Course Catalog / BMU 001 / Lesson 1 of 5
BMU 001
Lesson 1: You already know how to learn
Warm up
1. Think of one thing you learned as an adult. It could be a job task, a recipe, or how to use a new phone. How did you learn it?
See the answer
Most adults learn by doing, asking, and trying again. That is real learning. This course builds on it.
Why this matters
Welcome to BMU Learning. This is a free course, and it is the front door to BMU.
Many adults feel nervous about learning again. In a 2025 ALL IN survey of 2,000 U.S. adults with low literacy skills, 34% said fear of failure could stop them from joining a class. More self confidence was the top benefit they hoped for, named by 51%.
You are not alone, and you are not behind. This course gives you a plan, a few study tricks that work, and places to get free help.
Start with what you already do
You already learn all the time. You learned a route to work. You learned how a new boss likes things done. You learned the rules of a game.
Common belief: If school was hard for me, I am just not a learner.
What is actually true: Learning is a set of skills, and skills grow with practice. Researchers rate some study methods much higher than others (Dunlosky and others, 2013). A bad fit in school does not mean you cannot learn. It often means no one showed you the methods that work.
In this lesson you will
- Name one life goal you want learning to help with
- Pick one BMU course that fits that goal
- Rate your confidence as a learner from 1 to 5
Key words
- goal
- Something you want to do or change, like get a better job or help your kids with homework.
- course
- A short set of lessons on one skill.
- confidence
- How sure you feel that you can do something.
Start with your why
Learning is easier when you know why you are doing it. Pick one goal. Make it about your life, not about school.
- I want to fill out job forms on my phone.
- I want to make a budget that works.
- I want to read my mail without stress.
- I want to help my child with math homework.
Match your goal to a course
Each BMU course teaches one skill. Find the skill your goal needs. Here are the free Foundations courses.
| If your goal is to... | Try this course |
|---|---|
| Use a phone or computer with less stress | 010 Phone and Computer Confidence |
| Do store, pay, and kitchen math | 020 Everyday Math |
| Read letters, bills, and notices | 030 Read It, Get It |
| Budget, bank, and save | 040 Money Basics |
| Spot scams and keep your accounts safe | 050 Spot the Scam |
| Fill out forms, keep key papers, and check a lease | 070 Paperwork Made Plain |
Text version of this figure
From goal to course. Three steps to pick your first course.
- Step 1, Name your goal: Say one thing you want to do in your life.
- Step 2, Find the skill: Ask: what do I need to know how to do?
- Step 3, Pick one course: Choose the course that teaches that skill.
- Start: Do Lesson 1 of that course this week.
Source: BMU course catalog (Oct 29, 2026).
Rate your confidence
Rate how sure you feel as a learner today. Use 1 for not sure at all and 5 for very sure. Write the number down. You will rate it again at the end. It is fine to start low.
Worked example: Dee picks a course
Dee is 41. She works at a warehouse. Her goal: I want to apply for a lead job, and the form is online.
- Goal: apply for the lead job online.
- Skill she needs: fill out forms and attach a file on her phone.
- Course: 010 Phone and Computer Confidence.
- Confidence today: 2 out of 5.
Dee writes this on a card and puts it on her fridge. Dee is a made up example.
Worked example 2: Sam makes a goal smaller
Sam is 35 and works in a hotel kitchen. His first goal is: I want to get smarter. That is too big to plan for, so he asks one question: what do I want to do in my life that I cannot do now?
His answer: help my daughter with her fraction homework at night.
- Goal: help my daughter with fraction homework.
- Skill he needs: fractions and other everyday math.
- Course: 020 Everyday Math.
- Confidence today: 3 out of 5.
Sam is a made up example.
Practice: Goal to course
Use the table above. For each made up person, name one course. If the goal is too big, rewrite it first.
- Ana pays bills late and does not know where her pay goes each month.
- Joe gets lease papers and forms from his landlord and is not sure what to sign.
- Kim says: I want to be better at everything.
Check your practice: feedback
- 040 Money Basics. Her goal is about bills and a budget.
- 070 Paperwork Made Plain, because it covers forms and leases. 030 Read It, Get It also helps if the problem is reading the letters.
- Too big. Ask what she wants to do in her life. For example: I want to send my resume by email. Then 010 Phone and Computer Confidence fits.
Common mistakes
- Picking five courses at once. Start with one. Finish it, then pick the next.
- Picking a goal that is only about school. Tie it to your life, like work, home, or family.
- Skipping the confidence number. It helps you see your own growth later.
Try it: Write your learning goal card
Pick your scenario:
- A work goal, like a new job or a raise
- A home goal, like money, mail, or a phone
- A family goal, like helping a child learn
- Write one life goal in one sentence.
- Write the skill that goal needs.
- Pick one BMU course that teaches it.
- Rate your confidence from 1 to 5.
- Put the card where you will see it every day. Save it. You will use it in Lesson 5.
Do it by: today
Reflect
What is one thing you learned well as an adult? What helped you learn it?
Check your understanding
1. Sam wants to help his daughter with fractions. Which course fits his goal best?
- 030 Read It, Get It
- 020 Everyday Math
- 040 Money Basics
See the answer and feedback
B is correct. Yes. Fractions are a math skill.
A: That course is for reading mail and notices. Review Match your goal to a course.
C: That course is for budgets and banks. Review Match your goal to a course.
2. Which goal is the best start for this course?
- I want to fill out job forms on my phone.
- I want to learn everything.
- I want to take ten courses this month.
See the answer and feedback
A is correct. Yes. It is one clear goal tied to real life.
B: That is too big to plan for. Review Start with your why.
C: Start with one course. Review Common mistakes.
3. Why do you write down your confidence number today?
- So BMU can grade you.
- So you must score 5 by the end.
- So you can compare it at the end and see your growth.
See the answer and feedback
C is correct. Yes. It is just for you, to see change.
A: It is not graded. Review Rate your confidence.
B: Any number is fine. Review Rate your confidence.
Takeaway: your goal
- Pick one life goal, not a school goal
- If a goal is too big, ask what you want to do in your life
- Match the goal to one course
- Write your confidence number so you can compare later
Recap
- You already know how to learn. This course adds methods that work.
- Start with one life goal.
- Match your goal to one course.
- Write down your confidence number to compare later.
You now have: a learning goal card with your goal, the skill, one course, and your confidence number.
Next up
Next you will find time to learn, even in a busy week. Go to Lesson 2: Find your 15 minutes.
Sources
- ALL IN and the Barbara Bush Foundation: Breaking Barriers to Adult Literacy Access (April 2025) (current as of Oct 29, 2026)
- Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., and Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students' learning with effective learning techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4 to 58 (current as of Oct 29, 2026)
- National Center for Education Statistics: PIAAC 2023, Highlights of U.S. National Results (current as of Oct 29, 2026)
