The setting 61

The setting describes the type of accommodation and the facilities available for the literacy students and teacher. In all the locations, the teachers had access to a copy machine. If there were computers available these were connected to a network from which the required literacy programs could be downloaded for classroom use. The availability of other facilities such as CD-players or a television for viewing videos varied.

Class 1

The Class 1 literacy classroom was situated in a container-constructed building located in the northern district of a large city in the north-central part of the country. The building housed a number of vocational MBO37

programs and DSL courses each along with their supporting administration. Most of the students attending the DSL courses lived in the immediate

37 MBO is the abbreviation for Middelbaar Beroepsonderwijs (Secondary Vocational Education) for students 16-19 years old.

surroundings. The literacy classroom, located on the second floor, was a relatively large room equipped with a few computers, a television for videos, a CD-player, a whiteboard, and a well-stocked storage cabinet with educational materials. The tables, usually arranged in groups of four, filled the room. The students had their break in a small canteen located on the ground floor. The teachers had a small, separate staff room, which also functioned as a canteen.

Class 2

The Class 2 literacy classroom was located in a sizeable, renovated historic building at the edge of the center of a moderately large city in the western part of the country. The building housed all the intensive (twelve hours or more a week) DSL courses along with the supporting administration. Most of the students attending classes on this location lived in or near the city. The literacy classroom was located on the top floor just under the roof. The tables, placed together forming one long rectangle, filled the room. A television for video viewing was placed on a table in a corner of the room. On another table in the corner, was a CD-player with a small storage cabinet for students’ workbooks. A small whiteboard hung on the wall near a doorway leading to an adjacent classroom. On the second floor of the building was a large OLC (open learning center). The students had their break in a sizable canteen on the ground floor along with all the other students and teachers. The teachers also had a large, separate staff room, equipped with computers and an extensive collection of educational materials.

Class 3

The Class 3 literacy classroom was in a large, modern school building on the west side of a town located in the southern part of the country. The building housed MBO departments and DSL courses along with the supporting administration. The school had a strong regional function servicing the city and surrounding towns. The literacy classroom was located on the second floor of the west wing. The classroom, with individual tables set in a square, was large and equipped with computers, television, CD-player, whiteboard, and two well-stocked storage cabinets with educational materials. On the first floor was also a large OLC. The students had their break in a spacious canteen on the ground floor along with MBO students. The teachers had a large, modern staff room, which was also equipped for lunch and coffee breaks.

Class 4

The Class 4 literacy classroom was located in a former monastery at the edge of a town near the eastern border. The building had a regional function and housed DSL courses along with the supporting administration on the ground floor. The students attending DSL courses came from the city and the surrounding towns. The classroom, with isosceles trapezoid formed tables set in a circle, was spacious and equipped with a minimum of educational attributes such as a whiteboard, bulletin board, and CD-player. A television for viewing videos was available on request and computers were nearby in the OLC across the hallway. The students had their break in a small canteen. The teachers had a separate room for their coffee and lunch breaks. In addition, there was also a large, separate staff room, equipped with computers and an extensive collection of educational materials.

Class 5

The Class 5 literacy classroom was located in an old, worn-out community center in a southeastern district of a city in the western part of the country. The community center, next to housing a day-care center, also organized various activities for residents living in the immediate vicinity. The students in the literacy class lived in the vicinity of the community center. The classroom was equipped with a large blackboard and small bulletin board. A CD-player and a television were available on request. The tables, placed together forming one long rectangle, filled most of the room. In an adjacent walk-in closet a small selection of educational materials was kept. No computers were available for student or teacher use. There was no administrative staff present for educational assistance. There was a canteen for all the users of the community center. Both the teacher and the students had their break together in the canteen.

Class 6

The Class 6 literacy classroom was situated in a large community center adjacent to a small shopping center located on the west side of a small town in the geographical center of the country. A majority of the students lived within walking distance. The community center accommodated various activities, including a day-care center and the office for the district community workers. The large classroom was equipped with a small whiteboard, a bulletin board, and several storage cabinets with educational materials. A CD-player and a television were also available on request. The small individual tables were placed in a square, leaving ample room for movement and group work. No computers were available for student or teacher use nor was there any administrative staff present for educational

assistance. There was a large canteen, but the students and the teacher took the break together in the classroom.

4.2 The curriculum