the literacy learning.


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