Un aperçu du cours d’alphabétisation inclus

The Literacy Course included was originally designed for young adolescents and adults illiterate or semi-illiterate with no computer background. The course can however easily be adjusted for younger students.

Our targeted audience is mainly made of drop-out students who have had quite a negative experience of school. A lot of them had had a hard time dealing with traditional authority and rules and might have suffered a few humiliations on the way. Most of them are therefore quite resilient to traditional teaching methods and material. They are more attracted by television and modern films full of actions and special effects.

About the content:

Our primary objective was to create a course that would include a lot of practical aspects that modern students could apply and use right away in their daily life. They also had to get familiar with computers since they have to use one to take the course.

The course therefore includes computer lessons (from basic use to networking and Internet), training on Mobile phones, government forms such as driver license application, passport application, tax returns, etc, and as many cultural rooms as possible about the region in order to motivate the students to appreciate their country and start getting involved with their community in a more positive and productive way.

Our secondary objective was to create a course that would entertain the students and motivate them to return again and again. Since the course is self-run, without a teacher’s supervision, the content of the course had to be motivating enough to avoid early drop-outs.

We decided to use a lot of modern and popular music as a pedagogical tool. In Jamaica - as in main other countries worldwide - young adults are very attracted to music. We decided to use the lyrics of popular songs to help students develop their reading and writing abilities. We also decided to create music rooms dedicated to a few well-known artists and use their biographies, press articles and photos to create an environment that would motivate the students to read more and more.

Because a lot of the young adults had experienced power struggles with teachers and educators, we felt that a course that would keep the teacher out of the picture would avoid any development of feelings of frustration and inferiority, which adult students often experience in a group. We decided to load the course with a multitude of positive messages and remove all type of negativity from the content of the course to create a positive and healthy environment.

Finally, we had to write a new base story that would keep all fours books of the literacy course together. Most of the material currently in use – in Jamaica – is quite outdated and not very adapted to our current modern reality. We wanted a story that would reflect our modern life and which could be illustrated with a lot of modern photos, videos and sounds. This would also give a chance for the students born and raised in the city to discover other areas of their country and learn about its geography. You will find a bit below the draft of our new story.

About the structure:

Since most of the young adolescents and adults seem to have a very short attention span, we wanted to build very short lessons which would be well focused. The lessons would then be followed by a series of exercises all built as games to entertain the students while reinforcing their acquisitions and testing their knowledge.

We decided to include various types of training rooms to bring variety to the course and expand the students’ knowledge. The course currently includes 6 activity areas. More can be easily added.

The course is currently still a draft. Book 1 is well advanced and included 21 lessons. Some of the lessons are “phonetics lessons” and need to be designed by experts in this field. A team of expert literacy teachers and social educators would be very welcome at this point.

Suggestions for completing the current Literacy Course:

Basic Literacy Content (Book 1):

• All lessons, practices, recaps, games and rooms must be reviewed and adjusted by a group of 2 or 3 Literacy Teachers. Games and Rooms must be adjusted per chapter to the testing needs and requirements defined by the teachers.
• The Phonetics lessons must be created and implemented, with their own list of games and training rooms.
• Teachers should particularly focus on Level 3 and 4 of Book 1. These 2 levels need more rooms and games. Only the Lessons, Practices and Recaps are final for these levels.
• Some photos must be replaced: i.e. “A man looks at the van.” “This is Pat.”, a stage background on the lesson on vowels and a few others…
• We need more ABC songs. Right now, we only have General Degree… The program is designed to support unlimited musical ABC. It picks it randomly… We must get at least 2 or 3 more songs from other known artists.

Music Rooms:

• Music Rooms have always been an essential part of this project, one of its peculiarities. Sponsors were very excited about this feature. It must be pursued. We know beyond any doubt that the integration of Music Rooms with the participation and support of 5 to 6 current top popular artists will bring the touch that will make this project a total success beyond any expectation.
  
  
• Music Rooms could be introduced as followed [this is just a brief suggestion]:
  
• In Level 1 and 2, music rooms could be simple slide show presentations. The students hear a narrator or the artist himself talk about the artist’s life, carrier and dreams. Various series of photos are displayed. This keeps the student entertained and motivates him/her to learn more, and come back for next chapter… All adolescents and adults love gossip about their artists. We should take advantage of this… kind of bait!
  
