| To the literacy field for
action |
| |
| 1. |
Ensure that communication
with potential learners addresses their feelings and fears: |
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a) |
Acknowledge that many people are
uncertain or nervous about upgrading and reassure them they will soon feel
comfortable. |
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b) |
Explain that adult education
teachers have sensitivity in dealing with adults who have been away from school
for a long time. |
| |
c) |
Acknowledge the challenges
inherent in adult learning, such as conflicting responsibilities and fear of
failing. Suggest that having met life's challenges to date, they can meet these
new ones, too |
|
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| 2. |
Address
program/policy-related factors that are of concern to potential learners:
|
| |
a) |
Use images and concepts that
dispel the myth that adult learning is similar to early schooling. Show that
the classroom might be as simple as group of people sitting around a table, or
a pair working together at a desk. |
| |
b) |
Explain exactly what classes,
learning groups, or tutoring are like, who the learners and teachers are, and
what kinds of materials are used. |
| |
c) |
Make it clear that most programs
don't mix adults with children or teenagers. |
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d) |
Reinforce that upgrading is for
adults of all ages. |
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e) |
Offer information about the
ability of older people to take in new information. |
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f) |
Show that programs are for people
"just like you" – people who didn't have the opportunity to go further in
school, didn't get the help they needed, were bored in school, or were made to
feel they weren't smart in school. |
|
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| 3. |
Emphasize
success: |
| |
a) |
Suggest that people who consider
adult learning are smart for wanting to invest in themselves and their
futures. |
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b) |
Show success stories of real
people who took part in adult learning. |
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c) |
Develop a student "speaker's
bureau" to help in community outreach. |
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d) |
Present learning and upgrading as
an important step in providing opportunities and achieving one's
dreams. |
|
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| 4. |
Highlight the variety and
flexibility of programs: |
| |
a) |
Participants may learn one-on-one
with a tutor, in a small group, on the Internet with help from a tutor, or as
part of a larger class. |
| |
b) |
Adult learners have more control
over their learning environment than they did as children in school. They don't
have to sit in a chair for hours on end and can leave the classroom at their
own discretion. |
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c) |
Programs aren't only for people
with high needs. Adults can learn to write a resume and business letter, or
learn to use a computer to send e-mail. |
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d) |
Adult learners don't have to pick
up their schooling where they left off. Assessment of adult skills is not
usually based on a grade level, and learners often work toward goals they set
for themselves. |
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e) |
Programs are of differing lengths
and most allow people to set their own pace or stop and start when they need
to. |
|
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| 5. |
Keep adult education
programs flexible and offer as wide a range of formats and locations as
possible. |
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