Adults bring life experiences and a level of maturity into the classroom that
children and adolescents do not. Their expectations and motivations reflect
this. Here are several keys to keep in mind when teaching adults:
- Adult classrooms may present great diversity
Be prepared for diversity of cultural background, age, previous formal
education, previous exposure to English, life experiences, and current life
- Adults respond well to knowledgeable, enthusiastic teachers
You must be comfortable with the subject matter you are teaching and
communicate enthusiasm for the subject matter and your role as a teacher. This
will help you gain respect and is especially important if you are younger than
your students. If you must teach material which is challenging for you, try
not to communicate a negative attitude about the material to your students. If
a student asks a question which you can't answer, don't be afraid to say, "I
don't know, but I'll find out for you."
- Adults are not too old to learn a second language well
Although native language learning and literacy are best accomplished in
childhood, when it comes to learning a second language, research has shown
that adolescents and adults outperform children. Adolescents even surpassed
children in pronunciation skills. One of the reasons children appear to
acquire a second language faster than adults is simply that they get a lot
more practice with other children and have lower inhibitions, but many adults
have attained a high level of fluency in a foreign language.
- Adults need a comfortable and safe learning atmosphere
Trial and error should be encouraged in language learning. Adults will
take more risks in an environment where it's safe to make mistakes without
embarrassment. You may want to minimize public reading and writing until your
learners gain confidence, especially if literacy skills are deficient. The
same goes for standing in front of the group to speak.
- Adult learning is transformative
Learning in childhood is said to be formative, when skills and concepts
are developed for the first time. Adults, on the other hand, are extending and
refining their knowledge based on existing knowledge and beliefs. They are
changed or transformed by learning experiences.
- Adults need repeated practice of a concept or skill
Adults generally need patience and repetition to solidify new language concepts or skills. If adults have already
developed bad habits with English errors, these will take time and effort to
break. Adults also tend to have a lot on their minds and limited time to practice
English outside the classroom.
- Adults learn well with question asking and answering, and problem
finding and solving
These activities require mature thought processes which stimulate and
motivate adult minds.
- Adults want practical, real-life contexts
The more relevant and useful the subject matter, the more motivated your
learners will be. Adults enjoy materials that relate to their personal
experiences and interests, and they want to be able to apply what they're
learning in the real world.