TSL 751PRACTICES AND REFLECTIONS IN TESL
ADULT LEARNING:
STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING ADULT LEARNERS
AssociateProf.Dr.AbuBakarIbrahim
FakultiPendidikan
UiTMKampusSeksyen17
40200ShahAlam,Selangor
Hp.0123261135
emailabuba710@salam.uitm.edu.my
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..
