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Back to the future?: functional literacy and the new skills agenda

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Back to the future? functional literacy and the new skills agenda. / Hamilton, Mary; Burgess, Amy.
2011. p. 1-18.

Research output: Working paperDiscussion paper

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@techreport{e3d94881755d45208d4d2a550fbdfe2b,
title = "Back to the future?: functional literacy and the new skills agenda",
abstract = "This paper discusses the re-introduction of the concept of functional literacy into policy in England, using Levine{\textquoteright}s (1982) critique of the term as a starting point. We describe some of the different ways the term {\textquoteleft}functional literacy{\textquoteright} has been interpreted in the UK, the USA and Canada since its first international appearance and trace the development of the new policy in England. We offer a critical reading of two key policy documents to show how Levine{\textquoteright}s criticisms remain pertinent in the contemporary context. The ambiguity of the term {\textquoteleft}functional literacy{\textquoteright} allows it to pull competing definitions of literacy into alignment, which accounts for its appeal to policy makers. Like Levine, we find evidence that this ambiguity enables slippage from a broad vision of literacy to a narrow, vocationally-focused one. Our analysis of contemporary English policy documents shows how a narrowed conceptualisation of literacy is likely to result in impoverished pedagogy.",
keywords = "adult literacy, functional skills , neoliberalism",
author = "Mary Hamilton and Amy Burgess",
year = "2011",
language = "English",
pages = "1--18",
type = "WorkingPaper",

}

RIS

TY - UNPB

T1 - Back to the future?

T2 - functional literacy and the new skills agenda

AU - Hamilton, Mary

AU - Burgess, Amy

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - This paper discusses the re-introduction of the concept of functional literacy into policy in England, using Levine’s (1982) critique of the term as a starting point. We describe some of the different ways the term ‘functional literacy’ has been interpreted in the UK, the USA and Canada since its first international appearance and trace the development of the new policy in England. We offer a critical reading of two key policy documents to show how Levine’s criticisms remain pertinent in the contemporary context. The ambiguity of the term ‘functional literacy’ allows it to pull competing definitions of literacy into alignment, which accounts for its appeal to policy makers. Like Levine, we find evidence that this ambiguity enables slippage from a broad vision of literacy to a narrow, vocationally-focused one. Our analysis of contemporary English policy documents shows how a narrowed conceptualisation of literacy is likely to result in impoverished pedagogy.

AB - This paper discusses the re-introduction of the concept of functional literacy into policy in England, using Levine’s (1982) critique of the term as a starting point. We describe some of the different ways the term ‘functional literacy’ has been interpreted in the UK, the USA and Canada since its first international appearance and trace the development of the new policy in England. We offer a critical reading of two key policy documents to show how Levine’s criticisms remain pertinent in the contemporary context. The ambiguity of the term ‘functional literacy’ allows it to pull competing definitions of literacy into alignment, which accounts for its appeal to policy makers. Like Levine, we find evidence that this ambiguity enables slippage from a broad vision of literacy to a narrow, vocationally-focused one. Our analysis of contemporary English policy documents shows how a narrowed conceptualisation of literacy is likely to result in impoverished pedagogy.

KW - adult literacy

KW - functional skills

KW - neoliberalism

M3 - Discussion paper

SP - 1

EP - 18

BT - Back to the future?

ER -