Abstract
Against a background of growing concern for the large numbers of semiliterate or completely illiterate school leavers and adults in the industrialized countries, this article examines four key aspects necessary for gauging a nation's response to the problem of adult illiteracy. The four aspects — awareness raising, high-level national commitment, resource allocation, and range and extent of in-school and out-of-school basic education/literacy provision — are analyzed with particular reference to the United Kingdom, the United States, France and Canada.
The article indicates that, in a period of economic austerity when education budgets are being cut, provision for adult literacy and for remedial classes in school is one of the first areas to be sacrificed. The article ends on a pessimistic note with respect to the implementation of a ‘Right to Read’ charter in all industrialized countries.
Zusammenfassung
Vor dem Hintergrund wachsender Sorge über die große Anzahl von halb alphabetisierten oder gänzlich analphabetischen Schulabgängern und Erwachsenen in Industrieländern, untersucht dieser Artikel vier Hauptgesichtspunkte, die zur Einschätzung auf die Reaktion einer Nation in Bezug auf das Problem des Analphabetismus Erwachsener notwendig sind. Die vier Gesichtspunkte — die Steigerung des Problembewußtseins, nationale Verpflichtung auf höchster Ebene, die Verteilung der Ressourcen und schließlich Ausmaß und Umfang der schulischen und außerschulischen Grunderziehungs- Alphabetisierungsvorkehrungen — werden besonders im Hinblick auf Großbritannien, die Vereinigten Staaten, Frankreich und Kanada untersucht.
Es wird darauf hingewiesen, daß in Zeiten wirtschaftlicher Einschränkungen, bei denen die Budgets im Bildungsbereich gekürzt werden, die Vorkehrung für Alphabetisierungs-und Förderklassen an Schulen zu den ersten gehört, die dem Rotstift zum Opfer fällt. Im Hinblick auf die Anwendung einer Charta über das ‘Recht auf Lesen’ in Industrieländern schließt der Artikel mit einem pessimistischen Ausblick.
Résumé
Face à la préoccupation croissante quant à l'existence d'un nombre élévé de personnes semi-alphabètes ou totalement analphabètes parmi les jeunes ayant quitté l'école et les adultes dans les pays industrialisés, cet article examine quatre aspects fondamentaux, nécessaires pour mésurer la réponse nationale au problème d'illetrisme des adultes. Les quatre aspects — l'éveil de la prise de conscience, l'engagement national des autorités à l'échelon supérieur, l'allocation de ressources, et l'importance et l'étendue de l'offre scolaire et extra-scolaire d'alphabétisation/d'éducation de base — sont analysés avec référence spéciale aux cas du Royaume-Uni, des Etats Unis, de la France et du Canada.
L'article indique qu'en période d'austerité économique au moment où les budgets alloués à l'éducation sont réduits, l'offre relative à l'éducation des adultes et les cours de rattrapage dans les écoles sont parmi les premiers secteurs à être sacrifiés. Cet article se termine sur une note pessimiste relative à la mise en oeuvre de la charte du ‘droit de lire’ instituée dans tous les pays industrialisés.
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This is a revised version of a paper presented to the Adult Literacy Policy and Practice Panels of the 30th Aniversary Meeting of the CIES, Toronto, 13–16 March, 1986. The ideas expressed in this paper are solely the responsibility of the writer and in no way reflect those of the organization with which she is employed.
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Limage, L.J. Adult literacy policy and provision in an age of austerity. Int Rev Educ 32, 399–412 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00597550
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00597550