introduction to orality, pt. 1 ion 2012 grant lovejoy

Introduction to Orality, Pt. 1Introduction to Orality, Pt. 1ION 2012ION 2012

Grant LovejoyGrant Lovejoy

The Nature and Extent of Orality

“Orality” Defined

• "a reliance on spoken, rather than written, "a reliance on spoken, rather than written, language for communication.“language for communication.“

• ““The collection of characteristics (cognitive, The collection of characteristics (cognitive, communicational, and relational) that are typical communicational, and relational) that are typical of cultures that function orally." of cultures that function orally."

““Orality” DescribedOrality” Described

• A positive term focusing on what people can do to communicate in beautiful, sophisticated, and powerful ways.

• An alternative to negative, even pejorative terms (“illiterate,” “non-literate”) that focus on what people cannot do

The Scope of OralityThe Scope of Orality

Scope of OralityScope of Orality

• Primary oral communicators– No written language– Little or no familiarity with reading

and writing

Scope of OralityScope of Orality

• TraditionalTraditional oral communicators oral communicators

– Know that reading and writing existKnow that reading and writing exist

– Often have low literacy skillsOften have low literacy skills

– May be oral May be oral by preferenceby preference even if they even if they are fully literateare fully literate

– Live by oral meansLive by oral means

Scope of OralityScope of Orality

• Secondary Secondary OralityOrality

– Depends on literate creators and Depends on literate creators and electronic mediaelectronic media

• Television, movies, videos Television, movies, videos • RadioRadio• Recorded musicRecorded music

– May include people with widely varying May include people with widely varying literacy skillsliteracy skills

Oral Communicator

Illiterate

Oral Communicator

FunctionalIlliterate

Oral Communicator

Semi-Illiterate

Oral/Literate Communicator

Literate

Literate Communicator

HighlyLiterate

STORYSTORY

DIALOGDIALOG

NOexplanation

NOexplanation

SOMEexplanation

STORYwith

explanation

orexplanation

NOSTORY

orSTORIES

with asmuch

explanationas needed

NOexplanation

LITTLEexplanation

MODERATEexplanation

explanationIN

DIALOG

Oral/Literate Communicator

Post-Literate

ExplanationExplanationLimited

explanationIN

DIALOG

asmuch

explanation

as desired

or interestcalls for

STORYWith

explanation

orexplanation

How People Learn and the Use of ExplanationA Learning Grid

Estimating the Extent of OralityEstimating the Extent of Orality

Estimating the Extent of OralityEstimating the Extent of Orality

• Literacy statistics are a starting point for Literacy statistics are a starting point for estimating the extent of orality; virtually all non-estimating the extent of orality; virtually all non-readers are oral.readers are oral.

• But orality is But orality is much largermuch larger than illiteracy than illiteracy

Estimating the Extent of OralityEstimating the Extent of Orality

• National literacy figures are not to be accepted National literacy figures are not to be accepted at face valueat face value

– Because of the way “literacy” is definedBecause of the way “literacy” is defined

– Because of the way the data is gatheredBecause of the way the data is gathered

– Because of the way the data is presentedBecause of the way the data is presented

Challenges in Defining LiteracyChallenges in Defining Literacy

Challenges in Defining LiteracyChallenges in Defining Literacy

1. Literacy is not a skill you simply have or don’t have.1. Literacy is not a skill you simply have or don’t have.

Measuring literacy is not just a matter of Measuring literacy is not just a matter of saying who can read and who cannot. Literacy saying who can read and who cannot. Literacy skills are needed at many different levels, from skills are needed at many different levels, from

writing one’s name on a form, to writing one’s name on a form, to understanding instructions on a medicine understanding instructions on a medicine bottle, to the ability to learn from reading bottle, to the ability to learn from reading

books. books.

“

”- UNESCO

Challenges in Defining LiteracyChallenges in Defining Literacy

2. Every country decides for itself how to define and measure literacy.

• Iran considers all students, including those in the first year of primary school or in literacy classes, to be literate.

• Macedonia considers as literate each person who has completed more than three grades of primary school.

““Literate” Is Not EnoughLiterate” Is Not Enough

• UNESCO’s Standard-Setting Instruments describes as functionally literate any person “who can engage in all those activities in which literacy is required for effective functioning of his group and community and also for enabling him to continue to use reading, writing and calculation for his own and the community’s development.”

Challenges in Measuring LiteracyChallenges in Measuring Literacy

1. Getting beyond yes/no approaches to literacy 1. Getting beyond yes/no approaches to literacy is hard.is hard.

– It takes professionals with expertise in literacyIt takes professionals with expertise in literacy

– It takes time and moneyIt takes time and money

– It takes a political willingness to face realityIt takes a political willingness to face reality

Challenges in Measuring LiteracyChallenges in Measuring Literacy

2.2. Most countries estimate literacy based on Most countries estimate literacy based on years of education. This does not account foryears of education. This does not account for

– Low-quality schoolsLow-quality schools

– Learning disabilitiesLearning disabilities

– Spotty attendanceSpotty attendance

– Social promotionsSocial promotions

– Reversion to functional illiteracyReversion to functional illiteracy

Challenges in Measuring LiteracyChallenges in Measuring Literacy

3. Literacy figures are a matter of national pride, 3. Literacy figures are a matter of national pride, so governments may use methods of measuring so governments may use methods of measuring that boost reported literacy rates.that boost reported literacy rates.

