Suggestions For Teachers Include The Following:

• Discuss with learners what it means to be present in the class and give them some control over their amount of participation. Give them a "quiet corner" to retreat to when they feel unable to participate in a classroom activity. Be aware that certain topics often discussed in adult ESL classes, e.g., family and health, can cause discomfort. Give them options, such as allowing them to talk or write about another family (e.g., one pictured in a magazine) rather than their own.
• Find out about community resources to help students. If appropriate, create classroom activities to help them access these services (e.g., role playing activities in which they use the communication skills necessary to call a hotline to ask for assistance).
• Discuss health and cultural content relevant to learners, including accessing medical services, going to the doctor, using available recreational facilities, and interacting with school staff.
• Conduct goal-setting exercises. Learners feel valued and can chart their success as they achieve their goals. Teachers will find out what students need and what to learn. (For more suggestions see Adkins, Sample, & Birman, 1999; Isserlis, 2000.)

Different Cultural Backgrounds

Many adult English language learners come from cultures that are markedly different from that of the mainstream united states. For example, the roles of women and men may be vastly different from those in the united states (e.g., men work outside the home and women inside the home, education may be viewed as only for males or only for the elite). Learning may be seen differently (e.g., as something passed down from teacher to student). Age and family status may be revered above financial success, and so on. Learners from these cultures may be especially resistant to activities such as group and pair work. This may especially be the case when older students are grouped with younger ones and men are grouped with women.

In some ways cultural issues are the most difficult ones for teachers to address. Teachers must negotiate a fine line between being responsive to students' expectations and making the classroom a comfortable place, and using practices that promote active learning and prepare students for success in United States cultural environments. In matters of culture, the teacher should tell students why they are engaged in specific activities in class and the value of such activities.