A presentation on May 25, 2010by Muchumayeli (Ishmael) Bhebhe MAT A presentation on May 25, 2010by Muchumayeli (Ishmael) Bhebhe MAT

Hand out A story is told of an Adult Educator who was deployed to a remote village in Africa where the local people are mostly subsistence farmers who keep small herds of cattle for living. In a Math class the teacher thought of introducing a topic of subtraction (minus) in style. So he picked one of the students called Bonzo & started talking to him. Teacher: - Bonzo, how many cows do you have? Bonzo: Five! Teacher: Who looks after those cows? Bonzo: It’s Jude, my last born! Teacher : Great! Imagine whilst looking after your 5 cows & your son Jude loses 2, how many cows will you have? Bonzo : I know that is not going happen! Teacher : But why do you say so? Bonzo : -Because my son knows very well that if he looses any from these, it’s either he doesn’t have to come back home or else the worst will happen to him. Try to Answer these Questions 1.What do you think could have influenced Bonzo to answer that way? 2.What is it that the teacher did very well? 3.What was the teacher not aware of when he spoke to Bonzo? 4.How were you going to best work with such students if you were the teacher in the story?

Why the Topic? The world is increasingly becoming a global village by day & a lot of indigenous African Adults are getting into the Diaspora as immigrants, refugees, students, etc, & also some amongst us may later decide to go & work/teach in Africa. Who knows?

Empathy: is a desire/ or commitment to understand another’s perspective by imagining or comprehending. Entering someone’s moccasins/ shoes & travel about.

Empathy also known as: Wearing Someone’s Skin. also known as: Wearing Someone’s Skin.

also as:

Questions How do the indigenous African Adults perceive the world? Naturally, how do they look at learning? How can we make the most of their natural learning styles for language learning ? How do the indigenous African Adults perceive the world? Naturally, how do they look at learning? How can we make the most of their natural learning styles for language learning ?

Terms & Phrases often by scholars to describe the Indigenous African People Anthropocentric beings: Pragmatists “This-worldly” “Stubbornly earthbound” “Notoriously religious” “People with no Linear Concept of Time” Anthropocentric beings: Pragmatists “This-worldly” “Stubbornly earthbound” “Notoriously religious” “People with no Linear Concept of Time”

Tentative Meanings of the Terms Anthropocentric beings: - or those who magnify the importance of human existence in the universe, and therefore judge all things according to human perceptions, values and experiences Pragmatists: - people concerned with results rather than with theories and principles. “This-worldly”: - their focus is on material or earthly concerns – not mainly with life in a future or imagined world. “Stubbornly earthbound”: -their center of attention is the best life in the here and now. “Notoriously religious”: - religion permeates every facet of their lives both for meaning and purpose. “ No Linear C oncept of Time”: - life is cyclical & history will always repeat itself. “So past achievements are held in high esteem as more s pecial than dreams about the future. Anthropocentric beings: - or those who magnify the importance of human existence in the universe, and therefore judge all things according to human perceptions, values and experiences Pragmatists: - people concerned with results rather than with theories and principles. “This-worldly”: - their focus is on material or earthly concerns – not mainly with life in a future or imagined world. “Stubbornly earthbound”: -their center of attention is the best life in the here and now. “Notoriously religious”: - religion permeates every facet of their lives both for meaning and purpose. “ No Linear C oncept of Time”: - life is cyclical & history will always repeat itself. “So past achievements are held in high esteem as more s pecial than dreams about the future.

Tips on how to effectively Teach African Adults! Tip. 1) Teachers should Emphasize practical application. Teachers who experience the most success are those who illustrate new concepts or broad generalizations by using life experiences drawn from the learners’ contexts. >> The order of emphasis should always be-> Use –>Function -> Form} The transfer of learning and the ability to maintain that learning suggests that learners plan and rehearse application of concepts within their daily contexts. Tip. 1) Teachers should Emphasize practical application. Teachers who experience the most success are those who illustrate new concepts or broad generalizations by using life experiences drawn from the learners’ contexts. >> The order of emphasis should always be-> Use –>Function -> Form} The transfer of learning and the ability to maintain that learning suggests that learners plan and rehearse application of concepts within their daily contexts.

