Can't read can't write

Julie · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 2:24 pm Post subject:

Did anyone see this last night on TV.

I thought it was absolutely incredible how the people had managed all their lives not to be able to read far less write.

I also thought it was incredibly moving and how the teacher dismissed the government's prefered method of teaching, in favour of different methods to suit the individuals. No, ONE SIZE does not fit all.

I will certainly tune in next week. It's on C4 21:00 to 22:00.

It actually made me cry that they had missed out on so much that I treasure so highly.

medot · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 7:09 pm Post subject:

oh blast...i so wanted to see this!!

does anyone know if it is repeated??

Acorncup · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 7:29 pm Post subject:

It was absolutely fascinating, wasn't it? I came in 10 minutes into it (but watched the start afterwards on channel 4+1).

IMO the prissy female teacher came across very poorly, with her rigid insistence on following "the government's scheme" as if that was gospel.

At first I thought the featured teacher, Phil, was brilliant. He could see that a scheme for teaching these adults the alphabet, and letter sounds, was needed before any further progress could be made, and he obviously spent a lot of time sourcing a programme and preparing the "songs" etc. I also felt he could communicate well with the pupils, and not seem like a lofty academic. However, he did seem to lose patience with some of them....although that may have been his passion getting in the way of rational thought.

but I did begin to wonder if he was too hot-headed, despite his enthusiasm for the project, to see it through. And also, as he himself admitted, because he had previously given up on low achievers himself, will he mind not easily getting the positive feedback from his pupils that would normally satisfy his opinion of his own abilities? People with learning difficulties do not simply absorb the information which the teacher gives them, and unless the teacher understands why, the teachers can get easily discouraged, and dismiss that pupil from their minds because that pupil makes them feel inadequate.

Phil may have to learn humility.

Both my sons are dyslexic. It seems to be the sort of dyslexia that is related to aural input, rather than what they are looking at, and so they learnt to read quite well, but spelling and organisation is another matter. one son was quick-witted and motivated by a career choice, and he succeeded, but the other son is a dreamer, and he got so far behind at school that he gave up, and is now working in a warehouse at a supermarket.

This son watched the programme with me, and he was equally fascinated. It certainly put his own learning difficulties into perspective. We were appalled to realise that of course illiterate people cannot learn to drive (because of the theory test) and that even simple shopping becomes a nightmare. It was also a surprise to learn that they cannot even play I-spy

Phil was right to try a multi-sensory learning approach with the adults, although I felt that the song with the letter/hand patterns went too fast for them to do it properly. I'm not sure why they made enormous out-of-scale letters out of pipe-cleaners...why didn't they use wooden or magnetic letters for the tactile approach?

As you say, Julie it was incredibly moving to see both their despair, and, for some of them, their excitement as they began to read a few simple words.

I look forward to watching the next episode.
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Welcome Holly!

Silverpixie (Admin) · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 3:43 am Post subject:

Blast, I missed it, thank goodness for 4 On Demand.

I have been trying to convince a friend to learn, so far without much success.

She won't go to classes of any sort and with her working pattern its very difficult anyway. I did think of offering to teach her but I'm not sure where to start and I'm worried it might affect our friendship.

I felt sorry for her daughter who used to get punished at school for writing fake notes to the teacher, she wouldnt tell the school that her Mum couldn't read or write because she didn't want to embarrass her and that she had to write the notes herself. Her daughter also has to copy any instruction books for new things just in case Mum can't remember how they work.
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alit · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:56 pm Post subject:

I found this really interesting, different individual ways of teaching can work so well as do small class sizes - often not having the literacy skills causes so much low self esteem, anger issues and fustration - thats just from the 16 year olds i support.

At least 50% of our classes seem to focus on social skills and going more 'back to basics' to try to help.

Phil does seem to get involved but was struggling at times with patience levels - he does seem to admit his faults and views.

We find a lot of the parents of our students have poor literacy skills - a lot gave up on schooling or the system failed them as such - we often find we have to phone home as parents cant read the letters we send out, and sometimes students write the notes to us or another child in the family writes the note and we have to phone home to check its genuine.

I shall set the recorder for this next week, good series!

Cyberia · Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:40 pm Post subject:

There are kids in school now who can't read and write. Employees have complained about application letters from University graduates which are full of grammatical and spelling mistakes.

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