SUMMARY: The importance of some studies under Social Sciences deals with a relevant production of a bet by social and economic agents for the development of tools and instruments which help some groups to achieve a bio-psycho-social welfare state. The objective of this report is double; first, to set, inside not regulated formation what psycho pedagogic characteristics are more important in adults with low qualification, and second; to offer a way of working in professional formation for the employment which makes easier the focus on interests and objectives during all the formative process through the use of innovative methodology that points the potentials and resources of low qualification adults. Finally, it is tried to give basic keys so that professional teachers increase different processes, actions and activities of reflection in this group. They would manage to improve their self-esteem and self-assessment as unique and different people who have ability to learn and recycle themselves, professionally speaking.

1. Published in:
Sánchez-Teruel, D., Peñaherrera, M. and Cobos, E.F. (2010). Propuesta de
metodologías formativas adecuadas para acciones de formación profesional en
trabajadores de baja cualificación. In M. Martín-Puig (2010) (coord). Situación actual y
perspectivas de futuro del aprendizaje permanente (pp. 145-153). Castellón. Service of
Publications of the Jaume I University. ISBN 978-84-937772-7-2,

2. PROPOSAL OF APPROPIATE FORMATIVE METHODOLOGIES FOR
PROFESSIONAL FORMATION ACTIONS IN LOW QUALIFICATION
WORKERS:
David Sánchez-Teruel1, Mónica Peñaherrera León, Fabían Cobos Alvarado
1Psychology Department. University of Jaén. Campus las lagunillas, Building C5-Office 148.
23071 JAEN; Telephone: 953-213399
dsteruel@ujaen.es
SUMMARY:
The importance of some studies under Social Sciences deals with a relevant
production of a bet by social and economic agents for the development of tools and
instruments which help some groups to achieve a bio-psycho-social welfare state. The
objective of this report is double; first, to set, inside not regulated formation what
psycho pedagogic characteristics are more important in adults with low qualification,
and second; to offer a way of working in professional formation for the employment
which makes easier the focus on interests and objectives during all the formative
process through the use of innovative methodology that points the potentials and
resources of low qualification adults. Finally, it is tried to give basic keys so that
professional teachers increase different processes, actions and activities of reflection in
this group. They would manage to improve their self-esteem and self-assessment as
unique and different people who have ability to learn and recycle themselves,
professionally speaking.
Key words: Professional formation, recycling, innovative methodologies, adults.

3. 1. INTRODUCTION:
In so complex and different processes as the implied to make easier the labour
incorporation of low qualification groups and where, consequently, it is easy to feel lost
as teacher of formation for the employment, it seems too useful, to have some formative
methodologies, which help us to perform the situations that we are and guide us to
continue (Aeito, 20011; Sánchez-Teruel, 2009 a2).
Those formative methodologies can be seen as a group of linked concepts which
we can use as permanent reference and they can be useful for acting in the reality. They
are shaped as general guidance for the practice (Bunk, 19943).
The low qualification professional groups of adults belong to the so-called
groups with social exclusion risk (Sánchez-Teruel, 2009a), as consequence, the
teachers’ interventions with these groups are seen as different professional formation
actions, which must be set from the state, autonomous and provincials administrations if
they want to modify the labour context of this group through formative professional
actions for the employment (Sánchez-Teruel, 2009b4).
1 Aeito, S. (2001): Cuestión social y salud mental: una relación implicada en la intervención profesional. Boletín Electrónico Surá, 55
2 Sánchez-Teruel, D. (2009a): Estrategias de intervención sociolaboral a personas en riesgo de exclusión. Formation for employment. CEP.
Madrid
3 Bunk, G.P. (1994): La transmisión de las competencias de la formación y perfeccionamiento profesionales, Revista Europea de
Formación Profesional, 1, 8-14.
4 Sánchez-Teruel, D. (2009b): Desarrollo de estrategias de búsqueda de empleo para técnicos. Formation for employment. CEP. Madrid

