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Many factors pay a role in the effectiveness of adult education. Some of these factors are the learner’s experience, readiness to learn, orientation to learning and motivation to learn. These factors distinguish adult from child education and must be taken into account when teaching adults. Firstly, adults come into a language class with a great source of experience. This allows the trainer to build upon the students’ experiences, hence aid the leaner to relate to more scenarios and contexts. Furthermore, these experiences create a diversity in the class which can make the class more entertaining for the adults. It is however, very important for the trainer to have a good understanding of their cultures to avoid any inappropriate or offensive situations. Moreover, adult learners are more ready to learn in the sense that are attending the class by choice and are ready to follow instructions to achieve their goal of learning a new language. These goals may include work, moving to a different country, wanting to communicate with people of different countries, travel or perhaps to understand the literature of another language. Adults, however, don’t have as much free time as children may have and are on busier schedules with more responsibilities. It is therefore very important for them to feel accomplished and satisfied at the end of each lesson. The lessons therefore need to be performed objectively, so they don’t feel like their precious time has been wasted. The learning orientation for adults needs to be accustomed to their needs. They like to solve problems and perform tasks. It is important for them to be able to relate their learning to their real-life tasks and the focus of the language needs to be on work and life related scenarios. Another important factor in adult learners is their self-motivation. This includes self-esteem, recognition, better quality if life and self-actualization, and these factors can be utilised in the training process. In addition to attending language lessons, adults can use other methods to aid the learning process and perhaps speed things up. For example, they can watch movies and television series in the language they are learning. They can also listen to the radio, podcasts, and music. One of the most effective ways of achieving fluency, however, is to practice speaking the language with a native speaker. This may be achieved by finding a pen pal or a friend who speaks the language fluently to practice with.
For many years I have been thinking about myself as a suitable teacher for children and kids. That was because I worked among them for many years and I had always had a lovely relationship with them. Later on, I had the chance to enter a class and teach them. I was never totally satisfied, always talking about discipline and never having the full chance to let them realize how beautiful a foreign language is. They were forced to do it, so they were not motvated enough. Then I had the opportunity to teach adults and that was inspiring. It’s a completely different world. They come to you because they need you and they want you to let them discover how beautiful a foreign language is. They are willing to risk to look silly and they actually don’t mind. At the end of the lesson they are satisfied with their progress and they can’t wait for next time to come. They’re focused. I think what is important is setting an atmosphere which lets them relax and feel good, they don’t have to feel judged, they have to feel helped. Some of them feel they are too weak to share the lesson with someone else, so they prefer to learn alone. Others like to work in groups or in small classes, in order to be more entertained, to share ideas and to learn from each other. Adults want to learn a foreign language for many reasons: job, personal culture, relatives living abroad, love, to feel more confortable when they have to travel…
To talk about adult education, which is completely different from the children education, we have to take in account the age of the adults we are going to teach.
It is true, adults bring with them all the experiences aquired along all their life. Relations, work, parents, friends, trips, etc., and all the studies they made, have to be considered. For a best comprehention of the person or the people a trainer is facing, my feeling is that the age of the “adults” make a really big difference. I mean, the experience and studies baggage of a student is different if we are teaching to students in their early twenties, or thirty something year old, forty something, and so on.
The motivation, and the ability to learn could change for each age and I think the trainer has to consider it, especially if he, or she, has a mixed aged class.
In any case, with adults is possible to use examples or context they already know and the eliciting and feeding techniques can be based on something the class already know. E.g. with adults is possible to talk about work and add all the office vocabulary which will be interesting for the students, just because they can focus it immediatly. Or, like in some videos viewed on this training course, with adults is possibile to ask: “do you know a good, or bad, restaurant?” and start a controlled discussion on this issue. The interest and the motivation of an adult in going in a restaurant and order in the target language will be hight for sure, because his pourpose in learnig a language is to express him self and communicate, for the most different reasons, with other people in that language.I was studyiny adult education and it was great expirience. The target group is so divers and in every culture it has a different connotation and importance. In germany for example it has a big impact in big comanies and it is highly wished for the employees to spent time on life long learning and training. I think it is important to emphisize that adult have to learn all life long.
I was studyiny adult education and it was great expirience. The target group is so divers and in every culture it has a different connotation and importance. In germany for example it has a big impact in big comanies and it is highly wished for the employees to spent time on life long learning and training. I think it is important to emphisize that adult have to learn all life long
Although it is true that children, young people and adults have very different learning processes not only due to the age group to which they belong but also due to very personal issues such as tastes, objectives, time available, physiological conditions, etc. From my point of view, adult education should not differ so much from the process of acquiring a language at an early age, because I believe that the most important thing about good teaching is the quality and clarity of the teaching process, obviously for this It is important to implement very varied techniques to awaken interest, seek the best motivation in the process and satisfy the primary communication needs of the students efficiently. It is true that from the physiological point of view the processes in the brain are very different, but it is also true that it depends a lot on the way in which learning is approached and the techniques that teachers use in the classroom. However, the dynamism of a class and the way in which the teacher arouses interest are very important elements to keep the student attentive and active in class. Obviously, the teacher must be constantly evaluating the results of the students as well as their perceptions about the class, in order to correct and improve the learning processes every day.
