I see both the things that Hugo mentioned.  As well, I think, in very small or remote communities, there are differences in the social atmosphere that surrounds the literacy programs, the instructors and the learners. 

Instructors and learners are more likely to shop at the same places, meet in the waiting room at the doctor's office, drink in the same pub, take their kids to the same daycare (because there is only one of each of those establishments); they may have close, possibly conficted, relationships outside the class, for example, they may be neighbours with an issue over noise or garbage. They may both have married into the same family, so may be in-laws. Anyway, it's hard to have a separate life outside of school for either of them, and that outside relationship comes to class with both of them.

When I have taught in a city, I never met learners outside class. In a small community, I was always running into them, with both positive and negative repercussions. 
   
Kate Nonesuch
Victoria, BC
kate.nonesuch at viu.ca
(250) 381-1824



From: Daphne Greenberg
Sent: Tue 10/13/2009 6:49 PM
To: diversity at nifl.gov
Subject: [Diversity 1110] Re: rural vs. urban vs. suburban


Hugo,
Thanks for your response. So based on what you have written below, it looks like some differences in rural Wales are:

a. access issues (most programs in cities)

b.people in small rural towns have to go distances to find an adult literacy program where the whole community doesn't know you.

Do people in other countries also find the above to be true? Are there any other differences between rural/urban/suburban adult literacy issues?

Daphne


>>> <HKerr at aol.com> 10/13/09 3:46 PM >>>

 
 
In a message dated 13/10/2009 19:34:46 GMT Daylight Time,  
ALCDGG at langate.gsu.edu writes:

Specifically, are there unique differences in the delivery of adult  
literacy services in rural vs. urban vs. suburban  settings?


I have taught adult literacy in urban and rural settings. Once you  have 
your student in the class I think there is little difference - but the  rural 
dweller is a lot more difficult to induce into the classroom in the first  
place! Here in rural Wales, people often travel 'over the mountain' into the  
next valley for provision in order to reduce the chance of being seen to be 
 attending, the rural world being capable of sustained personal cruelty. 
You  could find tutors fairly easily, but students...?
 
Provision has, as a result, tended to concentrate in institutions in the  
larger towns, so there can be many miles between centres and many who would  
benefit from tuition do not get it. It is a daunting effort at any rate. 
There  was some actual research done in Scotland, parts of which are very rural 
 indeed.
 
Hugo


at: _http://www.hugokerr.info_ (http://www.hugokerr.info/) 

"We're here to help each other get  through this thing - whatever it might 
be." (Kurt Vonnegut) 

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