Part II.pdf - MTB-MLE Network

As for adult and continuing education, people prefer to use oral Lahu, but they think that it is
unnecessary to learn the writing system. According to a 2002 survey in Nanuoke and Banli villages,
researchers from RTCLE found that among 18-50 year olds, almost no one can correctly use the
Lahu written language. Most of the villagers think that the writing system has no practical use.
They prefer to learn Chinese immediately. Most of the learning materials in science, technology
and health have been developed in Chinese, and some new words about new technology do not
have counterparts in Lahu. During their literacy learning, there is no structured bridge from Lahu
to Chinese.
Literacy facilitators
There are few La-Han bilingual teachers at the project sites. The lack of qualified bilingual teachers
is a serious problem. Few local teachers can speak the Lahu language because most of them are
not Lahu people. In this situation, it is quite difficult to keep illiterate learners in literacy classes.
It is common knowledge that most of the literacy facilitators are teachers of local primary schools
who also teach adult illiterates. The teachers do not really know how to teach adult literacy classes,
and do not have special training. They do not understand bilingual teaching methods and the
characteristics of adult learning. As has been mentioned, most of the literacy learners are adults
who have rich experience that can be a resource for their learning, and they primarily are interested
in content that is closely related to their lives. The teaching methodology for adult literacy should,
hence, differ from that for children.
Inappropriate methods adopted by literacy facilitators may lessen learner interest and motivation
to participate in literacy classes. The teachers should have training in bilingual literacy teaching
in order that they can more effectively help the learners.
6. Target Learners and Objectives of Bilingual Literacy
Classes
Based on the analysis of research materials concerning bilingual literacy for the Lahu people, field
surveys, language situation analysis and assessment of Lahu language (including spoken and written
language), the target learners and project objectives are as follows:
• Target learners
The target learners are adult illiterates and semi-illiterates (mainly 15-50 year olds) with
basic motivation for literacy learning. Women are particularly encouraged to participate
in the bilingual literacy project.
• Objectives of bilingual literacy teaching
With about 1 to 2 years’ study, the objectives of the literacy teaching are that:
– community members of project villages will show more respect for their own
language and realize the importance and value of the mother tongue in the process
of learning Chinese;
– Lahu illiterates, especially women, will bridge from learning in the mother tongue
to Chinese language learning, and strategies for better learning of these two
languages will be developed;
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