Helping Adults Learn

To help adults learn:

• Create an environment that takes care of physical comfort and eliminates sources of discomfort. That is: comfortable chairs, good lighting, adequate ventilation, comfortable temperature, quality acoustics, tasteful decor and well-arranged seating. All make it easy to learn by eliminating distractions and annoyances. Take breaks when learners need them - not just when the lesson plan says to take them or just 'on the hour' or not at all. Avoid a 'classroom' environment. Promote personal acceptance of others, professional respect, and understanding support.

• Facilitate: be a resource, a catalyst, a guide, a person expert at procedure more than just a knowledgeable teacher. You are preparing learners to 'go it alone' which is hard to do if you won't let them experience doing things on their own. Share your personal experience, demonstrate a sense of humour and help the learners discover the positive things they have in common.

• Create a need. Adults learn best when they can connect what they are learning with a need that they have. Subconsciously, they will ask - What's in It For Me? (WIFM) and Make Me Feel Important About Myself (MMFIAM). Help them see how their new skills will affect their lives and give them new possibilities for self-fulfilment.

• Encourage learners to take an active part in the learning process. Use group discussion, skill practices, projects, demonstrations and real-life applications to tap the learners' experiences.

• Relate all new learning to past experience. Get participants to share personal experiences. Find out how the training objectives relate to each other and to life on the job for the learners.

• Give learners choices. Allow them to be involved in the determination of the path learning takes.

• Practice real life situations so that participants see how the skills will apply back on the job. Encourage discussions of and commitments to personal strategies and action ideas for remembering to use the new skills.

• Give recognition, approval and encouragement. Learn the participants' names and use them. Keep good eye contact and use both passive and active listening when a participant is speaking.

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