Have the Assumptions Guiding Workplace Literacy Programs Changed?
A number of assumptions guided workplace literacy programs during the NWLP era. Two related assumptions that were particularly instrumental in driving the development of programs were the notion that a direct relationship exists between inadequate basic skills and the nation’s economic plight and that the functional context approach is the most efficient and effective way of improving workers’ basic skills (Imel and Kerka 1992). Despite evidence that these assumptions may not be accurate, they continue to operate today. The relationship between workplace literacy and the economy gives rise to a number of myths. Workers with inadequate or limited basic skills, for example, are still frequently cited as a reason for the nation’s economic woes (Castleton 2002; Hull 1999). Many employers cultivate a skills deficit ideology by blaming workers for not having the skills needed for the contemporary workplace (Castleton 2002; Nash 2001). The individual worker’s lack of skills, not changes in th
Related Questions
- Why is there a need to provide Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) programs specifically for workers in the aged care sector?
- Are there examples of municipal and private sector partnerships to deliver workplace literacy?
- Whats the difference between READ and phonics programs or balanced literacy programs?
