Why Adults Don’t Learn the Way We Teach

Helping Teachers Take a First Step Toward Teaching with Questions

If you’ve taught an adult Bible class for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed something that doesn’t quite add up: You prepare a solid lesson. You explain the passage clearly. You share helpful insights. You might even feel like, “That went pretty well.”

And yet…

The room is quiet. The faces are attentive, but not always engaged. And by next week, it’s hard to tell how much actually stuck.

That’s not a failure of effort. It’s often a mismatch.

Not a mismatch between you and your class. But between how adults learn and how we’ve been taught to teach.

Adults Learn Through Experience – Not Just Explanation

Think about the people in your class.

• They’ve raised families.
• Worked jobs.
• Handled conflict.
• Made decisions.
• Lived through hardship and joy.

They don’t come into your class as blank slates. They come with a lifetime of experiences, perspectives, and questions already forming in their minds.

But traditional teaching often assumes the opposite – It assumes that learning happens best when the teacher explains clearly and thoroughly, and the class listens carefully and absorbs it.

That works well in some settings. But when teaching adults, something different tends to happen. Adults don’t just want to hear truth. They want to process it. They want to connect it to what they’ve lived, what they’re facing, and what they’re trying to understand right now.

The Quiet Disconnect Most Teachers Feel

This is where many teachers start to feel a quiet tension. You’re teaching faithfully. You’re explaining Scripture accurately. But something still feels… flat.

It’s not that your class disagrees. It’s that they’re not fully engaging.

Sometimes that shows up as silence when you ask a question.

Sometimes it shows up as polite nods but little discussion.

Sometimes it shows up later, when there’s little evidence the lesson carried into the week.

That’s not because adults don’t care. It’s often because they haven’t been invited into the learning process. They’ve been asked to listen – but not always to think out loud.

Why Explanation Alone Isn’t Enough

Clear explanation matters. Good teaching matters. Scripture should be handled carefully and thoughtfully. But explanation alone doesn’t always lead to transformation.

Why?

Because understanding is not the same as ownership.

A person can follow your explanation and still never wrestle with the truth personally. They can agree with what was said and still not apply it meaningfully.

Adults tend to internalize truth when they engage it themselves:

• When they compare it to their own experience
• When they wrestle with a question
• When they hear how others in the room see it
• When they put words to their own thoughts

Adding questions and discussion to your class doesn’t replace teaching. It completes it.

The Mismatch Becomes Clear

When you step back and look at it, the mismatch becomes easier to see: We often teach adults as if they learn best by listening. But in reality, they often learn best by engaging.

We prepare answers. But they need opportunities to explore.

We aim for clarity. But they benefit from participation.

And that’s where many classes get stuck – not because the teacher is doing something wrong, but because the method doesn’t fully match the learner.

Questions Create a Bridge

This is where questions come in – not as a trend, and not as a replacement for teaching, but as a bridge.

A well-placed question does something explanation alone cannot do. It invites the class into the process.

• Instead of saying, “Here’s what this means,” a question asks, “What do you see here?”
• Instead of moving quickly to application, a question asks, “How does this connect with real life?”
• Instead of assuming understanding, a question reveals it.

And something subtle begins to change in the room.

People lean in. Voices begin to emerge. Connections start forming—not just between the teacher and the class, but between the people in the room and the Scripture itself.

This Doesn’t Require a Complete Overhaul

For many teachers, this is the point where concern rises: “Do I have to change everything about how I teach?”

Not at all.

In fact, the most effective shift is usually a small one.

• You don’t have to stop explaining.
• You don’t have to abandon your notes.
• You don’t have to turn the class into a free-for-all discussion.

You can start with something much simpler…

Ask one thoughtful question. Pause long enough for someone to respond. Let the room process for a moment.

That’s it.

One question can begin to close the gap between how adults learn and how we teach.

A First Step Forward

If you’ve ever felt that quiet disconnect . . .

If you’ve ever wondered why a well-prepared lesson didn’t quite land . . .

You’re not alone.

And you’re not far from a solution.

Adults don’t learn the way we often teach. But they are ready to engage when we invite them. And sometimes, that invitation begins with a single question.

If you’d like help taking that first step, you might want to download this Checklist. It gives tips on writing better questions for your class.

You might also find this related article helpful: “But My Class Expects a Lecture (And What to Do About That),” which explores how to start a shift towards deeper engagement without disrupting your class.

Or if you have questions of your own or want to share what’s working in your class, feel free to reach out. I’d enjoy hearing from you.

Steve Guidry

Steve Guidry is publisher and “Chief Questions Writer” at StevesBibleQuestions.com, You can reach him at [email protected].