Mary Hamilton

Beyond Communities of Practice: Literacy, reification and the dynamics of social interaction

INTRODUCTION We work in Literacy Studies and approach the notion of community of practice to see how it can strengthen or challenge what we do. The field of literacy studies has developed in parallel with communities of practice work over the past twenty years. The two approaches have common roots in the work of Scribner and Cole (1981), but then the fields of situated learning and situated literacies largely developed separately. Our overall point is that the framings provided by theories of language, literacy, discourse and power are central to understanding the dynamics of communities of practice, but they are not made explicit in Wengers formulations. These ideas form the basis of this and the following chapter. Our own work has examined the literacy practices of everyday life (as in Barton and Hamilton 1998; Barton, Hamilton and Ivanic 2000), and here we see that most social interactions in contemporary society, including those covered by Wenger, are textually mediated; this shapes, structures and constrains them. We will argue that the concept of reification in the communities of practice work is key to making the link with literacy studies. In this chapter, we start out from the vignettes that form the data for Wengers work in his 1998 book. We examine them through the lens of literacy studies, demonstrating the centrality of literacy practices and arguing that a textually mediated social world is revealed.

The international adult literacy survey : What does it really measure?

The paper evaluates the work of the International Adult Literacy Survey as reported in OECD 1997. It assesses its contribution to understanding literacy in terms of the perspective of the New Literacy Studies. It outlines this perspective as a basis for a critique that is mostly concerned with the validity of the test. Three criticisms of the survey are made: that it provides only a partial picture of literacy; that culture is treated as bias; and that the test items do not represent the real-life items as claimed. Finally, the paper concludes with an overall evaluation of what the IALS achieves in terms of its own aims.

Privileged Literacies: Policy, Institutional Process and the Life of the IALS.

This paper argues that in order to make use of the theoretical insights offered by the New Literacy Studies we need to understand more about how institutions produce and privilege certain kinds of knowing – and how, in this process, they devalue or re-define the local and the vernacular for their own purposes. The specific example of the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) is used to show how a powerful discourse develops and can organise our knowledge about literacy. The paper presents some theoretical tools that might help us analyse the process whereby this happens. In particular, it explores the potential of Actor–Network Theory (ANT) as an analytical tool. The paper concludes that ANT demonstrates the contingent and precarious way in which social order is created and offers hope that this order can be effectively challenged by alternative projects such as that offered by the NLS.

Worlds of Literacy

Preface - literary practices and literary events introduction signposts bringing together our worlds of literacy different voices - handling multiplicities of literacy consitituting identities choice and change collaboration and resistance - challenging words.

Unruly Practices: What a sociology of translations can offer to educational policy analysis

This paper argues for the utility of ANT as a philosophical and methodological approach to policy analysis. It introduces the key features of a recent educational policy reform initiative, Skills for Life and illustrates the argument by looking at three ‘moments’ (in Callons 1986 terminology) in the life of this initiative, applying the theoretical tools of ANT to these. The analysis shows that even (and perhaps especially) within a strongly framed social policy initiative like the Skills for Life Strategy, things constantly escape; that differences held in tension within the ‘successful’ project sow the seeds of failure and dissolution.

Literacy and the Politics of Representation

1. Introduction Part I: Constructing Imaginaries Using Different Semiotic Resources 2. Literacy by Numbers 3. Visualising Literacy 4. The Powers of Voice Part II Domains of Imagination 5. Governing Literacy 6. Literacy in the News 7. Speaking from Experience 8. Conclusion

Deliberative Policy Analysis: Adult Literacy Assessment and the Politics of Change.

The field of adult literacy in England has a long history, but has particularly developed during the last three decades. Along with the rest of post‐school education and training, it has been substantially reshaped by national policy initiatives since the 1970s. During this period it has struggled to assert itself as a legitimate area of policy and practice through changing political, economic and cultural times. This article draws upon a research project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) that tracked the development of adult literacy, numeracy and ESOL from the 1970s to 2000 using life history interviews and documentary policy analysis to compare policy, practitioner and learner perspectives. The article discusses the key influences that have shaped this new field. It describes the deliberative policy analysis framework used to analyse the data and to identify tensions and gaps that have existed between practice, policy and research. It illustrates the analysis by applying it to one key thematic area that emerged from the study, that of assessment.

Visual Literacy as a Classroom Approach

Living in an increasingly visual culture, Rowsell, McLean, and Hamilton illustrate the importance of critically evaluating the potential of visual literacy as a dimension of the school context. They first situate visual literacy within the school arena and then examine its relevance to learning through different visual genres. In an effort to illustrate the power of visual literacy to enhance cross-curricular learning, the authors conclude by sharing examples of students conceptualizing and extrapolating visual literacy through the consumption and production of texts.

Just do it: Literacies, everyday learning and the irrelevance of pedagogy

Abstract This paper introduces the significant body of research on everyday literacies that has developed over the last 20 years and links it with the concerns of those working in the field of lifelong learning.1 It starts by briefly introducing debates about adult informal learning. It goes on to discuss ethnographic and interview studies of everyday learning and literacies, using both print and electronic media. It presents some of the new insights and orthodoxies from this research and discusses the challenges it poses to formal pedagogies. The paper goes on to identify some key issues that still need to be resolved, looking at the strengths and limitations of both informal and formal learning opportunities for literacy. For example, everyday networks have both strengths and limitations for learning; local knowledge resources are flexible but unevenly spread. The paper closes by looking at the implications of this work for the organisation of literacy learning opportunities for adults.

Ethnography for classrooms: constructing a reflective curriculum for literacy

Abstract This article discusses the possibilities for using ethnographic methods as part of the literacy curriculum at all levels of the education system. It presents a view of ethnography as a research approach with potential as a learning resource, encouraging reflection and theorizing about literacy in which teachers and students can engage together. It draws on experiences from further and adult education, higher education and professional development courses, and family literacy programmes, as well as school-based learning.