Helping Adult Learners with Limited Basic Skills
Perhaps you have already encountered one of these scenarios in a class. An adult student participates readily in class sessions, appears quite eager to learn, and submits homework assignments on time. However, any assignments that require writing proficiency are clearly below par in grammar, spelling, and writing style.
Or, in a basic physics class, an adult student is enthusiastic about the subject. You note that one of her professional goals is to teach science, but she is just not achieving the necessary success in the assignments that call for mathematical skills.
As a member of the adjunct faculty at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago and the community-based College of Lake County, Michele Kane has taught adults for 22 years. "One student I had had never written a paper," Kane says. "Most students who need help can go to the Learning Resource Center. At community colleges, there are lots of classes of the seminar type that encourage them to take advantage of these opportunities."
In the interest of helping adult students reach their educational and professional goals, it is best to address any limitations immediately. More often than not, such limitations are not due to an inability to do the work; rather, they can occur from a variety of correctable situations such as: The student has been away from studying for some time. The subject was poorly introduced and disliked in elementary and/or secondary school. The student is in an environment that does not value good grammar or mathematical skills.
In some cases an adult learner simply has not been introduced to effective study habits and now has to balance study with work and family. A bit of guidance will put students on the right track.
"In a community college the average student age is about 32 years old," Kane says. "Sixty percent are women. Most attend courses in the evening. I think the community college is meeting a real need as additional education is becoming more and more necessary. It's convenient and affordable. With open enrollment, if you apply, you're in. It's an entirely different dynamic," she says.
"Adult students can get good advice from an advisor or counselor," Kane adds. "Maybe they need to take some courses to bring them up to speed."
One example of meeting the adult learner's need for basic academic skills can be found on the Web site of Bellingham Technical College, Bellingham, Washington (http://www.beltc.ctc.edu). In its effort to reduce barriers to learning and prepare students for success in occupational training programs, The Learning Center there offers an assessment of basic skills available to any student through referrals from instructors. The Basic Academic Skills program offers courses in math, reading, writing, and English as a second language.
Today, most post secondary educational institutions administer placement tests. It is possible to earn credit for certain life experiences. An adult student who became fluent in a foreign language while living overseas, for example, can often obtain credit by taking a placement test.
What about the adult learner who may know more than he or she is aware of, but gets test anxiety? Kane believes such anxiety is an issue of self-esteem. "Some people see the grade as the person they are. Maybe school was not a happy place to be and tests remind them of that." Here it helps to ascertain the learning style of such a student.
Kane tells the story of one student who gave her a scathing review at the end of one term, while all the other students in the class gave very good reviews. "You teach the way you learn best," Kane says. "I'm a visual learner. I used to write on the board with my back to the class." When Kane researched the situation, she found this student to be an auditory learner who was not able to see her face when she was speaking, so he didn't retain what she said.
"It is important to realize what your learning style is—auditory, kinesthetic or visual—but if you're going to be successful, you have to teach to all three," Kane emphasizes. "Extroverts are often the sparks in your class, but they can dominate. Introverts are not comfortable speaking in class—it's too much a risk for them. So varying your activities gives a better chance to reach different types of learners. It is important to meet learners at their level of readiness."
The basic education skills of adult learners can often be improved by peer tutoring or in-class study groups. "Oftentimes peer tutors are able to reach the student on a different level than the professional," Kane notes. "Students proficient in writing or math make a more credible source for them, because they are going to school also."
"Study groups within the class are helpful," Kane says. Extroverts who happen to be more knowledgeable in the subject can provide a form of peer tutoring within a study group, while the introverts will be able to absorb some needed skills more readily within the smaller group."
Adult learners in transition have special needs. While some organizations meet those needs well, others have a long way to go. Lifelong learning is a reality; thus adults of all ages will continue to be a part of the classroom. Kane presents an observation on this issue: "Often the community college expects an instructor to have a master's degree in the discipline but does not require instructors to have expertise in education." Though knowledgeable in their subject, these instructors could benefit from a course on how to teach adult learners. "I think this would be a valid course to offer as part of staff development," she says.
Sources:
Michele Kane
Bellingham Technical College Web site
http:// www.beltc.ctc.edu
Additional Reading:
Plato White Papers
"Teaching Reading with Plato Software"
http://www.plato.com/papers/teaching.asp
GSU Master Teacher Program: On Learning Styles
"Student Learning and the Myers-Briggs"
http://www.gsu.edu