• As students learn more vocabulary, the Artists rooms can start being populated with Musical Games in which the Game Tasks are extracts of a song or songs. Artists could also participate by writing special short songs using the known vocabulary so that we can offer these games as early as possible…
  
• As students develop their reading abilities; the Artists rooms become populated with Reading Rooms presenting articles written about the Artists, interviews or web pages…
  
  --> We could also offer Sound Editing Training Rooms, Introduction to MIDI and other type of "sound related" training rooms in the Music Rooms sections…

Computer Training Rooms:

• Book 1 includes a few Computer Training Rooms. As you will see, the Rooms are very brief and simple. They don’t require the student to read or write. They don’t use technical jargon or complicated references. But they are very efficient!
  
  
• We suggest we use the current rooms as models to create other training rooms such as:
• Installing Video Cards
• Installing Sound Cards
• Installing Network Cards
• Connecting USB components.
• Networking Computers
• Connecting computers to the Internet
• Free services on the Internet
• E-Mail
• Web Hosting
• Downloads
• Etc

Real Life and Country Specific Rooms:

• These two activity areas should be hosting training rooms and extra-curricular educative rooms. The rooms should be designed to inform students and at the same time capture their interest and attention, so they feel like returning and learning more and more…
  
  
• These areas are used to inform students and train them to face real life situations, such as Mobile Phone Address Book, Text Messages, Driver License Application, and other government forms… We suggest the implementation of training rooms that would include:

• Mobile Phone: Phone Book
• Mobile Phone: Setting Alarm
• Mobile Phone: Writing text
• Mobile Phone: Sending/Receiving Text Message
• Government forms: Driver License
• Government forms: Car registration
• Government forms: Passport Application
• Bank Forms: Opening a bank account
  
  
• These areas should also be used to expose students to real life regional traditions and ways of life. We have often been amazed to see how disconnected many young adults are with their own nature and culture.
  
  
• We suggest the implementation of Social and Cultural rooms. These Rooms could be introduced as followed [this is just a brief suggestion]:
  

• In Level 1 and 2, these rooms could be simple slide show presentations. The students hear a narrator talking about the various steps to grow and harvest each type of vegetables cultivated in your country. Lots of pictures with close up are used to show the various steps of growth. These rooms could include live interviews of local farmers.
  
• As students learn more vocabulary, the rooms can start being populated with small stories and/or social facts. This will help bridging an oral culture with today’s modern world.
  
• As students develop their reading abilities; the rooms become populated with Reading sections presenting articles, statistics, numbers, revenue charts, interviews and web pages…
  

• Following the same concept, we could offer reading rooms that present various geographical and historical facts… The idea is to entertain, motivate, inspire, and educate the students, and – most importantly – get them hooked enough to come back to the book over and over!

The same must be done for the book 2 to 4…

We want the story to keep the students motivated to continue. They must have the urge to find out badly what comes next! Like in a great TV series or a soap opera! This is only a draft. The story might need some editing. This is only the base line… This story is based in Jamaica but can easily be adapted to any other country.

The Main characters: [All characters and Names are fictitious, except for Ron Muschette!]

1. Dan, a young man, 22-years old.  He has 2 brothers (13 and 23) and 1 sister (17). His father lives in Canada. His mother lives in Whitehouse. [We need some suggestions for First names].
   
   Dan lives with his two brothers in a small house in White House, Westmoreland. He works in an Auto part shop. He has an old Lada that he fixed himself. He is a very good mechanic. He learned by himself. He got his car from his uncle who lives in Bluefields. He bought parts at a very good discount at the shop where he works.
   
   Dan drives to work every morning and drops his little brother at the Basic School. His older brother works in Negril in a hotel.
   
   
2. Pat, a young woman, 21 years old. She has 2 sisters (14, 25) and no brother. Pat lives in Black River, St Elizabeth. She got a few jobs here and there since she left high school, but nothing exciting.
   
   Pat started a computer course at Heart 3 months ago. She works at the Phone Company for now doing some secretarial work.
   
