The Impact of Social, Political, Economic, and Technological Contexts on the Curriculum - Case Study Example

PROFESSIONALISM AND QUALITY IN THE CURRICULUM By Introduction In the United Kingdom, adult literacy and English for Speakers of Other Languages, ESOL, share a history in that their need was revealed and accepted in the early 1970s. The British government, through the Right to Read campaign decided that raising public awareness, mobilizing local and national governments, and the involvement of activists and volunteers would play a greater role in learning and teaching of adult literacy. This is because adult literacy, which like ESOL, puts emphasis on reading and writing English as a means of acquiring self-empowerment. Similarly, ESOL became an important and critical context in the UK systems is that the UK has been experiencing changing migration trends which have seen it take in more migrants, some of whom are bound to be long-term settlers. As such, new migrants, as well as long-term settled ones need to be exposed to English skills. In short, just like adult literacy caters for the English language learning demands, so does ESOL in supporting migrants in integrating into, and succeeding in the United Kingdom. In the light of these, the following study text will analyse the current curricula in the UK adult ESOL and adult literacy with regards to the contemporary models of curriculum employed in achieving effective education and training curriculum. The study will further analyse the impact of social, political, economic, and technological contexts on the said curriculum. Context Adult English learners access the learning opportunities differently in terms of quality and quantity. As such, learning and teaching will occur in hospitals, schools, churches, college buildings, community centres, and just any place where the potential learners can access. The UK has taken this context a notch higher by providing online classes for the fee learners who can access the internet. The learning may happen as mixed-level classes, but at times, the learning will target specific groups such as young people, a certain ethnicity, women or men-only, and people doing particular work. Overall, the aim is to enable them to integrate fully into the UK society and live as full citizens, regardless of ethnicity or age (Simpson & Whiteside 2015, p. 222). One part of the curriculum in ESOL and adult literacy learning is acquisition of language skills. In this context, the curriculum focuses on disseminating the four skills of language, which are, reading, writing, listening, and speaking. This is further grouped into two contexts; written versus spoken language, and productive versus receptive use of language. Language systems are also taught in that they are the pillars required in the acquisition of language. As such, the four common language systems are disseminated. They are discourse, phonology, grammar, and lexis (Wilkins 2009, p. 29). Having learnt English as a second language, the learners are taught on the integration of language in their day to day skills. In short, they are taught to use specific language skills for specific occasions. For instance, official occasions like interviews require official language. Again, they are taught on good listening and responding to questions. In this way, the learners are able to effectively apply their acquired skills. Influences It does not go without saying that adult and ESOL education is significantly influenced or affected by broader cultural, political, economic, and technological factors. This explains the changes that adult basic and ESOL education has been undergoing since the early 1970s. These changes are explained mainly by the positioning of the United Kingdom in the globe. In a nutshell, it is placed at a point where it is influenced by new world orders and particularly owing to its partnership with the European Union, which sees it act as a major immigration base (Hamilton 2007, n.p.). The four contexts’ influence on ESOL and adult literacy education in the UK are elaborated below; Economic factors One major factor that impacts on the education sector in the UK, ESOL and adult literacy included is the economic aspect. To many, the UK is perceived of as a succeeded nation in comparison to its neighbours. However, as Oppenheim and Harker, (1996, p. 65) state, the UK is not just a success story, but also one flawed with expanding unemployment, social inequality, and poverty. On average, about a quarter of all households in the UK live in poverty. This presents a big margin between the rich and the poor in that about 19 percent of the UK’s wealth is owned by the richest 1 percent. The poorest, who are about 50%, own about 7 percent of the UK’s total wealth (Office for National Statistics 1998, p. 19). This occurrence has affected education in that learning is not equal as some people have access to the best education while some lack even basic education. Additionally, the gap between the rich and the poor, and which poses as a danger to adult literacy, is the fact that out of every 5 working-age families in the UK, one family lacks a wage earner (Brown 1997, n.p.). To make matters worse, Howarth, Kenqay, Palmer, and Street reveal that the rate at which children are being permanently expelled from English schools due to different factors, including economic difficulties, is increasing (p. 55). As such, this situation has pushed the establishment of welfare reform strategies such as ESOL and adult literacy programs which target the general population and which equip people with competent skills such as math and reading. Political factors The system of regional governance in England has become an influential factor in the ESOL and adult literacy education context. This is evident in that Scotland, Wales, England, and other parts of the wider United Kingdom all have varying educational structures. This has in turn resulted in different educational systems, thus curriculums. Again, as these regions are governed individually, their different constitutions affect the education (learning) sector. For instance, Scotland has different funding and administrative strategies for most of the other regions. Again, Northern Ireland still applies its selective secondary schooling system. On its part, Wales applies a bilingual system of education (Roberts, Cooke, Baynham, & Simpson 2007, p. 