Page 36 - SafeCert Approved First Aid for Mental Health at Work (Level 3) | Trainers Manual

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35

Teaching

What are the barriers to communication and engaging adult learners?

There can be many different barriers to adult learning, Teaching
largely relating to the individual's own circumstances,
background and personality. A comparison between the
National Adult Learning Survey 2002 and previous
studies found that obstacles to learning change very little
over time. They fall into roughly three categories.

Physical barriers: These might include:

• Lack of time due to work, family, and childcare
responsibilities
• Difficulties in paying course fees and fear of losing benefits
• Disability, particularly lack of mobility
• Ill health
• Difficulties with reading and writing, English and numeracy.
Administration
Attitude barriers: These are often the hardest to overcome. They might include:

• Being nervous about going back to the classroom and concern about not being able to keep up
• Negative perceptions of schooling and scepticism about the value of learning
• Low self-esteem and lack of confidence both generally and in relation to learning
• Low aspirations and lack of role models
• Lack of trust in 'officialdom' and formal institutions or organisations
• Age, one in five non-learners thinks that they are too old to learn.

Structural barriers: These may relate to both supply (provider) and demand (learner), and include:

• Lack of transport
• Limited learning opportunities locally
• Lack of facilities and equipment
• Lack of necessary qualifications Lesson Plans
• Lack of knowledge about local learning opportunities and learning advice sources.

So what does this mean to a provider who is trying to engage adult learners and what can
providers do to overcome these barriers? What are the challenges for providers in engaging
adult learners?

Research has shown that providers who are likely to be successful are those for whom widening
participation is a genuine, long-term commitment which includes a strategic approach, sustained
investment and a properly resourced development plan. The strategy is likely to include:

• Purposeful engagement with communities
• Changes to the course design and delivery
• Seeing support for learners as an entitlement not an optional extra
• A willingness and ability to work in partnership. Handouts

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