Strategies to maintain literacy learners in the literacy process: an exploratory study

The current research was conducted with the aim of identifying the ways to maintain literacy learners in the literacy process. In this research, a mixed-methods approach was used in such a way that qualitative data was first collected using a qualitative approach and group and individual interviews. Then, the quantitative steps of the research were carried out using the descriptive method and exploratory factor analysis. The participants in the group interview included literacy experts of Hamedān province's general office of education, and in the individual interviews, the participants consisted of 18 people who were successful in literacy and 5 dropouts. In the quantitative part, the data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire on the methods of attracting and maintaining literacy learners, and the research population of this questionnaire included 230 literacy experts and educators who were selected by total counting. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis method and quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-sample t-test and exploratory factor analysis. Findings showed that by combining the results of quantitative and qualitative stages, it is possible to present the operational ways to attract and maintain literacy students through changing the ways of identifying and attracting them, reforming the formal structure of literacy, strengthening the role of literacy students, diversifying the methods of providing education, strengthening learning materials and resources, and reviewing the methods of attracting educators.