[NLA] building policy vision, not long today

[AWilder106@aol.com]

Hi Eileen,

Thank you very much for your reply.  I can't be lengthy as I have to shuffle 
papers.

I understand the distinction you are drawing between adult education and 
adult learning and I think it is a valuable one. Thanks for taking the time 
to explain it.   

I think the difficulty of developing a common vocabulary on the nla is partly 
due to the multiple meanings many words have.  When writers don't explain 
simply the exact meaning of what they are saying, or they don't phrase a 
sentence so the meaning is obvious without explanation, then the resulting 
post feels like a blizzard of partly understood words and concepts.  We used 
to do this all the time, now I think we list members use language more 
clearly.  Maybe I'm just getting to recongize everyone's personalized 
vocabulary and style. 

I don't think you use jargon.  

I think the difficulty goes to the heart of adult literacy teaching and 
learning,  actually, and it involves how to teach, learn, and use vocabulary 
and concepts.

An example:  "dialogue" is a common garden English word.  When Freire uses it 
the meaning changes, and then we also have "dialogic" and dialogical."  These 
signal readers that "We are now talking Freirian ideas."  Problem:  not 
everybody has read Freire or has the time. For those who haven't I'm guessing 
the effect is like running into a brick wall.

Another example:  "assumption," a garden variety English word.  But for Bion 
readers it signals a category called "basic assumptions."

There is a Canadian movement called "Plain English," and it is a swell idea.  
Some nla writers seem to use this style normally.

Thanks again for your thoughtful response.

Andrea
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