Approach: Since the main deterrent to block intakes is the need to keep a certain number of learners in the class, there are a number of best practices that are under the control of the practitioner and the learners which have a direct bearing on learner attendance, and thus on the ability of a program to maintain a relatively stable class over an extended period.

b. Attendance: While there is an expectation around attendance mandated by the funder, there are usually attendance guidelines or expectations that are prescribed by the College. It is the latter which can and should be influenced by the special situation of the adult literacy learner. Most colleges, in their response to a questionnaire, indicated that they developed attendance policies appropriate to their LBS programs.

A best practice with respect to attendance:

Attendance policies in LBS programs should reflect the peculiar circumstances of each LBS learner.

Approach: If attendance policies are created to encourage participation they will reflect the individual situations of the learners. It is during the initial goal-setting meeting with the learner that attendance, linked to achievement and particular circumstances should be worked out and agreed to.

c. Discipline: Discipline in the classroom would normally be seen to be a concern to be controlled within the classroom. However, institutional policies have a lot to do with this classroom management concern. All colleges have policies, usually published in student handbooks, which outline appropriate behaviour in the classroom. These classroom behaviour guidelines tend to concentrate on the inappropriateness of disruptive behaviour, because it impinges on the learning of others. Such a guideline is appropriate to LBS classes as well.

A best practice with respect to the general topic of discipline:

The LBS learner’s behaviour in the classroom should not, in any way, interfere with the learning of others.

Approach: There is little debate concerning the advantages of all participants in the classroom setting, including practitioners and support personnel beginning their relationship with the understanding that all are adults and deserve to be treated as such in all interactions. There will be more discussion on this issue in both the practitioner controlled section and the shared control section.