Welcome back to the second in our three-part series on adult learners. In the previous post, we discussed the importance of seeing adult learners differently in some ways from children. Although adults, like children, have different learning styles and enjoy multi-sensory methods, they are basically self-motivated in their learning. We also noted that adults need to know the rationale behind what you are teaching them.Now let’s consider how to engage adults in the learning process. Most adults, regardless of learning styles, respond to interactive methods of teaching. They need to participate in order to aid learning and retention. While a certain amount of lecture is necessary to convey new information, the lecture needs to be interspersed with activity that allows your adult students to interact with the topic and with each other.
These interactive methods can accomplish at least four purposes: 1) to help students make connections between themselves, the material and fellow students; 2) to discern needs in your students; 3) to check their understanding and retention of key principles; 4) to help students internalize what is taught and implement it.
Such interactive methods aid the “buy-in” factor—raising your students' interest and desire to learn what you want to teach them. Following are a few ideas on how to accomplish each of the four purposes. Much of this material is gleaned from training expert Sharon Bowman. These and many other good ideas can be found in articles on her Web site, http://www.bowperson.com/.
1) Making Connections Students need to connect with themselves and other students regarding the topic. Have them interact with the material and each other right from the start of the session. This accomplishes several things. It acknowledges their prior experience, gives them a chance to show what they know and in some cases, helps them see what they don’t know.
- Connection Question After your introduction and link, you might begin the content for the class on Teaching Children to Pray by saying, “I’m sure many of you have helped children learn how to pray—either your own children or in a classroom. What are some of the key principles you feel are important for kids to know about prayer?” Don’t comment on their answers, just acknowledge them. As you cover the content of the session, you may want to refer back to some of their input.
- Neighbor Nudge Have them turn to the person next to them and tell just one or two things they feel are important to teach children about prayer (without looking in their student manual).
2) Discerning Needs These are methods that help you understand what information your students may be lacking regarding a particular topic.
- Pre-Test Give your students a short quiz (verbal or written) at the beginning of your class session such as, List five key principles you feel are important regarding classroom discipline or List three reasons why children might respond repeatedly to a Gospel invitation. Student responses will reveal what they know, what misconceptions they may have and what information is lacking. It also helps students realize their need for the information you plan to teach.
- Index Cards Give each student an index card and ask them to write one or two questions they hope to have answered in the class session ahead (no names on cards). Collect the cards and read the questions aloud. At the end of the session, ask if everyone had their questions answered.
- Case Studies Begin your session by sharing one or more case studies concerning the issue you will address in the class (counseling problems, discipline situations, children struggling to memoriae verses, etc.). Let students briefly discuss how they would handle the situation without giving any definitive answers. This again brings their need to the surface, both for you and for them.
3) Checking Understanding Every so often in a class session, it’s important to check on how your adult students are grasping the material and correct any wrong ideas.
- 60 Second Pop-Ups At the end of a section of notes, give the class 60 seconds to pop-up and give one response each to a question from material already taught. Use a kitchen timer to count down the seconds. This can also be a good review or summarization activity at the end of a class session or to review a previous class.
- Shout Outs This is quick, verbal brainstorming. Give students a list to recall (IPEAR steps, five steps in giving an invitation, etc.) and have them shout out the answers. Don’t take time to discuss answers, just get them as quickly as you can.
- Stretch Questions After completing a section of material, have students stand to stretch, then tell them they must earn their seats back by giving answers to a question.
- Break Questions When a break is coming up on the schedule, tell students they must give 10 key points from the material just covered before they can take their 10 minute break.
4) Making it Stick It’s one thing for students to answer questions in class, but it’s another to get them to internalize the material for future use. You need to think about how to move adult learners from theory to practice.
- Think It – Ink It At the end of a section or of the class session, give students a few moments to reflect on what was taught, then ask them to write down two or three key points they got from the material and how or when they will implement them.
- Take-Aways Close your session by asking volunteers to stand and state one or two key ideas they will take away from the class session. This is a good way to review the material as well as learning what your students consider important points.
- Challenge Question Hand each student a card with a challenge question to answer such as, The most important idea I will take from this class session and use in my next children’s class is (fill in the blank). The act of writing down their response helps to seal it into their thinking. It also helps them see that their learning is not over at the end of class, it has just begun.
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