Developing learning strategies for adult education is not a complex task. The first step to designing a great course plan is a needs assessment. Before drafting out a plan, you should complete this assessment, have foreknowledge of the needs of your learners and define the objectives of that course.

Just like it’s being done in any gathering, it is wise to begin the class from the root and focus on those available, their purpose for being there, the expected goal, and how to achieve it. Here are some simple steps to help you design adult learning strategies. Follow them to see how effective you can get.

Reception and Acknowledgement 

Make out 30 – 60 minutes during your first class to introduce and communicate your learning objectives and strategy. This is what your opening class should look like:

1. Receive each participant as they come.
2. Kick start the introduction session and keep the ball rolling among participants. Let them tell their names and expectations from the class. You can then drop an ice breaker to help them loosen up and get comfortable.
3. Attempt making the classroom introduction fun on the first school day
4. Write out each of their expectations on a whiteboard or flip chart.
5. State the course objectives and analyze their expectations, giving genuine reasons why they would or would not be met.
6. Go over the strategy 
7. Go over the housekeeping items – location of the restrooms, the scheduled time for a break, and the fact that individuals are accountable for their actions and should not hesitate to use the restroom when needed. After all, it is an adult class. 

Module Structure

Let your lesson material be segmented into 50 minutes modules. Each should comprise a warmup, a short presentation or lecture, an activity, a conclusion, and a break afterward. Clearly state the time each section should take at the top of every page in your guidebook and the corresponding pages of the participant’s workbooks.

Warmups

These are brief activities that span for 5 minutes or less, which helps get the participants’ minds actively engaged on the topic to be covered. The activities here can come in the form of a game or an intriguing question centered on the course you are about to introduce. Self-assessments and ice breakers are good examples of warm-ups. For instance, you could use a learning style assessment as a warm-up when teaching about learning styles. 

Lecture

Create short lectures which should not exceed 20 minutes. Give wholesome info, but bear in mind that your audience is made up of adults, and their respective capacity generally does not exceed 20 minutes. They can stay attentive  for as long as 90 minutes but will only remember the information for about 20 minutes.

When preparing a workbook for learners or participants, insert the primary learning points and slides for that lesson. Note-taking is a meaningful part of the lecture; however, it will cause you their attention if they have to aggressively take down everything.

Activity

Organize an activity that offers the learners the opportunity to exercise what they have just been taught. Activities that require dividing the class into smaller groups where members can work together to perform a task or talk about a subject are excellent ways of engaging and educating adults. You can encourage them to make the class more realistic during these moments by sharing experiences and insights on the subject. Create opportunities for these types of info to be shared and for the learners to learn from them.

Activities can be individual evaluations or reviews carried out privately, without assistance. They can also be in the form of games, acting, or group discussions. Whatever form your activity takes should be based on the knowledge you have about your learners and the scope of your class. Introducing a hands-on exercise when teaching a hands-on skill is a wonderful choice. Likewise, a quiet writing activity can fit nicely when teaching writing skills.

Summary 

At the end of an activity, you must gather the group together for a general discussion about lessons learned by the learners during the activity. Get individuals to describe their reactions and ask questions. It’s the best opportunity to make sure the material was thoroughly absorbed. This session should last for about 5 minutes but can be longer if you realize the lesson was not fully absorbed. 

Go on a 10-minute break

Keep the adult learners active always. This will cost you a chunk of time. However, you won’t regret it because your learners will become more attentive during classes. It will also help minimize the number of individuals distracting the class by excusing themselves. 

Tip: Make the most of Class Times 

Breaks are entirely vital, yet you must properly manage them. Begin the class at a specific time irrespective of the loiterers, otherwise, time will be lost on chitchats. If you do this, learners will immediately adjust to your proper sense of timing, and you will have won your respect from them.

Evaluation

Bring your lessons to a close with brief evaluations to know if the learning was of any significance to the learners. The evaluation must strictly be kept brief. If it is too long, learners may simply rush over it. Raise a few vital questions:

1. Did you get all you expected from this course?
2. Was there something you hoped to learn about that wasn’t taught?
3. What would you consider the most valuable thing you learned?
4. Can you recommend that a friend should take this class?
5. Please comment on any aspect of the day.

This is an illustration. Select questions that pertain to your topic. The answers you are aiming to collect are meant to help you improve your class.