   
3. Ron Muschette. He is the famous DJ from Irie FM.
   
   
4. Two or three top Jamaican artists.

Illustrations:

The story will be presented in the form of a Digital Story. It includes Live recording from the “Ron Muschette Show” and dialogs… We would include a lot of real life photos:

1. Photos from Black River to Ocho Rios
2. Photos of shops and streets
3. Photos of Ocho Rios
4. Photos of Irie FM studio

The Story: [draft 1 –  about 560 unique words]

One morning of April, as Pat was just waking up, she heard her older sister, Nadine, singing in the kitchen. She was preparing the breakfast while listening to Irie FM: “Good Morning Jah People…” was saying Ron Muschette. “Big up to all the people in Black River from Daddy…”

“You heard that? Pat!” shouted Nadine. Nadine was all joyful, cleaning a dozen of ackee she had collected earlier in the backyard.

Pat got up and started to get ready for work. Ron Muschette was talking about the 7 top reasons why Jamaicans love to be up very early. But this day, Ron had a surprise gift for the first person to call the station and say what is the number one reason why Jamaican loves to be up early. “Wake Up and Live!” was singing Bob Marley in the background.

• If you call me now with the right answer, you will be my guest of honor here at Irie FM studios, early next Monday morning, at 6 am, and you will meet in person Artist1, Artist2 and Artist3,” was announcing Ron.
• I know why, said Pat to her sister as she entered into the kitchen.

The invitation included 2 nights in an Ocho Rios’ Guesthouse, a special dinner with the artists and Ron, and 5,000 dollars for expenses. Her sister teased her so much that Pat gave up and called the station. She was a bit nervous. She had never called a radio station before.

• We have Pat on the line, from Black River. Hello Pat, how are you? asked Ron on the air.
• Not too bad, answered Pat timidly.
• Pat, tell us, what is the number one reason why Jamaican love to be up early in the morning?

Pat was so sure about her answer, that she recovered all her confidence and said lively: “Because dem love to spend a night at a good show!” [I need help with Patois]

• The show was so good man! Me a tell you! Replied Ron laughing. “Jah Roots”, Ron’s favorite rooster was singing victory!

Pat had won! She just couldn’t believe it!

“True, true” was saying Dan in his car. He was just dropping his little brother at Ferris Cross, on his way to work. “’Member Jimmy Cliff Show?” he asked his older brother.

Pat was so excited! A trip to Ocho Rios! A special dinner with her 3 favorites artists! 5000 dollars to spend! She was feeling too high to work! But she had to focus and get things organized. She requested 3 days off for the next week and asked her cousin Jeffrey to check her little Toyota.

She had to be in Ocho Rios on Monday morning at 6 AM. So she decided to leave on Sunday, after breakfast. She hardly could sleep the night before and was the first one up on Sunday. She cooked some corn meal porridge and cleaned up the kitchen. Then, after breakfast, she got herself ready and started her journey. She was looking forward to visit the North Coast: MoBay, Falmouth, Discovery Bay, Dunns Falls and Ocho. Her longest journey ever by herself!

She was feeling very happy and free driving along the precious Jamaican South Coast with its colorful Caribbean Sea. She crossed White House and then Belmont where she got delayed for a few minutes by a beach party. The Galaxy Sound System was blasting the latest I Wayne’s song. Just after Mernswille, she felt that something was wrong with her car. And when she entered Red Gate, her car just died.

Dan was reasoning with 2 of his friends at the welding shop when he sees Pat’s car stopping in front of him, and Pat coming out. “Pat! Is that you?” he asked in surprise.

Pat and Dan used to be good friends 6 years ago when they both lived in Whitehouse. They went to the same school and spent a lot of time after school chatting and dreaming. Pat told him the whole story about her trip to Ocho. “I remember now! That was you calling?” asked Dan.

Dan quickly looked at her car and easily found out what was wrong. After 10 minutes, her car was ready to go. “You should be able to reach but then, I am not sure about coming back! You must get a new part and fix it good first,” he told her finally.

Pat was so disappointed. She was looking forward to the trip, but now her car was unsafe. Maybe Dan could join her and help her with the car in Ocho on Monday? It did not take Dan too long to get ready and they were back on the road in no time.

They crossed the beautiful hills of Westmoreland and Hanover without any problem and reached Montego Bay by noon. The day was sunny and the bay was just majestic. Pat and Dan were chatting all the way. It had been a long time since they last had seen each other. Dan was speaking about his dream of getting a good job as a driver for a good company and Pat was talking about her computer career and her dreams of a nice house and a better car.

