Rethinking Literacy Education: The Critical Need for Practice-Based Change

by B. Allan Quigley

Overview

1998 Winner of the Cyril O. Houle World Award for Literature in Adult EducationIn this thought-provoking book, Quigley offers a new view of illiteracy that starts with the learner and takes into account a broad array of work, family, and cultural considerations. This guide gives adult educators and trainers working in the field concrete suggestions and alternatives for their work that they can use to shape a new philosophy of adult literacy and improve their practice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780787902872
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	10/29/1996
Series:	Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	6.24(w) x 9.55(h) x 1.07(d)

About the Author

B. ALLAN QUIGLEY is associate professor and regional director of adult education at the Pennsylvania State University Center for Continuing and Graduate Education, Monroeville, Pennsylvania.

Table of Contents

ILLITERACY THROUGH SOCIETY'S EYES.

1. Myths, Rhetoric, and Stereotypes About Literacy.

2. The Popular Perspective and the Media.

3. The Political Perspective and Literacy Programs.

HOW TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS VIEW ILLITERACY.

4. Rethinking Educational Approaches.

5. What Textbooks Can Communicate to Learners.

ENGAGING NONPARTICIPANTS AND DROPOUTS.

6. Understanding Attrition and Improving Retention.

7. Why Many Resist, and Ways to Recruit Them.

8. Grounding Programs and Policies in Practical Knowledge.

9. Literacy Educators as Leaders of Effective Change.

TAKING ACTION TO TRANSFORM LITERACY EDUCATION.

Editorial Reviews

'This book is challenging, useful, insightful, authoritative, andhopeful—one that every adult literacy education policy and programleader, researcher and practitioner should read. With this work,Allan Quigley has made a first-rate contribution to our field.'(Jean H. Lowe, director, GED Testing Service)

'Quigley's perspective on adult literacy is fresh and provocative.Rethinking Literacy Education impels adult literacy professionalsto reconsider what they are doing and why.' (Hal Beder, professor,department of educational theory, policy, and administration,Rutgers)

'Valuable in encouraging literacy practitioners to be moreproactive in challenging misguided public policy and damagingliteracy rhetoric.' (Elisabeth Hayes, associate professor,department of continuing and vocational education, University ofWisconsin-Madison)

From the Publisher

Offers practitioners of literacy training concrete suggestions for program improvement, as well as addressing larger issues that go beyond everyday literacy practice, including the stereotyping of the illiterate in the media and in social policy, and its consequences. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

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