This consciousness of the group and the teachers' social practices approach to literacy are the heart of the unique curriculum at the Centre. The Centre's uniqueness is further explored using the framework of learning centred education, which includes the elements of dialogic instruction, mutuality and community. The final section of this chapter will further describe and develop the mutual work and relationships of students and teachers through a focus on dialogic instruction at the Centre.

Dialogic Instruction

The open-endedness of the learner-run goal, with its lack of prescription and formula, creates openings for a mutual learning process for teachers and students that requires constant negotiation and dialogue. Dialogic instruction at the Reading and Writing Centre is a working philosophy of the teachers as well as one of their instructional techniques. Kate and Christina take a political stance in their positions as literacy instructors. They work towards helping students become aware of blocks and barriers to learning that are related to the dominant education and literacy discourse. Intrinsic to their interactions and relationships with students, and to their teaching, is a strong sense of immanence - that each student is deserving, capable and has the right to live to their fullest potential. This manifests in their attitude of sincere respect for each student.

Dialogic inquiry permeates everything Kate and Christina do. Their main strategy is teaching leadership. In their work at helping students learn, the teachers place great emphasis on student choice and decision-making. This is an ongoing struggle because most students' selfperception and expectations of school can work against receptivity to learning leadership within an educational environment. As discussed in the literature chapter, the adult literacy student population is generally seen from a deficiency perspective and this perception is often internalized. Students see themselves as being on the bottom of the heap and expect others to define and respond to them that way as well. They are familiar with being intimidated and coerced by educators, social service workers and people of authority. They need to learn and trust the something different about the Centre. Students soon sense that it is okay to "admit" to being an adult literacy student, that there are others who share their skill levels in reading and writing and mathematics. During the interviews, most of the students expressed some feelings of relief, surprise or comfort that they were not the only ones involved in literacy learning.

Thus dialogic inquiry also becomes a way of instilling trust with and amongst the students, where they learn that their opinions, experiences and input are valued and important at the Centre. Dialogic instruction takes place when students first start at the Centre, when teachers work to engage students in dialogue about both the context and the process of their learning. During individual orientations with new students, Kate and Christina ask questions and listen attentively to the answers so that together they can make decisions about the student's program.