Tip 2. Teachers should use experiential learning methods. Experiential learning strategies provide greater success than other methods. > Strategies that tap the experiences of the adult learners include : 1. group discussion, 2. the case method, 3. the critical-incident process, 4. simulation exercises, 5. role playing, 6. skill-practice exercises, 7. field projects, 8. action projects, 9. laboratory methods, 10. demonstration seminars, 11. work conferences, 12. counseling, and 13. community development. Experiential learning strategies provide greater success than other methods. > Strategies that tap the experiences of the adult learners include : 1. group discussion, 2. the case method, 3. the critical-incident process, 4. simulation exercises, 5. role playing, 6. skill-practice exercises, 7. field projects, 8. action projects, 9. laboratory methods, 10. demonstration seminars, 11. work conferences, 12. counseling, and 13. community development.

Tip 3. Culture Teachers should acquire Skills necessary to validate the culture of their students and help them develop a positive sense of self (E. R. Clark, 1990, p.7).  The generic meaning of culture is “the total way of life of a people”.  So in other words the learning process should be cognizant of a people’s way of life.

Tip 4. Historical Experiences An effective language learning process should recognize a people’s history, be it of colonialism, oppression or even their success stories. The approaches, teaching strategies, illustrations and information to be learnt; they should always be sensitive to a people’s historical backgrounds. They survey their future possibilities from a perspective heavily tainted by their historical background, Remember their traditional concept of time /cyclical and not linear). An effective language learning process should recognize a people’s history, be it of colonialism, oppression or even their success stories. The approaches, teaching strategies, illustrations and information to be learnt; they should always be sensitive to a people’s historical backgrounds. They survey their future possibilities from a perspective heavily tainted by their historical background, Remember their traditional concept of time /cyclical and not linear).

Tip 5: Consider some of Elsa Auerbach’s Guidelines for Literacy Instruction : Make literacy classroom activities real, student- centered, and communicative. Use some personal writing activities, such as autobiographical & students-initiated topics. Use literacy for real purposes and audiences (e.g., set up letter-writing teams). Connect Content inside the class to the community outside. Have students investigate language literacy and variability of usage. Identify contexts and purposes for literacy practices. [Auerbach, Elsa, Making Meaning Making Change, 1992, p.15] Make literacy classroom activities real, student- centered, and communicative. Use some personal writing activities, such as autobiographical & students-initiated topics. Use literacy for real purposes and audiences (e.g., set up letter-writing teams). Connect Content inside the class to the community outside. Have students investigate language literacy and variability of usage. Identify contexts and purposes for literacy practices. [Auerbach, Elsa, Making Meaning Making Change, 1992, p.15]

Tip 6. Participatory Approach This is but one of the Approaches that opens the door for “content to come from the social context of the learners”. In her Rationale for a Participatory Approach, Elsa Auerbach contends that, “A central concept in adult learning theory is self directed learning. As Knowles (1984) and others have pointed out, adult education is most effective when it is experience- centered, related to learners’ real needs, and directed by learners themselves. This is but one of the Approaches that opens the door for “content to come from the social context of the learners”. In her Rationale for a Participatory Approach, Elsa Auerbach contends that, “A central concept in adult learning theory is self directed learning. As Knowles (1984) and others have pointed out, adult education is most effective when it is experience- centered, related to learners’ real needs, and directed by learners themselves.

Remember Bonzo &his teacher! My child knows very well that if he looses any 2 from my 5 cows, it’s either he doesn’t come back home or else the worst happens to him.

By Muchumayeli (Ishmael) Bhebhe By Muchumayeli (Ishmael) Bhebhe