Reading Work : Literacies in the New Workplace

by Belfiore, Mary Ellen; Defoe, Tracy A.; Folinsbee, Sue; Hunter, Judy

• ISBN13: 9780805846218
• ISBN10: 0805846212
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-01-21
• Publisher: Lawrence Erlbau

Summary

Reading Work: Literacies in the New Workplaceexplores changing understandings of literacy and its place in contemporary workplace settings. It points to new questions and dilemmas to consider in planning and teaching workplace education. By taking a social perspective on literacies in the workplace, this book challenges traditional thinking about workplace literacy as functional skills, and enables readers to see the complexity of literacy practices and their embeddedness in culture, knowledge, and action. A mixture of ethnographic studies, analysis, and personal reflections makes these ideas accessible and relevant to a wide range of readers in the fields of adult literacy and language education and helps to bridge the divide between theory and practice in the field of workplace education. Reading Work: Literacies in the New Workplacefeatures: *four distinct but related ethnographies of literacy use in contemporary workplaces; *a social practice view of literacy brought to the workplace; *collaborative research undertaken by experienced workplace educators and academics working in the areas of adult literacy and second language learning; *implications chapters for both practice and theory--presented not as a series of steps but rather as reflections by seasoned educators on shared dilemmas; and *engaging, accessible writing that encourages workplace practitioners to read, learn from, and do their own research. This book is an important resource for practicing workplace educators, trainers, and instructors; academics who teach workplace educators; unionists, policymakers, human resource managers, supervisors, or quality coordinators who believe education can make a difference and are interested in seeing maximum results from workplace learning. Visit the In-Sites Research Group Web site:http://www.nald.ca/insites/.

Author Biography

Mary Ellen Belfiore is an adult educator, writer, and researcher with a special interest in workplace language and literacies.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Acknowledgments	xiii
Introduction: Reading Work	1	(2)
Nancy Jackson
From Literacy to Literacies at Work	3	(1)
A ``Social Practice'' View	4	(3)
Rethinking the ``Literacy Crisis''	7	(1)
Being Literate in the New Workplace	8	(2)
Changing Work, Changing Meanings	10	(2)
The Book at a Glance	12	(7)
Part I: ``Literacies in Use'' in Workplace Settings
Literacies, Compliance and Certification	19	(44)
Mary Ellen Belfiore
Zowey, Zingy, Zesty: Life at Triple Z	19	(2)
Literacies in Use at Triple Z	21	(2)
The Physical Plant	23	(5)
``I Go to Jail''	28	(2)
The Workforce: ``We Don't Sing Anymore''	30	(1)
Company Initiatives	31	(2)
HACCP and Hiccups	33	(1)
Workers and HACCP	34	(3)
The Culture of Documentation: ``I Know My Job. I Know What I Have to Clean. So Why Do This Paper?''	37	(6)
A Meeting About HACCP: ``Why Are We Making So Many Mistakes?''	43	(11)
Getting the System to Work for You	54	(1)
More Gain Than Risk: Sergio's Work	55	(2)
Sergio's Notebook: ``The Details Are My Teacher''	57	(3)
Conclusion	60	(3)
Paperwork as the Lifeblood of Quality	63	(38)
Sue Folinsbee
Two Entrances, Two Perspectives	64	(2)
Texco: An Example of ``The New Workplace''	66	(1)
Texco Culture: Stated Values and Practice	67	(2)
The ISO Quality System: Understanding the Literacy Thread	69	(2)
A View From Managers	71	(1)
The Importance of Paperwork According to Managers	72	(1)
My View From the Floor	73	(1)
How Workers See the Value of Paperwork	74	(1)
Workers' Stories About Documentation	75	(1)
NCRs: Writing People Up or Writing Information Down?	75	(2)
Managers' Points of View	77	(1)
Workers' Points of View	77	(5)
R&D: ``Doing Exactly What the Paperwork Says''	82	(7)
Checklists: The New Form for Warper Set-Up	89	(5)
Workers' Notebooks	94	(5)
Conclusion---Back to the Two Doors	99	(2)
Working Life and Literacies at The Urban Hotel	101	(50)
Judy Hunter
The Organization of Corporate Service: Hierarchy and Identities	102	(3)
Literacies of Working Life	105	(2)
The View From the Top: The Quality Journey	107	(2)
The Nature of the Quality Message	109	(5)
Communicating the Message	114	(10)
The View From Below: Communication, Problem Solving and Multi-Literacies	124	(15)
Outsiders, Job Autonomy and Ownership	139	(7)
Workplace Literacy and Language Education	146	(2)
Conclusion	148	(3)
Literacies at Work in a Culture of Documentation	151	(44)
Tracy Defoe
Metalco: High-Tech Manufacturing	152	(1)
The Researcher	153	(2)
``A Bit of a Culture''	155	(8)
Welcome to Metalco	163	(5)
The Meanings of Documents and Literacies	168	(11)
Layers of Meaning	179	(10)
Conclusion	189	(6)
Part II: Reflections on Learning
Workplace Learning and Literacies in Practice	195	(26)
Mary Ellen Belfiore
Sue Folinsbee
Training in Practice	197	(2)
Triple Z and HACCP Training: Mary Ellen's Story	199	(9)
Texco's Orientation to ISO: Sue's Story	208	(11)
Conclusion	219	(2)
Implications for Practice	221	(20)
Tracy Defoe
Sue Folinsbee
Mary Ellen Belfiore
What Do We Mean By ``Practice''?	222	(2)
Issues, Insights and Implications	224	(14)
Building the Bridge Through Communicating in Print	238	(3)
Implications for Theory	241	(20)
Judy Hunter
What Do We Mean By ``Theory''?	241	(1)
What Are Literacy Theories About?	242	(2)
Where Do Social Practice Theories Come From?	244	(1)
Social Practice Theory Versus Cognitive Skills Theory	245	(2)
How Literacy Relates to Social Practice	247	(5)
What Are the Concepts of ``Context'' and ``Discourse''?	252	(4)
How Are Literacies Learned in Social Practice?	256	(2)
Social Literacies and Cognitive Skills in the In-Sites Research	258	(2)
What Can Practitioners Make of Social Practice Theories About Literacy?	260	(1)
Conversation on Collaborative Research	261	(16)
Signing On	262	(1)
Discovering Ethnography and a Social Theory of Literacy	263	(4)
Collaborating Across Different Worlds	267	(4)
Workplace Educators as Researchers: Joys and Dilemmas	271	(6)
Appendix: Notes on Ethnography as Research Method	277	(14)
Nancy Jackson
Getting Focused	278	(1)
Reading Other Writers	279	(1)
Gathering Data	279	(6)
Analyzing Data	285	(6)
About the Authors	291	(2)
References	293	(6)
Index	299