I recently received a copy of the NALA publication ‘A Review of Adult Numeracy Policy and Practice in Ireland’. It was published by NALA in late 2017 and is a worthy read for any adult literacy practitioners. The publication...

I am reposting a blog I wrote in December 2015 about reflection. I think it is important that we all take time to reflect on our work, our values, the changing environment and the changing learner. In that blog I shared a...

Many students tell us that they believe they have dyslexia. It affects about 10% of the population and is a specific learning difficulty that makes it more difficult to learn to read, write and spell accurately. For learners it...

Many years ago when I did the Microteaching module on the WIT Literacy Development Higher Certificate Dr Maeve O’Grady asked us to prepare lessons that considered each domain of learning. The language made us take stock, what...

Abraham H Maslow (1908 – 1970) observed human behaviour and developed what we now call Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. As adult educators it is helpful to pause to consider the needs of learners within this context. All of us have...

Each May ‘Wear the Green Ribbon’ is promoted to get people to talk more openly about mental health. It is really important that the stigma surrounding mental health problems is challenged. Having 8 Adult Literacy Centres and...

Last September 2016 I attended a NALA event to celebrate International Literacy Day. At the event a speaker from Galway ETB gave a presentation entitled ‘Stay in your Hula Hoop’ … which was actually about managing professional...

In literacy we often talk about power. Some of our learners will tell us how they feel disempowered by having a literacy difficulty or by their experience of engaging in the education system in the past. One of our key roles is...

Late last year ETBI and SOLAS launched ‘Support Connect Inspire’ – a Strategy for Technology Enhanced Learning in Further Education and Training 2016 – 2019. It is available on line at...