Adult language learning can present different challenges than teaching children a language. For example, adults might feel as though they need to revert to a childlike way of learning, which in part is true, and it can be difficult to see slow progress and frustrating to not be able to articulate their thoughts how they want, or quickly enough as they are used to. It’s important as a trainer to not treat adult learners in a condescending way, but to keep encouraging in a genuine, age-appropriate way. Another difficulty can be that adults don’t always have lots of time outside of the classroom to practice the language, or complete extra tasks, as they may have busy lives or demanding jobs.
Adults bring life experience with them, and motivation to learn, and as a trainer it can be very useful to use this in order to adapt lessons to the learners needs and enrich the lessons so they relate to the adults own experiences.Adult education is an interesting point of discussion.
I think it is very important to know the motivation and the age of learners. It is not the same to study a new language the 65 years old people, 35 years old people…
The motivation is very very important. If I am 65 years old and I study a new language as hobby, it is different to a 35 years old adult who studies a new language to improve his skills at work…
Also, it is important to consider that adults goes to the new experience with their own experience and they usually have their own ideas of what they want to learn.
It is very important know how to “help” them to understand that they need to learn step by step to build a hole base of language without “gaps” giving them the “language target and skills” they want to learn.I think there is a lot to consider when it comes to adult education. First of all, we have to conisder the reasons behind someone’s willingness to learn or the need they may have to be in this situation. It may be obvious sometimes, right? I mean, who does not need English for their job? But it may not necessarily be the case. Even if it was the same reason for 2 people learning, we just could not give them the same approach. Everybody has a different background and we cannot expect someone to know something just because it’s “obvious” for us or for some people. In some cases, adults come in with a great deal of experience that we can actually use to expand their learning but in some other cases the experience they come in with is not enough or not useful at all. I do not mean to insult, but it is a reality that sometimes people’s experience of a language is quite informal that cannot be used for business or work purposes. The latter does not mean; however, they know nothing, they just know a different part of the language that is equally important and useful just in a different scenario. We also need to take into account culture, we cannot assume that 2 native English speakers from 2 different countries will necessarily know the same or will learn in the same way. This is when inlingua’s method comes in obviously, nevertheless, we all learn differently and even if we have this great method of teaching students also need to find the way of learning and practicing that suits them best. As trainers I believe we are a key part of a learner’s motivation. We got to be extremely careful with each and one of them in order to actually help them and guide them into learning and not the other way around. We have to be both sensitive and sensible enough to be like a beam of light in the darkness of ignorance and make them feel comfortable even at the moment of making mistakes.
Motivation of Adult Learners
Adults learners are motivated, or wish to achieve a goal such as to learn a language for a variety of reasons. According to experts (Dornyei, 1994; Gardner, 1985) on theories of motivation, motivation may broadly be divided into ‘integrative motivation’ and ‘instrumental motivation.’ Other terms which are frequently used to describe types or orientations of motivation are ‘intrinsic motivation’ and ‘extrinsic motivation. In brief, some learners may be motivated integratively, and, therefore, are highly motived to learn as much as they can about the target language, possibly to integrate into the culture or be able to communicate in the target language in their own countries, and/or for their own self-development and enjoyment.
Adult learners who have ‘instrumental motivation’ may wish to learn the target language to succeed in their studies and/or in their workplace. In some countries, the medium of instruction at universities/tertiary institutions is not the mother tongue of the learners or the mother tongue of most of the people in the area in which they live (e.g. Hong Kong). With globalization, an increasing number of business people and workers from one country where English is not the mother tongue are frequently required to communicate in spoken and written English to conduct business with people in another country where English is not the L1, e.g. air traffic controllers. In many cases, if not the majority of cases, the lingua franca in business dealings is currently English. The classifications of integrative and instrumental motivation, however, do not necessarily mean that learners with instrumental motivation do not have some integrative motivation and vice versa, and learners’ motivation may change over time. Any changes in learners’ motivation may be due to a range of factors, including their own personalities, the teaching style and personality of the teacher, the learning materials, and the group dynamics in class.How learners learn
My teaching philosophy is based on the learning theories of Vygotsky and Reuven Feuerstein who both believed that learning such as learning a language took place during mediation between a learner and a more knowledgeable other. Feuerstein operationalized Vygotsky’s ideas when he introduced his Mediated Learning Experience (MLE). Their beliefs echo the aims of the teaching methodology of Inlingua. In brief, Feuerstein et al. (2010) describe 12 features of MLE, three of which must be present for the interaction between a mediator/teacher and learner to be considered an MLE. The most important elements are
(1) intentionality and reciprocity – Intentionality refers to how mediators/teachers deliberately and explicitly make their intentions or instructions clear so that learners understand what they are expected to do when confronted with a task. If a learner is unable to complete a task independently, the mediator/teacher intervenes using a variety of techniques, including asking questions, prompting and providing feedback as in the Inlingua method. For effective mediation to take place, there must also be some Reciprocity, i.e. response or feedback from the learner showing that he/she has understood the mediator’s intentions. In this way, the learner is not a passive recipient of knowledge but an active co-constructor in building up new knowledge of, in our situation, the target language.
