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Program
Administrator
ToolkitA Guide to Implementing and Managing Community-Based Adult ESOL Classes and Programs
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Chapter 1: Some Basic Principles of Adult Learning
What do we know about adult learners that we can use to guide adult ESOL programs?
►There is a lot of research that has been done about how adults learn best that can be useful for you in leading and managing your program.
Some Basic Principles of Adult Learning
Understanding some general concepts of how adults learn is an important place to start when thinking about how to establish or improve an adult ESOL program. Of course, the students in your program will always be different individuals with their own personalities and goals for being there, but there are some commonalities in how most adults learn in these contexts. Awareness of commonalities can help you, your staff and instructors, the students and other stakeholders in the program all be on the same page.
A few basic tenets of adult learning to be considered are seen in the table below. (click to enlarge)
► HOW CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT ADULT LEARNING PRINCIPLES?
Books
- Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice, Sharan B. Merriam and Laura L. Bierema. Jossey-Bass, 2013.
- Brief Guide for Teaching Adult Learners, Cheryl Torok Fleming and J. Bradley Garner. Triangle Publishing, 2009.
- How to Teach Adults: Plan Your Class, Teach Your Students, Change the World, Dan Spalding. Expanded edition, John Wiley & Sons Inc, 2014.
VideosWebsites
Some Basic Principles of Adult Learning
♦ PROVIDER TIPS
What Makes for a successful ESOL class for adults?
Patty Larson, Independent Consultant
Patty, who has taught and managed programs for Prince George’s Community College, Baltimore City Community College, and MCAEL, reflects upon her experience with adult education:
“It’s not any one element, but a combination of factors that leads to learning gains, including:
• an engaged and supportive Program Manager;
• an instructor trained in learner-driven approaches, who is skilled in developing practical lessons to address learners’ specific goals and needs;
• an understanding of who your learners are— their degree of socio-economic stability, any hardship or trauma they’ve experienced (if shared), their age, etc.—all factors that can enhance or hinder learner progress;
• establishing and monitoring progress indicators; and • conducting regular check-ins with learners to determine whether their needs are being met.”It’s not any one element, but a combination of factors that leads to learning gains