Tips for teaching adult learners as opposed to young learners

Instructors need to understand the difference between young and adult learners in order to be effective. This includes their characteristics, how they learn, what they bring to the learning situation, their needs and expectations as learners.
Be equipped with strategies for meeting adult learners' needs and managing them in order to motivate them to remain in the institution. Details are presented below.

Instructors should explore adult learners' backgrounds and expectations right from the first encounter. This will enable planning to take these on board all the time in order to remain relevant.

Adults are autonomous and self-directed while the young are totally dependent on the instructor. Involve adults actively in the planning and learning processes.
Guide, rather than supply facts or information. Facilitate their search for knowledge and allow them to choose what they learn. This will enhance their confidence and feel ownership of the learning process. This raises their motivation further and appreciation of attendance at class.

Adults have a huge store of knowledge and experience while the young are almost blank slates. Tailor-make learning to link with their past experience. Make maximum use of their wealth of experience in every learning situation. Let them see relevance of new learning experiences to their past and future. Decide on what information to give young learners because they have very little knowledge and will accept whatever the instructor gives.

Adults are goal-oriented while the young are at school because parents or government want them to be there. Adults know what they wish to achieve by attending classes while the young do not. Organise learning program for the adults to facilitate attainment of those goals and objectives individually or as a group. This will raise their motivation and see attendance as worthwhile.

Adults are relevancy-oriented. Instructors should make sure that learning objectives and what they learn must be seen to be relevant to their needs. Tasks and projects set must allow them to respond in a manner that reflects their own interests and link with their experience.

Adults are practical and not interested in theory. Instructors should be explicit in how learning experiences relate to the learners' work, not knowledge for its own sake.

All learners need to be respected. Instructors should treat them as equals in knowledge and

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