They reached Ocho Rios in mid afternoon and found the Guesthouse easily. The lady at Irie FM had given her very good directions. Everything was ready. They spent the rest of the evening contemplating the North Sea. And after dinner, they sat down for two hours on the veranda under the full moon. It all felt like magic!

Pat was the first one to wake up on Monday morning. It was just before 5 AM. She run to the bathroom and spent 10 minutes under the hot shower! She was feeling so good! Dan was up too. He had found the coffeemaker and had prepared some coffee. He jumped to the shower and got himself ready so fast that his coffee was still too hot to drink when he got out.

They reached the station by 5:45. It was all so quiet and peaceful outside! Ron Muschette was there too, and with him were Artist1, Artist2, and Artist3. Pat and Dan were suddenly speechless.

• Good Morning Jah People! Today is Monday Morning! How are you Jamaica?” was saying Ron lively. “Today in the studio we have our special guest from last week, Pat from Black River, and Dan from Red Gate Westmoreland… Pat tell us again, what is the number one reason why Jamaican people love to be up early?
• Because dem love to spend a night at a good show! Said Pat laughing!
• Yeah Man! A show was sooo good! And here are also with us Artist1, Artist2, and Artist3 straight from Landillo and the Western Consciousness Show. How was the show?
•  The show was so good ma! Me a tell you! Replied Artist1 laughing loudly.

The Morning Show was a success. Pat and Dan were having the best time of their life! They met Elise Kelly just before her show. Elise said that she would be joining them this evening. Ron dropped them at the guesthouse by 11:00. He would come back by 6:00 this evening to pick them up for the special dinner party.

Pat and Dan spent most of the day exploring Ocho Rios and treating themselves with the 5000 dollars that Pat received at the station for her personal expenses. Dan also bought the auto part and fixed Pat’s car nicely.

By 6:00 Ron was at their door. He was holding a lovely bouquet of flowers that he offered to Pat. Pat received it trembling! She had never seen so many beautiful flowers! When they arrived at the restaurant, the place was upside down. Artist1, Artist2, Artist3 and Elise Kelly were surrounded by patrons. They all welcomed Pat and Dan as if they were all one big family. No one realized yet that this night was going to be an incredible one for Dan. This will be the night when his dream comes true.

They settled down at a large table and spend hours eating a succulent Jamaican dinner and chatting and laughing. Everyone wanted to know about the two special guests, Dan and Pat, and about Artist1, Artist2, and Artist3. Ron started to chat about Whitehouse and Westmoreland. He said a few stories of his youth that got every one laughing with tears in their eyes and pain in their belly for a good 10 minutes. He even knew the shop where Dan works.

• So Dan, what are your plans for the future? Would you like to have your own auto part shop? Asked Ron Mushette.
• No Sir! Answered Dan. I am a very good driver and I can take care of cars very well.
• True! True! Said Pat.
• I want to find a good job as a driver for a good company, continued Dan.
• Yo! Interrupted Artist1. I was just telling Artist2 that I am looking for a new driver. Mine just left for Canada and I don’t know if he is ever going to come back! Him sey him like it cold! Do you want to give it a try?

Dan’s mouth was so wild open that Pat had to push it closed after a moment. He was like frozen in astonishment.

• So what do you say, Dan? Would you like to be my driver? Asked Artist1 again with a large smile on his face.
• Yes Sir! Exclaimed Dan after Pat leaked him in his back with her flat hand!

By midnight, Artist1 dropped them at the guesthouse. The moon was shinning bright over the North Coast. This was indeed a moment in Paradise.

• Dan, I will see you in my house on Saturday afternoon. You have my number. Call me if you have any problem. You think you can find my house? Asked Artist1.
• Yes Sir, I will be there.

Artist1 gave a sweet hug to Pat. “Call me when you are in my area!” he said to Pat giving her his card with his private phone number. “Don’t give this number to anyone. Understand?” He shacked Dan’s hand and left them both stunned at the guesthouse…

Maybe we include a Level 4, 5… We have quite a nice continuation that we still need to write…

Continuation… a few ideas:

• Pat gets to see IrieFm on the Net and the use of computers in real life. She starts dreaming and as she leaves the guesthouse, on a way back home, she buys a book on Internet design with the money left from Irie. A book just for beginners… She studies at home; get to be good at it and ends up working with a few artists on the web.
• We could have Dan ending up singing too!

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