We Love Reading founder Prof. Rana Dajani has participated in the Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces UNESCO conference.
Prof. Dajani Founder of We Love Reading and UNESCO Jury for International Literacy Prizes was the moderator in the Adapting Learning Spaces for All session during the event.
Literacy learning spaces are transforming, and learning is increasingly occurring beyond traditional ‘school-classroom’ spaces such as at the workplace, community, family, and virtually, to name a few non-formal and informal spaces. The characteristics of youth and adult learners, and their evolving needs for literacy learning such as flexibility, proximity, ease of access, and link with the labor market are guiding factors for the transformation of literacy learning spaces. Against this backdrop, in this session panelist has discussed how literacy learning spaces and their transformation in family, community, workplace, digital, and more can be adapted for the most vulnerable populations based on their gender, geographical location, disabilities, ethnicity, and language diversity.
Other than Prof. Dajani the main speakers at the event were H.E. Nasseneba Touré Diané Minister of Women, Family and Children Côte d’Ivoire, Ms. Diane Richler Former chair of International Disability Alliance, Ms. Rola Naeb Expert for Literacy and Second Language Learning for the Linguistic Integration of Adult Migrants (LASLLIAM), Mr. Marco Martinez President of the Kumoontun Association.
Prof. Rana Dajani with Minister of education Kenya
H.E. Nasseneba Touré Diané said: “In order to cope with digitalization they have created partnerships with mobile companies to provide courses not only for reading and writing but also for Management, accountancy, and other topics.”
Ms. Diane Richler said: “we need to make sure that people with different disabilities are not excluded in the new learning system, and we should be adapting teaching styles that recognize that people learn differently.”
Ms. Rola Naeb said: “Literacy now isn’t only about reading and writing, Literacy now is about being able to operate in a digital world. Digital literacy should be an essential element of the learning spaces.”
Mr. Marco Martinez talked about the app they are developing to help people in Mexico learn different languages, to overcome the language barrier, he said:” In Mexico we feel that local languages only spoken at home but it should be spoken on youtube, and other social media platforms.”
In the end, Prof. Dajani concluded by saying: “We need to adapt and integrate with everyone we know and that means we need to redesign we need to shed all the old frameworks and be creative to create a new one we need to be bold and courageous and this can happen with trust if we all trust each other, At the end todays learner are tomorrow leaders”
Prof. Rana Dajani with Minister of education Corte Di voire
Since 1967, International Literacy Day (ILD) celebrations have taken place annually around the world to remind the public of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights, and to advance the literacy agenda toward a more literate and sustainable society. Despite progress made, literacy challenges persist with 771 million illiterate people around the world, most of whom are women, who still lack basic reading and writing skills and are faced with increased vulnerability.
Rapidly changing global context took a new meaning over the past years, hampering the progress of global literacy efforts. In the aftermath of the pandemic, nearly 24 million learners might never return to formal education, out of which, 11 million are projected to be girls and young women around the world. To ensure no one is left behind, there is a big need to enrich and transform the existing learning spaces through an integrated approach and enable literacy learning from the perspective of lifelong learning.
