Success Avoidance and Learned Helplessness Informational Guide
Activities
Check out the following resources for use in the adult education classroom. These
materials will help adult educators and tutors address some of the behaviors characteristic of students with success avoidance/learned helplessness tendencies. Click on the name of the resources you wish to view.
The following resources are in PDF format. To view and print these materials you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader. To obtain a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader, please click on the icon below that says "Get Acrobat."
Each of the following activities can be used in the adult education classroom or with
individuals to surface and address SA/LH issues.
Success Worksheet
It is important to understand the meaning of success for each person in the
classroom. Just as each person differs so does the idea of success. The Success
Worksheet is a resource for you to use to discover information about your students.
Being aware of how your students define success will aid you in your quest to help
students and it may also assist you in understanding some of the life choices your
students make.
Quadrant Activity
Weighing out the pros and cons of life choices can often be helpful in the decision
making process. This worksheet gives you a way to introduce this concept to your
students. It can also be used as a way to discuss internal and external locus of
control.
Goals Worksheet
This worksheet is a great discussion sheet to discover what your students goals are as they relate to your program. This sheet can be revisited and revised as often as needed.
Realistic Goals Sheet
Unrealistic goals can cause grief and feelings of failure. This worksheet brings the difference between realistic and unrealistic goal up in a way that allows for discussion and discovery.
Goods, Bads, and Comments
Empowerment is a key factor in student success. The suggestion box concept is
one idea to help empower students. Simply introduce the fact that suggestions
and comments regarding the environment, material, and activities are encouraged
in the classroom. Create a form for this information and place a box for forms
to be submitted upon completion. Check for completed forms at the close of each
day and address any submissions at the beginning of the next class session. Be
prepared to make reasonable changes according to the feedback received. This is
a good way to tailor the class instruction to me the needs of the students.
Many adult education professionals have found the Goods, Bads, and Comments
activity a valuable, informal evaluation tool.
This information is a sample of the material and content the CIAESC staff covers in the workshop they have developed on this topic.
For more information or to schedule a workshop contact:
Crystal Hack or David Baker, Adult Education Resource Specialist for the Central Illinois Adult Education Service Center
