Literacy+and+vocational+schooling


 * By: Rachel, Marilee, Martha, and Lauren**

The perception of vocational school is one that usually does not involve literacy, meaning that the students who attend vocational schools are the students for whom literacy is not important. Literacy is not usually associated with vocational schools. A Pedagogy of Multilieracies argues the opposite, that literacy is as much a part of vocational school as it is for traditional school. However, some of the literacies in vocational schools are different than those found in traditional schools.

__**Relevant quotes from A Pedagogy of Multiliteracies**__:

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“The authors argue that the multiplicity of communications channels and increasing cultural and linguistic diversity in the world today call for a much broader view of literacy than portrayed by traditional language-based approaches.” ======

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“We agreed that we should get back to the broad question of the social outcomes of language learning, and that we should, on this basis, rethink the fundamental premises of literacy pedagogy in order to influence practices that will give students the skills and knowledge they need to achieve their aspirations. We agreed that in each of the English-speaking countries we came from, what students needed to learn was changing, and that the main element of this change was that there was not a singular, canonical English that could or should be taught anymore.” ======

__**What Types of Literacy are Relevant in Vocational Schools?**__

Information Literacy:

An information literate person is able to:
 * understand the steps of the research process;
 * determine the extent of information needed;
 * access the needed information effectively and efficiently;
 * understand the basic sources of information – both print and electronic;
 * evaluate information and its sources according to credibility and relevance;
 * understand key terms used in library research such as author, title, call #, subject heading, and citation;
 * incorporate selected information into a person’s knowledge base;
 * develop appropriate strategies for selecting search terms;
 * use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose;
 * combine search terms effectively;
 * communicate using a variety of information technologies;
 * understand library services

From: http://www.white-clouds.com/iclc/cliej/cl23XLH.htm

An article comparing functional literacy and workplace literacy.

https://docs.google.com/a/epiphanyschool.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:4RksSnwENo4J:unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0010/001018/101856e.pdf+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESipo1sjcWogTdiHf0SIu3Ogc5NpoFnSTvtpBBJPxxwUhxl_btndWfdqQRv7Zfy0ky664Qx9VYqj3tNCLwwsUFP8X6O3oOxgHOuSvEGe63tdtSaDy0lfVN2xtsxQ0JljXmYK964Q&sig=AHIEtbQXMdBugzvt6cKMpE_Yf2W_5g6UIQ&pli=1

__**Exploring economic value of vocational schools (possible other impediments to vocational schooling, besides cultural or traditional ones)**__
-- Vocational schools and economics (in Africa):

In this article, the author examines the situation of vocational education and training in several African countries. The main assumption is that this system is more useful for job entry than for general education. But, based on data analysis and gathering, the situation is studied from an economical point of view, and raises the factor of the cost of these schools. Is vocational schooling more economical than general schooling? Actually, in some cases, it can be five to six times more expensive.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:aevub8XdV2YJ:www-wds.worldbank.org/servlet/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2000/07/19/000009265_3980623151535/Rendered/PDF/multi_page.pdf+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShFMPntOY9giE_EduW3j8J8AFFhHROnjiM16httY4Qz0wtKdod5CduTqrtc3YfUy4w9PL_3dpWHEvYYuf1hPjwU4ZILeuZ4v6vuoOHL4GaYZcl_sKLGjNZ1Mgcdf-QMctzBjNMQ&sig=AHIEtbS9RNTxeLBaEVlloZX_CxtvLE53mQ

-- "Vocational schools are more expensive than academic schools, comprehensive schools or diversified schools. Technical schools are even more expensive. Academic schools are the least expensive among secondary schools."

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:slvCl3oLBywJ:www.tc.columbia.edu/faculty/tsang/Files/11.pdf+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgN6A4stdBbah0_Q98XQ71iI9OqxlRsUgcRZwe2MZZUBdokGj2VJX1ssGssbrO3YcFEIhLwWgWHXVDsuZZyWyg6cd9PBqnJ5jR_zDP3PQf4Vigtc1cuytAjaHUSSOF2afqSptlH&sig=AHIEtbSlDfMHU60_IEvDnY4TSe_HSEqvvw