Module 2 - Orientation and Assessment
Orientation
Other activities
Some adult learners were not “good at school.” Others have been away from education for many years. Adult learners may need a refresher on basic skills useful for learning. Organization and memory skills, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, listening and communication skills are often addressed in the orientation process. These types of activities can re-orient students to educational processes and assist them in acquiring skills that will be helpful in their studies.
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“I was shy – I didn’t want to talk to folks, you know? It had been a long time since I did school – I wasn’t sure even how to study anymore.” |
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“They talk out in class, interrupt others or the lesson, lose homework, forget books, papers, pencils – and these are adults!” |
Take a moment to consider the implications that the introduction or re-introduction of important learning skills can have on later instruction of adult learners.
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On your worksheet, record your initial thoughts on the orientation activities designed to strengthen “general learning skills.” |
Other types of useful activities for beginning adult learners include a general orientation that covers how adults learn, note-taking skills, stress-management techniques, and team building. In addition, adult learners often need to take some time to discuss the reasons for acquiring knowledge and skills they see as academic and not immediately relevant to their own lives.
Listed below is a real-life adult education scenario. While you are reading, consider the feelings and concerns of both the student and the instructor. What strategies or activities could the instructor use to build her students’ self-confidence as learners?
Real-Life Scenario – Martha’s Self-Confidence:
Martha is a retired grandmother who has just gone through a divorce. She is feeling overwhelmed at having to manage her own money and balance her checkbook. She needs to learn how to plan and budget and she needs practice working with numbers. On her first few days in class she spoke very little and kept her head down, not looking anyone in the eye. Concerned, her instructor, Diane, met with her after class and gently asked if she could be of assistance. Martha broke down. She was embarrassed at having to attend literacy classes and was sure she wouldn’t succeed. “It’s been years since I was in school. I couldn’t keep anything in my head. What makes me think I can do any better now?” After a calming and supportive conversation with Diane, Martha felt comfortable in returning to class the next day. Diane is now concerned that others in the class may feel similar trepidation, so she seeks to find a way to support Martha and the whole class in believing in and planning for success.
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On your worksheet, record your thoughts on Martha and Diane’s feelings and concerns. |
Click the + sign in the box to the right to see ideas from other Adult Education Instructors. | [?] |
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Some adult learners are quick to talk about what they can’t do, so encourage them to talk about what they CAN do, what they’ve taught someone else to do, what they have already learned, and so forth. Encourage students to engage in discussions where they share feelings about learning and specific subject matter. Share your own feelings and opinions.
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Teach something that can be learned very quickly. This might be a technique for remembering a math “trick,” or using a calculator. Recognizing small successes encourages students to persist in their studies.
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I always include a short screening for possible learning disabilities during the orientation session. We are careful to tell students that it is not a diagnosis, but a way to see if there is a possibility of an actual physical disorder. It can also assist us in suggesting referrals for more thorough testing and even guide us in working with the student to adjust instruction.
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:
- One reason some adult learners were unsuccessful in earlier schooling is that they lacked basic literacy skills.
- Adults may need a refresher, a “re-orientation” to the tasks and skills that make learning easier and more efficient.
- Orientation provides an opportunity for instructors to learn about their students.
- Orientation is an opportunity for students to learn positive things about themselves as learners, creating or strengthening positive attitudes toward learning.
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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.