4. To start the formulation of the low qualification people´s vision and of the
formation processes and social-labour intervention, pointing out these aspects that we
consider fundamental, not without communicating the reader that it is only a vision, and
in such way, it is partial and opened (Sánchez-Teruel, 2009b5):
People with exclusion risk are citizenships, who have, as such; right to receive these
services and supports that allow them to live life with dignity.
The exclusion is understood as the society´s failure to get involved in their
opportunities.
The people with exclusion risk or process of it: first, they are people who have
abilities, resources and their own projects. We understand this people from the
positive point of view, not only from the lacks or problems, but also from the
general view of the person and not from the different parts.
People “are build”, because we participate in social processes with meaning and
sense, which give back a positive image, it verifies us like great.
In the processes of occupational professional formation (or for the employment) we
go from the centrality and respect of people to themselves as main aspect of
relationship. This respect supposes to assume that each person has his/her own
values, points of view and options. People are the main characters of the processes,
which set their objectives and what they wish. Our function is to go with them from
our reference framework and possibilities (and also restrictions).
We understand that the process of professional formation and labour orientation
must be adapted to people, what supposes a continuous listening process,
negotiation and adaptation to changeable circumstances, necessities and projects of
people.
5 Sánchez-Teruel, D. (2009b): Desarrollo de estrategias de búsqueda de empleo para técnicos. Formation for employment. CEP. Madrid

5. Go With through formation has to be developed in the community what supposes
play with opportunities and diverse resources and make them accessible for all
people. Thus, people can get involved and do activities and useful processes.
We understand our job to improve structures and formative resources to do them
accessible. This supposes to work in collaboration and together with different
educative and social resources. We can, if we collaborate, isolated we cannot.
The debate, assumption, formulation and collective review of the formative
methodologies for these groups suppose a great practice by orientation and formation
professionals (Sánchez-Teruel, 2009a6). It is desirable that is explained the elaboration
process, content, review and spreading (Durston and Miranda, 20027; Martínez, 20038).
2. FORMATIVE DIFFERENTIATION OF THE LOW QUALIFICATION
ADULTS GROUP:
The continuous changes which we are used to nowadays society take the
necessity to increase the worker formation in his/her job, especially in the labour aspect,
for his/her qualification as well as for his/her professional re-qualification when it is
necessary (Hueso and Calvillo, 20059).
6 Sánchez-Teruel, D. (2009a): Estrategias de intervención socio laboral a personas en riesgo de exclusión. Formation for employment. CEP.
Madrid
7 Durston, J. and Miranda, F. (2002): Experiencias y metodología de la investigación participativa. División de Desarrollo Social. United
States
8 Martínez, N. (2003): Manual de Buenas Prácticas en los Centros de Incorporación Social. Ed.: Bilbao
9 Hueso, J.L. and Calvillo, M. (2005): Formación de Formadores. Logos: Formación continuada

6. In fact, changes in our society are so quick that the initial formation systems
cannot answer all the current and future necessities of the society (Casal, Colomé and
Comas, 2003)10.
Years ago, we are aware of that formation must be extended during all life and
recycling and continuous formations are key items in a developed and modern society.
However, the important changes, which new technologies are introducing in jobs, have
done this assertion more evident than before. New productive sectors are being created,
related to information, communication or services technologies, etc. (Crespo, 200811);
other are transformed by the introduction of new ways of organization and finally, it
starts disappear many jobs as byproducts of the technological and social revolution.
This process causes the necessity of qualification of these groups immediately, for its
continuation and maintenance of their jobs, without taking into account its own
characteristics (Garmendia, 200912).
Consequently, as general characteristics of the low qualification workers group
we find the following (Sánchez-Teruel, 2009a13):
They want to make a profitable learning. That is, the made effort and spent time
are going to be seen with results.
It demands real and useful programmes, to achieve goals.
They use to be very dependent of the teacher or guide.
Usually, they live in a social and familiar group that have obligations and
responsibilities which can affect and worry them.
10 Casal, J.; Colomé, F. and Comas, M. (2003): La interrelación de los tres subsistemas de Formación Profesional en España. Fundación
Tripartita para la Formación en el Empleo-Fondo Social Europeo. Madrid.
11 Crespo, E. (2008): Guía para el análisis del impacto de las tecnologías de la información y comunicación en el desarrollo humano. No
Published doctoral thesis.
12 Garmendia, C. (2009): Estudio Impacto de la I+D+i en el sector productivo español. Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación de España.
13 Sánchez-Teruel, D. (2009a): Estrategias de intervención sociolaboral a personas en riesgo de exclusión. Formation for the employment.
CEP. Madrid

