Teaching Adult Learners

An Overview

V = Voice By Choice. You will not be called on and you will not be made to speak in front of the whole group unless you make that choice. We do ask you to jump into the small groups and partnerships.

O = One- two- three- four- five – Your facilitators will wait at least five seconds for you to speak! Silence can be our friend.

I = Inclusion. We will all strive to make sure that everyone feels included, knows what is happening at any given moment, and has ample opportunity to be valued and to speak.

C = Considerate. We’ll start on time, end on time, and come back from breaks in a timely fashion!

E = Encouragement. We will always seek to encourage each other, to give support and praise for contributions, to be part of solutions when needed, and to ask questions.

VOICE GuidelinesTelling to Teaching, Dr. Joye Norris

Reflect upon the Adult Learning Theory

Explore 4 principles of adult learners

Discuss effective practices to connect with

adult learners

Rate your use of 6 key facilitation skills

Today, we will:

Reflect on the Adult Learning Theory WHY do Adults Learn?

With a partner, describe WHY (in general) adults

learn. What characteristics or words

would you use?

1. Adults have a need to know why they should learn something.

2. Adults have a deep need for self-directing.3. Adults come to learning situations with a wealth of

experience and knowledge.4. Adults are motivated to learn by both extrinsic

and intrinsic motivators.

Adult Learning Theory

“When the student is ready, the teacher appears.”

- Buddhist proverb

4 Principles of Adult Learners

RespectSafety

InclusionTrust

1. Describe an experience of your own where, as the learner, you felt respected. What was done – or NOT done – to give you that feeling?

2. Tell about a learning experience you have had where you felt safe to fully participate. What actions were taken to lead you to feel safe?

3. Share with your partner a time when you felt included in the lesson or class or program. What was it that gave you that feeling?

4. Let your partner know about a time when you felt a deep trust with your teacher – or did NOT. How did you know?

Examine these 4 questions.Choose the one you wish to discuss with a

partner.

Adult learners want to be respected for who they are, where they’ve been, and what they already know.

What YOU can do:• Begin and end on time• Be prepared• Know your subject• Tend to differences • Listen to what they say

Respect

Learners, especially adult learners who have had poor experiences with previous schooling, want to feel safe to

fully participate, to speak out, to take risks if needed.

What YOU can do:• Voice By Choice• Wait for responses• Make sure questions/activities are “close enough to be

relevant, far enough away to be safe”• Affirm responses (“Thank you for sharing”)• Reveal your own errors

Safety

Learners of all ages want to be part of a group, to be counted, to matter, to not be left out, to

not feel “less than…”

What YOU can do: Appoint someone to be the “include” – to

greet latecomers, show them a place to sit, make sure they have materials

Use names

Inclusion

Your learners want to know: Do you care about me? Can you help me? AND, can I trust you?

What YOU can do:• Do what you say you will do• Don’t do what you said you wouldn’t do (call

on them)• Keep confidences

Trust

Effective practices to Connect with your

Adult Audience

Learner-Centered ApproachFacilitated Dialogue

Approach

Participants: Learn NEW information or skills DO something with the information or skills TRANSFER new information or skills to their

lives

Learner-Centered Approach

Allows learners to take information and make it applicable to their lives

Personal meaning of new information is key element of learning

Engage our participants and let THEM talk during the lessons (Less you, more them)

Facilitated Dialogue Approach

A learner-centered approach

A facilitated dialogue approach

In your own words…

6 Key Facilitation SkillsAsk

WaitListen

AffirmExpand

Weave

Push/Pull Activity

PUSH----------------------------------------------------------------------------PULL

90/10 70/30 50/50 30/70 10/90

Open questions or phrases Who? Why? What? No right or wrong questions/phrases

Do you have any questions? “What are your questions?”

Facilitation Skill #1 - ASK

At least 5 seconds, with eye contact “M” , triangle

Facilitation Skill #2 - WAIT

Focus on what they are saying. Listen to key phrases. Develop an “ear for words”

Why we don’t listen:1. Concerned about running out of time2. Worried about what is coming next3. Distracted

Facilitation Skill #3 - LISTEN

Thank you ______

I really appreciate that comment and let me tell you why….

Did everyone hear what ______ just said?

Repeat what they said

Facilitation Skill #4 - AFFIRM

Encouraging a speaker to go a bit further

Examples: “Tell us more about that...” “How did that make you feel?”

Facilitation Skill #5 - EXPAND

Use language to tie comments to other ones, or to summarize or review

To move to the next task. Requires listening, an “ear for words.”

Facilitation Skill #6 - WEAVE

Need to Improve

Decent Good

ASK

WAIT

LISTEN

AFFIRM

EXPAND

WEAVE

Rate yourself on your current use of the 6 facilitation skills. Then share your

results with a partner.

Summary

Adult Learning Theory

Need to know why

Self-directing

Experience

Motivated

4 Principles of Adult Learners

Respect

Safety

Inclusion

Trust

Summary

Approaches to connect with Adult

Learners Learner-centered Facilitated dialogue

6 Key Facilitation Skills

Ask Wait Listen Affirm Expand Weave

A “Happy” Review

A J S

B K T

C L U

D M V

E N W

F O X

G P Y

H Q Z

I R