Discrimination, Learning Needs and Environment

As with any learning curriculum it is important for the teacher to identify the needs of the learner prior to the commencement of learning. This can be done by an initial assessment which helps us find out about our learners and identify any aspects which may go unnoticed. In this instance the student enrolling on the course with us has difficulty with written English. This information can then be shared with colleagues, help to identify specific additional support needs and enables us to begin liaising with other professionals for referring the student for assistance – this could be in the form of an interpreter or possible bi-lingual staff/colleagues. We could also refer the student to a further online course or programme to assist in bridging this gap in the initial assessment in order to help them move forward with the course and learning. This is an example of learning support.
We could look into supporting the learner further by developing hand outs and other supporting documents which are translated into their native language. This is an example of the teacher/trainer adapting to the needs of the individual learner on the course, ensuring inclusion is maintained throughout. This would also demonstrate an initial assessment had been conducted to identify the need this learner has.
We do have to be mindful that as the student is on the course due to a work requirement their motivation for learning will be lower than someone who has chosen to be on the course for personal gain or development.

1.3 Once we have established the learner’s needs, we can proceed with ensuring we promote equality on the course. We could do this by encouraging group interaction, and inclusive learning. This is where all the learners “have the opportunity to be involved, to contribute and to be included in the learning process. It’s also about treating all learners equally and fairly, without directly or indirectly excluding anyone” (Gravells, 2013, p. 58). We could do this by...