Intensive Basic Education
Intensive basic education programmes offer adult literacy tuition on a more concentrated level. The potential for student progress is improved by intensive options and there are a number of models that have been developed in Ireland over the last number of years.
The Moser Report states that “a learner would need many years to get to a threshold basic skills level. In the USA, the research shows that between 550-600 hours of instruction are needed to become fully literate and numerate” (Report of the working group chaired by Sir Claus Moser (1999), Improving literacy and numeracy: A fresh start, Department for Education and Employment, UK). Irish research findings on this issue are similar to this experience. NALA advocates strongly for intensive basic education options to be made more widely available to adults.
Models of intensive basic education
The FÁS/VEC Return to Education model for Community Employment participants currently has a total of 180 tuition hours. The learning takes place for 6 hours per week over a 30 week period.
Click here to download the Implementation Guide for NALA/FÁS/VEC Return to Education programmes.
The Return to Learning programme with the Local Authorities is an 80 hour intensive model. The course develops reading and writing, introduction to computers and prepares for further learning. Employees are released from work to attend the course for usually 4 hours per week over 20 weeks.
Click here for the Return to Learning Initiative Evaluation Report and Implementation Guidelines.
- The Intensive Tuition in Adult Basic Education (ITABE) project is a model of tuition in adult literacy and basic education for adults who are educationally disadvantaged. The aim of the programme is to provide participants, in groups of 6 – 8 students, with an opportunity to access 6 hours of tuition per week over a 14-week period as opposed to the average of 2 hours per week currently provided. A number of these projects are delivered through the VEC Adult Literacy Services. For more information and relevant documents check out the webpage: http://www.ivea.ie/itabe.asp
NALA published a recent document on Curriculum Development in Intensive Tuition in Adult Basic Education. This publication provides support to adult literacy providers in their planning or delivery of ITABE programmes. Click here to download.
