Teaching literacy to adults

For the past couple of months, I have been busy drafting the first of what I hope will be a series of literacy for adults teaching resources. I've taught in prisons for 8 years, and colleges before, so have some experience of teaching.

I don't claim to be an expert or specialist. Being a qualified accountant, and more recently a qualified teacher as well, I obviously started by teaching business, maths etc. However, because I'm reasonably helpful and versatile, I've also covered ESOL, Literacy, Key Skills, Cookery, Art etc.

Teaching in prison is difficult, and subject to prison regime, the usual college education provider's rules and with some of the most awkward students and situations you could imagine! Teaching resources are basic, because of security constraints. Unfortunately, many resources for teaching basic literacy are designed for younger children. Naturally, they embarass mature adults.

However, despite the challenges, the teachers do their best to enthuse students and give them a hope to achieve something worthwhile after release. The fact is more than 60% will re-offend and return to prison, and it's costly to keep them. Some estimates say £800 per week, and there's 80,000 people held in the UK prison system. How are your maths?

Students are often difficult to manage, too. Often, the students would prefer to be working in a workshop, as they get higher wages there than for attending education. Yes, they get paid for coming out of their cells! Many regard education just as a 'stepping stone' to getting better-paid workshop employment.

Many students are held back by a lack of literacy skills beyond signing their name. Most missed or got excluded from school, or had parents who didn't care. Generally they have a lack of self-esteem and have acheived nothing significant.

Therefore, when you have helped one to multiply or subtract numbers, to read a paragraph correctly, to write a story, or pass a Level 1 exam (which is actually only equilivent to an 11 year old) it can change their whole outlook!

Equally, when a student gets to understand how to calculate profit, forecast cashflow, work out a break-even point, and to put together a credible business plan, it can give them real hope for a future and to provde for their families.

When talking or writing about working in prisons, for obvious reasons we can't give any information that could jeapodise security, or use real names. Instead of using the traditional name 'Blogs' for a prisoner, I've invented and adopted another: Blagger. Blogging might be said to write or say things that may be of interest to others. Blagging is slang and may mean using speech or sometimes writing to simply get what you want. I assure you that prisoners are expert at this skill! Anyway, I've chosen the name Bert Blagger to typify the no-nonsense and street-wise prisoner who has worked hard in education, and is really trying to better himself.

If there's any interest, make a comment to contact me and I'll upload (or copy & paste if I can't work out how!) a copy of Bert Blagger: - Booklet 1: Writing.

Meanwhile, I'll crack on with Booklet 2, and amplify the rough draft I made some years ago on Punctuation!