Module 2 - Orientation and Assessment
Orientation
Goals
Adult learners’ reasons for coming to classes are many and varied. Take a moment to think about their reasons. Click here to see a list of responses from Adult Literacy Instructors.
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"I want to get the kids whatever they want, and I can’t do it without a GED and a good job.” |
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“And that’s the reason I started going to school, on account of that. Because I wanted to read my Bible. Because I know I’d seen people get up in church, you know can’t read. I know I did one Sunday. You know we had to read verse by verse in Sunday school, and I just couldn’t read all them words.” |
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“[Goal-setting during] orientation brings out reasons why [students] are here and puts past [life] choices in perspective. The learner comes away with better feelings about themselves.” |
Take a moment to consider the how a student’s goals would affect instruction for that learner.
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On your worksheet, record your initial thoughts about goal setting and its relation to instruction. |
Adults vary in their abilities to set goals for themselves. Some adult learners will have a difficult time articulating academic goals, while others may have goals that are unrealistic or too broad. Instructors need to assist students in setting attainable and specific goals. Goal-setting should acknowledge where the student currently is and enumerate small measurable steps to where the student ultimately wants to be. Goals should be re-evaluated periodically.
Listed below is a real-life adult education scenario. While you are reading, consider the concerns of both the students and the instructor. How can the instructor best support their learning?
Real-Life Scenario – Roger’s Dilemma:
All students fill out an application prior to entering Roger’s basic reading and math skills class. This application includes questions regarding students’ goals for the class. Upon reviewing these forms, Roger finds that almost all students noted passing the GED test as their goal.
“I plan on getting my GED within the year.”
“I need to know fractions, algebra, and geometry to pass the GED next month.”
“All I need is just a little brush up on my skills to pass the GED.”
Roger is concerned that these goals may not be realistic. He worries, however, that a frank discussion of the time needed to attain this goal will overwhelm them and cause them to quit the class.
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On your worksheet, record your thoughts on the feelings and concerns of both the instructor and the students. |
Click the + sign in the box to the right to see ideas from other Adult Education Instructors. | [?] |
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Validate their stated goal, but then assist them to make more immediately attainable goals. This might look like: Long-Term Goal - obtain GED; Mid-Range Goal - improve basic skills, pass the GED Practice Tests in Math and Writing; Short-Term Goal - solve math word problems using fractions and decimals; Immediate Strategies - review fraction computations and decimal operations, learn fraction and decimal equivalents.
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If students indicate that their goal is to pass the GED test, I would encourage them to explore what they will gain from that certificate and then see what skills and knowledge will be most useful to them beyond the GED. Then they can start to see that the skills they will gain will have a benefit beyond the certificate and we can start to focus on the skills they need and the steps to obtaining those skills.
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Journal writing is one method I use to keep students focused on their goals. Set aside a routine time, perhaps 5 minutes of every class, and dedicate it to journal writing about their progress, challenges, interests, and any concerns they have. My students like to respond to the question, "What can I do (or do I know) today that I couldn't do yesterday?" Responses can be as short as a sentence or two. Have students discuss their entries as a group or in pairs. Often this activity reveals a lot about their plans, needs and short-term goals.
In reviewing these ideas, did you find any similar to your own? Did any of them strike you as particularly interesting? Did they provide any new insights for your instruction of adult learners?
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On your worksheet, make note of any tips, insights, or new ideas gained from the instructors’ suggestions. |
In Summary:
- Goal setting helps both you and the learner build a framework for planning and organizing lessons and monitoring progress.
- As you work together, you can revisit these goals and decide when they have been met, if they need to be modified, or if the learner has new goals.
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On your worksheet, record any final notes or thoughts, specific ideas you want to remember, plans for further study, etc. |
Click "Next" below or a specific topic on the outline to the left to continue.
