TSL 751PRACTICES AND REFLECTIONS IN TESL

ADULT LEARNING:
STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING ADULT LEARNERS

AssociateProf.Dr.AbuBakarIbrahim
FakultiPendidikan
UiTMKampusSeksyen17
40200ShahAlam,Selangor
Hp.0123261135
[email protected]
 OBJECTIVES
Tointroduceparticipantstothedevelopmentsin
adulteducationandtoidentifystrategiesinteaching
adultlearners.
LEARNINGOUTCOMES

Attheendofthesession,participants
shouldbeableto:
1. Discussdevelopmentsinadulteducation
2. Identifythecharacteristicsofadultlearners
3. Differentiatebetweenpedagogyandandragogy
4. Analyzeandragogyanddevelopstrategiesfor
teachingadultlearners
DEVELOPMENTSINADULT
EDUCATION
During20thcenturygrowinginterestinadult
education.
Rationale:Nocountrycanprosperwithpoorly
educatedhumancapital.
Henceworkforceneedstolearncontinuouslyfor
thecountrytoprosper.
DEVELOPMENTSINADULT
EDUCATION
Forthepastfiftyyearsadulthighereducation
gainedprominenceingovernmentpolicies,
businesscorporations,andhighereducation
worldwide.
Providersofadulteducationcommittedto:
Providingaccessandequitytoadultlearners

Embarkinginknowledgecompetenceaidedby
technologies.
RECENTDEVELOPMENTINADULT
EDUCATIONINMALAYSIA
MOREADULTSEEKINGEDUCATION

Threemainfactors:
1. Governmentemphasisonlifelongeducation
NationalEducationPhilosophy

2. ThegrowthofIPTA/IPTS
Offeringavarietyofattractiveandcompetitiveprograms
Opportunitytopursueeducation,
fulltime,distancelearning,openuniversity,etc.

3. RapiddevelopmentofICT
Flexiblelearningprograms,epjj,blendedlearning
TWOMAINREASONSFOR
LEARNING
Selfdevelopment(Intrinsicmotivation)
Toseeknewknowledgeandskills

Opportunityforupwardmobility(Extrinsic
motivation)
Promotionandcareeradvancement
REASONFORLEARNING(KELLY.
DIANA.K)
1. SecondChanceStudents:

Didnothavetheopportunityforhigher
educationwhenyounger.
LateBloomers
2. CareerRelatedReasons:
Careeradvancement:higherqualificationsforhigher
levelpositions

Careerchange:newskillsorcertificationtobeginnew
career.

Parttimerworkers:qualificationstoobtain
permanent/fulltimepositions.

Beginacareer:oftenwomenwhowanttoworkafter
raisingafamily.
3. WorkRelatedReasons:
Shortcoursestoupgradeskillsforcurrentjob(specific
skills)computer,communication,etc.

Continuingprofessionaleducationrequiredinthe
profession.Accounting,Law,etc.

Shortcoursesandseminarstokeepuptodateinthe
profession.
4. PersonalFulfillment:
Selfesteembuildingandselfunderstanding.

Basicskills:literacy,maths,transferableskills.

Socialreasons:tomeetpeoplewithsimilarinterests

Exploreanareaofprofessionalinterest
BARRIERSTOPARTICIPATINGIN
HIGHEREDUCATION(KELLY.D.K)
Situationalbarriers:
Outsideresponsibilities,limitedtime,cost,etc.

Institutionalbarriers:
Admissionandregistrationprocedures,scheduling,
etc.