19). All of these differences are explained by their different assemblies and governance systems. The devolution of educational matters to local governments from the national government has led to a scattered and varying education system in the United Kingdom. This is because since each local government creates its own strategies, the national government no longer has the capacity to challenge and inflict effective ESOL and adult literacy strategies. As such, some regions in the UK will provide effective education while some will provide sub-standard or low education. Cultural factors Unlike most developing or emerging nations in the world, the UK’s manufacturing industry has been on the decline in recent decades. This occurrence led to the collapse or disappearance of the traditional culture of apprenticeship. This means that rather than rely on the apprenticeship system that required professional trainees, the demand for flexible workers in the UK is the new trend. Flexible workers are persons who can easily switch from one job to another as they align with global and economic trends and demands. These people tend to be mostly immigrants (Marangozov 2014, p. 1). According to Finegold, McFarland, and Richardson (1993, p. 113), this trend is only repeating itself; in the 1980s, vocational training and education targeting adults who had been unemployed for long expanded. This was because part-time jobs and temporary jobs were increasing. This was in contrast to professional jobs which required specific skills acquired through formal education systems. Therefore, the culture of temporary and part-time jobs, created by the diminishing apprenticeship culture of working in the UK influences the demand of adult literacy and ESOL education. For instance, immigrants and adults, realizing that learning English guarantees them part-time or temporary jobs easily take up the trainings. As such, this encourages the growth of more adult literacy and English training programs and bodies. Technological factors Technology possesses the capacity to further or restrain ESOL and adult literacy education. In the past, as these types of education were emerging, the BBC was highly recognized for its efforts in promoting them. One key contribution that the BBC made was supporting the establishment of the Open University, which played a key role in furthering the literacy campaign on a distance learning basis (Sargent & Tuckett 1997, p. 46). This type of using technology promoted adult literacy education. Today, the internet, as the major technological tool, has both limiting and enhancing capabilities. First of all, it is clear that learners will originate from different backgrounds. In light of this, some learners will afford or access better ESOL or adult literacy education than others. This gap appears in that, for instance, if the only place that one can access adult literacy studies in on the internet, if they lack computers and connectivity to the internet, then they cannot learn. Pervasively, those that have computers and internet access learn without any barriers. In such occurrences, the dissemination and reception of education is affected. On another not, adults are taking up computer lessons since they can easily find jobs as long as they possess the skills (Warschauer & Liaw2010, p. 2). This has pushed adult literacy demands up. Additionally, as technology advances, the costs of the internet and computers are dropping, therefore allowing more people to own personal computers and access the internet. Through such means, learners in both contexts, not only acquire the necessary motivation to learn, but also get exposed to more knowledge. Collectively, these not only provide them with a means of survival, but they also integrate easily into the UK society. Conclusion As this study shows, the revelation that the adult literacy and English literacy were mandatory in the UK was seen in the early 1970s by the government. One of the main reasons why the UK government took up the idea of these types of education is that they enabled self-empowerment in both adults and immigrants. This is because it is only through language that people can coexist, work together, and develop themselves. Again, the UK was becoming an important international harbour where the world focused on.In aligning with these, the UK devised curriculums meant to facilitate effective dissemination of adult literacy and ESOL education. These types of education, just like the mainstream education, are affected by several factors such as technological, economic, cultural, and political elements. As the study further elaborates, these factors may positively or negatively influence curriculum development in the UK adult ESOL and literacy contexts. Bibliography Brown, G 1997, “Why Labor is still Loyal to the Poor,” The Guardian. Finegold, D, McFarland, L, & Richardson, W 1993, Something borrowed something blue?” A study of the Thatcher governments appropriation of American education and training policy. Oxfordshire: Triangle Books. Hamilton, M 2007, “Adult Learning and Literacy in the United Kingdom,” Available at http://www.ncsall.net/index.html@id=520.html [11 May, 2015]. Howarth, C, Kenqay, P, Palmer, G, & Street, C 1998, Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion: Labor’s Inheritance. New York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Marangozov, R 2014, “Benign Neglect?Policies to Support Upward Mobility for Immigrants in the United Kingdom,” MPI International Program.1-29. Office for National Statistics1998, Social trends (28). London: Office for National Statistics. Oppenheim, C, & Harker, L 1996, Poverty: The Facts. London: Child Poverty Action Group. Roberts, C, Cooke, M, Baynham, M, & Simpson, J 2007, “Adult ESOL in the United Kingdom: Policy and Research,” Prospect 22.3: 18-31. Sargent, N, & Tuckett, A 1997, Pandora’s Box: Companion Papers on Motivation, Access, and the Media. Leicester: National Institute for Adult Continuing Education. Simpson, J, & Whiteside, A 2015, Adult Language Education and Migration: Challenging Agendas in Policy and Practice. New York: Routledge. Warschauer, M, &Liaw, M 2010, “Emerging Technologies in Adult Literacy and Language Education,” National Institute for Literacy.1-32. Wilkins, P 2009, Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages: A Teacher Education Handbook. McGraw-Hill Education. Read More