Literacy Practitioners gather at LiteracyWorks to discuss research in practice
A
small group of participants gathered to stretch their thinking about
research in practice at the L ITERACY WORKS’ office on Wednesday, May
24.
In the photo, f rom left, Richard, Lorraine, Terri and Sheila discuss their work.
Participants were challenged to expand their notion of research to envision research in a broader sense. New ideas were brought out by brainstorming about which aspects of their volunteer tutoring could be considered research.
Conversation was also prompted with questions like, “What kinds of things do you and your learner do that could be thought of as research?” and “How or where do you get ideas for activities for lessons, etc.?”
Participants also answered the question, “What kind of research would you like to see take place in future, if there were no barriers to resources such as time and money?”
A few of the many ideas generated about sourcing resources for lessons included:
- Being a resource to him (before signing a federal government form)
- Considering the learner himself as a resource: what things interest him, what does he want to do, to cover?
- “I look to my resources, being an educator for many years I have an extensive collection of clipped articles and information, and I mingle them in with libraries have”
- “You could look to your own background – of what’s worked in your life, having raised children, and a life experienced”
- Other people’s ideas, networking
- Encouraging learners to do their own research, to bring in their own materials, words they come across. One English as an Additional Language learner collects bus conversations to find out what they mean.
Information from this RiPAL discussion circle will be documented and forwarded to the researchers of the national project that is documenting information from across the country to develop a Framework for Research in Practice in Adult Literacy in Canada.