Adult learning in the language classroom / Stacey Margarita Johnson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Johnson, Stacey Margarita, author.

Series:

New perspectives on language and education ; 44.

New perspectives on language and education

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

English language--Study and teaching--Foreign speakers.

English language.

Second language acquisition.

Adult learning.

Physical Description:

xii, 144 pages : illustrations ; 21 cm.

Place of Publication:

Bristol ; Buffalo : Multilingual Matters, [2015]

Summary:

This book explores connections between the fields of foreign/second language teaching and adult learning. This interdisciplinary approach serves as a framework in order to: (a) understand the teaching methods that promote the deeper, more critical sort of language learning advocated by scholars and professional organizations, (b) understand how adult students learn and transform through language study, and (c) reinforce the immense value of beginning language courses. Johnson studies a classroom of adult language learners for one semester, exploring issues of motivation and perceived value for these short-term learners as well as touching on issues around intercultural communication teaching and learning. The book will be of interest to adult language teachers as well as researchers studying adult education and second language learning. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Introduction 1

Is Fluency the Goal? 2

The Content of Language Study 4

This Study 5

Organization of the Book 6

Methodology 7

Data collection 8

Treatment of student identities 9

My Connection to the Study 10

2 Adult Learning Theory 12

The Need for Adult Learning Theory 12

Experiential Learning 13

Self-Directed Learning 16

Transformative Learning 18

Meaning perspectives 19

Perspective transformation 20

Disorienting dilemma 22

Critical reflection 23

Classroom connections 24

The Effects of Adult Learning 25

Conclusion 27

3 Adult Language Education 28

Foreign Language Teaching Standards 28

Teaching Methods 30

Adult education philosophies informing approach 32

Organization of course content 34

Student and teacher roles 36

Sources of knowledge about language 37

Moving Toward a New Approach 39

Sociocultural contexts 39

Critical pedagogy 40

Identity 41

Motivation/Investment 42

Intercultural competence 44

Conclusion 46

4 The Class 47

The College 47

The Students 48

The interview participants 48

The Instructors 51

The Classroom Setting 52

Teacher/Student Dynamic 53

Student Performance 55

The Textbook 56

Conclusion 58

5 How the Class was Taught 59

How Did Students Learn? 60

Direct grammar instruction 60

English as primary 61

Small-group oral production 63

Sidebars 65

Student learning journals 67

Film 69

Use of Critical Pedagogy 75

Conclusion 76

6 What Students Learned 77

Content 78

Skills 78

Personalized or Contextualized Learning 79

Learning about Learning 80

Learning about Differences 84

Learning about Connections 86

Learning to Make Sense of Accents 89

What Students Did Not Know They Learned 92

Conclusion 94

7 Transformation and Development 95

Indicators of Perspective Transformation 95

Exploring New Sources of Knowledge 96

Evidence from the learning journals 96

Real-world contact 97

Becoming More Self-Directed 100

Evidence from learning journals 100

Motivation/Investment 100

Critical Self-Assessment 104

Evidence from the learning journals 105

Openness 106

Disorienting Dilemmas 107

Transformative Classroom Practices 111

Conclusion 112

8 Applications 114

Summary of Findings 114

Implications for Research 115

Connection to previous studies 115

Recommendations for future research 116

Implications for the Classroom 117

Teaching approach 117

Learning activity design 117

Assessment 124

In short 126

Implications for Adult Foreign Language Education 127

The grading problem 127

The value of language study 128

Implications for language instructor training 129

Final Thoughts 130.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 133-140) and index.

ISBN:

9781783094165

1783094168

9781783094158

178309415X

OCLC:

909319302