First and foremost, we want to focus on building relationships with learners, creating safe and welcoming spaces for learning and seeing learners more than once. As your organization gets to know a learner you will begin to informally assess their skills and abilities and, in turn, they may share their learning goals with you.  

Learning goals can encompass immediate needs (“I need to keep my job”) or may reflect hopes and dreams for the future (“I want to help my child with their homework,” “I hope to go back to school”, or “I dream of owning my own home”). It is important to know that not all skills gaps will be immediately obvious. In fact, many literacy and foundational learners have developed incredible strategies to compensate for a gap in foundational knowledge.

One thing we do know about adult learners is that they come to our programs with past experiences, knowledge, strengths and talents. We want learners to understand that our CALP works from a strengths-based approach. Instead of asking learners what they can’t do, let’s start by asking them what they can do. 

A large part of our job when planning for learning with learners is listening. Some learners will come to your CALP with a clear idea of what they need to learn, how they learn best and why they need this learning. Other learners might really struggle to clearly identify a skills gap or learning need. As you listen to a learner you will begin to understand how your programs can help them on their learning journey. It is very possible that you will hear in conversation things that the learner is unable to identify on a form or as an answer to a direct question.  

As you work with learners to develop a strategy to meet their learning goals, it is equally important that they foster a positive learner identity. CALPs want to support learners in a positive, strengths-based way. Learners benefit from messages like:

• Everyone can learn
• Your life experiences are part of your learning journey
• You have strengths and talents 
• Dream for the future

For more information on positive learner identity, check out CanLearn Society's Rising to the Reading Challenges of Adult Learners: Practitioner's Toolkit. 

For more information on creating safe and welcoming spaces, see the Gathering to Learn resources.

For more information on assessment, see the Assessment for Learning e-Learning.