'Skills for life' is the British government's strategy on training in literacy, numeracy and the use of language, and was launched in March 2001. The strategy aims to significantly improve the literacy, numeracy and language of English speakers of other languages (ESOL), and information and communications technology (ICT) skills of adults in England. This report evaluates 'Skills for life' training given to students in a small sample of teaching colleges. Almost all the trainees are already employed as full-time or part-time teachers within the further education sector, typically in further education colleges, adult and community learning, work-based learning, or prisons. Key findings are that trainees have reached a satisfactory or good understanding of subject areas and sensitivity towards social, cultural, emotional and linguistic obstacles that worry adult learners. Trainees are able to create supportive learning environments and enhance their teaching by use of their own vocational and life experiences and use of teaching resources that are directly relevant to their learners. However, they often do not utilise support workers in ways that would most effectively meet individual student needs. The quality of the training for the trainees is well supported by subject specific resources specifically designed to extend subject knowledge and expertise. Training plans though are not used enough to meet trainee needs and do not allow sufficiently for the practical teaching of skills across the diverse range of 'Skills for life' contexts. Key challenges for teacher trainers include utilising an effective mentoring system for trainees and exposing them to the wider range of 'Skills for life' modules. Companion publications are: 'Skills for life: the national strategy for improving numeracy and literacy skills' (indexed at
TD/TNC 65.517); 'Skills for life: the national strategy for improving adult literacy and numeracy skills: a final NIACE response' (indexed at
TD/TNC 70.87); 'Skills for life: statement on the national strategy for improving adult and numeracy skills' (indexed at
TD/IRD 88.172) and 'Skills for life: the national strategy for improving adult literacy and numeracy skills: 'What works': early findings from this pathfinder project' (indexed at
TD/TNC 70.134).
