Perspectives of Literacy in the Senior Adult Years

Literacy proficiency of older adults

“…Qualitative interviews among older adults with low literacy scores allow for deeper insights into this issue, and offer the potential to reveal better strategies. It should be noted that some researchers such as Kasworm and Medina (1989) objected to this approach by criticising the current concept of literacy from a life span perspective. ''Literacy is perhaps a far too narrow construct to consider the broader research-related concern of current and future self-reliance, self-sufficiency, and interdependence of older adults.…”

Major Streams of Research Probing Older Adult Learning

“…Those who described themselves as readers used literacy for expressive purposes, and those who described themselves as nonreaders re g a rded reading as useful mainly for instrumental purposes. Kasworm and Medina (1989) linked the viability of literacy in the senior years with a person' s frame of re f e rence, social context, self-education activities, and life context.…”

Le modele de l'acquisition des competences et la formation des personnes agees

“…On sait, par exemple, qu'il a jusqu'~ maintenant 6t6 impossible de penser de fagon globale la formation de base pour les personnes ~g6es, parce que ces personnes ne d6sirent habituellement pas de dipl6mes et que leur engagement dans des activit6s de formation demeure la plupart du temps ponctuel; cela explique que les praticiens se soient surtout concentr6s sur l'acquisition d'habilet6s essentielles ~ la survie et h l'autonomie (Kasworm et Medina 1989). Or, meme pour les habilet6s essentielles, l'efficacite de la formation reste li6e ~t la motivation, aux sch6mes de pens6e et aux valeurs des personnes.…”