Adult literacy: between the lines: trauma, attachment and the relational sciences

Linno Rhodes, the Fellow, has worked with adult literacy learners for over 15 years and through her experience, recognises that learners often have a host of other issues that impact on their ability to participate, engage and thrive in the adult learning environment. The reasons adults may not have 'functional literacy skills' are diverse and differ from person to person. They may be multi-layered and involve a diagnosed learning disability or not. The reasons could include missing a lot of school as a child due to health issues, being a carer for a sick parent, living in a family with addiction issues, moving frequently or they may have experienced trauma that impacted their learning.

The Fellowship focussed on the exploration of various areas of neuroscience that can help to address these issues. Within the field of psychology there are key theories that offer an insight into the way people learn, our memory function, behaviours, perception and consciousness. These theories are grounded in neuroscience and the Fellow chose to investigate the specific areas of - attachment theory, mindsight, mindset, regulation of emotional responses and mirror neurons in order to increase teachers capacity to work with adult literacy learners to benefit both learners and teachers.

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