English in Adult Education

Abstract

The study was conducted in order to investigate the effectiveness of a specialized program to meet the needs of adults who have diverse English skills and use English as a Lingua Franca. The program was developed for Menntastoðir, an adult education program in Reykjanesbær. Menntastoðir is an adult education institution that provides opportunities for improving adults’ knowledge and competences. The purpose of the study is to map out the type and amount of English exposure among Menntastoðir students and to examine whether the course improved students’ proficiency in reading, writing, listening, speaking and pronunciation. The study also investigates if the materials and specific teaching strategies used in the classroom helped students make progress. Moreover, the study focuses on participants’ feedback to generate a discussion on how instructors can meet the needs of individual adult learners.