Adult Language Learners

Adult Language Learners Attending a Community-Based Adult ESL Class Samuel Levinson December 2013

Adult Language Learners

Abstract T e adult language learner is an individual !it s"eci#ic needs o# learning a ne! language$ in order to meet goals t at e%tend beyond t e classroom& Alt oug t e goal o# learning a ne! language suc as Englis may be common among many students$ t e reasons #or learning and "ersonal bac'grounds o# t e adult learners !ill vary& As it is e%"lained t roug researc $ t e needs o# t e students are not all t e same& (nstructors must ave an understanding o# t eir students$ including student goals and #actors involving motivation& (nstructors o# community-based adult ESL classrooms must ave t e e%"ertise to 'no! o! to assist t eir students in meeting goals& Students bring "rior 'no!ledge !it t em to a community-based adult ESL classroom$ and t is e%tends into t e student)s "ersonal li#e and bac'ground$ suc as t eir level o# education$ and t e culture t ey are able to relate to& T e study uses researc to address areas t at assist instructors in understanding o! students learn$ and considering o! to assist students in ma'ing "rogress$ including some use o# tec nology$ and a brie# #ocus on natural language ac*uisition& Keywords: ESL$ Learner needs$ adult ESL class$ learning met ods$ student goals&

Adult Language Learners

Background and Rationale To increase learning$ t e student+s "ers"ective must be understood& T e adult language learner may be an individual !it s"eci#ic needs o# learning a ne! language$ in order to meet goals t at e%tend beyond t e classroom& T is study #ocuses on learning about adult ESL students$ in order to 'no! more about t is "o"ulation& ,e#erencing C oms'y$ learners o# a language are a "art o# an innate "rocess instead o# a be avioral !ay o# learning -.arris $ 200/0& T ere#ore$ learning o# languages !ould seem to be in#luenced by a basic need& To #urt er su""ort t is$ in a study by 1s ioda -20110$ Englis !as described as a language t at all students must learn$ as it relates to living in a culture ! ere Englis is t e #irst and "rimary language& 2arious met ods suc as a learner res"onse system may "rovide #urt er insig t into t e ESL student+s understanding and also to learn more about t e students& Survey *uestionnaires !ere used by t ose see'ing to learn more about students$ and t ere !as also t e inclusion o# intervie!s t at !ere o"en-ended& Based on results$ t e study #ound t at t e learner res"onse system is a !elcome addition& T e learner res"onse system incor"orates students into t e instruction$ by using student results obtained t roug *uestionnaires in t e #orm o# a survey and intervie!s t at are o"en-ended& T roug t is system$ students !ere increasing "artici"ation and students en3oyed t e class more& (t !as concluded based on t e study$ o!ever$ t at additional studies are needed to assure consistency in t e use o# a learner res"onse system -Cardoso$ 20110& T ere#ore$ t e im"lementation o# ne! met ods or met ods t at are not already in use in some classrooms is e%"lored$ as a !ay o# learning more about t e adult ESL students& 1nderstanding t e bac'ground o# t e student$ and

Adult Language Learners

also ! at as been #ound to !or' and to not !or' in "roducing #avorable results #or students in t e classroom is a ma3or "art o# reac ing a meaning#ul conclusion #or t is study& As a "art o# t e rationale$ an as"ect o# com"uter-based learning !ill be included$ as t is tec nology may "resent ne! learning o""ortunities& 4it an understanding o# t e student$ ne! tec nology may need to be im"lemented t at el"s to address t eir o!n s"eci#ic learning needs on an individual level& 5or e%am"le$ it is im"ortant #or students to #ind time outside o# t e classroom to continue t eir learning$ and t roug t is met od o# language ac*uisition$ using a com"uter actively engages a sel#-initiated student$ and t e use o# tec nology may be o# bene#it -Lai and 6u$ 20110& Survey and #ocus grou" data as s o!n t at t ere are "rograms using t is tec nology in learning ESL classrooms$ and t at it as been a success#ul addition -Coryell et al$ 20070& Tec nology is anot er area t at instructors s ould consider incor"orating into t eir ELS classrooms& Students need to be motivated to use t is tec nology and to understand t e bene#its$ suc as sel#-directed learning& 8o!ever$ #inding t e met ods o# teac ing students$ and also learning about t e students t emselves must be a care#ul "rocess t at demonstrates t at t e ma3ority o# students are ma'ing "rogress& T ere#ore$ t is study relies u"on researc to address all areas t at are relevant& Areas considered #or t is study include t e e%"eriences a student brings to class and o! t ese e%"eriences are a "art o# learning a language$ t e measures t at can be ta'en to understand t e student$ and !ays t at an instructor can im"lement ne! met ods and tec nology to en ance learning&

Adult Language Learners

Research Method By studying t e "o"ulations o# students ! o are adult ESL students$ a clearer understanding o# t e learners !as #ormed& (n order to understand o! to assist a student in meeting goals$ t e student must #irst be understood& T is includes learning about ! at does and does not !or' in t e ESL classroom& (n analy:ing t e learners$ ,eid -20120 #ound t at t ere are di##erences #or adult ESL students based on "re#erences and learning styles& T is !ould be in#ormation t at an instructor !ould need to ave in order to el" students to learn& ,eid -20120 e%"lained t at a *uestionnaire !as given to students in order to learn about t eir learning "re#erences& T e results o# t is *uestionnaire s o!ed t at based on t e student+s bac'ground$ t e learning style !as di##erent& Suc c aracteristics o# learners included t e student+s lengt o# time in t e 1nited States$ gender$ t e #ield studied$ student age$ level o# education$ and ot er #actors& T is in#ormation is im"ortant in assisting t e instructor in 'no!ing o! to el" students to learn& T is is a "art o# an instructor+s understanding t at not all students learn t e same$ and t e student+s "ersonal c aracteristics are related to t is& As a "art o# learning about t e adult students in an ESL classroom$ .arris -200/0 clari#ied t at ESL learning may be easier #or some students and more di##icult #or ot er students$ based on t e student+s uni*ue bac'ground and e%"eriences& Some c aracteristics or e%"eriences t at .arris -200/0 #ound include t e adult learner+s educational or em"loyment status& T is !ould seem to be related to ,eid+s -20120 #indings$ in t at t e !ay a student learns as been #ound to be connected to one+s bac'ground& Anot er area t at instructors s ould ta'e into consideration is t e age o# t e adult ESL learners& ;ormos and Csi:er -200<0 #ound t at adult ESL students ! o ave an

Adult Language Learners

international bac'ground !ere #ound to be in an older age grou"& T roug t e #ormat o# a *uestionnaire$ it !as #ound t at t e language motivational #actors and t e !ay t e students vie! t emselves t roug an ideal are t!o main #actors in t e learning or #luency o# a second language -;ormos and Csi:er$ 200<0& (nstructors s ould ave t e ability to teac students #rom a !ide range o# individual bac'grounds& T is includes one+s culture$ age$ and reasons #or learning a second language& T e li#e situations t at can ave an in#luence over t e student+s mindset and o! t e student learns needs to be ta'en into consideration$ as cultural ad3ustment is a "art o# t is& T e adult learners and immigrants may ave greater c allenges in t e ESL classroom$ due to #actors t at may include one+s educational bac'ground$ literacy levels -L10$ #amily res"onsibilities$ 3ob situation$ and cultural ad3ustment -.arris $ 200/0& As related to t e #indings o# ;ormos and Csi:er -200<0$ t e second language -L20 #actors including attitude ave an im"act on language learning& >otivation is a ma3or area t at is needed to be addressed in a classroom$ including ESL classrooms #or adult learners&

Results As a "art o# el"ing adult ESL learners$ t e instructor must 'no! t e student and also ! at does and does not !or' in "roviding instruction& T is !ould seem to be related to t e setting in ! ic instruction ta'es "lace& According to Lig tbo!n and S"ada -20130$ some individuals believed t at t e natural setting outside o# t e classroom !as more e##ective in learning a language& (# t is is true #or many students$ t en instructors s ould learn ! at is creating a lac' o# motivation$ understanding$ or ot er "roblems in t e classroom environment& .er a"s t is relates bac' to .arris -200/0$ in t at based on t e

Adult Language Learners

individual$ language ac*uisition may be easier or more di##icult& All o# t is may relate bac' to aving an understanding o# all students$ and also reali:ing a di##erence bet!een teac ing c ildren and teac ing adults& T e motivation o# adult learners !ould need to be di##erent? t ere !ould be various goals t at are not all t e same based on li#e e%"eriences& (n learning a second language$ t e instruction is targeted to!ards students ! o see' to learn t e language and im"rove$ as o""osed to native language s"ea'ers -Lig tbo!n and S"ada$ 20130& 8o!ever$ t is does not translate into a lac' o# *uality outside t e classroom$ as it !as #ound t at it is also bene#icial to learn a language t roug a natural ac*uisition setting& T e bene#its o# natural ac*uisition learning !ere also #ound by Lai and 6u -20110$ ! o incor"orated t e use o# tec nology in t eir study$ in t at suc learners !ould be using com"uters as a means o# learning more& .er a"s instructors could #urt er el" t eir students by learning o# t e most e##ective as"ects o# natural language ac*uisition$ and incor"orate t ese tec ni*ues into an Englis as a Second Language classroom& Com"uter tec nology can be el"#ul #or t ose ! o !is to learn a ne! language$ and t is tec nology may be used by students on t eir o!n time outside o# t e classroom& T is tec nology could be incor"orated into ESL classrooms$ "er a"s as a "art o# classroom lessons& T ere#ore$ 'no!ing t e students !ill el" an instructor to teac t em$ and t is 'no!ledge s ould e%"and to t e student+s culture and t eir o!n uni*ue "ersonality& T e student needs to ave a learning environment t at meets t eir needs$ and t ese needs may "otentially e%"and beyond t e classroom$ as t e students s ould be understood on an individual level$ as o""osed to a grou"& Second language motivation must be e%"lored by instructors$ and it as been

Adult Language Learners

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#ound by 1s ioda -20110 t at a student+s o!n uni*ue identity is a "art o# t is motivation& T e understanding o# ! o t e student is$ and t eir understanding o# t emselves does ave an in#luence over o! t ey learn& As t e student !or's to!ards goals$ learning Englis as a Second language as not t eir only goal$ but it is a "art o# reac ing greater goals #or t e #uture -1s ioda$ 20110& .er a"s t e student as t e motivation to s"ea' Englis #or a 3ob$ or t ey may need to learn t e language in order to ave a better li#e in t e ne! culture t ey live in& Evidence o# t is is #ound in .arris -200/0 in t at t e demands o# a 3ob as it relates to communication !ill in many situations determine i# one is able to be em"loyed in a "articular "ro#ession& 4it out t e "ro"er level o# s"ea'ing Englis $ an individual !ill be limited in #inding many !or'ing o""ortunities in a culture t at relies on Englis as t e "rimary language& 5or e%am"le$ a student may ave t e goal o# becoming a teac er& Teac ing is a "ro#ession t at demands a ig level o# communication& (n order #or students to meet t eir goals in an Englis s"ea'ing culture$ t ey must e##ectively learn t e language& (n t is ty"e o# situation in an adult ESL classroom$ it s ould be understood t at t ere is a com"le% entirety o# eac student+s "ersonality$ t at includes motivation$ desire$ and need -Lig tbo!n and S"ada$ 20130& T e ty"e o# classroom t at is success#ul does not necessarily de"end on variables$ but it de"ends on t e students t emselves& @ot everyone is at t e same learning level$ and t e teac er must #ind t e level t at eac student is in& T en t e instructor must "rovide t e a""ro"riate encouragement$ met ods o# teac ing$ and also !or' to!ards el"ing students to be more inde"endent so t ey may bene#it #rom learning outside o# t e classroom&

Conclusion

Adult Language Learners

Based on my researc $ ( #eel t at every adult student s ould be given an individual level o# attention so t at t ey !ill be able to reac t eir goals as students and also t eir goals #or t e #uture beyond t e classroom& (t is a""arent to me t at teac ing Englis as a Second Language re*uires a command o# "roviding instruction t at includes material in t e classroom$ and also considering t e "oint o# vie! o# eac student& (nstructors must al!ays ave "atience in teac ing$ and t ey must strive to!ards understanding student bac'grounds and uni*ue "ersonalities& Com"assion is a ma3or "art o# t is$ and also innovation& 5or e%am"le$ Cardo:o+s -20110 study t at includes a learner res"onse system as a !ay to learn more about students and meet individual needs may be good tec nology to use& 8o!ever$ not every classroom may bene#it #rom t e same met ods$ because eac classroom !ill be "o"ulated by various students o# di##erent bac'grounds& As an individual ! o see's to be an instructor and to el" students to learn and meet t eir goals #or t e class and also #or t e #uture$ ( !ould be !illing to integrate ne! met ods and ne! tec nology into t e classroom& T is is relevant to t e learning environment$ in t at sometimes a conce"t or a lesson must be "resented or e%"lained in a ne! manner$ in order to el" t e students to learn& Be#ore moving on to a ne! lesson$ ( !ould !ant to ma'e sure t at my students understood t e "resent material& An instructor s ould al!ays t in' o# t e im"act t at a lesson !ill ave on t eir students& Bnly t e best materials s ould be "resented& T e instructor is essential to t e "rogress o# t e students$ in t at students must be "resented !it ne! ideas$ t e 'no!ledge t at is needed$ and t e "ro"er assignments t at !ill allo! t e instructor to assess student learning& ;no!ing t at t e time in t e classroom is limited$ t e instructor must "re"are students to learn on t eir o!n time in t eir "ersonal lives& As #ound by Lai and 6u

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10

-20110$ students do #ind bene#it in learning on t eir o!n& T is is sel#-directed learning$ and in t e study by Lai and 6u -20110$ t e bene#it o# using a com"uter in sel#-directed learning !as included& ,elating to t is to"ic o# learning outside o# t e classroom$ Lig tbo!n and S"ada -20130 e%"lain t at t ere are uni*ue bene#its to learning t roug natural ac*uisition$ and t at t e bene#its o# classroom learning and learning outside o# t e classroom are not t e same& ,eid -20120 tells o# di##erences in students based on t eir "re#erences and t eir learning styles& T e classroom$ ! et er or not it is traditional or based on distance learning$ is t e "lace t at allo!s t e student to ave t e o""ortunity to learn& (t must be o"timi:ed #or learning$ and instructor must be "re"ared to use t e lessons and assignments to c allenge students&

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11

,e#erences .arris $ Betty -200/0& Teaching Adult ESL: A Practical Introduction @e! Cor'$ @CD T e >c6ra!-8ill Com"anies$ (nc& Lig tbo!n$ .&>&$ S"ada$ @ina -20130$ !ow Languages are Learned -/t ed&0 1nited ;ingdom& B%#ord& ,eid$ E& >& -1A<70$ The Learning Style Pre"erences o" ESL Students TESBL Fuarterly$ 21D <7G111& doiD 10&2307H39<=39= Cardoso$ 4alcir -20110& Learning a #oreign language !it a learner res"onse systemD t e studentsI "ers"ective& Co#$uter Assisted Language Learning %olu#e &'( Issue ) Taylor and 5rancis& ;ormos$ E& and Csi:Jr$ ;& -200<0$ Age*Related +i""erences in the Moti,ation o" Learning English as a -oreign Language: Attitudes( Sel,es( and Moti,ated Learning Beha,ior Language Learning Lai$ C un$ 6u$ >ingyue -20110& Sel#-regulated out-o#-class language learning !it tec nology& Co#$uter Assisted Language Learning %olu#e &'( Issue ' Taylor and 5rancis& 1s ioda$ Ema -20110& Language learning motivation$ sel# and identityD current t eoretical "ers"ectives& Co#$uter Assisted Language Learning %olu#e &'( Issue . Taylor and 5rancis& Coryell$ Eoellen E&$ C lu"$ Domini*ue T -20070& (m"lementing E-Learning com"onents !it adult Englis language learnersD 2ital #actors and lessons learned& Co#$uter Assisted Language Learning %olu#e &/( Issue . Taylor and 5rancis& Com"ton$ Lily ;&L -20070& .re"aring language teac ers to teac language onlineD a loo' at s'ills$ roles$ and res"onsibilities& Co#$uter Assisted Learning 2olume 22$ (ssue 1& Taylor and 5rancis&