People learn in different ways. Some are faster, others are more imaginative. Some have grown up in an environment where education is emphasised. Others did not have this support. When they attend adult education seminars and courses today, they bring with them not only different skills, knowledge and experiences, but also different needs.
Adult educators are challenged to recognise and respond to them. One may take this for granted. But it is not. In Germany, for example, efforts to support people who cannot read and write properly have only increased since about 2010. In the different countries of Europe, too, there is sometimes a lack of awareness of the fact that people with different learning needs require pedagogical approaches appropriate to them. One will usually encounter Roma differently from people in the financial industry, refugees and migrants without (recognised) educational qualifications differently from the small entrepreneur next door. This requires the appropriate competence development of adult educators. Especially for those who are considered low-skilled.
This is where the project Effective Training for Adults with Low Skills and Competencies comes in. Five organisations from Romania, Italy and Germany are developing a critical research of educational materials and competence requires for those who work with people with low or no qualifications. Based on this, a curriculum for trainers and adult educators is being developed, which may offer them inspiration for educational work with these groups of citizens.
Partners
C.J.R.A.E. Vrancea – County Office for Resources and Educational Assistance Vrancea, Romania (coordinator)
AAE Asociatia Alternative Educationale Vrancea (Educational Alternatives Association), Romania
CNIPA Puglia, Italy
CSP Centro Study Pluriversum, Italy
