Master Performers of the Trade

Back in June, 1981, Ron and Susan Zemke sought to enumerate the things we as teachers / trainers / facilitators / classroom aides / tutors know about  (1) adult learners and their motivation; (2) designing curriculum for adults; and (3) working with adult in the classroom. They call them "truisms" based on a fairly large body of research conducted over the years about the adult learner.

READ ABOUT IT:

Zemke, R., and S. Zemke. "30 Things We Know for Sure About Adult Learning," TRAINING Magazine, June 1981. Minn: Lakewood Publications. (Revisited in June 1995 -- they asked themselves, "Has anything changed?") Found at: http://www.trainingmag.com/sites/default/files//TrainingMagazine_1995_AdultsLearning.pdf

In this blog, I've been showing how ESOL pedagogy -- or should I say, androgogy? -- has been for some years taking on aspects of human resources training in the areas of curriculum design and classroom practice, as well as analysis of learner characteristics. 

In truism no. 25, the Zemkes advise against teacher/trainers "holding forth" rather than acting as facilitator to the learner. In their 4/27/2015 Inside Higher Ed article, " The Coaching Transformation," Christine Seifert and Richard Chapman write about the style shift from professor to coach. They remind us that such learning coaches "[E]nable the development and action planning of a learner." https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2015/04/27/essay-making-switch-professor-coach


ESOL course offerings nowadays feature shortened session duration, truncated semesters, continuous open enrollment, and home study components, with course delivery via the web (known as blended/hybrid formats, or more colloquially, “brick and click” programs) supplementing physical classrooms to support language learning of non-traditional, place-bound individuals geographically removed from traditional campuses. Adult second language learning classes are more democratic, more driven by technology, featuring open-ended questions and vigorous give-and-take. All, much more consonant with adult students' felt needs and autonomy. 

The lecturer at the podium is a thing of the past. The teacher's role as sole transmitter of of knowledge is replaced by teacher as mentor, facilitator, curator of resources, coach, sophisticated technology user, well-organized secretary, competent artist and musician, set decorator, game show host, and more. In other words, master performers of the trade.