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Embedding Basic Skills:

The Citizens Curriculum
27th Jan 2016 SBS Training, Romania
Alex Stevenson
Head of English, Maths and ESOL
alex.stevenson@learningandwork.org.uk
@LWalexs

Activity 1: Just for starters ...

Think about the

steps involved in
planning and
carrying out your
journey to the
training in
How did you...
Romania...

Use language, literacy and numeracy skills?

Use digital, financial, health and civic (= ability to
participate in society) capabilities?
Make a short list and compare with a partner!

The basic skills challenge in England ...

The Skills for Life Survey (2011): 1 in 4 adults
have low levels of numeracy skills; 1 in 6 have low
levels of literacy skills.
OECD Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) (2013):
16.4% scored at the lowest level for literacy; 24% for
numeracy.
Census data (2011) records around 850,000
adults non-proficient in the English language.
Government data shows that from 12/13 to
13/14, adult (19+) participation in English, maths
and ESOL provision fell by 7.6%, 10.7% and 4.8%
respectively.

So, our response ....

More flexible, creative and innovative

models are needed to engage and
motivate learners and meet the
challenge of poor basic language,
literacy, numeracy and digital skills in
the context of rapid social change.

A citizens curriculum is
learning which is locally-led,
developed with the active
participation of learners, and
interlinks the life skills of
language, literacy and
numeracy with health,
financial, digital and civic
capabilities.

 Schuller and
Watson ( NIACE,
2009)
NIACE / NRDC
Evidence on impact
of embedded basic
skills Eldred
(2005); Casey
(2006)
Co-design of the
curriculum - A New
Curriculum for
Difficult Times (Beer,
2013)

Healt
h
Finan
cial

Local
context
and
setting

LL
N
Digital

Civic

Learner
Involveme
nt

Activity 2: Capabilities

Think about these capabilities: health,

digital, financial, civic
What skills would you consider to be
part of these capabilities?
Are these capabilities included in the
curriculum in your context? If so, how? If
not, why not?
Discuss in groups one group per
capability.

Piloting the Citizens Curriculum

Our phase 1 pilots helped us to learn more about
how a Citizens Curriculum approach can work in
different contexts.
We worked with 13 community learning
providers targeting disadvantaged groups over
160 learners.
Supported with a health check, resources and
community of practice.

The Citizens
Curriculum Pilot
Projects
Learn Devon
The Manchester College

Devon

Manchester

Objectives
Active Citizenship
Community
engagement and social
participation
Improve progression to
employment
Further opportunities

Focus

Engage
ment
for
Learni
ng

Essenti
al Skills
Develo
pment
(Englis
h,
Maths,
IT and
ESOL)

Employ
ability
and
Learnin
g Skills
Enhanc
ement

Progre
ssion
(place
ment,
employ
ment
or
further
learnin
g)

Engagement
URGEN
CY
I
need

MOTIV
ATION
I
want

COMPE
TENCE
I can

COMMIT
MENT
I will

Employability & Essential

Skills
Communicatio
n
Teamwor
k

Technolog
y

Learning

E&E
Skills

Self
Managemen
t

Problem
Solving

Initiative &
Enterprise

Planning &
Organising

 Converting
handmade
cards to
printed cards
Techn
Designing
ology
posters &
leaflets
The teacher was
not an expert
Learn
either
Learn through ing
observations
Learning new
things
Self
Doing a
Manag
good job
ement
and a real
job
Tough love

Service with a
smile
Body language
Marketing
materials
Communi
Communi
cation

Team
work

Probl
em
Solvi
ng

E&E
Skill
s

Planni
ng &
Organi
sing

Initiati
ve &
Enterp
rise

Working in
teams
Matching
skills to
tasks
Identifying
issues
Look for
solutions
Take risks
Taking an idea
from the start
to the end
Commercial
awareness

All aspects of the

market
Manpower matters

Key Overall Findings - Providers

Added value to the curriculum offer,

which became more engaging through
the interlinking of English, maths and
language skills with other capabilities
An improved curriculum offer which,
through greater learner involvement,
was felt to be more responsive to the
needs of learners

Key Overall Findings - Practitioners

Improved ability to make learning relevant to
adults lives and articulate the wider benefits of
participation in learning, through a focus on the
interlinked capabilities of the Citizens Curriculum
approach.
For practitioners with less experience in the
creation and co-design of flexible provision tailored
to the needs of individuals, a greater appreciation
of the value and benefits of this approach and
keenness to embed this further in their practice.

Key Overall Findings - Learners

Improved attitudes to learning, particularly with
regard to English/language and maths, leading to
progression into further learning opportunities.
Improved skills and attitudes supporting
employability, including increased motivation to
seek work and/or participate in voluntary work, and
for some learners, progression into employment or
work placements.
Improved engagement in the wider community and
improved confidence and ability to use public
services

Activity 3: Discussion Questions

1. In what ways do you or could you - adopt a
participatory approach, to involve learners in the
design of your curriculum?
2. In what ways do you or could you ensure that the
curriculum you offer meets local needs?
3. How could you embed the Citizens Curriculum in the
context of your provision?
4. What would be the benefits and the challenges of
adopting a Citizens Curriculum approach in your
context? What would help to overcome the
challenges?

Next Steps for the Citizens Curriculum

More pilots in new settings English and Maths for
unemployed adults, ESA claimants, ESOL learners in
prisons and plans for work with young migrants
More detailed evaluation and impact assessment
including longer term analysis
Further practitioner support around health and
civic capabilities
A technical consultation, looking at how the
Citizens Curriculum might form the basis of any
study programme for adults

THANK YOU
QUESTIONS