This resource brings together information about policy, second language acquisition theory and research, methods and materials for teaching adult English language learners, program design, and cross-cultural issues that effect learning in adult ESL classrooms. It also discusses the context within which adult ESOL instructors work and in which adult ESOL programs function. The framework for this discussion of context draws from the developing framework of standards for teachers of adult learners under consideration by TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc.). This book is designed for faculty and students in adult education graduate programs and other TESOL preparation programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels that target adult learners. Other audiences are adult ESL program directors and policy makers as well as educators working in elementary and high school, many of whom are connected to populations of adult learners through the parents of the children they serve.

A highly practical guide for new instructors teaching in any setting Regardless of the context, teaching is a tall task—and for those teaching adults, unique challenges await. Teaching Adults: A Practical Guide for New Teachers is chock-full of ideas that can be read quickly and implemented immediately in formal and informal settings, in classrooms and workplaces; in short, wherever adults are learning. Written with straightforward language that eschews jargon, yet grounded in theory, research, and practice in adult education, the book will benefit readers who have not previously been exposed to these ideas as well as more experienced teachers who seek new ways to reach adult learners. The book will serve as a resource to revisit from time to time as readers face new challenges and questions in teaching adults. Readers will delve into to a variety of topics, including: A general teaching framework, including the author's four keys to effective teaching An in-depth exploration of the primary components of effective teaching An examination of the unique challenges involved with teaching adults, including how to best create a positive learning environment, overcoming resistance to learning, motivation techniques, and dealing with difficult or disruptive learners The book elucidates the techniques required to connect with adult learners and provide instruction that is specifically tailored to the unique learning needs of these students.

Teaching Adult ESL is the first comprehensive yet practical overview of adult ESL teaching methodology for teachers and teachers in preparation.

This volume has been written to address the new communicative demands that the 21st century has brought to the workplace. Today's adult education programs must prepare students to understand complex operations, be problem-solvers, be computer literate, and be fluent in professional English when speaking and writing. As a result, writing has become a bigger need in the field of adult education, and writing instruction must follow suit and extend beyond transactional writing (taking notes, correcting grammar, writing narratives) to rhetorically flexible writing for multiple audiences, purposes, and contexts, whether for a college course or in the workplace. Some of the specific types of writing students need now are the ability to: write argumentative, technical, and informative texts; create, argue for, and support a thesis statement; summarize; write concisely with appropriate vocabulary; produce a well-edited piece understandable to native speakers; and use and credit sources. The volume is organized into four parts. Chapters are written by current (or former) adult educators with experience across levels. Each chapter introduces an approach based on research that can guide writing instruction and provides specific guidance and tools for implementation. Questions open and close the chapters to guide reading and frame future exploration. JoAnn (Jodi) Crandall has written the Epilogue. Readers will discover ways to move adults into higher education and careers by helping them be college and career ready, to integrate writing into the existing curriculum in adult education programs at all levels, including content classes, and to teach writing according to national and state standards. Book jacket.

Adult English language learners who lack print literacy or experience with formal education encounter a unique set of challenges in their lives and their efforts to learn English. Educators and policymakers are similarly challenged by how best to help these adults acquire English literacy. This booklet reviews a variety of research, including that on language acquisition, literacy development in adults and children, cognition and brain functioning, adult education, and professional development. Though research on this specific group of adult learners is sparse, available findings suggest that they need programs and classes separate from those for other beginning-level English language learners, with particular attention paid to cultural influences and their experiences (or lack thereof) with formal education. Those who teach these adults can benefit from professional development opportunities that focus closely on the specific backgrounds, strengths and needs of these learners.