Crafting an Adult English learning instructional plan requires attention to the needs of the students’ characteristics since unlike the young learners the adult learners mostly take classes as part-timers. When teaching adults the teacher needs to design the lessons around learning materials that have relevance to their daily lives and relevance to their learning objectives. Instructional plans are important in the teaching process because they guide the teacher on what to teach, how to teach it and in what time frame to teach it. It provides the class with learning objectives which guide the learning process and enable them towards achieving the set learning goals at the end of the class. The plan also enables the mapping process of the educator by identifying the concepts, skills, and contents of the course which guides the choice of learning tools and models to implement in the learning process. It also helps the evaluation and assessment process whereby the teacher and the students gauge how far they have achieved the set goals and objectives they set at the beginning of the course. In this particular lesson plan the accelerated learning delivery method will be used,
The Selected Delivery Model
The most appropriate learning delivery model for the adult English learners would be the accelerated learning method (Fehring & Rodrigues, 2017). It entails the use of divergent learning styles to deliver the teaching instructions to the adult learners by using both hemispheres of the brain with the aim of facilitating knowledge retention which is critical in the learning of a second or subsequent language. The accelerated learning model postulates that the learning process is controlled by the whole brain and the hemispheric traits exhibited by either side of the brain (Jean-François, 2013). The right side of the brain involves the nonverbal retention and acquisition of information through thinking in pictures, using rhythm, rhyme, and patterns to memorize the learning material. It also includes the visual-spatial function which is the ability of the learner to recognize forms, designs, pictures, faces, and patterns and associate them with the correct English words (King, 2017). The right hemisphere also enables the learners to see things simultaneously and spatially at the same time which allows them to make connections of different unrelated words in the learning of how to read and write in the English language.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The gestalt function involves the ability to perceive overall patterns and structures to enable the student to jump to divergent conclusions while their intuitiveness enables them to utilize their affective side to conclude (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). The accelerated learning model, therefore, is essential since it enables the students to use their surroundings to interpret and memorize what they learn in the classroom, therefore, improving their English proficiency. Due to the higher probability of the adult learners forgetting what they learn in class the model comes in handy by supplementing the conventional note taking teaching practice (Jean-François, 2013). By using the nonverbal techniques, the students can relate words with the objects they come across anywhere, therefore, making the language learning a continuous learning process even away from the classroom (Fehring & Rodrigues, 2017). Hence the model enables them to consciously and subconsciously learn as they go on with their daily activities by making mental connections to everyday objects they interact with which strengthens their memory and knowledge retention.
The left side of the brain, on the other hand, uses sequencing numbers and words to learn new languages, involves verbal skills like naming things and temporal abilities to keep track of time (King, 2017). It is also the side of the brain that is involved in the logical reasoning process whereby the learners attempt to make sense of the things they are taught in the classroom setting. It also spurs analytical thinking and rational decision-making aspects that play a critical role in the learning of the English language among the adult learners (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). The rational aspect that involves the making of decisions based on reason and fact is vital in the sentence construction in both the written and spoken languages. The analytical aspect helps students to take words apart and process their meanings separately and then logically put them together into sentences to convey a sensible line of thought with the temporal aspect helping with the processing of tenses (Fehring & Rodrigues, 2017). The stimulation of the left side of the brain equally helps the adult learners in learning and memorizing vocabularies as they go on with their day to day lives.
Human beings are rarely exclusively either right or left brained but most people have one side that is dominant and the other that is latent (Jean-François, 2013). The accelerated learning program is, therefore, most effective because it helps the student to use their dominant sides of the brain without disregarding the latent. The traditional learning models only capitalize on the left hemisphere related capabilities, therefore, disadvantaging the students with right hemisphere dominance (King, 2017). The incorporation of pictures, graphs, and other non-verbal learning tools into the learning process makes the learning experience more interactive which increases the students' concentration span and enhances their memory retention (Fehring & Rodrigues, 2017). It also incorporates the reasoning and feelings capabilities of the students and is learner-centered with the teacher acting as a guide while the students work in collaboration, therefore, facilitating the exchange of information for peer learning, (King, 2017). It also promotes the development of the eight bits of intelligence which are the logical/mathematical, linguistic intelligence, interpersonal, intrapersonal, musical, kinesthetic, spatial, and nature intelligence. The model also facilitates learning of the English language in context through both the verbal and nonverbal tools which bring together the application of the language with the hypothetical and the abstract (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). The collaborative learning model is, therefore, the best instructional program for the adult English learning instructional plan.
