"These are adults who lead complex lives. They have jobs, they have families, they have the same problems that you and I have. The only thing they don't do as much is read for pleasure."
Librarian

There isn't a typical basic skills learner: basic skills students come from a wide range of backgrounds and may be of many different types. They cover a broad spectrum of abilities and have very variable needs. They are often highly capable individuals who happen to have a basic skills need in reading or writing.

The reasons for this can include:

• missed or interrupted schooling (illness, expulsion, young parenthood, offending behaviour etc.)
• poor teaching or school experience
• lack of practice in using basic skills - this is often work-related
• learning difficulty
• physical disability
• dyslexia

Each new learner will have a slightly different reason for taking up provision, but these often include:

• wanting to help their own children
• needing qualifications for employment or promotion
• having the time to focus on their own needs
• finding out how to access learning opportunities for the first time

Adult learners may be young mothers or grandparents, they may be homeless or have a visual impairment and they may be found in a wide range of places or in formal or informal groups. Partnerships with other agencies are the key to identifying and reaching out to learners.