1) Creativity and Adaptability: Adult learners are not "blank slates", not unintelligent, but probably under-educated. They have well-developed personal gifts, and have used them in their family, church, neighborhood and job.
2) Apprehension or Anxiety: Adult learners have adult fears: Am I capable? Will I fail? Sometimes students drop out or skip lessons because they are afraid. New readers and new speakers, especially, tend to quietly drift away.
3) Uneven Learning: An up and down, uneven pace of learning is natural; all learning has plateaus. Understanding this process helps students to deal with discouragement.
4) Outside Responsibilities: Many students come to tutoring with problems of life not related to class: sick children, domestic difficulties, financial problems, etc. A tutor can listen, ask good questions, give suggestions. These real-life problems can be incorporated into the tutor's lessons. Many difficulties stem from not knowing the language and the resources available.
5) Responsible, self-directed, independent: Adult learners can analyze their own progress, and talk about their learning goals.
The adult learners at the Dominican Literacy Center are usually from Spanish-speaking countries. However, women from all ethnic backgrounds are encouraged to register for tutoring. All women 16+ are eligible for tutoring without regard to age, race, religion, or educational background. The program complies with the Illinois Human Rights Act (ILL Rev. State. 1991, ch 68, par. 1-1-1, etc.)
If you know someone in need of tutoring,or if you want to learn more about volunteering at the Center, please contact Sr. Kathleen Ryan, O.P., Sr. Ann Clennon, O.P., Sr. Jane Ann Beckman, O.P., or Sr. Rebecca Ann Gemma, O.P. at (630)898-4636 or at domlitctr@sbcglobal.net.
