Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Functional Literacy Programme Using Information Technology to Accelerate Literacy process in India 27 May 2002 A Presentation to Her Excellency Mrs. Zanella Mbeki the First Lady of South Africa Chairperson of the WDB Trust

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company TCS’ Computer Based Functional Literacy Programme Departure from NLM approach Focuses on reading - IT Based teaching Makes an illiterate adult capable of reading within weeks Computers as surrogate teachers - system is independent of trained teachers Uses computer based training programs Can be run on low end PCs Uses eclectic Method k

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Writing Reading Arithematic NLM Model International Standards of 30 words/minute 9 months - 1 year Writing Reading Arithematic Reinforcement of Reading TCS Model Max 6 months words/minute 30 Learning hours in the first block Increased motivation TCS Model- Emphasis on Reading 1

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company The CBFL Approach Learning is induced by flashing symbols and icons in the local language associates sound with images cognition through image retention multi media lessons built on local idiom - puppet show Basic learning unit is not an alphabet but a syllable & word Material from National Literacy Mission Aims at making the person read a news paper

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Advantages Novelty of the medium and longer attention spans in the class Standardization of the instructional material Allows the learners to progress at their own speed Caters to different levels of learning in the same class Facilitates switching between the lessons to address the learners requirement Contextual learning

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Characteristics of Adult learners Speak the dialect of the language Emphasis on learning & reinforcement of patterns associated with spoken language Adult learning is –goal oriented –self directed –pragmatic Need to be treated with respect Need to be allowed to learn at their own speed

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Social Aspects -Our Experience Succeeds where there is a common identity of a group already established Fast learners help and motivate others Organize into Self learning groups Reinforcement by school going children and other literate family members Social barriers and divide to be borne in mind in identifying the location and cohesive groups No singling out of slow learners & enforcement of formal discipline Informal learning environment

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company National Literacy Mission Research material available Available in all major Indian languages Government has infrastructure to reach interiors of India Addresses 3Rs and uses themes to enhance social awareness Teachers in short supply Teaching programme takes long to administer – 200 hours of instruction High drop-out rate 3 Rs – slows down pace of learning

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Identifying the alphabets learnt

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Formation of words shown on the screen

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Identifying the letters from the news paper

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Identifying the letters learnt from the posters

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company I am the teacher here

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Literacy in India Data Source: 1991 & 2001 Census Reading and writing in an Indian Language Read at the rate of 30 words a minute 13.2% improvement over a decade,gets offset with population increase Over 300 Million illiterates Between 150 and 200 Million adult illiterates Literacy Rates in India

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company But, what if… An adult illiterate could learn to read in weeks… We could use IT expertise instead of scarce skilled teachers… We could enhance and accelerate the National Literacy Mission programme through IT

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Rate of progress slow – estimated years before problem is tackled! Andhra Pradesh : million illiterate adults - a tenth of the Indian illiterates

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Our Efforts in Medak & Guntur Districts Implemented in about 300 centres Approx 5,500 adults have been equipped to read Experimented with cable TV for delivery 1400 people were trained in TV centers The instructional material is improved further through our learning's from TV Teamed up with local NGO’s, NLM, Government, State Resource center, District Mandal and Panchayat bodies

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Success in Andhra Pradesh Over 90% success in operating centres Over 5,500 adults able to read after the programme Several learnt to write on their own initiative “Now I can read the Bible when I go to church…” – elderly lady student

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Success Repeated Packages are available in Tamil Hindi Under finalisation Bengali Marathi Initiated Kannada

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Some personal motivation for literacy … I did not know how to help my children in their studies … I had to seek help in getting directions to get about … now I check their reports, and refuse to sign on them if they are not doing well... … we have to sign when we accept money … sometimes we are asked to sign on a blank paper … now I read before committing anything … I can even read movie titles on TV...

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Some personal motivation for literacy Student 1: I do not know how to read (said in Hindi) … it will be good for me to read (said in Telugu) … Student 2: I am a Tamilian. I want to learn to read and write in Telugu

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Prerak (instructor) on the use of computers “I am a prerak. I have been working since ‘95.” “Computers have helped … needed individual training earlier, can teach a roomful now … classes are shorter … more people are coming … they are interested”

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Experienced student can teach! “I have learned to operate the computer … when the prerak is not here, I can run the class … it does not matter how many there are in the class … we can help ourselves …”

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Plans for Andhra Pradesh Tie-up with the State Government for roll out along with their related IT initiatives 10,000 centers to be added in several districts TCS to organize procurement of the refurbished PCs and deploy them in the centers & train the facilitators Implementation and monitoring mechanisms are being worked through a working committee under the aegis of Secretary IT

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Issues- Our Experience Power problems Equipment problems Need for monitoring progress Mobilization and motivation of learners Scaling up issues

Asia’s Largest Global Software & Services Company Thank You