lecture-liberal adult education
TRANSCRIPT
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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
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/edu_today-2013-enhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1787/edu_today-2013-enhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1787/edu_today-2013-enhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1787/edu_today-2013-enhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1787/edu_today-2013-enhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1787/edu_today-2013-enhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1787/edu_today-2013-en