The Learning Strategies and Outcomes and Their Purpose Outcomes in Assessing Student Growth and Comprehension
To determine the best learning strategies to employ in the adult English language learning process it is imperative to consider the characteristics of the learners to choose the practical strategies for maximized learning outcomes (Jean-François, 2013). Adult learners are self-directed and have a higher level of autonomy compared to the younger learners who need constant supervision and direction from the educator. They also have a foundation of some basic knowledge of learning instructions and therefore require more collaborative based learning strategies to sharpen each other (King, 2017). They are goal oriented, focused and practical which calls for the formulation of relevant and precise instructional plans to ensure that the curriculum is covered in its entirety in the shortest possible timeframe (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). Adult learners also thrive best in a learning environment that is highly experiential and interactive giving them the autonomy to contribute to the learning process without feeling restricted and dominated over.
For each of the characteristics, the instruction plan develops a strategy to encourage the learner and achieve the learning outcomes of the adult learners (King, 2017). As self-directed and autonomous learners the best strategy to improve the learning outcomes will be participatory learning where the students engage more in the classroom. The teacher will only act as a facilitator and a guide who can be consulted by the adult learners in case they need any help (Jean-François, 2013). The participatory learning involves various activities like group work and personal presentations, student directed lessons and activity profiles where they narrate own experiences using English. Brainstorming, description of visual images, music, and problem-solving activities like the use of crossword puzzles are also strong participatory learning and teaching instructional strategies (Fehring & Rodrigues, 2017). The participatory approach will help in the assessment of the student growth and comprehension by assessing how well they spell and talk in English.
The best strategy to maximize the learning outcomes based on the past experiences of the adult learners would be collaborative learning strategies (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). They include forming groups, presentation of experiences, the performance of English plays and skits, a book or movie analysis in class and songs to make a platform for the exchange of learning experiences (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). The teacher can then observe the growth and comprehension of the lessons by how well the student shares their experiences in English. The goal orientation and focus characteristics can be enhanced using experiential teaching strategies to ensure that the learners can apply the lessons they learn in class outside the classroom and into their lives (Fehring & Rodrigues, 2017). The instructor can introduce learning activities such as role-playing, demonstrations of proper usage of English, use of pro-con grids, roundtables and debates to help the learners use English in the real world. The assessment would be in how proficient they are in communicating in English while performing the experiential learning activities (King, 2017). The relevance orientation is handled through mapping strategies which help in the memorization of the lessons learned in class for the applicability in the outside world. The student growth and assessment can be evaluated through writing personal reflection essays in the course of the study to determine how well the students are utilizing the acquired English proficiency (Jean-François, 2013). The teacher then measures the experiences against the set learning outcomes goals and objectives at the beginning of the lesson to determine how successful the teaching has been.
The Application of adult learning and developmental theories to the instructional delivery model and learning strategies
Various adult learning and developmental theories have been advanced in a bid to explain and understand how knowledge and information are received and retained during the learning process (Jean-François, 2013). The andragogy learning theory by Malcolm Knowles postulates that adults differ from children in six ways which are their need for knowledge, their motivation to learn, willingness to learn, foundation or experience, self-direction and their orientation to learning (King, 2017). The adults are inquisitive about their need to learn, and they build on prior experiences during their learning process. The self-concept assumption posits that the adult learners need to be autonomous in the learning process and are ready to learn new things to assume new roles in their lives (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). They are also prepared to apply whatever they learn as soon as possible in their problem-solving skills, and they have inner convictions to learn a new thing which drives them to enroll in the adult learning programs.
The andragogy learning model is applicable in the accelerated instructional delivery model because it directs the instructor on what to include in the instructional plan (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). The instructor uses the knowledge to explain the necessity of the topics in the curriculum to the adult learners to get their attention and maintain their interest in learning (Fehring & Rodrigues, 2017). It also directs on the appropriate learning strategies since it emphasizes on the need for task-oriented education instead of the traditional memorizing based strategies. The knowledge guides the instructor on the best teaching practices to maximize the students' learning outcomes (King, 2017). It also emphasizes on the need for autonomy and respect to the students in the adult learning process which gives insight to the instructor on how best to handle and interact with their students in and outside the classroom setting.
An Assessment of the role of technology in the instructional plan
Technology plays a pivotal role in the development, implementation and evaluation processes of the instructional plan (Fehring & Rodrigues, 2017). Technology acts as a guide in the formulation of the instructional plan since it provides instructional material for both the teacher and the students in the adult learning programs. The instructor uses various technological tools to gather information on what to incorporate in the instructional plan while the students use technology to research on the topics on the course outline beforehand (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). The result is a more interactive learning environment a staple for successful adult learning. However, technology also undermines the instructional plan in that it can provide inaccurate information, therefore, misleading the teacher and the students (Jean-François, 2013). If they are not careful, they may come across an unreliable educational material source that may misguide them and avert them from the instructional plan.