Dispositionalbarriers:
Fearofstudy,lowselfesteem,lowmotivation,etc.
MAJORQUESTIONSINT&L
Whoaretheseadultlearners?
Whataretheirmajorcharacteristics?
Isthereanydifferenceinteachingadults?
Ifthereis,whatarethedifferences?
Whataretheappropriatestrategiesin
teachingadultlearners?
DEFININGADULTLEARNERS
USA
25orolder

UK
21orolder

Malaysia
21orolder
Eligibletovote
MAJORCHARACTERISTICS
OFADULTLEARNERS
Adultassociatedwithbeingfullydeveloped,
matureandgrownup
Knowles,M.(1990):Apersonisanadultifhe/she
iscapableofperforminghis/hersocialroles
determinedbyhis/herculture;responsiblefor
his/herownlifeandthatofothers
Usuallyinemployment
UITMSTUDENTS
PreDiploma/Asasi
Diploma

BachelorsDegree

Masters

PhD
STAGESOFHUMAN
DEVELOPMENT
Infancy
Childhood

Earlyadolescence

Middleadolescence

Lateadolescence

Adult
PEDAGOGY
AccordingtoLawson(1998)

PedagogyorPedagogicalmodeloflearninghas
dominatededucation

Pedagogyusedasageneraltermformethodof
teaching

Pedagogytheartandscienceofeducatingchildren
GreekPaid/PedameansChild
PEDAGOGY
Pedagogicalmodel:
1. Theteacherisresponsibleforthelearningprocess.The
learnersroleispassive

2. Theteacheristheexpertknowall

3. Learningisinformationcentered,prescribedinthe
syllabus

4. Peoplearemotivatedtolearninordertopassatest,
advancetothenextlevelorearncertification

5. Motivationtolearnisexternal/extrinsic.
ANDRAGOGY
Andragogytheartandscienceofhelpingadults
learn(Knowles,1988)

GreekAner/Andrameansman(adult)

BeganinEuropeandpromotedinUSAMalcolm
Knowles,guruofadultlearning
ANDRAGOGY
Andragogicalmodeloflearning:

1. Theadultlearnerisselfdirected(independent)

achangeinselfconceptfromtotaldependencyto
increasingselfdirectednessi.e.taking
responsibilityfortheirownlives
ANDRAGOGY
Andragogicalmodeloflearning:

2. Theadultlearnerisexperienced
abasisfornewlearning
aresourcetosharewithothers

Arichresourceforlearningbyselfandothers

Roleoftheteacherguideandfacilitator
ANDRAGOGY
3. Theadultlearnersarereadytolearnwhen
theyperceiveaneedtoknowinorderto
performmoreeffectivelyinsomeaspectof
theirlivesi.e.practicalandrealistic,rather
thantheoreticalandconceptual.
ANDRAGOGY
4. Theadultlearnerswantimmediate,realworld
application,
i.e.relevancetotheirreallives,
reallifesituationtaskandproblems
ANDRAGOGY
5. Theadultlearnerisintrinsicallymotivatedto
learnbecauseofinternalfactorsi.e.self
esteem,recognition,curiosity,betterqualityof
life,opportunityforselfactualization.
STRATEGIESFORTEACHING
ADULTLEARNERS

PleaseseeActivity1
STRATEGIESFORTEACHING
ADULTLEARNERS

TransitionfromPEDAGOGYANDRAGOGY
PEDAGOGY&ANDRAGOGY
Pedagogyteachercentered,focusonlearning
Andragogylearnercentered/learnerfocused
education
Adultsdifferfromchildreninanumberofways,and
thus
thetraditionalpedagogicalmodelisnotsuitablefor
usewithadults.(Knowles1973)
PEDAGOGY&ANDRAGOGY
Children
Needstobeguided
Dependentonteacher
Adults
Teacherauthority
figure Tendtobeselfdirecting
Externalrewardand Possessawealthof
punishment experience
Lackexperience Intrinsicallymotivated
Extrinsicallymotivated Tendtobeproblemcentered
Subjectcentered Aretimeconscious
Arefocusedonspecificgoals
Arehighlymotivated(when
itisseenasrelevant)
STRATEGIESFORTEACHING
ADULTLEARNERS
1. Selfdirected
Teachercenteredtostudentcentered
Teacherasexperttofacilitator
Passivelearningtoactivelearning
i.e.interactiveteaching
e.g.traditionallecturetointeractive
lecture

