Adult Learners’ Characteristics

Adult Learners Characteristics and teaching implications

ask for their preferences.

allow them to choose among different activities.

implement peer and self assessment.

show you are available for them.

Adults are autonomous and self directed Adults want to take more control over learning than youth: As adults are self directed in their lives, they transfer this need for independence to the learning situation Teaching implications Principles of adult learning Adult learner characteristics

use their experiencers as a resource for learning.

connect their previous knowledge with their new knowledge.

Adults have accumulated a foundation of experiences and knowledge.

Adults draw upon their experiences as a resource for learning.

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Teaching implications Principles of adult learning Adult learner characteristics

show them the objectives of the course

invite them to share their objectives and make them part of the annual plan.

maintain their motivation through varied and relevant activities.

Adults are goal oriented: they have clear objectives for attendig a course.

Adults tend to be more motivated than youth. This stems from the fact that they choose to learn English

don’t spend too much time with theory.

show the applicability of the new knowledge.

try to put the students’ needs first.

make them use what you’ve taught immediately.

Adults are relevancy oriented and practical.

Adults are pragmatic: they want to put what they learn immediately into practice.

establish a peer relationship with them.

give all the students the same opportunities.

be flexible.

give deadlines anticipation.

extend deadlines.

Adults need to

be shown respect.

The learner role is secondary for adults and they must fit their learning into life’s margins. Since they have many roles in life, being a student is not their main priority. Teaching implications Principles of adult learning Adult learner characteristics

use confidence building activities.

teach study skills.

use paiwork and groupwork to reduce anxiety.

Many adults lack confidence in their learning because of negative past experiences and “rusty” study skills. Teaching implications Adult learner characteristics

expalin the reasons underlying the changes.

link new ideas with previous ones.

introduce changes slowly, one by one.

Adults are more resistant to change. They have seen that some changes in life were not for the best Teaching implications Adult learner characteristics

establish a collaborative atmosphere in the classroom.

present materials in different ways to cater for the different learning styles.

Adult groups are more diverse in terms of age and experiences.

Teaching implications Adult learner characteristics

check the learning environment.

check you pace in learning to give them time to process the information.

Adults must compensate for aging in learning. Though adults may have problems related with age, such as sight or motricity, they learn slowly but more deeply. Teaching implications Adult learner characteristics