Question:
I am interested in the related literature on the affective factors of adult
ESL/EFL learners. It is greatly appreciated if you could provide information
in this research area.
Answer:
Cindy Chou of the University of Missouri is interested in the affective
factors of adult ESL/EFL learners. I can't provide any leads specifically
for English language learners, but one of my favorite articles is "30
Things We Know for Sure about Adult Learning," by Ron and Susan Zemke, from
Training, June 1981. A nice overview. I can't summarize the 30 points
here, but I'll give a couple of examples:
"5. Although adults have been found to engage in learning for a variety of
reasons--job advancement, pleasure, love of learning and so on--it is
equally true that for most adults learning is not its own reward. Adults
who are motivated to seek out a learning experience do so primarily (80-90%
of the time) because they have a use for the knowledge or skills being
sought. Learning is a means to an end, not an end in itself."
"22. Adults have something real to lose in a classroom situation.
Self-esteem and ego are on the line when they are asked to risk trying a
new behavior in front of peers and cohorts. Bad experiences in traditional
education, feelings about authority and the preoccupation with events
outside the classroom all affect in-class experience. These and other
influencing factors are carried into class with the learning .
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