Lecture-liberal Adult Education

8/13/2019 Lecture-liberal Adult Education

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Liberal Adult Education

Tamar Mikeladze

Ed.D, English Language Teaching Methodology

Telavi State University, Georgia

Erasmus Mundus Grantee,

Post Doc researcher, University of Turku

11.12.2013


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Overview

Why Adult education?

Liberal Adult education and benefits

Literature review and current research among

language teachers Discussions


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Definition

Adult education and training is provided bysome 800 institutions in Finland

Liberal adult education is not degree-oriented,

nor is its content regulated by law Instead,

educational goals and content are decidedupon by the administrators of educational

institutions and organizations (Anderzn, 2012)


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Benefits of Adult education

Every adult is a learner (Jarvis, 1995) Basic human need

Benefits in economic, social and political

domains (OECD, 2003)

Brain research confirms the wider benefits of

learning, especially for ageing populations (OECDEducation Working Papers, 2012)

There are individual and social benefits from

learning non-native languages (Languages in a GlobalWorld: Learning for Better Cultural Understanding, 2012)

Video clip of Adult Education offered by the Virginia Beach City Public

Schools


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The report of OECD 2003 Beyond Rhetoric:Adult Learning Policies and Practices

Teachers need to be well trained with the range of adult learning

processes and the attendant difficulties and they must choose the most

suitable method to particular learners. As society is changeable so are

jobs and it is important to reassess teachers jobs and skills, provide aclear definition of responsibilities and redefine priorities in terms of

practice, approaches and the skills needed to fully develop their adult

learning experience. p. 179

Immigrant Education In Liberal Adult Education

Institutions 2010 (by Finnish National Board of Education, theFinnish Association of Adult Education Centres (KoL)

Teachers must be given training that takes adult immigrants into

consideration

The state should use these institutions as educational forums and train

a few teachers for this purpose.


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Factors considered in planninginstruction for adults

age;

motivation to read;

instructional, living, and working environments;

socio-cultural backgrounds;

socioeconomic status;

learning abilities or disabilities (Wrigley &

Guth, 1992)


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Recommendations by OECD

The OECD has identified interrelated areas to help

strengthen and develop effective practice, andimprove outcomes for adults (2013):

Strengthen learner-centred approaches

Diversify and deepen approaches to programme

evaluation for accountability Devote the necessary resources of people, time and

money

Strengthen the knowledge base


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Evaluation of Foreign Language Courses byLanguage Instructors inLiberal Adult Education Institutions. 2013

Research goal

evaluate teachers attitude towards foreign

language programs and adult learners in liberal

adult education institutions. determine what factors influence the successful

language program according to teachers views.

Research questions:

What is the attitude of instructors toward the language

programs?

What are strengths and weaknesses of these language

courses?

What can be changed in these language programs?


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Research strategy & Method

Survey which is used to gather and describe the attitudes,views and opinions (Brown & Rogers, 2005)

Interviews

an interview schedule or structured interview, which included

open-ended questions and prompts for the interviewer to use.

(Denscombe, 2003)

Participants

7 teachers from Turku Adult Education Center, 2 from Arbis and 1

teacher from Aurala.

Procedures


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Data Analysis

1 male and 9 female teachers Finnish - 7, Russian - 1, Dutch -1, Estonian -1

N0

1

2

3

4

below 4040 - 50

above 50

4

33

Age groups

N

Overall teaching

experience 16.3 years

Overall teachingexperience 24.6 years


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Finnish, English, Estonian, French, Italian, Swedi-

sh, Dutch, and Russian language courses

MA degree7 teachers, BA degree3 teachers

Teaching experience at the adult education

center

0

2

4

6

8

0-10years

from 11to 20

years

above20

years

N Teachers

NTeachers


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Effective teachingYes - 8 teachers, Not sure2 teachers

Examples of Effective teaching

All explanations are done in the learners native tongue

Learners, who have family members in the target language country, communicate with them.

Some students went as exchange students there after completing the language course

The teacher gives a questionnaire form at the end of each course, and mainly gets positive

feedback

Learners are able to communicate in a target language and travel to the country of the targetlanguage

They learn to speak, but it takes years and patience to learn

If we compare this learning to which happens in formal environment, then it is not so effective.

The goal here is different; it is more connected to leisure and fun. However the result is

always visible.

Mini-checks are utilized after each unit; they show how well the student knows the material.

If students are willing to work, then they have results. If students do not do homework then it is

very difficult to teach language. Teaching is effective when students start asking their own

questions.

Students seem to be happy. The progress is visible.