7. They do not have time for formation activities, or it is their perception. The
tiredness caused by the daily work makes them see the formation as a excessive
personal sacrifice, so as to, if they do it, they demand an almost guaranteed
success. They want to receive the effects of the formation in short period of time
and in the issue of motivation; it acts more for emotional stimulus than logic
motivations.
They can have a low concept of themselves.
They have difficulties in the comprehension of abstract concepts and an
excessively theoretical teaching can frustrate them. They could have suffered
from negative experiences and as consequence; they can have a pessimistic
perception of life.
They are limited by the shortage of economic resources.
3. FORMATIVE METHODOLOGIES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
LEARNING IN LOW QUALIFICATION ADULTS:
Actually, it is almost impossible to find educative cases where a simple way of
learning is happening (Casal, Colomé and Comas, 200314). The simplest learning
consists of establishing a stable link between a concrete stimulus and an answer to this
stimulus. All behaviours, results of the learning, are a continuous repetition of the
scheme: How is this link established? Through an effort that is understood as the
consequence after the behaviour. And it influences it, to occur again, to be less frequent,
and not to appear again or the contrary situation15. The fact that this link is repeated
depends on the level of satisfaction of the given answer. In continuous formation, we
must not forget about, the classroom, the teacher, together with the group; they are one
of the main sources of (positive or negative) efforts.
14 Casal, J.; Colomé, F. and Comas, M. (2003): La interrelación de los tres subsistemas de Formación Profesional en España. Fundación
Tripartita para la Formación en el Empleo-Fondo Social Europeo. Madrid.
15 Hueso, J.L. and Calvillo, M. (2005): Formación de Formadores. Logos: Formación continuada

8. Besides, the learning of adults is not decontextualized; it is presented in a
specific background, in our case, the classroom or the job place, formed by several
items (partners, teacher, place, etc. This way, we learn to relate in that atmosphere and
with all the current items. The behaviours that we learn in this context will vary
depending on the pleasant or unpleasant consequences that we have experienced.
In this case, the learning would be achieved by observation and imitation of a
model. That is to say, it is another person who makes the action and lives its
consequences. The male or female observer, is learning through them, is being modeled.
The observation is the basis of this type of learning and it allows us not only learn how
to carry a concrete behaviour, but also what happen in some specific cases if we carry
this behaviour (if we solve a maths problem, the result will be the same as the teacher´s
result or not).
In professional formation, and more in this group, we must bear in mind that the
teacher is seen by students as a great variety of behaviour examples, from the
enthusiasm for learning to the way of interacting with people, etc.
Related to the formation case, the learning by experience, the teacher´s role is to
offer necessary strategies so that students can achieve knowledge, abilities and foresee
attitudes. For it, we must:
Give situations, cases, suppositions, etc related to a concrete content and they
have to require a solution.
Give the necessary material and information to learn the foresee contents, to
assimilate the abilities and to acquire the hoped attitude.
Motivate students to make observations, hypothesis and trying solutions. Put
into practice knowledge that they have acquired before (comprehensive reading,
ability to apply what they have learnt, inducement of operation rules, strategies
to look for information, etc).
When they acquire new information, the person relates it to the knowledge,
abilities and attitudes that he/she has. It is called meaningful learning because, what is
learnt is coherent with the knowledge of the person. In professional formation, the
conditions for this meaningful learning to occur would be:
The person has to be motivated by the learning.

9. The new given information is adapted for the structure of knowledge.
The new knowledge has a large grade of organization, clarity and stability. So
that it has meaning as possible, it makes easy its memorization. For his/her view,
the teacher will have to run a continuous assessment of the previous students’
knowledge.
The transfer of knowledge implies that the acquired concepts and abilities can be
generalized for a new situation or learning. For it: basic abilities (reading, writing,
speaking, calculus, etc), complex intellectual abilities (development of concepts,
generalizations, discriminations, etc), learning to think, to relate abilities for solving
problems and cognitive strategies (learning to learn), that is, to learn strategies of
learning.
When we talk about low qualification workers, we have to do several questions
that are going to say the type of strategy to follow and the methodology to apply. Those
questions are: Which is the worker´s efficiency in this moment, according to the
requirements of the employment that he/she is carrying?, What does he/she know? What
is he/she doing now?, Which is the ideal level of efficiency in this job?, What would it
be ideal to know or to do? and Which are the means to reduce the gap and to pass the
obstacles for the learning, studying the situation with the intention to improve? We are
going to try to give answer to these approaches through the implementation of formative
methodologies, which guarantee an adequate learning of the job or occupation; low
qualification people are being formed.
4. METHODOLOGICAL STRATEGIES MORE ADEQUATE FOR LIMITED
QUALIFICATION WORKERS IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL FORMATION:
Some researchers and adults formation teachers (Berrios, 200916, Hueso and
Calvillo, 200517; Sánchez-Teruel, 2009b18) have pointed the necessity to implement
16 Berrios, P. (2009): Inteligencia emocional en el ámbito laboral. En J.M. Augusto (coord): Estudios en el ámbito de la inteligencia
emocional. pp. 157-174. University of Jaén
17 Hueso, J.L. and Calvillo, M. (2005): Formación de Formadores. Logos: Formación continuada

