If you only included the first six items in the list, then you missed some very important information about your student. If you included all of the items and went beyond this list - good for you. You do know your student!

The adult learner is much, much more than a grade equivalent score or an initial educational functioning level. The better you know your student, the more you can do to encourage and motivate that student to achieve his/her goals. As you continue through this component, you will learn more about the unique characteristics of the adult learner. With this knowledge, you can move one step closer to understanding your ABE student.

And the Research Says!

There has been much research conducted on the adult learner and the characteristics of those students who come back to school looking for an opportunity to improve their lives and those of their children. In 1995, Dirkx and Lavin and Pelavin provided a summary of characteristics that are exhibited by the adult learner.

Take a minute to access the file entitled: Assumptions about the Adult Learner. You may wish to download and print this document for future reference.

http://archon.educ.kent.edu/~nebraska/curric/ttim1/aaal.html

Now that you have had a chance to read about some general assumptions about the adult learner, it is time to look at some specific areas that may impact the ABE student's level of success in your classroom.