How Teachers ’ Roles Shape Adult Literacy Learners ’ Engagement in Instruction

Abstract: This paper addresses the question: What are the contextual factors that shape learners ’ engagement in adult literacy education? Six adult literacy classes were studied at an urban adult learning center. Data sources included video, traditional ethnographic observation, stimulated recall interviews and open interviews. Findings focus on the ways that teachers ’ roles shape engagement. This study addresses the question: What are the contextual factors that shape learners’ engagement in adult literacy education? Engagement is mental effort focused on instructional tasks, or in more simple terms, working hard at learning. When learners are engaged they are focused on their work. Their eyes are moving, pages are turning and they are writing the answers to written exercises. When they are not engaged, they are talking about things irrelevant to the class, taking breaks, or simply day dreaming. Engagement is important to an understanding of adult learning because no one can learn unless they first engage. While there is a substantial literature on engagement in K-12 education, the present study is the first we were able to identify in adult education. Literatur