(2) transcendence – A learning experience should produce cognitive development which helps the learner transcend or move beyond the specific activity in the here-and-now. In other words, the mediators/teachers have a responsibility to provide activities that will be helpful in other situations, and to give learners the opportunity to apply the concepts and knowledge to new situations.
(3) mediation of meaning – The mediators/teachers need to organise the lesson so that the significance and meaning of a task and interaction are understood by the learners. Mediation of meaning links the intentionality of the mediator and the notion of transcendence, which is the goal of MLE. The mediator helps the learner understand the meaning so that he/she can develop and transcend or move beyond the specific MLE to other situations. If learners do not understand the significance of a task or interaction, they will not be able to see relationships or connections to experiences in the past or future, and may not be interested in participating in the mediation.
The remaining nine attributes of MLE are specific to certain situations (ibid.).A great advantage of adult education is that one as a trainer and/or learner can recur to a larger variety of methods that in children education, due to lack of experience, knowledge and maturity, is not possible. For example, I have found out with time that an extremely effective way of acquiring a new language is memorizing literary texts (monologues, soliloquies, poems, etc.) and, if possible, then even practicing them out loud. The more fun one puts into the learning process, the more effective this process will be. Memorizing and reciting literary texts makes the learner not only absorb the new language but also begin to understand its essence, to feel it. It is important for learners to start feeling the language once they have begun to understand it rationally, because it is through emotions that we express ourselves in our ordinary life, not only through logic and reason. This, of course, takes a lot of time and patience, but in the end it turns out to be an excellent method for language learning. After all, it is literature what brings life to words. It is common that a learner wishes to speak more the learned language, and they cannot do it out of class time because they have no one to practice it with; memorizing texts gives us words to speak when we are in traffic, cooking, or doing whatever and wherever we are doing it.
Another great method is to stick in the walls of your room/house/space texts and vocabulary, so when you walk around the space you are unconsciously studying all the time (unconsciously because maybe you are not registering it all the time but you are, in fact, absorbing the language constantly.) And, of course, watch films and videos. These are all learning skills that an adult can develop.Due to the schools I’ve taught at, I have taught young learners and teens more than adults. Whilst I appreciate and enjoy the differences each group brings to the classroom, I have realised that for me adult education is more enjoyable and where I can see myself developing a solid skill-set.
Especially with low-level young learners, it often feels like I am not teaching English, I am merely entertaining them or managing behaviours.
With adults, on the other hand, I get to enjoy questions about grammar points and vocabulary, I learn more about their motivation for learning the language and can focus on the content of activities rather than managing behaviour. It makes me feel more useful as a teacher.
With young learners, on the other hand, there is the element of fun and perhaps a little less pressure to a) explain things and b) deliver results. Perhaps then as a well-round teacher and person, it is best to have a mix of learners to be able to continuously develop and grow.The way adults and children learn is undoubtedly different.
The first category can make use of a great deal of experience (of course depending of the age of the adult and their personal or professional background) in the classroom, boosting diversity during lessons. Having meaningful conversations and sharing similar experiences can be easier among adults, also from all walks of life.
Adults tend to prefer communicative activities related to real-life situations (work, traveling, shopping, eating out etc.). This is especially true if they are attending a Business English course where this is of paramount importance since students generally want to learn how to deal with potentially problematic situations on the job, such as making a phone call or a presentation, negotiating with a client, etc.As for children, they usually have little experience to bring to class (again, depending on their age), so in order to keep them interested in a particular lesson it is important to choose activities that are dynamic, never boring and possibly to deal with topics that could be of interest.
Games and role-plays can help to engage children and teenagers and this is key for their learning process to be successful.Adult education
Looking at the way adults learn a language is completely different from that of children. Adult education involves tons of paperwork, course books dozens of materials which may involve more complex structures or terminology. They have a better understanding of terminology and wider vocabulary. That is why they need to be fed with more equivalents in target language. They need to spend more time on widening their vocabulary.
More often, adults learn a target language by involving their mother tongue which makes them confused and the process longer. These traditional methods need much longer time to show its positive results. However, language learning should be the same at every stage of life and age. Looking at babies, we can see how they observe and listen carefully, and wait to hear the target structure enough for repeating by themselves. They don’t practice or produce anything unless they feel comfortable and confident. The process is not interrupted by anyone.
They are self-motivated. More often, the reasons that trigger them to learn a language are getting a job, getting promoted at job, travelling or moving to another country, or simply passing exams. That is why their needs are to be analyzed well and approached individually. This factor is crucial when grouping the learners. Because needs of learners should be the same for an undivided and comprehensive lesson.
They have more experience which makes the learning process easier and faster. They have practiced the ways that are comfortable for them. They don’t need to be taught how to learn or keep in mind.
They know their responsibilities and deadlines well.
They are not as easily distracted as children. Yet, every learner is individual and need to be approached with care and patience.
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