Literacy and care ANN HEGARTY AND MAGGIE FEELEY

Literacy and care ANN HEGARTY AND MAGGIE FEELEY ann. hegarty@nuim. ie & maggie. feeley@ucd. ie

Session aims and outline To focus on the role of care in learning literacy To explore some inequalities of care-giving and receiving in learning literacy To generate some ideas for embedding care in learning literacy Short input – time for reflection – group collaboration and feedback – closing round ann. hegarty@nuim. ie & maggie. feeley@ucd. ie

Focus on two studies 1) ADULT MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD LITERACY 2) PARENTS’ VIEWS OF FAMILY LITERACY 3) A SMALL MENTION OF A THIRD STUDY ann. hegarty@nuim. ie & maggie. feeley@ucd. ie

Memories of learning literacy A study of the role of care in learning literacy 3 -year ethnography with adult survivors of institutional abuse in Irish industrial schools 28 adults aged 40 -65 years with met and unmet literacy needs (15 met/ partially met/13 unmet) Observation, accompaniment, semi-structured interviews Triangulation – 10 interviews with tutors, counsellors, legal professionals and Centre staff Practitioner research in the wake of the State apology in 1999 Even small amounts of care made a big difference ann. hegarty@nuim. ie & maggie. feeley@ucd. ie

Defining learning care… Learning care refers specifically to the impact (giving and receiving) of degrees of care on our capacity to absorb and retain new knowledge and skills. ann. hegarty@nuim. ie & maggie. feeley@ucd. ie

Four types of learning care The primary learning care relationships experienced within the family or alternative primary care centre. Secondary learning care relationships in school and adult learning centres. Solidary learning care experienced with peer learners and communities of interest. State learning care describes the attentiveness given by the State to ensuring structural equality (equality of condition) across all the contexts that influence family, school and community capacity to support literacy learning. ann. hegarty@nuim. ie & maggie. feeley@ucd. ie

Conceptualising learning care ann. hegarty@nuim. ie & maggie. feeley@ucd. ie

AND SUBSEQUENTLY… ann. hegarty@nuim. ie & maggie. feeley@ucd. ie

Taking care of family literacy work Hegarty, Ann and Maggie Feeley (2010) Taking care of family literacy work: An enquiry with parents about their experience of nurturing language and literacy in the home. Dublin: NALA Extended research conversations with 3 groups in Dublin, Midlands, West (20 women and 2 men) using photovoice To explore with parents their attitudes, perceptions, knowledge and understanding of family literacy; their role and engagement; their views of family literacy programmes and their needs ann. hegarty@nuim. ie & maggie. feeley@ucd. ie

Photovoice Qualitative and participative methodology – designed to give voice to those who often go unheard Voicing our individual and collective experience Freirean, feminist and egalitarian approach to research Photos prompt reflection, narratives, discussion that is recorded, codified analysed Trust and belief in grassroots wisdom to name and challenge dominant/dominating structures and prompt change ann. hegarty@nuim. ie & maggie. feeley@ucd. ie

3 x 2 -hour workshops Workshop 1 – reading and writing photographs Workshop 2 – discussing the photos Workshop 3 – designing family literacy supports Follow-up interviews with 5 participants Feedback sessions Affirmed participants role in supporting family literacy Heightened ‘noticing’ of literacy events and practices Increased interest in family literacy programmes ann. hegarty@nuim. ie & maggie. feeley@ucd. ie

Family learning ann. hegarty@nuim. ie & maggie. feeley@ucd. ie

Literacy and care There should be a bit of love has to go in there too. Actually when I am doing homework with the young fellow he is kind of sitting up and kind of leaning against me as if to say – I am well supported here. He feels safe. So I think love should go in there. (Parent aged 42 with 4 children) I have always read to him even when he was a baby. It’s a comfort thing really. He’d sit in my lap and I’d read to him or maybe he would be in bed or we’d be sitting together. Sometimes we do these things but we won’t think of it as teaching or even as work but I think that being a mother is one of the hardest jobs in the world. (Parent aged 32 with 3 children). ann. hegarty@nuim. ie & maggie. feeley@ucd. ie

Findings about family literacy All parents want their children to do well Parents want to be involved in partnership with schools but school’s vary in the degree to which they view parents as partners; schools don’t treat all children equally Parents enjoy the support of peers and welcome the idea of family literacy programmes As a result of structural inequalities, parents are unequally resourced to do this work Parents want: intensive literacy support; more skills in supporting children with language and literacy development, dealing with learning difficulties, computer skills, bullying and communicating with the school ann. hegarty@nuim. ie & maggie. feeley@ucd. ie

Is learning care gendered? HOW DO IDEAS/IDEALS ABOUT MASCULINITY ENABLE OR CONSTRAIN FATHERS INVOLVEMENT IN FAMILY LITERACY? ann. hegarty@nuim. ie & maggie. feeley@ucd. ie

I think there are still some men out there who think that family literacy is women’s work but it has to be a two-way street. You have to give. In my father’s generation it was women’s work and the fathers had to work and they didn’t do anything with the kids. (Father aged 42 with 2 children) ann. hegarty@nuim. ie & maggie. feeley@ucd. ie

ann. hegarty@nuim. ie & maggie. feeley@ucd. ie

The pivotal nature of care A decisive factor in all projects is the pivotal nature of affective aspects of learning and how unequally resourced parents are to do this work Do we need to put learning care more visibly on the agenda? ann. hegarty@nuim. ie & maggie. feeley@ucd. ie

ann. hegarty@nuim. ie & maggie. feeley@ucd. ie