Motivation and persistence: engaging all relevant target groups in basic skills learning
The European Basic Skills Network (EBSN) will hold a two-day online discussion from Thursday, June 14th at 12:00 (CET) to 17:00 (CET) on Friday, June 15th on how to engage relevant target groups in basic skills learning.
The Upskilling Pathways Initiative focuses strongly on the need to raise the level of functional literacy, numeracy and digital competence among low-qualified European adults. Experience from recent years, however, shows that it is often difficult to attract this target group to learning provision.
The discussion will address the following questions:
- What are the success factors for national policies that aim to make a real impact on all target groups in need, both in terms of initial outreach and in terms of ensuring the persistence of learners in a continued learning process?
- Do you know of any examples, in your own country or beyond, of successful programs for basic skills provision that engage learners within especially vulnerable target groups?
- How can we ensure at policy level that basic skills provision is attractive, flexible, relevant, motivating, rewarding and leads to concrete and tangible results for the learners?
We look forward to reading your answers and discussing them with you and other colleagues. In preparation for the discussion we recommend that you check these blog articles, reports and resources already published on EPALE:
- On working for (and with) vulnerable target groups, by Zvonka Pangerc Pahernik, Slovenian Institute for Adult Education
- How can we motivate adults to engage in literacy and numeracy learning?, David Mallows and Jennifer Litster September 2016. UK government’s Foresight Future of Skills and Lifelong Learning project
- ‘Einstieg Deutsch’ - blended language learning for refugees, Alema Ljumanovic-Hück and Claudia Zanker, German Adult Education Association, DVV.
- Language Learning for. Migrants through Apps, Celia Sokolowsky, German Adult Education Association, DVV
- Motivating adult learners to persist, National Research Council. 2012. Improving Adult Literacy Instruction: Supporting Learning and Motivation. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
The discussion will run from 12.00 (CET) on Thursday, June 14th to 17.00 (CET) on Friday, June 15th, and will be moderated by EBSN Secretary General Graciela Sbertoli.
