Exploring Equality through Creative Methods of Learning in Adult Literacy - Findings from a Peace Funded Project

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Đào

Exploring Equality through Creative Methods of Learning in Adult Literacy presents the LEIS project’s approach to adult literacy and basic education as an equality issue. It documents how non-text, creative methodologies—such as visual arts, drama, storytelling, image theatre, and making music—were developed with cross-border partners to help tutors and adult learners explore how societal inequalities shaped lived experiences. The study frames the work within post-conflict Northern Ireland peace building and reconciliation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Understanding equality

What ideas influenced LEIS?

Exploring Equality through Creative Methods of Learning in Adult Literacy: Findings from a Peace Funded Project rob mark Introduction The Literacy and Equality in Irish Society (LEIS) Project is an example of a project which used alternative non-text methodologies to help literacy and basic education learners explore and understand how inequalities in society have impacted on their lives. The project focused on inequalities, shifting the emphasis in literacy and basic skills practice away from using printed material to encouraging learners and tutors to explore together the experience of using non-text based methods of learning. The particular focus for inspiring this new type of learning was the post-conflict situation in the North of Ireland and the need to understand how including equality issues in literacy learning might contribute to peace building and reconciliation. The project had three key strands – Literacy, Equality, and Creativity and the partnership brought together different types of expertise to research, design and develop a package of innovative text-free teaching methods that could be used to explore equality issues in adult literacy education. The LEIS Project was a European Union project funded largely under the Peace and Reconciliation Programme for Northern Ireland and Border Counties of the Republic of Ireland. The key partners were the Equality Studies Centre, University College, Dublin (UCD) and the School of Education at Queen’s University, Belfast (QUB). The project was also supported by other non-funded partners including the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) in Dublin and the Educational Guidance Service for Adults (EGSA) in Belfast. The project explored five different text-free methods and these methods were piloted with adult literacy tutors and tutor-trainers in Northern Ireland and the Border Counties of the Republic. The Project developed a Resource Guide for Adult Learners and this Guide, together with the full text of the project evalua[tion report can be found on the webpage www.leis.ac.uk](tion report can be found on the webpage www.leis.ac.uk) [What ideas influenced LEIS?](What ideas influenced LEIS?) The project held as one of its core principles the belief that adult literacy and basic education is an equality issue, and that low levels of literacy is a manifestation or symptom of inequality. This project set out to develop clearer links between the theoretical concept of equality and the practical approaches to teaching literacy. The linkages were created through the development of creative and non-text methodologies which literacy tutors could use in their practice. The methods selected were – Visual Arts, Drama, Storytelling, Image Theatre, and Making Music (Lamb, Mark, Murphy and Sorake, 2006) . A set of innovative methodologies were developed that could create spaces for the exploration of equality issues for tutors to use within adult literacy education. These methodologies were intended to empower both tutorsand learners to engage with key equality issues of relevance tothelives of literacy learners. In view of the cross-border, peace and reconciliation focus of the project, it was intended that inequalities stemming from the experience of conflict within Northern Ireland and the border counties, would be included in this engagement. In general, literacy definitions reflect the ideological perspectives of their creators as well as the social, cultural, political and economic environment of the time, making it almost impossible to find a definition that suits everybody. As society evolves, the multiple literacies required in order to make sense of our environment are constantly growing and changing. Some literacy definitions focus on a standard set of measurable generic skills while others tend tobe more rooted in the context of people’s lives. Definitions are also reflected in the services provided, with a very different kind of adult literacy education c

FAQs

What is the LEIS project and what problem does it address?

The LEIS project is an initiative that used alternative non-text methodologies to help adult literacy learners and tutors explore how social inequalities affect their lives. It treats adult literacy and basic education as an equality issue.

Which creative non-text learning methods were developed and piloted?

The project developed and piloted five text-free methods: Visual Arts, Drama, Storytelling, Image Theatre, and Making Music. These were intended for use by tutors in adult literacy education.

How does the project link literacy teaching to equality concepts?

It created clearer links between theoretical equality and practical literacy teaching by developing creative, non-text methodologies. The goal was to help tutors empower learners to engage with equality issues relevant to learners’ lives.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Đào