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Women, Literacy and Development

Grade Level

 9-12

Introduction

 There are nearly one billion people in the world who are illiterate, one-fifth of the world's population. In spite of the fact that most development agencies identify women's literacy as the single most important factor in development, one out of every three women in the world cannot read and write. Illiteracy is not confined to adults; in 1986, 105 million children between the ages of 6 and 11 were not in school. This activity explores several aspects of the issue of global literacy: the gender gap; personal stories of people affected by illiteracy; and programs that work.

Teacher/Student
Objective

 The major goal of this activity is to assist students in understanding that women's literacy is an important factor in development in any society.

Gauging Student
Understanding

 The progress indicators cited reflect desirable end goals. Teachers should be prepared to use a wide variety of observational, testing and authentic achievement evaluation measures in judging the progress of students.


Through the examination of some major statements about literacy, and the role of women around the world in relation to it, students will reveal their ability to analyze statements and establish at least three hypotheses as a basis for further research.

Materials

Initial Data for
Consideration
and/or Process

 Review with your students some basic facts of world literacy:

  • There are nearly one billion illiterate people in the world, one-fifth of the world's population.

  • During the 1980s, public expenditures on education as a percentage of GNP declined in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia.

  • As a global issue, fighting illiteracy is often given a lower priority than disease, war, or famine, which are more dramatic.

  • Literacy, particularly the literacy of women, is valued as the most important factor in development.

Distribute the Handout Women's Illiteracy: Investing in the Future.

Read and discuss the statements on the handout, asking the students to make conclusions about the importance of women's literacy to their families, their communities and their nation. List on the chalkboard all of the things that a literate woman in a rural village could not do for herself if she could not read and write or do simple calculations. Discuss whether or not the students agree with the Zapotec Indian woman who said that she would educate women more than men.

Have students conduct research in the library and on the Internet to test the hypotheses they formulated in the first direction.

Other Possible
Activities

 Attaining literacy is a major problem confronting all societies as they develop. Have students investigate the history of literacy in the United States, making note of the major advances, and charting out the statistical evidence of that growth. Special emphasis might also be given to the growth of literacy among American women.




Adapted from "Literacy and Development," in Global Issues for the 90s. Denver: Center for Teaching International Relations, University of Denver, 1993. pp 141-147