在成人半文盲培训专家眼中

你有否寻找过训练成人半文盲的方法？虽然每个成人文盲的教学结果都因人而异，了解他们的个人情况以及他们之间的差异有助于解决成人文盲的学习困难。半文盲被认为起源于认知或语言障碍，或与社会文化劣势有关，但这既不是心理也不是精神障碍问题。半文盲成人，通常受过6-8年的适当教育，具有类似母语的口语能力，没有重大困难并且智商达到70甚至更高。另一方面，他们往往很难参与需要识字技能才能在其群体和社区内有效运作的活动。许多社区组织为这些成人提供资源和支持，但总体的有效识字率仍然没有明显改善。成人往往倾向于沉湎过去，担心未来，影响他们对学习的个人态度；加上对文盲的耻辱感，使得他们在成人学习项目中记忆力差。因此，成人文盲在将所学技能从课堂转移到现实生活中时面临更多障碍。

学习没有年龄限制
有些人认为，成人学习不能学到新东西，但事实并非如此，帮助成人学习者识字的过程对教师来说也是一种有益的经历。在教授成人基本的识字技能之前，老师们必须提醒自己，所有的人都可以成为天生的优秀学习者，无论年龄大小，因为我们天生好奇，渴望掌握新知识技能。年龄更大的人有时学新东西比较困难，但这并不是由于他们的年龄，而是由于他们甚至没有意识到就决定停止学习。事实上，年长的学习者往往比年轻的学习者更容易教，尤其是因为他们更了解学习的好处。一旦老年人决定学习，他们就不会像年轻学生那样容易分心，包括受到负面信息的干扰，而且能够长时间集中注意力。这种集中注意力的能力可以帮助老年人更容易地学习基本的识字技能和日常活动。

评估成人学习者
成人学习并不是一种纯粹的脑力活动，因为与高中生不同，成人学习者在决定接受教育时会有许多考虑因素。在采取主动学习之前，他们必须评估重新学习的收益和成本间的动态关系。在整个思索过程中，他们考虑到他们学习的目的，相关性，以及联想到先前经验所需的时间。一旦成年人做出了学习的最终决定，他们就会尽最大的努力和有效协调来取得成功。

  遗憾的是，教材的编写并没有考虑到成人文盲，因此培训者了解文盲的社会、文化和历史背景是很重要的。了解学生的生活环境将有助于培训师更好地安排有效的学习环境，并记住他们的困难。为了最大限度地给一位具有不同经验和背景的成人学习者提供经验，培训师需要了解每个学习者的节奏和能力，他们可能会根据个人准备程度、需求和学习能力而有所变化。因此，在开始和结束每节课之前，培训师应该收集学习者的反馈，以评估他们的需求。这将有助于培训师进一步规划他们的学习活动，提高学习者的学习动机，特别是对于半文盲的成人学习者。

认识到不同的挑战

  老年人和年轻人都是渴望学习的人，尽管学习技巧与成年人年龄无关，但这两种人群之间可能需要进行一些调整。培训师必须意识到每个成人教育中面临的不同挑战。例如，年轻的成人学习者精力充沛，能够长时间从事体力劳动。吊运30分钟？没问题！但关节不好的老年学习者可能无法承受如此艰苦的训练过程。其他的健康问题，虽然很轻微，如轻度视力障碍或听力困难，也会使老年学习者更难理解和遵循规则指示。还有，成人学习者可能会有个人问题，包括感到孤独或与家庭和社会脱节。在这种情况下，如果他们愿意分享，教师倾听是很重要的。培训师还可以将课程发展成一个相互支持的系统，并将他们与新的有趣的事物联系起来。

借助辅助技术促进学习

  目前，辅助技术在帮助半文盲成人使用方面发挥着重要作用，与文盲成人技术使用有相同的结果。来自Muntanu等人的一项研究：利用技术学习和功能支持来促进半文盲成人的需求——研究了个人移动设备ALEX©的有效性，该设备使用了一系列语言和工作场所支持工具。通过这项辅助技术，培训师的角色还包括组织和提供这些资源和支持学习者。借助辅助技术，学习者可以更好地控制学习过程，提高学习动机和学习兴趣。ALEX©等技术很有价值，可帮助成人学习者独立工作，并更自信地掌握他们的识字技能。然而，这种技术不应该是唯一的解决方案，也不应该取代个体学习。一个有效的学习策略绝不能让学习者感到孤立，因此，应用高科技学习设备只应占整体策略的一部分。

