Bett (asker) Nov 10, 2023:

sorry for my typos

Bett (asker) Nov 10, 2023:

THank you all for the great suggestions!

Oliver Simões Nov 10, 2023:

@Bett My pleasure, and thank you for clarifying. In that case, "literacy" is the way to go, IMO. This machine translation might be helpful: https://translate.google.com/?sl=pt&tl=en&text=Os alfabetiza...

Bett (asker) Nov 10, 2023:

DEar Oliver,
Thank you for your explanation.
The article does talk about people who either cannot read or write or who have had very little schooling due to living in remote areas of Brazil. They considered illiterate. The problem I am facing is how to convey the meaning of "alfabetizandos" as people who are seeking literacy and going back to school in their golden years.

Oliver Simões Nov 10, 2023:

Literacy vs. Adult Education "Adult Education" translates as "educação para adultos" and does not necessarily equate with literacy ("alfabetização"). I say this based on my experience as a teacher at the now-extinct Pima County Adult Education (Tucson, Arizona) for 5 years. They offered classes in literacy, U.S. citizenship, English as a Second Language (ESL), and computer skills. It would be odd to think that those adult students were taking "literacy" classes when most of them were already literate in their native tongues (some even had a college degree from their home countries)! Eventually, PCA merged with Pima College, which lists "Adult Basic Education" under "Adult Basic Education For College & Career (ABECC) Programs": "This [Adult Basic Education] program is geared to entry-level study and teaches basic reading, math and language skills": https://n9.cl/ibgwz

'Adult Education" is an umbrella term (see https://n9.cl/4ioj1) as opposed to "literacy", which is more specific:

literacy: the ability to read and write; competence or knowledge in a specified area. (Oxford Lang. Dictionary)
alfabetização: Ação ou resultado de alfabetizar, de ensinar a ler e escrever: a alfabetização de adultos. (Aulete)

Bett (asker) Nov 9, 2023:

Dear Holly,
Thank you for your excellent suggestions!

Bett (asker) Nov 9, 2023:

DAvid Kane,
é correta sua afirmação, mas no texto, o autor está fazendo um paralelo entre alfabetizados e alfabetizandos , ao invés de usar não alfabetizados ou analfabetos... Como já li o texto até o final, estou tentando acomodar, mas estou tendo dificuldades pois em português se usa muito (catequizandos para catecúmenos, formandos/graduandos,etc) agradeço muito suas colocações e sugestão. :)

David Kane Nov 9, 2023:

Eu entendo que alfabetizandos são pessoas ativamente estudando para poder ler, não é um sinônimo para analfabeto.

Holly Holmes Nov 9, 2023:

Adult learner Interesting question. Just a suggestion.
<p>
Here's a resource that offers some alternatives to the word "illiterate":
<p>
"Depending on the context, here are some alternatives we like to use at Literacy Works:
<p>
- Adult learners
- Students with literacy related goals
- Adults working on reading skills related to everyday tasks
- Communities impacted by educational inequity"
<p>
https://www.litworks.org/post/it-s-time-to-cancel-illiteracy...
<p>
In your case, if there is a description of the population the article addresses earlier on, you could use a longer description there, then use "adult learners" later, for example, in the passages you quote.
<p>
Especially the first excerpt, where it says, "e evidenciar os diferentes saberes..." is already suggesting that "illiterate" is too broad of a term, e.g. some may read the alphabet, some may read short passages, etc. rather than reading nothing at all.