Diverse Learners
Imagine that you are tasked with an adult English as a
Second Language (ESL) class with diverse learners, including:
A 22-year-old male Hispanic laborer recently emigrated from
Mexico, who needs English to increase his pay, but who has not been to school
since age 15
An unemployed 32-year-old single mother who is a Russian
immigrant, knows both Russian and Ukrainian, has a degree in chemistry, but is
anxious about taking an ESL class
A Chinese grandmother who speaks only Mandarin, immigrated
to be closer to her daughter who married an American, but who is shy about
being in class
A 30-year-old African taxi driver with two young children
who has little time for homework
A 45-year-old gay musician from Haiti who is uncertain about
how colleagues will regard his race and sexual orientation
You want to apply what you have learned about adult learning
and development to plan for a successful learning experience
Consider the implications of learner diversity for adult and
post-secondary educators What are your views on what implications these
student characteristics would have for you as a facilitator of learning? What
challenges would you face? What opportunities might present themselves?