'Outing' of Functional Illiterate Adults in Testing Situations

Author(s):

Barbara Nienkemper

Conference:

ECER 2010

Network:

9. Assessment, Evaluation, Testing and Measurement

Format:

Paper

Session Information

09 SES 08 C, Issues in Language and Literacy Assessment

Paper Session

Time:

2010-08-26

17:15-18:45

Room:

P617, Porthania

Chair:

Ruth Zuzovsky

Contribution

Before applying any assessment methods, it is important to understand what it could mean for the subject to do tests. In the contribution I will present the results of a qualitative survey on the issue of ‘acceptances of diagnostic methods’. The qualitative data comes from a dissertation which is currently underway at the University of Hamburg. Interviews were carried out with functional illiterate adults, who were attending a course to learn read and write at an adult education centre. Based on the idea, that the dimensions of formative assessment are more accepted than selective assessment methods (cf. Grotlüschen, Bonna 2008; Looney 2008; Dluzak et al. 2009), we explored several different subjective motivations for both: an accepting and a dismissive attitude towards diagnostics. Adults with a lack of basic skills like reading and/or writing often tell about anxiety or resistance in connection with testing situations (cf. Füssenich 2004; Schladebach 2007). These concerns can be specified by research data as fear of being discovered as a functional illiterate person. In the contribution it is shown, how this anxiety is caused: Why is it upsetting to admit ones weakness in reading and/or writing in a testing situation? It is proposed to explain in what way this question is associated with questions of social affiliation to a milieu (cf. Vester et al. 2001; Bourdieu 1987). Furthermore it is proposed to present, which strategies are used in handling the question to ‘come out’ as a functional illiterate person. It will be shown, that they decide to partially come out in different social environments. My talk makes a contribution to the appreciation of what it means, if subjects have a low standard of literacy along a theoretical normative boundary of legitimate literacy (cf. Grotlüschen et al. 2009). The problem, if the use of scripture is exclusively determined through social practices, as it is proposed by the New Literacy Studies (Barton/Gee/Street), or if there is a legitimate literacy which causes social exclusion, is to be brought up again (cf. Grotlüschen et al. 2009).

Method

The purpose of the survey was to comprehend the rational reasons of the subject (cf. Holzkamp 1993). A methodical approach for answering the problem was Grounded Theory in tradition of pragmatism by Anselm Strauss (cf. Strauss, Corbin 1999). Qualitative interviews were carried out, where it was asked for experiences in exposure to any kind of diagnostics. People were chosen for the theoretical sampling with preferably different perspectives on the topic “being tested as a person with weak reading and/or writing skills”. The sample was picked during the research process because of the researcher’s considerations of the contents in the interviews. So changes were made between phases of enquiry and phases of analyses. The data will be analyzed with help from the analyzing software MaxQDA in the three steps: open, axial and selective coding. Afterwards a theoretical concept relating to the topic will be developed.

Expected Outcomes

Requirements for written language in different social contexts are a great challenge for many adults. This problem has an effect especially in diagnostic situations, because action strategies which are successful in other respects, like e.g. avoidance, illusion and delegation (cf. Egloff 1997) cannot be applied during a test. In the lecture it should be explained, in which manner the anxiety to come out as a functional illiterate person manifests in testing situations. By means of the interview material the question: ‘What is so bad to be known as a person who has problems with reading and/or writing through a test?’ should be answered. By reconstructing subjective reasons for anxiety of ‘coming out’ and subjective decisions for Partial Outings in different individual social environments, the normalizing (cf. Foucault 1977) and excluding impact of literacy is getting explained. The thesis, that there is a social legitimate literacy whose control is a requirement for participation (cf. Grotlüschen et al. 2009) will be accounted for and discussed on the basis of the theoretical concept of a ‘boundary of respectability’ (cf. Vester et al. 2001).

References

Barton, David; Hamilton, Mary; Ivanic, Roz (Hg.) (2000): Situated Literacies. Reading and Writing in Context. London, New York: Routledge (Literacies). Bourdieu, Pierre (1987): Die feinen Unterschiede. Kritik der gesellschaftlichen Urteilskraft. Frankfurt a.M.: Suhrkamp (suhrkamp taschenbuch wissenschaft, 658). Dluzak, Claudia; Heinemann, Alisha M. B.; Grotlüschen, Anke (2009): Vorschlag für neue "Alpha-Levels". Mehr untere Sprossen für die Leiter. In: DIE Zeitschrift für Erwachsenenbildung, Jg. 16, H. 1, S. 34–36. Egloff, Birte (1997): Biografische Muster "funktionaler Analphabeten". Frankfurt/Main: DIE. Foucault, Michel (1977): Überwachen und Strafen. Die Geburt des Gefängnisses. 1. Aufl., [11. Nachdr.]. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp. Füssenich, Iris (2004): Diagnostik - nicht schon wieder, oder. In: Alfa-Forum, Jg. 17, H. 56, S. 10–11. Gee, James Paul (2003 (EA 2000)): The New Literacy Studies: from 'socially situated' to the work of the social. In: Barton, David (Hg.): Situated literacies. Reprinted. London: Routledge, S. 180–196. Grotlüschen, Anke; Bonna, Franziska (2008): Teaching, Learning and Assessment for Adults - Improving Foundation Skills. German-Language Literature Review. Herausgegeben von OECD / CERI. Online verfügbar unter http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/28/30/40046802.pdf, zuletzt geprüft am 11.01.2010. Grotlüschen, Anke; Heinemann, Alisha M. B.; Nienkemper, Barbara (2009): Die unterschätzte Macht legitimer Literalität. In: REPORT, Jg. 32, H. 4, S. 55–67. Holzkamp, Klaus (1993): Lernen. Subjektwissenschaftliche Grundlegung. Studienausg. Frankfurt a. M., New York; Campus-Verl. Looney, Janet W. (2008): Teaching, learning and assessment for adults. Improving foundation skills. Paris: OECD. Schladebach, Almut (2007): Ein rotes Tuch: Formulare und Fragebögen! In: Grotlüschen, Anke; Linde, Andrea (Hg.): Literalität, Grundbildung oder Lesekompetenz. Münster, New York, München u.a.: Waxmann, S. 140–146. Strauss, Anselm; Corbin, Juliet (1999): Grounded theory. Grundlagen qualitativer Sozialforschung. Unveränd. Nachdr. der letzten Aufl., 1996. Weinheim: Beltz Psychologie Verl.-Union. Vester, Michael; Oertzen, Peter von; Geiling, Heiko; Hermann, Thomas; Müller, Dagmar (2001): Soziale Milieus im gesellschaftlichen Strukturwandel. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp.

Author Information

Barbara Nienkemper

University of Hamburg

Fakultät EPB

Hamburg

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