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Goal, Satisfaction,effective vs. ineffective

Effective

Frequencyineffective Frequenc

ySpeaking activities

3 pair-work 1combination of different activities

1 depends on learners mood 1vocabulary activities

1 discussion topics with students of low educationalbackground 1

reading unknown texts, games1 Writing and listening activities 1

creative activities, speaking, pair-work1 No ineffective activities 2

audio, video, writing activities1 activities not related to language learning 2

audio, writing activities1 discussion with students whose vocabulary is

poor 1group-work, problem-solving, games,

listening activities 1teacher reading the passage, which has the audio

recording as well 1Total

10 Total 10

Goalyes (7), no (3)

satisfactionvery much (7), just satisfactory (3)


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Learners complaints

6 teachers answered that their students had somekind of complaints

Textbooks / Design of textbooks

not enough exposure to the target language Fast/slow pace

Not understandable audio material

Eager for more homework


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Teachers beliefs

8 teachers believe - students like the coursevery much

2 teachers think that the learners like the

course.

Factors that influence learners positive attitude

are a teacher, learning environment and

learning outcome.

Feedback verbal and written forms

students want proceed to the next level of the

course or recommend the course to someone

else.


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Conducive factors to learningThe successful factors were divided into 2 groups related to

the teacher and the teaching process.

According to the teachers answers the

language courses are successful if the teacher: is the native speaker of the target language has rich experience chooses diverse materials: internet

resources and applications (moodle),

songs is aware of the target language culture is motivated offers task-based activities prepares main and supplementary

materials

According to the teachers answers the teaching

process is successful if: The textbook is chosen properly There are excursions to the target

language country

There is different approach to teaching,

e.g. tandem-teaching There is freedom for learners in the

classroom and group environment is

favorable Instructional language is native to learners Interaction happens freely It is a social event with elements of fun Learners questions are answered Students can discuss content of the course The course has appropriate length


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Students attendance

Reasons for working at the adult education

centers

1) teachers main job

2) additional income - I need money

3) attractive working conditions

4) maintaining foreign language skills by teaching it.

Students miss classes

Students inform teachers about absence and the reason.

To the question how many students out 100% will finish

the course, 5 teachers - about 80% of the students in their

groups are expected to complete the course, 4 teachers -

varies between 60% and 80%


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Proposed changes to the courses

Increase instructional hours

Reduce the group size

Use instructional language less; add next level to the course

Introduce Tandem-teaching; create facebook page of the

course

Change a textbook with better one

Move into a bigger classroom as it is hard to move around for

pair-work

Use more target language in the classroom and involve

students in discussions

Give more chances to learners to develop writing

Organize a project where learners can talk to native speakers

Use computers and audio equipment at the center


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Attitudes to adult teaching

Teachers like giving the language course to

adults

a job which offers less stress, less responsibility

and less control

low reimbursement can cause teachers low motivation and lack of

goal-oriented planning

Dangerous judgments which are widespread

among language teachers of adults: This

course is for fun, it is learners hobby - can

cause superficial approach to teaching

learners come not only for leisure, but they

value learning and have certain goals


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Establish teacher-learner rapport

Teachers are facilitators in achieving these goals.

the relationship of trust - a relationship which can be rich

and rewarding since both teachers and learners are

adults.

Teachers should try to establish a friendly, openatmosphere for positive and meaningful educational

experience, set the degree of difficulty high enough to

challenge participants, but not to frustrate them by

information overloading.

Teachers of adults should explore multiple explanationsof what adult learning is.


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Working with adults is more demanding. They ask difficult

questions. With adults it is difficult, they judge you and sometimes

pretend that they understand, unlike children

This is an only job that I could get. Would prefer a better job.

Its not easy to get a permanent job. I like to work with adults and

also sleep in the morning.

Very pleasant work, no stress, the pace is slow and it is fun.

E-mail: [email protected]

hank you


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References:

Anderzn, J. (2012). Immigrant Education in liberal Adult Education Institutions

2010. Finnish National Board of Education and Finnish Association of Adult

Education Centres (Kol).

Burt, M., Peyton, J., K., & Adams, R. (2003). Reading and Adult English

Language Learners. A Review of the Research. Center for Applied

Linguistics.

Denscombe, M. (2003). The Good Research Guide for Small-scale Social

Research Projects. Open University Press. p. 166.

Falasca, M. (2011). Barriers to adult learning: Bridging the gap Australian

Journal of Adult learning. Vol. 51, November, p. 584.

Freedman, L. (1987). Quality in continuing education.

Jarvis, P. (1995). Adult and continuing education. Theory and practice. 2nded.

Routledge

OECD, 2003. Beyond Rhetoric: Adult Learning Policies and Practices

The OECD Perspective. Education Today 2013. DOI:10.1787/edu_today-

2013-en

Schmidt, S. W. (2013). The future of adult education. Adult learning vol.24 N2, p.

79-80

Wrigley, H. S. & Guth, G.J.A. (1992). Bringing literacy to life: Issues andobstacles in adults ESL literacy: San Mateo CA: Aguirre International
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Lecture-liberal Adult Education