Mika, Eugenia, Henrico, and Cruz are all self-directed learners as exhibited by several indicators. One indicator is their regular attendance in the library's English Cafe classes. Henrico, a retiree, is the only one who has not been regularly attending a library English classes except for the past few Wednesdays. He has been more committed to attending formal classes at the local adult education annex five days a week for the past five months. This is due mainly to the fact that he is retired now and has made learning English his primary goal. Also, the formal school board program is more intensive and it is a full-time program. It is also more in sync with his preference for morning classes. I met him when he began attending the library Wednesday evening class in Weston back in August.
Another indicator is the cluster of learning strategies that these learners have developed for themselves. Mimose talks about class habits she's developed on her own, "I like to sit in the front—always! The same place. I do that because I was a teacher in my country... I love my class...I come with one word or two words [whose meanings she does not know and wants to ask about]. I ask her to pronounce them for me and write them. Sometimes I ask her to write them on the board... When I ask my word sometimes, I have too many—too many questions! Teacher Nancy asks the other people first and then me last...When Nancy ask [s], Do you have a question? No questions? Everyone says, Mimose has [one], Mimose has [one]!..
She goes on to discuss a teaching technique of her teacher's. "We have books, dictionaries. Nancy brings these books. Last week, Nancy brought a book, about how to take notes. And she told me—I asked her, Where can I find [it]? I go to the library and I ask sometime and I got the same book."
It came time for Mika return the study skills book but rather than do that, she told me she renewed the book because it was so helpful to her. She continued and describe some of her own study habits:
"Sometimes I sit in the back of the library at 8:30 [am], in the quiet study [area]. I pass one hour, one hour and a half to read before I go to Nancy’s class."
Eugenia, 60, is a former Portuguese adult education teacher, and has taught at two different area night schools. She has attended the English Cafe regularly for the past three months. She talks about the value of repetitive listening as an informal strategy for learning a language as an older adult. She says that she enjoys listening to musical vocalists and books on CD. "I try to listen to the music in my car in English. Example: I love Natalie Cole and I have five CDs [of hers]. But I was in love with her. I was listening to her every single day. And I repeated the music, repeated the music. Repeat the music to understand the lyrics, no? And when she came here to Atlantic, I sang together [with her through] all the show b/c [laughing]I knew all the lyrics, all the music [laughing]. Oh my goodness, it was fantastic! And then I listen [to] books in my car, when I go to my job and return to my house.
Cruz--
Henrico--
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