“Prior to the late 1970s, instructional methods and material for adults learning English as a Second Language assumed the presence of literacy in a first language”.This was a culturally biased point of view which ignored the existence of communication without literacy.A more diverse immigrant population and a better understanding of non-English speaking cultures, especially those where literacy is not a factor, have brought a better understanding and awareness to this issue.Burt and Peyton describe pre-literate learners as those who “…have had little or no experience with written text”.This lack of experience can be directly related to the learner’s cultural background.Many learners may come “From cultures where literacy is uncommon in everyday life because the language is not written, has only recently been written or is being developed”. This may expelain why the pre-literate learners, which compose majority or the level 1 learners in the ESL program, are one of the most challenging
2006-10-08
10:07:33
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6 answers
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MorningStar
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