Learners as individuals
In groups where learners have different purposes for their learning or varying levels of existing knowledge, try to tailor course content to reflect this diversity. This is where differentiation and relevance overlap.
Avoid the situation where learners:
- are expected to relearn what they know or can do already; and/or
- practise things that have no direct bearing on their needs or interests, or are culturally inappropriate.
Getting it right for each individual learner means:
- making use of the information you have gathered through initial assessment about why the members of your group want to learn
- thinking about what motivates each learner and the social and cultural contexts in which they need to be able to apply their learning
- tailoring the course content to meet their requirements, without compromising on the underlying principles
- considering ways in which learners with common interests, concerns and needs may be able to work together at some points while others have their individual needs met
- capturing all of these intentions on your scheme of work and your session plans; and/or
- preparing the resources that will give sessions the relevance your learners seek. If you use commercial materials, check that they reflect the contexts your learners are interested in.
See the downloads section on the right for examples.