Everyday Paperwork: Literacy Practices in the Daily Life of Unschooled and Underschooled Women in a Semiurban Community of Mexico City
Abstract This article presents findings from a recent study of the literacy practices of unschooled and underschooled women in Mexico City. While the women are considered to be barely literate in the eyes of many literacy standards, they are able to solve many of the requirements for reading and writing that appear in the course of their daily life. Through observation, collecting written and print materials, and interviewing, the author presents evidence of the different literacy practices used and shared among a small group of women in a semiurban community. She concludes that adult education and literacy classes should build upon people's existing knowledge in developing educational efforts directed towards undereducated adults.