10. different methodologies when we talk about educate workers or people with limited
professional qualification. The most adequate methods of learning would be: The
demonstrative method (simulation of company) and the active-participative method in
group.
The demonstrative method is passed through the practice and coordinated
demonstration of the task by the teacher. It implies the following stages:
Preparation of the student: meeting the student in a specific place and
explaining him/her the objective of this meeting and the method we are going to
use.
Explanation of the task: the teacher describes all the steps for the next
performance and how to run the machines, tools and materials.
Realization of the work by the teacher: this person develops the task as he/she
has explained it before. The student has to pay attention and understand and the
teacher checks it.
Action of the students: the teacher asks students to repeat what he/she has just
done. While the student does it, the teacher supervises him/her.
Reassertion of the learning: the teacher reinforces all those done tasks in an
adequate way, modifying the tasks that have to be reviewed, with the purpose of
not damage his/her self-esteem and the progressive coming together with the
new learning for its acquirement in the future.
Regarding the active-participative method and work in group, it is ideal for
limited formation students. It is specified with the use of group techniques as the
following:
It deals with the social aspects of the students: communication and cooperation
with the rest of people. The true learning is only achieved by the active
participation of the students.
18 Sánchez-Teruel, D. (2009b): Desarrollo de estrategias de búsqueda de empleo para técnicos. Formación para el Empleo. CEP. Madrid

11. The desire of recognition and social acceptance, as the social psychology has
shown, are some of the stronger motivations for the students. The group of work
offers an ideal framework to satisfy this necessity.
A cooperative group does more and better work than a competitive group
because in the last case, a large quantity of energies to dominate and be better
than the rest of people are spent.
The students are better prepared to accept the authority of their partners than
that of the teacher, so the developed work in a democratic group is more
efficient than that of a traditional classroom.
This method allows the joy of the well done work, as well as the self- imposition
of discipline.
The teacher gives the group freedom and they are able to assume it,
progressively.
The essential is not the acquisition of knowledge (which is not disliked) but the
active participation, developing their autonomy, creativity, responsibility and
practice knowledge.
Dealing with the teacher´s activity, the success of the work in group depends on
his/her qualities: enthusiasm, devotion, capacity to get on with students, care in the
elaboration of the work and how he/she behaves during the development of the course.
His/ her most difficult task will be to refrain from point the mistakes, because he/she
knows that the student can only fell responsible if he/she is aware of having the
possibility and the right to make a mistake (Sánchez-Teruel, 2009b19).
5. CONCLUSION:
The set methodology for professional formation in this group is considered one
of the key items in the current efforts to give formation services and professional
orientation that allow low qualification persons take control of their lives and receive
19 Sánchez-Teruel, D. (2009b): Desarrollo de estrategias de búsqueda de empleo para técnicos. Formación para el Empleo. CEP. Madrid

12. support from several and natural sources (Berrios, 200920). On the other hand, the
methodology forces organizations to relax and individualize its services. For doing the
work in groups an important condition to achieve the complete development of the
person and to improve his/her quality level of life. All in all, his/her social inclusion is
improved through the employment (Berrios, 2009; Sánchez-Teruel, 2009a21).
This approach is not a magic wand which solves all the difficulties and problems
that groups and teachers have during the learning process, but it offers a different vision
(neither better nor worse than other) about the role play that teachers have to practice
because they work with adults, and concretely with these groups (Sánchez-Teruel,
2009a22).
Each teacher will be able to assimilate, get, take out or transform personally
what can be applicable for his/her group. All is based on a continuous updating and
revision of professional tasks which they do with their addressees, according to the
supposed differentiation of adult individuality in formation situation.
20 Berrios, P. (2009): Inteligencia emocional en el ámbito laboral. En J.M. Augusto (coord): Estudios en el ámbito de la inteligencia
emocional. pp. 157-174. University of Jaén
21 Sánchez-Teruel, D. (2009a): Estrategias de intervención socio laboral a personas en riesgo de exclusión. Formación para el Empleo.
CEP. Madrid
22 Sánchez-Teruel, D. (2009a): Estrategias de intervención socio laboral a personas en riesgo de exclusión. Formación para el Empleo.
CEP. Madrid