Essential Skills Literacy Training: Tools for Older Adults

Essential Skills Literacy Training: Tools for Older Adults Findings and Analysis By Linda Collier, Public Consultation Facilitator Newfoundland and Labrador Laubach Literacy Council

Findings and Analysis The following are the findings and analysis resulting from the public consultation process of the Essential Skills Literacy Training: Tools for Older Adults project. Over the course of the province-wide consultation process, 646 people were contacted to participate in focus groups and complete surveys through our website and by telephone or face-to-face interviews. 206 participated in 16 focus groups and 200 completed surveys – an overall participation rate of 62%.

Essential Skills Being Taught Presently, the main Essential Skills being taught by tutors are: Reading 81% Numeracy 58% Writing 56%

Essential Skills currently taught - by percentage levels:

How Essential Skills are Being Taught • Although all nine Essential Skills are being taught by various tutors to a degree, it is mainly at a basic level. • Most are using the Laubach Way to Reading Series (LWRS) supplemented with resources/documents used in everyday living. • Many tutors who are not proficient in computer use are presently not comfortable teaching basic computer skills; others who would teach Computer Use do not have facilities/resources available to them.

Essential Skills Used in the WorkplaceAs indicated by Key Stakeholders- Businesses/Organizations

Comparison of Essential Skills used in the workplace and those currently being taught Essential Skills used in the workplace rate much higher than those being taught in the current program.

Tutors’ and Trainers’ Perspective on Essential Skills’ Needs of Adult Learners Tutors and Trainers indicate that adult learners would benefit from training in all nine Essential Skills. Top ratings: (1) Reading 82% (2) Document Use, Numeracy and Writing 72%; (3) Computer Use 66%

Older Adults’ perspective on Essential Skills’ Needs by percentage: • Rating in the top three: • 1. Computer Use 70% • 2. Numeracy, Reading, Document Use 22% • 3. Continuous Learning 18%

Key Stakeholders’ Perspective on Essential Skills’ needs of Employees/Volunteers/Clients Respondents indicated that their employees/volunteers/ clients would benefit from training in all nine Essential Skills, depending on the workplace situation. The top three indicated are: 1. Working with Others – 67% 2. Computer Use – 65% 3. Oral Communication, Continuous Learning – 64%

Key Stakeholders’ Perspective on Essential Skills’ training needs of Employees/ Volunteers/Clients rated by percentage:

Comparison of Essential Skills’ Training Needs of Older Adult Stakeholders as indicated by the three different groups.

Essential Skills Training Needs Point of View Comparisons All groups had different ratings on Essential Skills’ needs of Older Adult Stakeholders. • Older Adults indicated their main needs were in Computer Use at 70%. All other Essential Skills rated 22% and under. • Tutors and Trainers indicated Adult learners lack all Essential Skills in varying degrees, ranging from 58% to 82%, the highest in the 3 R’s, Document Use, and Computer Use. • Businesses and Organizations indicated Older Adult Stakeholders (employees/volunteers/clients) lack all Essential Skills to a degree, with the highest deficiency in Working with Others, Computer Use, Oral Communication, and Continuous Learning. • All groups similarly indicated that Older Adults were lacking in Computer Use.

Recommended Essential Skills’ training for Target Group by Tutors and Trainers(rated by level of importance from 1 to 9) Highest rated for recommended Essential Skills training (rated #1): 1.Reading – 61% 2. Computer Use – 12% Second highest rated for recommended Essential Skills training (rated #2): 1. Writing – 29% 2. Numeracy – 18%

Essential Skills’ training interest of Older Adult Stakeholders 75% of respondents indicated that they would benefit from Essential Skills training; 19% indicated they would not benefit; 7% did not know.

Older Adults’ Essential Skills Training interest by level of importance (1 – 9) Computer Use rated highest order of importance (Level 1) for course interest over all other Essential Skills – 17%; Computer Use was also checked more often than other Essential Skills – 32%; also received the lowest amount of No Response. Continuous Learning rated second highest order of importance (Level 1) for course interest – 7% Continuous Learning and Document Use checked as important second highest (Level 2); Continuous Learning also second lowest amount for No Response. Highest number of No Response in Writing, Thinking Skills, Working with Others. Many respondents placed check marks instead of using numbers to rate level of importance; others rated only some. Possibly these were the most important to them for course interest which would indicate interest in those Essential Skills only.

This chart indicates Older Adults’ level of overall course interest, rated and unrated. Older Adults’ Essential Skills Training Overall Course Interest

Barriers to Training Main barriers identified were: • Work and Family commitments • Lack of confidence/self-esteem/fear • Time • Transportation • Awareness/availability • Finances

Essential Skills that Adult Stakeholders consider important for the workplace All Essential Skills considered of major importance with Oral Communication and Thinking Skills rated highest.

Participant Profile The majority of respondents were retired 35% 2nd highest group - students 31% 3rd highest - employed 28%

The highest lack of Essential Skills indicated by Older Adults is Computer Use, which is consistent with data compiled from questionnaires. Focus Group Findings – Target Group

Key Stakeholder Focus Groups indicated there is need for training in all nine Essential Skills, the major ones being Computer Use, Document Use, and Thinking Skills. Training in Computer Use was also one of the top needed Essential Skills indicated by survey respondents. Focus group findings – Key Stakeholders

Focus group findings – Tutors and Trainers Tutor and trainer focus groups indicated there is a need for material for tutoring Document Use. Three of the four groups indicated a need for training in Computer Use, including basic computer use, cash registers, GPS and ATMs.

Summary A comparison of findings from Survey/Interview respondents and Focus Group participants indentified the following main gaps in the current system: • Need for updated, student-appropriate material to prepare learners for today’s workplace • Need for application of Essential Skills learned from theory to practical • Need for computer use/training • Getting the word out - awareness of training/help available

Conclusion/Recommendations A tutor/learner training package that addresses Essential Skills development which includes a train the trainer guide, tutor handbook, and learning modules should be a top priority. A documented process for application of Essential Skills from theory to practical should be put into place for universal use by all Laubach literacy tutors. Computer Use/training in basic computer use should be an aspiration for all Councils. While it is not necessary that all Council tutors be proficient in computer use, it is important to embrace technology and have tutors and resources available to teach those who seek it. There should be updated training for tutors which includes tutoring in Essential Skills to meet the demands of today’s workplace. Public awareness sessions should be held on a regular basis to promote help available for those seeking literacy services,.

Participants throughout the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Essential Skills Literacy Training: Tools for Older Adults