Reflect is an approach to learning and social change. Key to the Reflect approach is creating a space where people feel comfortable to meet and discuss issues relevant to them and their lives. Reflect aims to improve the meaningful participation of people in decisions that affect their lives, through strengthening their ability to communicate. Reflect web site
Reflect was developed through innovative pilot programmes in Uganda, Bangladesh and El Salvador between 1993 and 1995. It started as a fusion of the political philosophy of Brazilian educator Paulo Freire with the practical methodologies developed for Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA). Other significant influences were the ideological approach to literacy and gender analysis.
Communication and Power
In 2003 this international resource pack
for Reflect practitioners pulled together practical ideas and experiences from people using the Reflect approach around the
world. The pack covers different elements of communication and is divided into four sections: on the written word,
the spoken word, numbers and images. A fifth section provides some examples of Reflect in action.
Communication and Power
Communication is the basis of all our relationships - at home, at work, within any community or group and beyond. Whether through reading, writing, speaking, listening, numbers, visual means, technology or the media - we need to be able to communicate so that people can know and understand our experience and perspective. Communication is not only about getting our voice heard, but also hearing and understanding others. People need to be able to deal critically with communication that they receive, and they need to actively develop, reproduce and use alternative forms of communication.
No communication is neutral - the capacity to communicate and be heard is determined by power relationships that need to be analysed. By linking communication and power we are focusing beyond the technical aspects of communication and considering the various factors which influence our ability to get our voice heard. Being unable to communicate is both a cause and effect of inequitable power relationships.
Writing the Wrongs
International Benchmarks for Adult Literacy
Illiteracy is a violation of the fundamental human right to education. But if that is not argument enough, the Global Campaign for Education believes that there are five compelling practical reasons for governments and donors to invest now in adult literacy:
- Literacy is vital to reducing gender inequality.
- Adult literacy is critical for the healthy development
and education of children, especially girls. - Literacy is vital to human and economic development.
- Literacy is vital for fighting AIDS.
- Adult literacy programmes work.
The research contained in this report by the Global Campaign for Education shows that adult literacy programmes can be both affordable and effective. This is reinforced by recent research, not least the studies commissioned by the Education For All Global Monitoring Report 2006.
The Benchmarks are the result of the largest-ever attempt to systematise experience of what works in adult literacy. 67 successful literacy programmes in 35 countries were analysed in order to see whether they shared any common features that could be simplified into concrete, hands-on benchmarks or guidelines for policy-makers. Although no one would advocate a "blueprint" approach to literacy, there was remarkable consensus among the practitioners we surveyed as to the basic ingredients for success. It turns out that we do know what works in adult literacy programmes and there is no great mystery to it. There are clear steps that can be taken to design and manage good quality, cost-effective programmes - and where this is done they can yield exceptional results.
"CALL FOR ACTION"
ABUJA 12 - 16 FEBRUARY 2007
Officially 781 million adults are illiterate in the world, most of them women. In reality, this figure is much higher - and even more adults are unable to read or write well enough to function effectively in society. Yet literacy is a fundamental human right and a right that enables people to access and secure many other rights. Committed to building new momentum on adult literacy, 60 participants from 24 countries gathered in Abuja, Nigeria from 12th-16th February 2007, including Ministers of Education, Permanent Secretaries, Directors and Managers of National Literacy Programmes, United Nations officials, donors and civil society organisations. The participants were all committed to "writing the wrongs" in the field of adult literacy - reversing decades of under-investment in the sector, and transforming policy and practice to develop effective programmes. They identified a range of important priorities for national and international action. (Download the document here Call for Action)
Evaluating Reflect
A new framework
One of the most exciting innovations in adult literacy over the last 15 years has been the development and spread of the Reflect approach, which won the UN Literacy Prize in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2008 and which is now used by over 500 organisations in 70 countries. Reflect has been successful in linking the literacy acquisition process with individual and community empowerment, strengthening the capacity of millions of people to secure their basic rights.
Reflect programmes operate in diverse contexts and approaches to evaluation have been equally diverse, making it difficult
to consolidate evidence and learning. In response, Reflect practitioners have come together to develop a new Evaluation
Framework. This unifying but adaptable mechanism will ensure that the principles of Reflect remain central, that
programme objectives and participants' expectations are being met, whilst allowing context flexibility. It will also help
practitioners provide even stronger evidence of the impact of their work and to share and compare their learning.
In 2007, 39 practitioners from Arica and Asia came together in South Africa to develop a framework draft. A review of
existing evaluations was also undertaken and a website resource centre created. Key to the project
consolidation has been a vast online discussion that took place over 6 weeks during June and July 2008. A total of 74
practitioners from 38 countries in 4 languages participated in the discussions, plus Belgium, Gambia, Ghana and
Lesotho/14 more practitioners for contributions to the final summary. There were 3 working groups: the Anglophone
with 36 practitioners, the Francophone (23) and the Portuguese/Spanish-speaking(15).
Evaluating Reflect - A New Framework 2008