Flexibilityinlearning
e.g.Problembasedlearning,groupdiscussion,
casestudyetc.
STRATEGIESINTEACHING
SELFDIRECTEDLEARNING
Instructionshouldallowlearnerstodiscoverthingsfor
themselves
SDLmodel
Studentstakecontroloftheirownlearning
Settingtheirownlearninggoals
Decidingonwhichlearningmethodstouse

Evaluatingtheirownprogress
STRATEGIESFORTEACHING
ADULTLEARNERS
2. Wealthofexperience
Findoutwhatthelearneralreadyknowsandbuildonthose
experiences

Instructionshouldtakeintoaccountthewiderangeof
backgroundoflearners

Createawinwinsituation

Capitalizeontheirbackgroundknowledgeandexperiencei.e.
projects,presentations,groupdiscussions,etc.

Provideopportunityforsharingwithteacher,betweenstudents
i.e.groupwork,discussion,presentation

Collaborativelearningopportunitytoworkingroups
STRATEGIESFORTEACHING
ADULTLEARNERS
3. Practicalandrealistic
Problemcenteredratherthansubjectcentered

Lesstheoriesandconceptsskillsandknowledgetohelpthem
solveproblemsorcompletetasks

Helplearnersseehowthelearningwillhelpthemtobemore
successful

Intellectuallychallengingandstimulatinginstructions

Instructionshouldbetaskorientedinsteadofmemorization

Activitiesrelevanttotheirimmediateneedscasestudies,
simulations,etc.
STRATEGIESFORTEACHING
ADULTLEARNERS

4. Relevance

Cleargoalsandobjectives

Involvelearnersinplanningthroughneeds
analysis

Mostinterestedtolearnsubjectsthathave
immediaterelevancetothemortheirjobi.e.real
worldsituation

Visits,guestspeakers,simulation,etc.
STRATEGIESFORTEACHING
ADULTLEARNERS
5. Intrinsicallymotivated
Treatthemasmatureperson/adults

Providesupport,guidanceandrecognition

Createacomfortableandconducivelearningenvironment
promotegreaterconfidenceandopportunitytoself
actualize

Activelyinvolveadultsinlearningprocess
ADDITIONALSTRATEGIES
1. Learningstylescatertodifferentlearningstyles
andpreferences.(DunnandDunn,VATetc.)

Multisensoryapproachconsiderperceptual
modality.

M.B.JamesandM.W.Galbraith(1985)alearner
maypreferoneormoreofthefollowingwaysin
processinginformation:
Visual: learningthroughtheeyes pictures,
graphs,videos,etc.
Print : absorbwrittenwords handouts,texts,
etc.
Aural : informationthroughtheears
lectures,audiotapes,etc.
Interactive: interactionwithteacherandother
students groupdiscussions,questionand
answer sessions,etc.
Tactile: handsonactivitiesmodelbuilding,
drawing,etc.
Kinesthetic: useofpsychomotorskillsand
bodymovementroleplay,games,etc.

Agoodinstructionshouldincorporateallsixmodalities
3. Usevarietyofmethods

4. Usemoreinductivethandeductiveapproachto
learning
useexamplesthatleadtosolvingtheproblemor
increaseknowledgeskillsandattitude

Inductivespecifictogeneral
Deductivegeneraltospecific
 CONCLUSION

Theteacherofadultsneedstolearnandrelearn
inordertobetterunderstandadultlearners

Theteacherofadultsneedtomovefrom
pedagogytoandragogy
or,combinepedagogyandandragogy
DISCUSSION
1. Howwouldtheknowledgeofandragogyhelp
youtobetterunderstandadultlearners?
2. Basedonyourknowledgeofandragogy,discuss
thestrategiesthatyouwouldadoptinteaching
ESL.
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THANKYOU..