As an attorney, I long ago learned that communicating with clients required understanding where they were coming from--their backgrounds, intellect, education, experiences, etc. The same "rules" apply to teaching adult students, whose backgrounds can be as varied as the stars in the sky. I have to understand where they're coming from and why they're here. I need to understand what motivates them, but also what interferes with that motivation. And then I need to tailor how I teach to those aspects, i.e., their intrinsic and extrinsic needs.
