ABSTRACT

A further education (FE) college in the Midlands has recently instructed teaching staff on Entry to Employment and adult literacy and numeracy programmes not to ask challenging questions in class or write critical comments on students’ work in case these damage their self-esteem. In a recent presentation to new staff at a pre-1992 university, the vice chancellor described students from ‘non-traditional’ routes such as Access and vocational education courses in FE colleges as having ‘emotional baggage’ that presented a challenge for universities used to ‘traditional’ students. As part of inspection requirements, tutorials in colleges ask students to discuss emotional difficulties and record the outcomes, whether students initiate this or not, while some classes for adults ask them to diagnose their levels of confidence and self-esteem and record their progress with smiley and sad face stickers.