结论

  成人文盲的学习过程是非线性的。半文盲的学习类似于在没有GPS系统的城市里游走——学习者可能会有些迷茫、困惑，偶尔会闯红灯或停车标志，甚至意外地沿着单行道走错路。这是因为学习不仅仅是简单地把一部分知识添加到另一种知识中，而且半文盲成人必须克服文盲成人不会遇到的额外挑战和障碍。在整个学习过程中，他们可以从培训师那里受益，帮他们在新的未知学习环境中使用已知的知识。通过充分、合适的实践，文盲成人学习者能逐渐优化他们的学习，并随着时间推移提高技能。

  无论年龄大小，教与学对于培训者和成人学习者都是很有趣的。在整个学习过程中，时间共享将加深年长学习者与培训者之间的联系，关系越紧密，他们在学习新活动中表现就越好。一旦学员在敏感度高和愿意倾听的培训师的指导下，学生们就可以开始享受学习的时光。随之，这可以培养与教育的关系，从而点燃对学习的终身热爱。最后，学习通过保持大脑的活跃和敏锐，还为可能遭受心理健康挑战的老年人提供了精神触发。持续学习始终是有意义和积极的老龄化体验的有效策略。

在成人半文盲培训专家眼中(原文)
Title: In the Eye of a Training Professional for Adult Learners with Functional Illiteracy
Introduction
Are you looking for methods to train adults with functional illiteracy? While the result of teaching illiterate adults differs from literate adults, understanding their individual situations and how they differ from one person to another helps when tackling learning difficulties with illiterate adults. Functional illiteracy is assumed to originate from cognitive or linguistic disorders, or is associated with sociocultural disadvantages, but it is neither an issue with psychological nor mental disorders. Adults who are functionally illiterate, have typically had 6-8 years of adequate schooling, have native-like oral language abilities without major difficulty, and an IQ of 70 or greater. On the other hand, they tend to have difficulty engaging in activities where literacy skills are required for effective functioning within their group and community (Réka et al., 2016).Many community-based organizations offer resources and support for these adults, but the overall functional literacy rate has still not improved significantly. Adults tend to dwell on the past and worry about the future, causing their personal attitudes towards learning and the stigma surrounding illiteracy to cause poor retention in adult learning programs. Consequently, illiterate adults face more obstacles while transferring acquired skills from the classroom to real life situations (Munteanu et al., 2014, p. 1455).

No age limit to learning
Some believe that adult learners cannot be taught new things, but this is not the case and the process of helping adult learners develop their literacy skills can be a rewarding experience for teachers as well. Before starting to teach adults with basic literacy skills, teachers must remind themselves that all humans can be innately good learners regardless of age as we are naturally inquisitive and eager to grasp new skills. Older adults can sometimes have a harder time learning new things, but it is not because of their age and is because they make the decision to stop learning without even realizing it (Department for Education, 2018, September). In fact, older learners are often easier to teach than their younger counterparts specifically because they better understand the benefits that come from learning. Once older adults decide to learn, they are not as easily distracted as younger students, including by negative information, and are able to focus for longer periods of time. This ability to concentrate can assist these older adults in learning basic literacy skills and routines more easily (University of Southern California, 2019, August 12).

Assessing our adult learners
Adult learning is not a purely mental activity, because unlike high-school students, adult learners have many factors when making the decision to start their education. Before taking the initiatives to learn, they must assess the dynamics between the benefits and costs of restarting their education. Throughout this contemplation, they consider their purpose to learn, relevance to learn, and the time it will take to connect to their prior experiences. Once adults make the final decision to learn, they put in a great amount of effort and effective co-ordination to succeed (Department for Education, 2018, September, pp.77-82).

Unfortunately learning materials aren’t developed with illiterate adults in mind, so it is important for trainers to understand the social, cultural, and historical context of illiterate adults. Knowledge of the student’s life circumstances will help trainers better arrange an effective learning environment with their difficulties in mind. To maximize the experiences for a class of adult learners with different experiences and backgrounds, trainers need to be aware of the pace and capabilities of each learner as they may vary based on their individual readiness, needs, and abilities to learn (Knowles & Swanson, 2015, pp.188-200). Therefore, before starting and ending each session, trainers should collect feedback from learners to gauge their needs. This will help trainers further plan their learning activities and increase the learners’ motivation, especially for adults learning with functional illiteracy.

