How to design lessons that feel possible—then powerful—for incarcerated adult learners

Start with sneakers, not stilettos 

Imagine asking someone to sprint up ten flights of stairs with no handrail, no warning, no rest stops. They slip, stumble, or freeze—and we call it a lack of effort?

That’s what it feels like when content assumes too much. Not just about skills, but about mindset, emotional state, background knowledge, and learning conditions.

Design like today is the hardest day

On Edovo, every learner arrives with a story—and often, that story includes barriers few educators see. One person might be energized and eager to grow. Another might be battling self-doubt, shame, or simply exhaustion from a hard day behind the walls. Most are somewhere in between.

That’s why effective course design starts not with what you want to teach, but with what they can carry.

Before content, before outcomes, before standards—ask this:

If a learner opened your course on their hardest day—tired, anxious, or unsure—would it still feel possible? Would it still feel like a win?

If the answer is yes, that’s the beginning of good design.

The six principles below are your scaffolding. They’re not just about better content—they’re about building experiences that feel safe, meaningful, and doable, even on the hardest days. They help you create lessons that speak to the nervous system as much as the intellect, that welcome confusion without shame, and that offer momentum without pressure.

Here’s how you start where learners are—and help them keep going:

1. Write for the nervous system, not just the brain

Cognitive load, executive function, and memory all depend on emotional safety. If someone’s tense, dysregulated, or flooded with self-doubt, they won’t absorb your perfectly crafted content.

So before you throw the quiz at them, give them a handrail:

• Start with a calm tone and predictable structure
  
  

• Use headers and section titles to reduce the “Where is this going?” anxiety
  
  

• Add low-stakes engagement early: simple questions, visuals, check-ins
  
  

• Avoid time pressure or phrases like “test your knowledge”—say “try this” instead
  
  

Learning is emotional regulation in disguise. Design like someone’s nervous system is part of the classroom. Because it is.

2. Normalize not knowing

On Edovo, learners are often navigating content they’ve never seen before—on platforms they’re still figuring out. If we treat gaps like failure, we’re the ones creating the drop-off.

Try this instead:

• Use phrases like “You might be new to this” or “Let’s walk through it together”
  
  

• When introducing a new term, frame it with curiosity, not assumption. Try: “This might be a new word, or maybe it’s one you’ve heard but never had explained clearly. Let’s break it down.”

• Add moments of self-reassurance: “It’s okay if this feels confusing. You’re not alone.”
  
  

Ever walked into a new job where everyone else knew a dozen different acronyms but you (IYKYK)? Remember how fast you questioned your place there? Learners feel that too.

(IYKYK may be confusing, it was to us too! It means…”If You Know You Know.” See how encouraging that framing made you feel?)

3. Design for pacing, not perfection

Every learner brings a different rhythm. Some want to move fast. Others need to stop and reread. But when a lesson assumes one “correct” pace, it sets up a lose-lose.

So build in natural breathers:

• Insert pause screens: “Want to recap before moving on?”
  
  

• Let them try a low-risk practice activity before asking for a deep response
  
  

• Use title headers and micro-summaries to close out each section clearly
  
  

• Add gentle reminders: “It’s okay to reread. That’s part of learning.”

• Provide optional materials: a glossary, quick video recap, or ‘need a break?’ attachments learners can skip if they want or take on if they crave more.
  
  

The goal is forward motion, not flawless speed.

4. Start wide, then narrow

When you don’t know where someone’s starting from, offer more than one path in.

You can do this by:

• Asking broad, relatable entry questions first
  (“What’s one thing that helps you stay calm when things get heated?”)
  
  

• Using images or real-life scenarios to ground abstract terms
  
  

• Occasionally let learners choose how they want to reflect—without feeling tested. Try: “You can write it down in your notebook, think it through on your own, or just sit with the question for a minute. Nothing to submit, nothing to grade—just for you.”

This gives learners space to see themselves in the material—even if they’re not ready to write a paragraph about it yet.

5. Make the lesson about them, not the content

It’s not enough for the content to be “correct.” It has to be personally meaningful. That’s what unlocks engagement.

Here’s how to shift the frame:

• Instead of: “Today we’ll learn about communication styles…”
  
  

• Try: “Ever been misunderstood and had no idea why? Let’s dig into how that happens—and how to change it.”
  
  

Or:

• Instead of: “Let’s define budgeting terms…”
  
  

• Try: “You’ve got $50 left for the week. Where’s it going—and why?”
  
  

Start with their world before asking them to live in yours.

6. Keep the bar high; but the steps small

Meeting people where they are isn’t about lowering expectations. It’s about removing the barriers that keep people from rising to meet them.

Want someone to reflect on communication patterns?
Start with: “Pick one moment from this week where things got tense.”

Want someone to think about reentry planning?
Start with: “What’s one thing that would make your first week out easier?”

Set the bar where it belongs. Then build the staircase to get there.

References

American Psychological Association. (2021). Inclusive Language Guidelines.
https://www.apa.org/about/apa/equity-diversity-inclusion/language-guidelines.pdf

Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (Eds.). (2000). How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School: Expanded Edition. National Academy Press.
https://doi.org/10.17226/9853

CAST. (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines Version 2.2.
http://udlguidelines.cast.org

Hammond, Z. (2015). Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. Corwin.

Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST). (2011). UDL Guidelines - Version 2.0.
https://www.cast.org/publications/2011/universal-design-learning-guidelines-v2

National Institute for Literacy. (2008). Developing Early Literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel.
https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/NELPReport09.pdf