Challenges in Measuring LiteracyChallenges in Measuring Literacy

4. UNESCO accepts the data that individual countries report and totals them to reach its global literacy estimates.

Challenges in Measuring LiteracyChallenges in Measuring Literacy

Result:Result:

UNESCO reported in September 2012 an UNESCO reported in September 2012 an adult global literacy rate of 84.1%.adult global literacy rate of 84.1%.

But this claim is highly questionable!But this claim is highly questionable!

What if governments actually tested their citizens’ literacy skills?

Direct Testing of Literacy Skills

• United StatesUnited States

• National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) 20032003

• 43% at Below Basic or Basic prose literacy43% at Below Basic or Basic prose literacy

Direct Testing of Literacy Skills

• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)Development (OECD)

• International Adult Literacy Surveys (IALS) International Adult Literacy Surveys (IALS) 1994-1998—22 countries1994-1998—22 countries

• Canada--46-48% at Level 1 or 2 (of 5) Canada--46-48% at Level 1 or 2 (of 5)

• Selected countries in Europe—44-55% at Level 1 or Selected countries in Europe—44-55% at Level 1 or 2 (of 5)2 (of 5)

Literacy in the WestLiteracy in the West

• Most developed countries in the West have Most developed countries in the West have claimed literacy rates of more than 97%.claimed literacy rates of more than 97%.

• But about half of all adults in the West have But about half of all adults in the West have limited literacy skills.limited literacy skills.

If this is true of these nations, with their educational systems, what about

elsewhere in the world?

Actually, it is likely that over 80% of the total world population is oral by virtue of

no or low literacy skills.

How can that be?

Literacy in the WestLiteracy in the West

Direct testing (IALS) showed that

over 60% of adults in Hungaryover 70% in Sloveniaalmost 80% in Poland and Portugalover 80% in Chile

•scored at the two lowest levels of document literacy.

Literacy in the WestLiteracy in the West

• Most countries of the world are more like Poland, Portugal, and Chile when it comes to economic development and educational achievement.

Literacy in the WestLiteracy in the West

The “less-developed” and “least-developed” countries contain 5/6th of

the world’s population.

--Population Reference Bureau, 2011

Literacy in the WestLiteracy in the West

Because 5/6 of the world’s population lives in countries with weaker economies and educational systems, it seems likely that their literacy skills are worse than the 5 weakest countries of the OECD.

Global LiteracyGlobal Literacy

• See Grant Lovejoy, “The Extent of Orality: 2012 Update” in the September 2012 Orality Journal for a detailed rationale for this estimate.

ImplicationsImplications

• What difference can it make if church planters use effective oral strategies?

Fruitful Practices Research

Source: From Seed to Fruit,

Edited by J. Dudley Woodberry

Three Communication Keys Identified

Three Communication

Keys• Use of local rather than regional language

• At least one team member fluent in the local language

• Appropriate communications strategy (oral or literate) that matches the communications preference of the people group.

It is highly likely that

over 80%of the total population worldwide

are oral communicators by virtue of limited or non-existent literacy

skills.

Lets Talk About It!Lets Talk About It!

FAQs about what this means FAQs about what this means for for missions missions and for and for ministryministry

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this emphasis on orality mean thatDoes this emphasis on orality mean that ION is against literacy, education, Bible translation, and theological education?

Frequently Asked QuestionsFrequently Asked Questions

How did this emphasis on orality come about? How did this emphasis on orality come about? What biblical support is there for it?What biblical support is there for it?

Frequently Asked Questions

•When you tell biblical stories, do you embellish them?•How do you maintain biblical accuracy as How do you maintain biblical accuracy as the story is repeated and transmitted orally?the story is repeated and transmitted orally?

Frequently Asked Questions

•How do you teach the epistles and other non-narrative parts of the Bible?

Frequently Asked Questions

•What do people mean when they talk about What do people mean when they talk about an “oral Bible”an “oral Bible”?

Frequently Asked Questions

•Is orality and Bible storying, etc. being Is orality and Bible storying, etc. being taught in any seminaries?taught in any seminaries?•Is it being used in any churches in the s in the United States?United States?

Frequently Asked Questions

•So if we have someone read our print So if we have someone read our print materials into audio form, does that make materials into audio form, does that make them oral and meet the needs of oral them oral and meet the needs of oral listeners?listeners?

Frequently Asked Questions

• What implications does all of this have for What implications does all of this have for preaching in established churches?preaching in established churches?•Are you implying that expository preaching is wrong?

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any conferences, books, videos, Are there any conferences, books, videos, websites, and the like where we can learn websites, and the like where we can learn more about these topics?more about these topics?

Frequently Asked Questions

•What is “worldview” and why do some people in ION talk so much about it?

And that isjust the beginning!

The rest of the

2012 ION Conferencedevelops these topics more fully.

Now it is your turn.Now it is your turn.What questions do you have?What questions do you have?

Contact Info:Contact Info:

Grant Lovejoy = glovejoy@imb.orgGrant Lovejoy = glovejoy@imb.org

Brian Burns = bburns@imb.orgBrian Burns = bburns@imb.org