Words into action

Words into action Year level: Upper secondary Learning outcome Students will learn how the lives of women in rural East Timor have been improved through literacy education. Brainstorm a list of activities for which you need to be able to read and/or write . Write a short description of what life would be like if you could not do these things. Read the case study Words into action Describe what life might have been like for the women featured in Words into action before the literacy program. You could use the following key words: isolation, exclusion, gender differences, poverty, human rights, health, and education Create a web map of factors necessary to develop the ability to read and write. Annotate the web map to show the factors not experienced by the women before the literacy program and the changes made by the program. Discuss the following questions What factors contributed to the women featured in Words into action being unable to read and write? Why would resources to educate women in their own language be limited? Why would resources be used to educate children before women? How did the literacy program featured in Words into action address the factors preventing women being able to read and write? How might the women who have begun to learn to read and write be better able to benefit themselves, their families, communities and countries? Why is education important? Research and develop a short presentation in small groups (this may be a report, PowerPoint, role-play, etc) about how literacy can optimise development and health at particular times in women’s lives.   Assessment task Create a table listing key elements of the literacy program in the left column. In the right column, write a short statement evaluating the sustainability of the element (for example, appropriate to the needs of the people, community involvement and participation). Use the information in the table to draw conclusions about the likely effectiveness of the literacy program.