Technology also facilitates the interaction between the learners and the educator as well and acts as an essential tool in the completion of the collaborative tasks involved in the instructional plan (King, 2017). The teacher and the student use technological tools like emails to communicate and exchange information which takes the learning process beyond the confinements of the classroom. During the implementation process of the instructional plan, it, therefore, plays a critical role in facilitating intercommunications between the learners and the faculty (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). Students also use technology to submit their coursework tests and other assignments while working collaboratively using technology to complete group works. Technology as a communication tool, however, has the potential of undermining the interactiveness necessary in the linguistic learning processes (Fehring & Rodrigues, 2017). The personal interaction during the group engagements and personal presentations help the teacher to identify the students’ language proficiency which is hard when interacting online unless through video or voice calls which are rare.
Technology is also useful in the evaluation and assessment process of the instructional plan (King, 2017). The instructor can document the students’ progression from the beginning and use the data to evaluate how well the learning objectives and goals have been achieved. They also use technology to give feedback to students which eliminates the distance barrier in the traditional classroom setting where the teacher and the learner had to be in the same vicinity to give and receive feedback (Fehring & Rodrigues, 2017). It also provides a platform for the teacher to effectively evaluate a student's performance through the use of technological tools like plagiarism checking tools which were impossible in the past with typed assignments. It, therefore, offers evaluative tools to the teachers but it can also undermine the evaluative process (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). It increases the chances of dishonesty and laxity since some students may fail to contribute equally to group work an aspect the instructor cannot determine without physically assessing the group members physically (Jean-François, 2013). Technology, therefore, plays a vital role in the formulation, implementation and evaluation processes of the instructional plan but can also undermine them if not appropriately used.
The Role of Adult Learners’ Cultural Values and Beliefs in the Framework of Teaching and Learning
Cultural values and beliefs are a set of collectively programmed customs and attitudes acquired from socialization and the environment in which someone is brought up (King, 2017). Hofstede identified the five dimensions of national culture that influence education as the power distance index, individualism versus collectivism, masculinity versus femininity, uncertainty avoidance index and long-term orientation (Jean-François, 2013). The power distance index is defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of a society accept the unequal distribution of power (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). In a low power distance teaching and learning environment the process is student-centered while in a high power distance teaching environment the teaching and learning process is teacher-centered.
The students from the high power distance cultures are more engaging with educators, are self-starters, initiate contact with the teachers and can contradict or criticize the teachers through a two-way communication (Jean-François, 2013). Students from high power distance cultures, on the other hand, are less communicative, are highly dependent on the teachers' instructions and do not contradict or criticize the teachers. In the adult learning environment, the students from the low power distance cultural backgrounds are more likely to learn faster than those from the high power distance cultural distance due to their inquisitiveness and self-independence (Fehring & Rodrigues, 2017). The individualism versus the collectivism in the students’ cultural background affects how they interact with their fellow students and the teachers. The students from individualistic cultural backgrounds believe in personal advancement while those from the collectivist cultures embrace group work and share the values of teamwork and helping others (King, 2017). The cultural values and beliefs regarding others, therefore, affect their performance especially in the accelerated learning environment where collaboration is critical to success.
The masculine and feminine culturally defined values and beliefs also affect the framework of teaching and learning (King, 2017). In the patriarchal or matriarchal society where one gender is viewed as superior to the other, the education system rewards students based on social adaptation instead of academic performance. Students learn to conform to certain stereotypes and to fill societal projected gender-based roles while in a gender-neutral learning environment students learn about personal interests and self-advancement (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). The gender socialization, therefore, plays a role in the performance and the learning and teaching frameworks. The uncertainty avoidance dimension analyses how some cultural values and beliefs affect how the students react to uncertain and ambiguous situations (Jean-François, 2013). Students from cultures with low uncertainty avoidance are flexible, adaptable and the teacher is not expected to be a know it all and is allowed to be innovative in the teaching techniques. Students from high uncertainty avoidance cultures are inflexible, follow timetables, and the teachers are expected to know everything and student’s inquisitiveness is regarded as an insubordination (Fehring & Rodrigues, 2017). In the former case, the students with such values and beliefs are likely to be more successful than those with the latter set of beliefs and values.
In sum, the selected delivery model is the accelerated learning process. The learning strategies include exploratory learning, experiential learning, and collaborative learning and they are essential for the dissemination of learning information and collaborating in the learning process.
References
Fehring, H., & Rodrigues, S. (2017). Teaching, coaching and mentoring adult learners: lessons for professionalism and partnership . Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group.
Jean-François, E. (2013). Transcultural blended learning and teaching in postsecondary education . Hershey PA: Information Science Reference.
King, K. P. (2017). Technology and innovation in adult learning San Francisco, CA: Jossey- Bass, a Wiley Brand.
Merriam, S. B., & Bierema, L. L. (2014). Adult learning: linking theory and practice . San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, a Wiley brand.
