The Center for the Study of Adult Literacy

On-line Reactions to the Women and Literacy Conference

For approximately one month discussions on the Women and Literacy Conference were held on-line on the NIFL NLA listserv, moderated by David Rosen. The discussions focused on three topics: the question, whether a Women and Literacy Conference is exclusionary in nature; recommendations for policy; and reactions to specific presentations. Due to space limitations, not all of the discussion threads could be published, and interested readers are encouraged to read the NLA archives which can be found at: http://www.nifl.gov/nifl-nla/1999/ Readers may subscribe to the NLA listserv by visiting this address: http//www.nifl.gov/nifl-nla/subscribe-nla.html . We thank David Rosen and the discussants for granting us permission to quote from the listserv.

Is a Women and Literacy Conference Exclusionary in Nature?

Sometimes a group of people needs to do its work, however that work may be defined. Others may be welcome to observe and participate, but the people whose work it is - in this case women [and men, to some extent] need to be able to focus on the work itself - in this case looking at how particular issues affecting women's learning can be addressed by literacy/adult education workers. I don't see this work as excluding anyone, so much as inviting everyone to first and foremost *listen* to those who are doing the work, who are themselves women, and then engaging in thoughtful discussion about how to make positive social and policy level change that will assist women learners and practitioners in getting on with their work. Janet_Isserlis@Brown.edu.

In response to discussion of 'bias' in focusing on specific issues for women seeking literacy, ESOL, and other adult education support: It seems to me that the greater bias, particularly as expressed in national, state and local support, is apparently directed against all adult learners. The conference (excellent, by the way) enabled us to look at strengths, needs and leadership potential for women learners, especially in areas such as the 'literacy should be funded for only for those going to work' focus of major funding initiatives (welfare to work, et al). Clearly women are the overwhelming majority in the welfare to work initiatives. But the issues discussed, the problem solving and learning can clearly benefit many male literacy learners and teachers as well. I cannot see that having a 'women & literacy' conference is an issue of gender 'bias' - If we allow our energies to be dominated by this discussion, I feel we miss the larger point - that we can look at specific needs and support each other as we reach to both the broader issues. sgabb412@hotmail.com

The mainstream educational system teaches us a perspective which is characterized as universal and ideal while, in reality, it is a white, Eurocentric and androcentric. In essence, every time we go to a conference or to a class or to a discussion group we are going to the "white, western, androcentric" conference, class or discussion. However, we don't call it "White, Western Androcentric History 1101, or White Western Androcentric Conference. We simply call it History 1101 or History conference. When minority groups decide to have conferences or events, such as "Women in Literacy", "Black History Week", "Hispanic Heritage Week" , they are questioned. Minority groups have separate events, because they have been excluded from the hegemonic mainstream. and classified as minorities. Their histories, cultures, contributions, contexts are not important to be included in everyday discussions so they are saved for special conferences, events or special classes. In reality, white, Eurocentric men are another minority with no more inherent rights than any other minority. andresm@nmail.epcc.edu

I think this is a really tricky issue, so I flipped it around to become Men's Literacy Conference. Now, if I saw that, I wouldn't be sure if the conference was for men, or to discuss men's literacy issues. "For men," I'd make noises and wonder who was spending public money for what, but I'd be really interested in how men were thinking about literacy issues. But it might be a male bonding group, and I would definitely feel and be an outsider. If it were "to discuss men's literacy issues," then I would be very interested in going, as there are a lot of men with low literacy skills who do NOT go to classes and I would want to know why. Machismo? Shame? Non interest? Schooling as a woman's field? I would also call ahead to see if women were really welcome, check the workshops, maybe call some other people to find out more. So titles are ambiguous. There is a missing piece, something to do with women and men as colleagues, as partners, as mutual investigators and learners. And different cultures do this differently, or don't do it at all, and I think it is useful to try to come to grips with this here at home. Let's hear it for equity. But the women's stuff/bias, really troubles me and makes me almost weep in frustration. I'll be reading along in some book on literacy, then I come to the charts and graphs and one column is devoted to "women." By being singled out I know women are not included in what is presented as a general discussion but now seems to be about men. Can I trust this person's opinions? There is no place for me. The same happens with African-Americans (I am not African-American). Check the charts and graphs. This also happens in conversations. Here's how it goes: I mention some issue, even a personal experience, that has to do with women or my perceptions of being a woman, and a guy grabs the topic and talks about men in a kind of combative way and we're sailing not even on a different tack, but with a different wind. I don't think there are easy answers. AWilder106@aol.com

I think the title alone is indicative of a conference dedicated to women, by women, for women, and some may feel various levels of discrimination when they read the invitation. Personally, I thought the conference was very appropriate. I did not attend although I had a nagging feeling that I should. When you look at the whole adult literacy picture there are some areas that we REALLY need to explore further. I truly believe that the Women's conference addressed some of these issues and is a definitive step in the right direction. arthur@ellijay.com.

