Module 4 – Instructional Techniques
Contextual Instruction
Functional Skills
We use basic literacy skills on a daily basis – while driving a car, cooking, making purchases, supporting our children in schoolwork. These daily tasks may present challenges for adult literacy learners, because they incorporate skills from a variety of academic areas – when driving you must read street signs very quickly; when cooking you use measuring tools or calculate with fractions. Yet adult learners may state, “I don’t read much,” or “I never use math.” Adult literacy instructors can help learners make connections between what they are learning in class and every-day functional skills by the contextualization of instruction.
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“There is a big gap between what students learn in class and what they can actually apply to everyday life…leading to the inability to apply learning to everyday living.” |
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“So the other day, I was in the store, see, and there it said 25% off – and we’d been working on percents and money in class – and I knew how to figure the cost! I never knew before, I just took it to the clerk and asked. Now I could do it myself!” |
Take a moment to consider the implications of using real-life contexts to frame instruction of functional skills.
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On your worksheet, record your initial thoughts about contextualized instruction of functional skills. |
Adult literacy learners bring with them a variety of strengths and needs. Instructors should not make assumptions as to which contexts will appeal to learners or address their needs. Encourage them to explore connections between specific skills and daily tasks. Use information from interviews and/or interest inventories to locate or suggest materials appropriate to the learner. Plan hands-on activities using authentic materials – such as preparing a snack based on directions and measurements in a written recipe, analyzing advertisements in newspapers or junk mail, having parents practice reading comprehension skills using their child’s textbook, etc. Supporting learners as active participants in the design of their instruction builds independent life-long learning skills. Listed below is a real-life adult education scenario. While you are reading, consider the needs and concerns of the learners. How has the instructor attempted to meet those needs? What might he do in planning learning activities in the future?
Real-Life Scenario – Dale’s Lesson Plans:
Dale’s class is made up entirely of women, who have expressed a desire to become more independent and “do things for themselves.” Dale, whose hobby is repairing cars, put together a unit of study on basic car repair and maintenance for the class. He incorporated the usage and reading of various measurement tools, mileage calculations, manuals, and product directions, and even basic problem-solving processes for things like “the car won’t start.” The women were fascinated – few had ever been exposed to such material. A week or so into the study however, Dale was astonished to discover that only one person in class owned a car and could immediately apply what she was learning.
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On your worksheet, record your thoughts on the needs and concerns of the students. |
Click the + sign in the box to the right to see ideas from other Adult Education Instructors. | [?] |
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Sometimes contextualization is simple - when I’m introducing a new technique or topic, I make a point of first explaining why we’re going to do the activity – ask learners how this applies to their own lives. I’m always on the lookout for ways to keep the subject matter relevant to the learners’ goals and to the reasons why they are here. It's important to be purposeful and transparent with adult learners.
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As a teacher, – you can’t assume anything. Students may say, “I want to learn computers,” and you think – “OK, how to open and save documents, typing skills, writing skills, etc.,” and it turns out that they want to be able to insert a CD and compile music. Always discuss with the learners before you plan, give them time to open up to you about their goals and interest areas.
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Sometimes students cannot see the relevanc of what they are learning or its applications to everyday life. The relevancy must be discussed, perhaps several times, and shown to be applicable. Roleplay of real-life situations can be a great tool in this.
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 literacy learners?
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On your worksheet, make note of any tips, insights, or new ideas gained from the instructors’ suggestions. |
In Summary:
- Real-life, daily activities form the context for adult learning and teaching. Drawing on those daily activities and the tasks learners need to accomplish helps them to practice and apply newly learned skills in a variety of situations.
- Increased practice and application lead to increased retention of skills as well as greater independence and flexibility in performing a wider range of these everyday tasks.
- Adult literacy instructors can help learners make learning connections in several different ways: by using real-world examples in explanations, locating materials related to a learner’s interests or needs, and designing hands-on activities incorporating needed basic literacy skills.
- Instructors should work with adult learners to determine the appropriate functional skills contexts to meet their needs and strengthen their learning.
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On your worksheet, record any final notes or thoughts, specific ideas you want to be sure to remember, plans for further study, etc. |
Click "Next" below or a specific topic on the outline to the left to continue.
