Bridging the Gaps: research, policy and practice in women's literacy

Despite the recognition given to adult literacy by UNESCO and other bodies, this sector continues to be under-developed and under-supported. Many NGOs and INGOs are involved in initiatives, programmes and projects, which... [ view full abstract ]

Despite the recognition given to adult literacy by UNESCO and other bodies, this sector continues to be under-developed and under-supported. Many NGOs and INGOs are involved in initiatives, programmes and projects, which embrace or include women and men’s literacy learning in diverse ways. They work in the field for sustained periods of time close to communities and as trusted intermediaries and are thus well placed to both use and inform research around literacy development. However, their experiences, insights and understandings are usually captured in reports and feedback, the ‘grey literature’, of a kind not always accessed by academic researchers or applied in practical programmes. The impact of many literacy programmes tends to be evidenced by practitioners through observation and local reporting, rather than being formally recorded in published reports accessible to the academic community. Academic research, whilst usually rigorous, peer-reviewed and often used to inform policy, can remain unnoticed and under-used through researchers’ lack of communication with those who might use it in the field in government or NGO programmes.
This symposium builds on a BAICE-funded initiative of the UK Literacy Working Group which brings together literacy policy makers, researchers and practitioners to consider issues around developing adults’ literacy learning, and women’s literacy learning in particular. The symposium will provide the opportunity to explore the gaps in communicating and constructing knowledge between these different communities, in order to inform future sustainable development of practice in women’s literacy.

Organisers are from the UK Literacy Working Group and the symposium will include presentations from academic researchers, policy makers and practitioners working in adult literacy. [ view full abstract ]

Organisers are from the UK Literacy Working Group and the symposium will include presentations from academic researchers, policy makers and practitioners working in adult literacy.