Over the last ten years the tide has been changing to where we're no longer supposed to talk about "women" - but rather 'gender' -- it's the way the higher ed./universities are changing the emphasis in many of their programs and courses. Caution -- though I think 'gender' is a way to 'include' men, it acts as a distraction away from the very real issues that concern women differently than they do men. In this way, gender becomes similar to "man" in that all embracing humanistic way. I think this can also be understood as "backlash." Why IS it that when women talk about what specifically concerns us it's somehow exclusionary - but when it comes to men defining the conversation, its 'comprehensive'? I was pretty amazed on this list -- and the Women list as well -- that when we started talking about this conference, the conversation almost immediately turned to "what about the men?" There are times when we do need to pay attention to what perspectives concern us as women. Sometimes, marginalized populations need their own time and space for self-discovery. Issues that concern women are deeply woven with race, class, violence, and so many other experiences/issues. The point is NOT that we're excluding men -- but that we're trying to understand the vantage point (or disadvantage point) that women -- as an oppressed group of people in systems of oppressions -- experience. The ways to address this may very well include men in the conversation -- but don't ALWAYS need to!! mev@winternet.com

I have often wondered why there are more women than men in the field of education as a whole. Even in the K-12 classroom there are typically more women than men (in Canada). I think, and this is just my personal take on this, that there are two possible reasons. One, that teaching is not really seen as "men's work". And secondly, in the field of Literacy, the salary is usually insufficient for a male who may be the sole provider. Typically, the instructors in the Literacy classroom are women who are supplementing their families income. SylviaProvenski@nald.ca

Recommendations for Policy

There were compelling arguments put forward around women's ways of learning that could and should be incorporated into larger state plans. In broad terms, issues such as the impact of physical and emotional trauma/violence on learning processes, poverty and lack of access to childcare and economic opportunity were brought up and can and should be looked at in terms of policy and planning. Janet_Isserlis@Brown.edu

I think that putting the issue of the role of abuse in learning front and center was both instructive and points to an area ripe for impact on adult literacy practice, research and policy. It is clear that the experience of the physical and sexual abuse blocks learning for many women (and, I am sure, for some men). We know very little about, and are spectacularly underfunded and ill-equipped, to deal with how this surfaces in the classroom. If we are to be effective and to demonstrate outcomes, we need to understand much more about how and to what extent these past experiences affect the ability of individuals to benefit from instruction, and I might add, from job counseling, development, and placement. When we think about state plans and their mandates, this is another area to try to advocate for and about. Finally, as I and many others have said in many forums and demonstrated in research, for women who are responsible for children to achieve permanent self sufficiency, post-secondary education and/or a range of child and health care supports are essential. Given the limitations of WIA, we need to advocate for and create ways to meet the needs of entry level workers with family responsibilities who will need to continue learning to get out of the low-wage/public assistance cycle before their clock runs out. DEBBYDAM@aol.com

My recommendations for policy would be as follows: 1. Public health and adult literacy policy-makers and funders need to provide language in legislation and requests for proposals that invites and supports collaborative programming and equal partnership. 2. Policy and funding need to recognize that this is at least a three to five year process. 3.Public health and adult literacy education policy and funding need to provide opportunities for the health and literacy education communities to come together for organizational and staff development. 4. Both public health and adult literacy policy and funding need to provide for continued research. mdrewhohn@aol.com

Reactions to Specific Sessions

At one fascinating session entitled "Reading the Signs: the Northern Perspectives on Literacy - the presenters were two lovely Canadian ladies: Hall, V and Jull H. They went to the North West Territories in Canada and filmed women learning English as a Second Language with money donated by a female "fraternity" that was established 100 years ago. Communities were given the freedom to use this money for any literacy efforts in their communities. The uses in each community were varied; books on tape etc. In this area there are as many as 7 indigenous different languages. The women who are filmed had left their homes, families and lives to learn English. Their definition of Literacy was "reading the weather, the animals and their environment", this was essential for their survival in such an environment where there are severely cold temperatures and people must hunt for their subsistence. They live in an area 5 times the size of Texas and it is very sparsely populated. These adult students saw a very real need to learn English so they can become literate in English and can communicate with their government officials in Ottawa. (As I understand it, the Eastern and Western Territories in Canada are soon to be split in two different Provinces). The women and men must learn English to be a part of their government! I had to reflect on this one! We are teaching and learning English as a Second Language... (Spanish being my first language, I am always an English adult learner!) How often do we stop and reflect on the meaning of literacy for our students? What sacrifices are our students making to learn English? How can we honor and respect their cultures? Did they come from oral languages, do they have an alphabet in their first language? Is their alphabet the same? Different??? What is their meaning or purpose to learn English? loshell@wtcc-gw.wake.tec.nc.us

There were several specifically designated presentations on health and literacy at the conference - 1) "Learning for Our Health" by Mary Norton that integrated literacy development and health promotion, 2) Empowerment Health Education for Women in Adult Literacy Programs by me, and 3) "Mammogram - What does that Mean? by Laurie Schneider. Also Jenny Horsman of Canada presented about her research on women's literacy learning and trauma, exploring the connections. In these presentations, there were several recurrent themes. One is that adult literacy education is a powerful avenue for health education - language, literacy and health learning catalyze one another and adult students enjoy and benefit from the health education in the classrooms. Another is that adult literacy programs are able to provide a psychologically safe environment, educational know-how and the time to explore sensitive issues more fully. A participatory approach promotes dialogue and engagement more likely to promote serious consideration and/or changes in health beliefs, attitudes or behavior. However, the work is very new, takes time, and there is not yet a lot of experience with it. But early results show that there is tremendous promise. It is also strongly presented that most adult literacy students and the limited literacy population overall do not benefit from most current public health education efforts which are mostly carried out through print materials, written at the 10th + grade level. Yet these are the same individuals and groups that have poorer health status overall, are more at risk for chronic diseases, and premature death. Relational violence often traps women economically and socially. While many health agencies and practitioners are trying hard to rewrite materials and communicate more effectively with limited literacy individuals and groups, the efforts pale in relationship to the need- and unfortunately, pays little attention to the cultural and community context of people's lives. Partnerships between health care and literacy education organizations are imperative if we are going to address this critical social problem. mdrewhohn@aol.com

Daphne Greenberg
Center for the Study of Adult Literacy