Kat Goodacre
Innovation in Learning (2020 cohort)
The ability to read and write are fundamental skills many of us take for granted. Sadly, many people experiencing chronic homelessness navigate their lives without basic literacy skills, thus facing additional barriers to moving out of homelessness and sustaining a home. My research explores how, and to what extent, Psychologically Informed Environments (PIEs) are applied to literacy learning environments within homelessness services across the UK. ‘PIEs’ describe an approach which prioritises psychological and emotional wellbeing and is commonly used by people or services supporting individuals with compound (sometimes described as complex) trauma/ needs. My research looks to provide key insights and evidence around effective practice for supporting people experiencing homelessness and compound needs.
I have over 15 years’ experience working within charity, disability and education services, and worked as a Literacy Tutor and Dyslexia Specialist for a national homeless charity in London for 6 years, until 2023. I completed both my PGCE in Post-Compulsory Literacy (and ESOL) (2016) and my MA in SpLD (dyslexia) (2019) at UCL’s Institute of Education. My MA research: Overcoming the hurdles: Understanding motivation and supporting adult learners with poor literacy and dyslexia in the homelessness sector was published in the Dyslexia journal (August 2020), and I am Committee Member and Research Associate for Literacy100; a charitable trust working to raise awareness and improve provision for literacy learners experiencing homelessness within adult education sector.
Journal Articles:
Olisa, J. and Goodacre, K., (2019). Literacy and Homelessness: Tackling the provision deficit. RaPAL, 2019 Conference Edition. Vol.99. p 41-45.
Goodacre, K. and Sumner, E., 2020. Overcoming the hurdles: Understanding motivation and supporting adult learners with poor literacy and dyslexia in the homelessness sector. Dyslexia.
Blog articles:
