2. Before You Begin
Why do you think we asked you in the introduction to consider the obstacles you might encounter in completing this online training? Did others in your group have similar responses? Now, think about the problems your adult learner might have in attending tutoring sessions. How would their reasons compare to yours? Now go to comments and read what others have to say.
Required Task: Click on 'comments' below and post one or two thoughts.
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276 comments:
1 – 200 of 276 Newer› Newest»Many of our adult students do not have a driver's permit. Our community is largely rural and public transportation is lacking. Therefore, transportation can be a major road block to attending tutoring sessions.
The biggest obstacle for our learners is childcare (or lack there of) and lack of transportation. I feel it is also important to note that for a beginning reader, or non-reader, I often hear at the initial assessment "I want to be able to read anything and everything" For some, when the realization that this is ongoing and will take time hits them, they feel too overwhelmed to continue. Where I relate to our students is the issue of finding time.
Adults learning something new is a different type of student. I can imagine the extent taken by many to get to their age without reading abilities. I relate to adult students. Learning this puts me in a catagory of an adult student also.
Adult learners have so many responsibilities to family and work already, the commitment to this program is immense. I imagine the desire to read must be that much more intense. I'll continue to remember that the students are making a significant sacrifice to their other day-to-day obligations in order to reach their goals.
My philosophy in life is to treat others the way I want to be treated! Therefore, I have to consider that their time and interests are just as important as mine. Sometimes I expect other people to go out of their way to accomodate my schedule, so I must do the same for my students and tutors.
I think that time would be one of the biggest problems. When trying to juggle work schedules along with family.
I would imagine that work, family, transportation and time would be obstacles for learners.
Adults have very busy lives with work, children, etc. In addition, as many have said, transportation could be an issue for many, especially with the rising cost of gas. Also, there is a stigma attached to an adult who doesn't know how to read so it would be difficult for many to take that first step of deciding they want to learn.
I think we were asked to consider the obstacles we might encounter in this course because the types of frustrations we experience and effort we put in will be similar to that of the adult students we help.
Adult learners will face varied challenges:
transportation, work schedules, family schedules, motivation to continue in the face of all the demands of daily life....
I think the biggest challenge for our students is to maintain the faith that they will succeed in learning to read, that they will learn to speak English, that they will get a GED. With that, the obstacles are hurdles that can be taken one at a time.
The obstacles for most of our ESOL students are transportation and child care.
The discomfort of being in an uncomfortable and unaccustomed role is another big obstacle for most ESOL students as well as ABE and GED students. Some had bad school experiences and some hardly went to school at all. Either way, being in 'school' now, as an adult, can be pretty ego-devastating.
Problems adult learners might have in attending tutoring classes? tired, busy, frightened, material too complicated, boring-not challenging. Same problems I might have in attending tutoring classes!
Having tutored in another state, I look forward to comparing how students in VA are taught English and respond to those methods. The many demands on all of us today, make it a challenge to find time to stop long enouugh to learn.
Adult students may be working, home taking care of children, may not have transportation or child care. Children have one job and that is to get an education, but for the adult they are just adding one more thing to their day. Learning to read or speak English takes time and that is the thing that they have the least of. The challenge for the tutor will be to make the sessions interesting and relevant for the students so they will want to find the time to continue studying.
I imagine that adult learners will have different problems to tackle with than those of the tutors. What they may have in common is the time to sacrifice and the determination to learn.
Finding after school care for kids could be a big obstacle for adult learners.
Obstacles for the adult learner can be internal and external. There never seems to be enough time or resources for all the things we need to do, let alone the things we want to do. Overcoming the fear of the unknown has to be daunting. That's true for everyone. I can only imagine what it takes, but I hope I can help in anyway possible.
The adult learner usually has a tight and busy schedule. I agree with a lot of the others here that is hard for them to make time to be tutored. Another important difficulty is the ability to make a long-term commitment to education.
An obstacle would be the many responsibilities that the adult learner is juggling. If these responsibilities have gotten in the way of preparing for their next meeting, they may come to the session reluctantly or not at all.
Adult learners have already been motivated to come to a program for help but they must be encouraged to proceed by accomplishing measurable progress.
completed 3/25/09
I suppose these students would have a variety of obstacles. Depending on their age and circumstances, they would likely have child care situations, transportation troubles and confidence worries. The fact that they decided to get a tutor shows they have a real desire to reach a goal. I hope that anyone really wanting to improve their reading or speaking skills would just forge ahead the best they could not worry about their starting skill level.
I will be working with homeless people and the profoundly poor. I think their obstacles will be different than mine. They are struggling with depression, addiction and possibly other health issues. I am sure that many of them feel unteachable and would rather not try than to try and fail.
I think the biggest barriers for the adult learners I work with are work responsibilities and family responsibilities. In addition, in these times, more and more students aren't able to afford bus fare or extra gas, so they can't come to class or computer lab as often.
As others have said, adult learners face transportation and child-care obstacles. I'm sure for many their past experiences with school make them hesitant to even attempt to learn to read.
I think work scheduling, child care and support from family could all present difficulties for those wanting to be tutored.
I believe the student and the tutor will have to make sacrifices to reach goals that we both want.
I agree, adult students can face a number of challenges and pressing demands: family commitments, transportation availability and cost, negative past experiences, fear of failure, etc.
It's scary to try new things. Adult learners must need a lot of encouragement. I know when I am trying something new, I do better when the folks with me give me encouragement!
if a student wants to learn, then they must find a way to work their education around their personnal life.
Being a first-time ESOL tutor, I have some anxiety about the whole thing - I would assume adult learners face the same issues.
I will enjoy working with adult learners. Their needs are universal: acceptance, encouragement, aacknowledgement, patience.
As for all adults finding the time put our self first is a huge factor.
Some adult learners may not be committed to the long term goal. The same attitude which caused them to drop out of high school is likely to still be with them into their twenties. If they have been satisfied with mediocrity, then they are likely to continue to be satisfied with it if they find that they are not interested in the hard work that won't bring any immediate material rewards. As a tutor, I try to persuade such a student about the returns on his investment in himself, but it usually just falls on deaf ears.
From working with my learner this past semester, I realize that the biggest obstacle for an adult learner is working in practice and learning time into their busy work schedules. My learner tells me when he was not able to look over certain things and I respect that and try to make the best out of our hour.
Many people have childcare problems; available transportation is also a problem.....no car or public transportation
Keeping the initial enthusiasm going can be a problem for both learner and tutor. At first everything seems new and fun, then the reality of homework/prep time has to be dealt with in busy schedules. I hope that my learner and I will be able to keep each other motivated.
Anytime a person begins a new project, the challenges include finding time among the person's existing commitments and staying motivated to see it through. This will be true of both the learner and the tutor.
Adult leaner's have so many obstacles. When I decided to go back to school after Graduate school, it was so hard, because of my responsiblities at home. Not only did I have a full time job, but I had a husband and two kids. It wasn't impossible, but it was one of the hardest things I had to deal with. So, I can relate to how an adult learner may feel.
As an adult just owning up to not being able to read along with day to day life (work, home, family and transportation) must be a huge obstacle to overcome in an effort to learn to read
I have had so much enjoyment from reading that I cannot conceeive of like without this abilitty. My skills on the computer are minimal and frustrating. Hopefully, this will help me achieve and exhibit empathy with a student.
I believe that lack of child care,and or transportation problems would cause major issues with the program.
I believe that lack of child care and transportation would cause major problems with the program.
Time constraints, family duties, and transportation are a few possibilities of obstacles adult learners will face.
I expect that my Learner will be highly motivated and will overcome the many obstacles out there, having already overcome the first big obstacle which is acknowledging the need for help and asking for it. I will do my best to listen, encourage and learn from his/her experiences and help him/her accomplish the short and long term goals that will be set.
My computer skills are relatively unsophisticated and I have the same feelsings that my adult learners will have with the unfamiliar material they will be learning.
Since my computer skills are relatively unsophisticated I have the same sense of frustration that my students will have as they try to learn new material Marcy
I believe that the learner can face different obstacles depending on the individual. Whether the obstacles are lack of time at appropriate times, lack of childcare, fear of new things, lack of confidence, etc.; the tutor may have the same obstacles. I hope that the learner to tutor matching will help to reduce the obstacles.
With family and work obligations, adult learners may struggle to make tutoring sessions a priority in their lives. I will also have to work within my schedule to prioritize tutoring.
I am here because you want to make me familiar with an adult learners style
There are so many obstacles to learners even getting this education that it is important for me to complete this training to give them the best education suited to their needs.
For adult learners who have driven in other countries, the lack of a driver's license might be frustrating.
I enjoyed the orientation and learned that a literacy program does much more than just teach someone who does not know how to read to do so. I am looking forward to the experience.
This is my first experience with blogging....so we'll see how it goes!
For me I have to make time for this training in between my family, friends, and job. I would assume that all adult learners are going to have those same aspects in their lives as well. They also may have the problems listed by other below such as lack of childcare and lack of transportation. these are problems that we will have to work together to resolve.
Maintaining the faith and vision of accomplishing what they want to accomplish may be one of the biggest obstacles for the adult learner. Hopefully, maintaing that faith and vision will drive the student to face and overcome the infinite amount of obstacles that can arise. Deciding and focusing on an end result challenges me daily.
I imagine that one's job, home life, and other responsibilities would make it difficult to be consistent with attending lessons.
I imagine that one's job, home life, and other responsibilities would make it difficult to be consistent with attending lessons.
My main fear is that I will be unable to relate this course to the students taking the classes. The students will be forced into the classroom with me, because of issues they are having and they are likely to resent me for this reason. Finding a way to make this enjoyable and yet a useful way to spend time is my greatest fear. Somehow, I think the attendees will be frightened, embarrassed, and unwilling to participate, because they will want to focus on concepts more applicable to what they are studying.
I imagine that aside from logistical and practical obstacles, misplaced embarrassment or discomfort would be an obstacle for many adult learners.
Anyone learning a new skill or task must overcome the initial unfamiliarity it brings. Sometimes this is quick and simple, but it can also be challenging and intimidating. I would imagine that many adult learners that seek assistance from a literacy center are not as familiar with the steps involved in learning new things. Their most challenging task may just be seeking the assistance in the first place.
I believe fear and becoming overwhelmed by the enormity of learning something new is a big obstacle. There are a lot of personal obligations that hinder learning and the focus needed to really grasp something new. In addition quite often when an adult has gone without learning basic skills their self-esteem takes a bit of a hit and it seems easier at times to give up then to keep pressing forward.
I know that as a tutor I will want to be sensitive to cultural differences that we don't immediately recognize. This isn't just reserved for international cases, but the variety of daily life experiences across different communities throughout the area. Behaviors or words from both the tutor and learner could be misread to suggest stupidity, ignorance, insincerity, arrogance, etc, all due to very different ways of social logic. Its important to recognize that there isn't one right way of doing things, as much as there are useful skills that better the chances for success.
Adult learners face so many obstacles in their daily lives.The first step making the committment to learn can be overwhelming.
Phyllis
Both attending tutoring sessions and training to be a tutor are voluntary commitments that are less immediately important than paid work, family obligations, etc. Thus, it can be difficult to make time for it, especially when one has very limited free time. For learners, this motivation problem may be compounded by logistical issues like lack of access to transportation or childcare.
Adult students have already so many demands on their time. They are more than likely hourly workers and consequently, anytime they need to have doctors' appts. or teachers' conferences, they are losing money. I need to be flexible to their needs of scheduling -- if they can't meet at fixed times (although much easier for me/planning)I need to try to meet with them on their schedule. Also...adult learners do not want to learn like they are in elementary school. They want "adult lessons" and problem solving.
This is true;therefore we will try to sign up people from the same areas. If they truly want to learn they will come.We need to be there to help them know that they can learn to read better after each lesson by reviewing just what new things they have learned each lesson. Be there cheerleader.
I'm new to this community, but would imagine that potential clients have time and transportation issues. Hopefully, my retirement status can be accomodating to their needs.
I think that the biggest barrier is the time commitment, for both adult students and tutors. The adult students have jobs, children, and other responsibilities. The tutors have classes, jobs, and activities too. Both have to make the tutoring sessions a priority for them to be successful.
Adult students may have a lot of methods of coping that they have developed over time, which have become second nature by now. To decide they a problem with literacy and admit that is an enormous step. Learning itself takes a lot of time, and sustained practice outside of the tutoring sessions.
Many of the adult learners feel that their primary responsibilities lie in supporting their families. This may motivate them to succeed in the program, but it could also create obstacles such as the need to stay home with a child or work extra hours.
My native language is korean. I hope this helps me empathize with and teach students read and write english.
Teaching adulst to read provides them a pathway to a fuller life.
The adult learners have to make many sacrifices to get to the tutoring session each week and also have to find time to study at home. Adult learners have responsibilities to their family and their jobs. Finding time to study and come to class can be difficult. I admire the sacrifices they make and how hard they try to find babysitters for their children. I will be patient with them and understand that they have many obligations at home and can not always find the time to review.
Adult learners have to over come their own pride just to be able to ask for help. Overcoming that hyper-personal obstacle in a non-judgmental environment is a HUGE step that adult learners MUST take.
Scheduling a time to get to the learning center, attentive during the session and home again in a busy workday (9-5). I don't think many of our learners live close to the learning center and many have to use our public transport. I would be frustrated if I had to get to the center from my house via public transport. I intend to add that to my knowledge base.
I recently experienced a rough coming to terms with being unemployed for the first time in my life. I imagine that the adult learner's probable feelings that they are "on the outside" are so much deeper than I experienced. I believe it will be most helpful to have the adult learner understand that they are not alone, and they have nothing to be ashamed of; rather they can be proud of taking a big step to a broader life.
I agree that scheduling is a big problem for adult learners. Work, family, and transportation can be big obstacle for the learner.
Problems I see include a time to attend learning sessions and over-coming any felt stigma associated with the need to learn to read.
Problems I see include a time to attend learning sessions and over-coming any felt stigma associated with the need to learn to read.
Time and transportation are probably big obstacles for adult learners, not to mention the stigma associated with asking for help. While I might think that I have time and transportation constraints, my own obstacles are on an entirely different scale.
(difficulties in attending tutoring sessions) An adult learner may have difficulty attending tutoring sessions b/c of difficulty in transport and work / home schedules, but also possibly because of a lack of confidence, anxiety over not achieving their goals, or anxiety induced by having a difficult time in school, if they were able to pursue education before. So, there are definitely personal as well as imposed challenges.A
(difficulties in attending tutoring sessions) An adult learner may have difficulty attending tutoring sessions b/c of difficulty in transport and work / home schedules, but also possibly because of a lack of confidence, anxiety over not achieving their goals, or anxiety induced by having a difficult time in school, if they were able to pursue education before. So, there are definitely personal as well as imposed challenges.A
Adult students might have transportation issues that prevent them from attending tutoring sessions on a regular basis. A tutor needs to be patient and work with the students' schedules.
An adult student may have a lot of responsibilities to square away in order to attend tutoring at the center; from making sure their schedule allows for it (some might work hourly jobs with limited flexibility) to making sure their children have child care-which could be expensive!
Not having taught for many years, and never a literacy course, I am just learning about adult literacy learning- that embarrassment for not knowing how to read as an adult is a major block to overcome, that transportation and childcare are needs to be filled. It is relating to a whole other experience in life that is not my own, but must find ways to translate my life's experiences and empathize with these new learners.
I can understand the motivation paired with reluctance the adult learners must feel. For each of them to take this huge step toward self-improvement is my motivation.
I think Literacy For Life is a wonderful and necessary program. I want to be a part of it and help learners meet their goals.
I need to carefully define, with the help from my adult student, to set reasonable goals for their success. One area of importance is to set times that we can meet that takes into consideration all of the barriers that my adult student has in fitting our sessions into their lives. Their schedule of time is probably much more critical than my own.
My experience has been with teaching teenagers, so tutoring aduts will be new for me. I learned from my courses in teaching foreign languages that the brain is "hard-wired" into one's native language by the age of 11 or so. I am aware of some of the difficulties encountered when trying to learn a new language as an adult. The commitment of time is essential, and I realize this is one of the biggest obstacles for the adult learner with many responsibilities.
In addition to physical challenges such as transportation or childcare, there are psychological obstacles that I would like to help learners acknowledge and overcome. This is an area where I think I can help them, by addressing the issue directly and asking the learner what would help them reduce that obstacle to enable them to move forward. There are a number of ways to open the conversation to these "unseeable" issues. The effort is worth it.
Scheduling is probably the biggest barrier. If the learner has a job, they need to work around that to meet our tutoring schedule. Whether they work or not, the issues of transportation and childcare may impede their use of our services.
Well, there are always things that will stand in your way if you allow it, no matter who your are. If you are exploring new avenues, somewhat out of your comfort zone, there will naturally be some hesitation and doubt. I'm sure we will experience some of those doubts and obstacles, just as our adult learners may.
I really have no obstacles to completing the training; it is just a matter of setting aside the necessary time. Adult learners, however, may have many obstacles. Having the necessary time to attend sessions and to study, while still managing other aspects of life is only one. But we would both come to the sessions with a desire to accomplish something worthwhile.
Learning a new language or skill isn't accomplished quickly. It takes a lot of perseverance and hard work. The focus must be kept on short term goals and the slow, steady progress made. It can be frightening, for an adult, to open up and allow oneself to make mistakes along the way.
Having taught adults in the past, I am reminded of the considerable sacrifice in time and effort many of them made to add a course of study to their already busy and fatiguing lives.
Since I was an adult (40) mother of two with a part time job when I attended college, I feel emptathy for these learners who are shuffling jobs, school and family among other obstacles to attain their goals. I know how important the right encouragement and relationship with a teacher/tutor can be to the success of the learner.
Access to transportation, childcare and other barriers will interfere with a learner's attendance
Our learners definitely face many obstacles,but the fact that they asked for help shows a commitment.
Adult learners have many different responsibilities like work and family and cannot make learning their number one priority. They have to figure out how to balance all of their responsibilities.
A significant challenge for the tutor is to simplify the complex, and to do so with patience and enthusiasm. Time is always an issue for both the tutor and the learner. It is the tutor's responsibility to pack value into each minute.
One of the greatest obstacles has to be time commitments. The commitmnets being to family members, employment hours, etc.
Language barriers, physical barriers, and scheduling difficulties may make regular attendance a challenge. Cultural differences, past negative experiences with teachers, and issues such as shame and embarrassment may complicate the picture. I intend to make my students feel comfortable and I hope I leave them with an impression that I am approachable and competent.
Not being open on the weekends and insufficient public transportation are concerns for our adult learners.
There is little to add beyond what is covered in the 106 previous comments, except to say that in addition to the above identified obstacles, many learners will be tired, which makes concentration difficult. As to ESOL learners, there will be problems with dealing with unfamiliar accents and pronunciations. Both tutor and learner must work to avoid frustration and to make the sessions productive.
ESOL students and tutors alike may experience obstacles with online learning systems if they lack requisite skills or familiarity with technologies being used. Tutors who are challenged by computers will undoubtedly empathize with learners who are faced with browsing the web, using email or booking travel tickets online when they have never before used computers. A mutual understanding that such obstacles exist will likely help to abate them early in the learning process.
The obstacles faced by tutors and by the adults they tutor are obviously very different. While the tutors themselves might face problems designing material and tutoring sessions for the particular needs of their individual students, challenges faced by adult learners may be transportation issues, or perhaps just keeping motivated for the months-long process of remedial learning.
I am not sure about problems for adults since I have no experience.
I would guess fear of learning something new balanced against necessity and desire would be key factors. Time, transportation and other requirements would also enter into the mix.
Logistics working out transportation,time and place, but I can be accommodating.
Working out a time and place for the sessions. Transportation for the student may be my primary concern as there is only 1 public busline in the countybut we will work it out.
The desire may be there, but the ability to make it happen may be tested.
Adult learners may know they have difficulty reading, but seem to get along ok in society as is. They could feel that going for Literacy help may make them seem less intellegent or likely to learn.
Adults may feel that others look down on them for not reading well and feel they are not as intellegent as others. This can keep them from attempting the class.
Wanting to learn and wanting to teach overcomes obstacles.
Adult learners are to be admired. I can't imagine having enough courage myself to face the trials of overcoming a history of failure in school.
The adult learner is to be greatly admired. I don't know if I'd have the courage to face the trials of overcoming a history of failure in educational settings.
Hats off to them!
Many adult learners lack a lot of self confidence and if they don't feel like they're learning fast enough, may feel like giving up...I feel it's so important that we, as tutors discover how our students best learn, and try to adapt our lesson plans accordingly, to keep them encouraged and interested.
It may be a challenge to relate to some of the adult learners. I will need to spend time establishing personal relationships before I attempt to teach reading, writing, or math. However, I am motivated to help them and have lots of patience.
I think a problem that some of the adult learners might have with me personally as a tutor is the fact that I may be much younger than them. I fear that the age difference might make for a strained relationship, considering my status as a younger person, hard to relate to. To overcome this obstacle, I will have to be outgoing and patient, willing to adapt to the needs of the student rather than attempting to teach in whatever manner I find preferable.
Kathy said...
As I am considering being a tutor I am thinking about how much time I can volunteer based on my other commitments. I think adult learners have just as many, if not more, time constraints with work and family. I also wonder if I will be a successful tutor and may feel slightly anxious about trying something new. I think that anxiety might be increased for the learners, especially if they have not experienced success previously in the area of reading.
I'm new to this tutoring, and i feel a certain amount of fear about how will I do? Will the learner like me? And I think they will feel pretty much the same way.
Some of the problems that I encounter while studying this lesson might be similar to the problems than our learners might encounter.
Learning to become a tutor is going to involve a time commitment; however, it will be rewarding just knowing that an individual will become more self confident about their skills and the tutor will also be rewarded just knowing they've had a part in helping another person.
The obstacles that I foresee for adult learners include, as other posters have mentioned, lack of transportation to and from lessons, family and work commitments, and bad prior experiences in learning environments. We have to recognize the huge internal hurdles adult learners have had to conquer to simply sign up for classes.
I can imagine that an adult learner would face many obstacles during their pursuit of education. Adult students normally have many more responsibilities outside of the classroom, such as family and work. This will force them to work even harder to find a balance between learning and their other priorities.
It can be a challenge to work with learners who are experiencing problems at home or work. If the learner's family is not supportive, it can have a somewhat negative affect on the learner's progress. It helps to develop a trusting relationship with the learner to help them feel that someone is pulling for him.
Transportation and childcare can be big barriers. One I do not see mention much in these blogs is learned helplessness. As a math teacher, I have encountered many, many people who say "I stink at math" or something similar. This type of statement can be a self-fulfilling prophesy for adult-learners as entering the course they do not expect to learn the material.
Family responsibilities, transportation, health issues, religious holidays and practices such as fasting, low confidence, etc. present barriers to consistent participation in tutoring.
Many adult learners have families and full time jobs which does not allow much time to pursue their educational goals. Patty
Many adult learners have full time jobs and families to care for. That leaves little time to persue their educational goals.
First of all admitting that the adult wants to learn and getting support of family and friends so that they can commit time to this new objective.
Pride and embarrassment must be two huge deterring factors for adults to take the first step towards learning to read and write; a fear of being socially ostracized by others would be enough to keep even the bravest of humans from admitting illiteracy.
Transportation, childcare, work, and family obligations are outside obstacles. Fear, frustration, motivation and preserverance are class obstacles.
Balancing the needs of family and work are overwhelming obstacles for the adult learner. Obtaining the support of family to make time for learning at home or another venue is extremely important.
Lynne B
Finding time that is mutually agreeable may be a challenge. I am motivated to help an adult learner and realize that there are many learning styles. Patience is one of the keys to success for us both.
There are multiple obstacles facing adult learners such as; juggling job responsibilities, language barriers, transportation, and lack of affordable child care.
There are multiple obstacles facing adult learners such as; juggling job responsibilities, language barriers, transportation, and lack of affordable child care.
There are multiple obstacles facing adult learners such as; juggling job responsibilities, language barriers, transportation, and lack of affordable child care.
I would think most of the roadblocks encountered by the adult learner are the same one which the tutors will meet. Finding the time in a busy schedule, making the daily commitment and taking pleasure in the gains no matter how small.
Molly
The challenge of balancing work, family and time will be hard for many of the adult learners. I know that some of them may find this to be a difficult task, but with the tutors' patience,understanding and encouragement the adults have a better chance to succeed.
personal problems, lack of prioritizing education before other "stuff", their reasons may be quite similar to my reasons for putting this training aside...it has to become the most important thing to the student, and to me, to complete what I start...
Learners and tutors both have to find the right combination of circumstances to make the tutoring sessions possible. For learners new to this country, juggling family responsibilities, transportations issues, and finding the courage to put oneself in a vulnerable situation can be daunting.
Work demands, schedule changes, family demands, health problems, transportation problems, confusion, and discouragement with the process can be problems for both learners and tutors.
During the day everyone has prior commitments so this course is an extra on top of school and a job. The learners face the same problems, more so if they have children, lack of transportation, or irregular work hours. The best thing I can do is to try and be as flexible as possible.
Not being able to read must be something like not understanding a foreign language. It is hard to navigate in a world where you can't understand the accepted method of communication.
Not being able to read must be something like not understanding a foreign language. It is hard to navigate in a world where you can't understand the accepted method of communication.
Linda A. I went back to college at age 50, so I can relate a little to being afraid of trying to learn at an older age. I hope this will be encouraging to my student.
I am a bit nervous about trying to teach someone to read.
Juggling personal committments is very difficult for most adults, but if you have transportation issues as well that would certainly compound your ability to always be available for tutoring.
There can always be obstacles, but we should work with people to try and overcome them to the greatest extent possible.
As a busy working mother of two teens, I can easily see how the demands of everyday life can interfere with study time. Hopefully, I can help my students make this important work a priority.
I think that many adult learners have had much more failure than success in learning which requires reading. It must be difficult to willingly put oneself in the position of risking repeating failure
I imagine some obstacles our adult learners may face are scheduling class time, work, transportation, childcare, and finding time outside the classroom to study and apply what they are learning. Learning new things can always be a challenge, and a major psychological obstacle is the need to be self-confident and stay with the program regardless of how challenging it may be.
Adult learners are going through so much in their lives. Managing finances, work, parenting, commitments, volunteer responsibilities, and a whole onslaught of other things.
They deserve a massive amount of credit and appreciation, and that is why we as tutors do our absolute best to learn the material. We train ourselves to be the best teacher that we can be, so that we can help these adults reach the next stage of their development.
We are all on the same path, just different points. Reading is the best way there is to accelerate your progress on the path. EVERY HUMAN BEING DESERVES THIS.
Adult learners are going through so much in their lives. Managing finances, work, parenting, commitments, volunteer responsibilities, and a whole onslaught of other things.
They deserve a massive amount of credit and appreciation, and that is why we as tutors do our absolute best to learn the material. We train ourselves to be the best teacher that we can be, so that we can help these adults reach the next stage of their development.
We are all on the same path, just different points. Reading is the best way there is to accelerate your progress on the path. EVERY HUMAN BEING DESERVES THIS.
Why do you think we asked you in the introduction to consider the obstacles you might encounter in completing this online training?
- It is important, when getting into something, to identify potential areas of struggle or weakness. Considering them upfront allows one to be prepared (and not surprised) when the issues come up. Also, if the possible obstacles cannot be negotiated, it may be best for one not to continue in the course, rather than getting frustrated at failure later on.
Now, think about the problems your adult learner might have in attending tutoring sessions. How would their reasons compare to yours?
- They might lack the time or energy to devote to their studies. As adults, we have other responsibilities (work, family, friends, social engagements) that can distract us and keep us from fully devoting ourselves to the material.
I'm beginning to appreciate how difficult it must be for adult learners to tackle a new and unfamiliar language along with the new cultural customs of a new country. They will need a lot of support and friendly encouragement.
Debbie Metler
I understand about having commitments; I get it when you don't have the time to do everything...Careful scheduling, doing a little at a time, seems to me a good way to work with my adult learners. I guess I will see after I've finished training!
I would think that the pressures of work, kids, school and other responsibilities may get in the way of completing tutoring. Health could also be a factor. As some have already commented, transportation would be a big issue. Also, many people who have a low level of literacy are very embarrassed about it, so intimidation and low self-esteem could have a very real impact on completing tutoring. Also, as Natalie Rathvon writes in "The Unmotivated Child," many who have trouble in school do not truly believe that their actions have a consequence in their lives.
I would think that the pressures of work, kids, school and other responsibilities may get in the way of completing tutoring. Health could also be a factor. As some have already commented, transportation would be a big issue. Also, many people who have a low level of literacy are very embarrassed about it, so intimidation and low self-esteem could have a very real impact on completing tutoring. Also, as Natalie Rathvon writes in "The Unmotivated Child," many who have trouble in school do not truly believe that their actions have a consequence in their lives.
Being a student requires discipline and commitment. I know that can be even more challenging as an adult, because our obligations grow as we age. I imagine an adult that's working full-time, has a family, and all of the complications that go along with that will really have to be invested in improving their literacy to be successful in this program. As a tutor I'll have the same obstacle. For both the tutor and the student time management will be essential.
I think the biggest obstacle for me to completing this online training might be a lack of back-and-forth by way of verbal and manual interaction.
Yet as I re-read the above, I realize this is exactly what the women and men I tutor will likely feel, too.
The women and men I have tutored for the math portion of the GED often struggle to keep themselves and their kids healthy; free of drug and alcohol addiction; find transportation; put food on the table; and have a safe place to live. Having opted out or failed once in "school studies," to return to school studies must be 'the unknown' and so very scary for them.
The main difference I can surmise between youth and adult learners is in the approach and delivery of instruction. To put differently, I believe the goal of instruction to youth is to inspire curiosity; to instill an appreciation for their education. Of course it is also about their outcome and proficiency, but I don't believe that changes with adult learners. What changes is the goal of instruction. The focus shifts towards a pragmatic approach. The deliverables of education change.
I believe it is important to be cognizant of the developmental differences between adolescents and adults. Adults, in an abstract sense, are focused less on the logical (or illogical) syntax. As matured humans, we can more easily find purpose, where adolescent learners can be distracted by the syntax; the symbolism, the theorems, the belief in something that is different from how they perceive. Think of it this way; Children ask "Why are we doing this? Why is this important? Why...?" Adults will question using much more refined, exacting, purposeful ways. Not to say the forms of inquiry are any better than each other. Losing that childlike perspective on the world isn't always such a good thing.
One of the problems that would come up attending tutoring sessions are the student's obligations at home. The age barrier can also discourage the student seeing that it is harder for an adult to retain information compared to a child.
I'm still a babe in on-line learning. Most of the training I've had to do was either trial and error or in a training facility. However, the timing is great. I can manage home and my classes and it gives me the flexibility I need. My only downfall is my eyes can get pretty tired of reading.
An obstacle many adults learners face is the ability to overcome fear- the fear of failure. There is no tangible object called fear. All we can tell them is to not concentrate on the obstacle because they're merely a distraction from success. They're able to achieve whatever they set their mind on.
Obstacles for an adult learner to attend tutoring sessions might include being nervous, fear of failure, family obligations, transportation. Like in overcoming my obstacle to complete the training, they would also need to focus on the goal - a better life for them and their family.
I think obstacles for adult learners are both internal and external. They have the pressures of families, jobs and other societal duties. But they may also be dealing with emotions that hold them back or cause them to doubt themselves.
Audrey
I think for an adult learner time may be an obstacle. Also, some may be intimidated at the beginning and that may create some psychological barriers for attending a class.
Time is always an obstacle. Especially for those who have fulltime jobs and families.
It takes courage on top of surmounting all of the logistical problems.
Emotional obstacles like shame and embarrassment can be hard to face and overcome.
And patience even when things aren't going perfectly is something that we all have to remind ourselves about.
Setting up a functional, comfortable space to practice may be hard to come by as well.
Relatability is a huge factor in tutoring. By analyzing what we are worried about we are able to lay a common ground for future students. Some potential obstacles include: time conflicts, self consciousness about skill level, and personal life conflicts
As a tutor, I need to know exactly what I am doing when I am teaching my student. If I don't have the proper online training then I can not teach the student well.
I think my adult learner may have some problems attending tutoring sessions because of transportation, time conflicts, and shyness.
I'm doing this online, so I won't be able to actually interact with learners in a real environment. This could provide some difficulties as I observe learners and educators.
Although my case is different, I do understand the obstacles these learners could potentially face as far as getting to the tutoring establishment, other resources for tutoring might not always be available and so on.
I'm doing this online, so I won't be able to actually interact with learners in a real environment. This could provide some difficulties as I observe learners and educators.
I'm doing this training online, so I am not able to actually interact with the learners in a real environment.
I think that time and transportation would be the two biggest problems, especially when you factor in work schedules, along with the transportation from work to home. Some learners may work in Northern VA and their home is about an hour from work...traffic will hold a hindrance for the learners ability to schedule a learning session.
Many adult learners simply don't have schedules that permit the commitment it takes to pursue tutoring sessions.
Many adult learners simply don't have schedules that permit the commitment it takes to pursue tutoring sessions.
I feel that one of the biggest obstacles most of our adult participants face is their different work schedules and also the location of their jobs. Many work out in the suburbs and to get to class in the city can be a hassle.
I feel that one of the biggest obstacles most of our adult participants face is their different work schedules and also the location of their jobs. Many work out in the suburbs and to get to class in the city can be a hassle.
My student has a full time job and she is limited due to her schedule. But she meets with me once a week.
I think a student might have various issues that prevent him/her from coming to tutoring sessions. Some of these may include family responsibilities, i.e. someone to watch the children, or no transportation, limited time, work schedule, discouragement or lack of committment.
We were asked to consider our own possible obstacles to instill an understanding for our students possible obstacles. These may include transportation, obligations to family, or attending to his or her own health needs, just to name a few.
I am not trained as a teacher, and sometimes lack patience. I'm hoping to learn ways to overcome these obstacles.
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