In order to feel confident and secure in making choices the learners need to feel that you are ultimately in control. Therefore, being 'open to negotiation' will test your intuition, leadership, tact and creativity.

Negotiating certain aspects of the learning with the learners does not mean handing over the reins of the class to them and absolving yourself of responsibility. In fact, your responsibility increases when you encourage their independence, because you become a trouble-shooter extraordinaire!

Remember the best negotiators always think ahead and prepare for eventualities. That way, you'll know which areas are open to negotiation and which are less flexible. In deciding the areas that you are prepared to negotiate, aim for win-win solutions. That way, the curriculum and quality of learning are enhanced rather than sacrificed to whim.

Much tact is needed here. The way learners are grouped needs to fit the activity as well as the socio-cultural needs of the learners.

This may be especially important in different cultural groups. For example some Aboriginal groups need to observe avoidance relationships. Grouping them together with some people may be culturally inappropriate and will scuttle any activity you have planned. For instance, if you placed a mother-in-law in the same group with her son-in-law, you might find them seated back-to-back. More likely, at least one of them may leave the room as, according to cultural beliefs, they are not allowed to communicate directly.

The way you group learners is crucial to the success of learning activities. You need to use your intuition and experience to get this right. Be prepared to change the grouping if it's not working or if a change will re-energise the group.

Learners' interests

What are the learners' needs, interests, likes, dislikes, backgrounds and past experiences with respect to the topics at hand?

Find out what the learners are interested in, what their day-to-day lives are like. Encourage them to apply their learning to a context that they're interested in. For example if they're responsible for the budget in their family, or if they're about to leave home and set up on their own, and you're doing budgeting in maths, make it relevant to their real-life situation.

Time spent on activities

Figure out ways of covering all learning outcomes, but giving more time to the outcomes or activities that the learners are particularly interested in.

Learners will be more likely to use their time effectively in covering the outcomes they like less, if they know that they'll have more time left to spend on the more favoured activities. But remember, do your best to make all activities relevant and useful.