Recognizing different challenges
Both old and young adults make eager learners, and while learning techniques are the same regardless of an adult’s age, some adjustments may be required between the two demographics. Trainers must be aware of the differing challenges each adult faces in the education. For example, younger adult learners are energetic enough to perform physically demanding work for extended periods of time. Lifting and transferring for 30 minutes? No problem! But older adult learners with bad joints may not be able to withstand the rigors of such a strenuous training process. Other health issues, while minor, like mild vision impairment or hearing difficulties, can also make it more difficult for older learners to comprehend and follow the instructions. Along with this, adult learners may have personal issues, including feeling lonely or socially disconnected from their family and society (Department for Education, 2018, September, pp.1-11). In this case, it is important for teachers to listen if they are willing to share. Trainers can also develop the class into a support system for one another and connect them to new and interesting things.

Facilitating learning with assistive technology
Currently, assistive technology has been playing an important role in helping functionally illiterate adults use technology with the same results as literate adults. Using technological learning and functional supports to facilitate the needs of functionally illiterate adults, a study from Munteanu et al. examined the effectiveness of the personal mobile device ALEX ©that sports a series of language and workplace support tools. With this assistive technology, the roles of trainers also include organizing and providing such resources and support to learners. With assistive technology, learners have better control of their learning process, increasing their motivation and interest to learn (2014, p.1467). Technology like ALEX © is a valuable tool in facilitating adult learners to work independently and more confidently on their literacy skills. However, such technology shouldn’t be the only solution and is not a replacement for individualized learning support. An effective learning strategy should never make learners feel isolated, thus applying high-tech learning devices should only account for one part of an overall strategy.

Conclusion
The learning process among illiterate adults is non-linear. Learning with functional illiteracy is similar to navigating in a city without a GPS system – learners may become a little lost or confused, occasionally run a red light or stop sign, or even accidently drive the wrong way down a one way street. This is because learning is not simply adding one piece of knowledge to another, and functionally illiterate adults must overcome additional challenges and roadblocks that literate adults do not. Throughout the learning process, they can benefit from trainers assisting them in using what they already known in the new unknown learning environment. With adequate and appropriate practice, illiterate adult learners can gradually optimize their learning and increase skills over time.

Teaching and learning can be fun for trainers and the adult learners, no matter what the respective ages are. Throughout the learning process, time shared will deepen the bond older learners already have with their trainers and the closer the bond, the better time they will have in learning novel activities. Once learners are guided by trainers with sensitivity and a willingness to listen, students can begin to relish their moments of learning. Subsequently, this can cultivate a relationship with education that can ignite a lifetime love for learning(Knowles & Swanson, 2015, pp.221-229).Finally, learning provides mental stimulation for older adults who may be suffering from mental health challenges by keeping their brain active and sharp. Continued learning is always an effective strategy for a meaningful and positive aging experience (Istance, D.,2019,p.11)

References 文献
Department for Education (2018, September). Decisions of adult learners. Kantar Public and Learning and Work Institute. Retrieved from:

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED590017.pdf

Istance, D. (2019, March). Senior’s learning. European journal of education, (54)1, 9-12. doi:10.1111/ejed.12317

Knowles, M. S., Holton, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2015). The Adult Learner. The Definitive Classic in Adult Education and Human Resource Development (8th ed.). Oxon: Routlege.

Munteanu, C., Molyneaux, H., Maitland, J., McDonald, D., Leung, R., Fournier, H., 7 Lumsden, J. (2014). Hidden in plain sight: low-literacy adults in a developed country overcoming social and educational challenges through mobile learning support tools. Pers UbiquitComput, 18, 1455–1469. doi: 10.1007/s00779-013-0748-x.

Réka, V., Andra, C., Thomas, D., Josef, S., & Hans-Christophh, N. (2016). A review about functional illiteracy: Definition, Cognitive, Linguistic, and numerical aspects. Frontier in Psychology,7, 1617. doi: 10.3389/gpsyg.2016.01617.

University of Southern California. (2019, August 12). Study finds older adults less distracted by negative information: The way our attention is distracted by emotion differs between younger and older adults. ScienceDaily. Retrieved from: www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190812130909.htm

本文作者
Beatrice,香港出生。年少只身去美国学习，美国东伊利诺大学（Eastern Illinois Univeristy)老龄化研究文学硕士。在上海经营过自己设计的服装品牌20年。如今转行从事有关养老培训行业（目标是开办自己品牌的老年日托中心，解决老父母不高兴进养老院，儿女白天上班没有时间照顾的难题）。把国外有关照顾老人痴呆的知识和技术引进国内。非常敬业和有爱心，有持续学习力和创新进取精神。

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