This study explores the relationship between aptitude, phonological memory (PM), and second language (L2) proficiency in nonnovice adult learners of English as an L2. Native speakers of French (N = 77) enrolled in a university Teaching English as a Second Language program were the participants in the study. Exploratory factor analysis revealed…

When natural language input contains grammatical forms that are used probabilistically and inconsistently, learners will sometimes reproduce the inconsistencies; but sometimes they will instead regularize the use of these forms, introducing consistency in the language that was not present in the input. In this paper we ask what produces such…

Within the field of adult education a paradigm shift, or at least a paradigm creep, is taking place as a result of advances in technology. This comprehensive, quasiexperimental study examining the efficacy of online education (OE) for professional development, conducted among American police officers, compares OE to traditional delivery methods,…

Scholars of adult basic literacy curricular materials have argued that the skill-based, deficit-oriented approach of many such materials denies the interests and motivations of adult learners. Exploring why these kinds of curricular materials are prevalent in adult basic literacy education, this article focuses on the case of ProLiteracy, a…

Humanistic Psychology emphasizes five key principles: (1) belief in the wholeness of human nature and experience; (2) focus on free will and the individual power to create; (3) realization that the human person lives "nested" in biology, culture and history; (4) conscious intention is important to human development and action; and (5)…

"Focus on Basics" is a publication of the US Division of World Education, Inc. It presents best practices, current research on adult learning and literacy, and how research is used by adult basic education teachers, counselors, program administrators, and policymakers. "Focus on Basics" is dedicated to connecting research with…

The goal of this paper is to provide specific suggestions for teaching adult business professionals. The suggestions we present are based on our combined experiences as instructors of business professionals who have returned to school for continuing education and as adult learners ourselves. In this article, we discuss the unique characteristics…

The paths of mathematics education reform for children and adults resemble two highways that join together for a distance then diverge, remaining parallel but distinct. The differences reflect the intrinsic distinction between pedagogy and andragogy. School mathematics must prepare children for all the possible paths that their educational journey…

Stoke-on-Trent is one of the most deprived areas of the UK. It has been described as an area with low aspirations. This is reflected in educational attainment levels among school leavers: GCSE results across the city, including English and Maths, remain significantly below the national average. Stoke-on-Trent College has a huge role to play in…

This study pioneered an innovative project regarding the use of ICT for creating learning resources and opportunities for faculty members and adult learners on both sides of the Taiwan Straits--Taiwan and mainland China--that would not have been possible during the past five decades. This paper is based on a one-year in-depth study of an ICT…

By searching the keywords of "older adult" and "computer" in ERIC, Academic Search Premier, and PsycINFO, this study reviewed 70 studies published after 1990 that address older adults' computer learning and usage. This study revealed 5 prominent themes among reviewed literature: (a) motivations and barriers of older adults' usage of computers, (b)…

Despite the fact that we are learning more and more about the particular challenges and possibilities of teaching adult learners, we may still be overlooking--or forgetting--some of the most fundamental aspects of what makes an effective educator of adults. This paper addresses this oversight by reminding adult educators of the imperative of being…

McCormack and Hoerl's state of the art review of the development of temporal concepts from the end of infancy to the end of the fifth year shows that young children's conception of time is quite different from that of adults. Adults and 5-year-old children can construe an event from a range of temporal perspectives and can describe it from a…

Project Read at the San Mateo Public Library is one of 106 library programs in California helping adults improve their reading, writing, and communication skills. Like many adult literacy programs, Project Read trains and matches volunteer tutors with students. About 30% of the Project Read students are men in Project 90 (P-90), a residential drug…

The topic of informal learning and work has quickly become a staple in contemporary work and adult learning research internationally. The narrow conceptualization of work is briefly challenged before the article turns to a review of the historical origins as well as contemporary theories and methods involved in researching informal learning and…