HITT - History Initial Teacher Training

Working with adult learners

Outline of this unit

Work with trainee teachers requires careful thought about the specific needs of adult learners, and the ways in which learning to teach history differs from other kinds of learning. This unit first highlights three important characteristics of teacher trainees as adult learners, and the distinctive challenges presented to them because of where and what they are learning. It then offers four key principles for supporting adult learning and suggests how we might most effectively respond to ‘failing’ trainees.

Within each section are activities linked to resources which will allow you to explore the issues further.

2.1	The distinctive challenges of learning to teach
2.2	Combining support and challenge
2.3	Acknowledging the diversity and implications of trainees’ backgrounds
2.4	Legitimising adult learning
2.5	Providing a specific focus for learning
2.6	Facing up to serious difficulties

There are questions at the end of each section. Each of these is linked to an activity and a resource which will help you to explore further that particular issue.