Teach English in JiAngbeicheng Jiedao - Chongqing

LEARNING MODES - young learners VS ADULTSRemarkable differences exist between the adult and young learner. As a result the mode of teaching the two categories of learners must also differ considerably for learning to be effective. It is therefore imperative that teachers appreciate these differences in order to plan and deliver effective lessons. In the first instance, the decision to study for the adult learner is a matter of personal conviction unlike the young learner who obviously did not make the decision by his/her self. This causes motivational problems for the young learner. Even in situations where some adult learners are prodded by their employers to study, the obvious benefits accruable from the study become a motivational force. This is at variance with the case of the young learner who scarcely understands the benefit of the study and thus lacks motivation. Again, young learners look up to the teacher for guidance, direction and motivation. They are totally dependent on the teacher because they had no prior learning goals or objectives .They see the teacher as a model and are quite receptive. They take in and assimilate whatever is taught. This is not the case with the adult learner; they are autonomous as they have their personal language needs which the teacher has to identify from the outset in order to tailor the lessons to meeting them. Adult learners are thus actively involved in the planning and learning process. More so, giving them the chance to choose what to learn boosts their motivation and helps them develop a sense of responsibility and commitment to class activities. Consequently in the classroom, adult learners have greater attention span than young learners to the teacher regarding behavior, discipline and commitment. Keeping young learners engaged in class requires lots of demonstrations, drawings, games and visuals unlike in teaching adults where students prefer discussions and conversations most times. young learners need frequent changes in activity which are exciting and fun enough to stimulate their curiosity. Further to this, the teacher has to speak slowly in short direct sentences. Lots of repetition, as earlier mentioned, mimes and chorals are recommended and should be employed unlike in teaching adults. In addition, adult classes are more interesting as adults bring their life experiences to class unlike young learners. A consequence of this is that adult learners tend to have a fixed view of how things should be done in class as a result of their life experiences unlike young learners who are usually more open minded to new learning experience in spite of prior learning. The teacher should be mindful of this fact. Although most adults personally made their decisions to study, adult learners have external pressures such as workload, family and financial issues that can also impact negatively on their motivation unlike young learners. Adults may even develop fear for a subject or become nervous. Oftentimes they may be reluctant to carry out home works and assignments and would prefer discussions. They often dislike theory, have a penchant for practicals and would always want to know how the learning experience relates to their work. Conclusively, the good teacher who wants to be effective, and to impact positively on his students should take all these matters into consideration. The teacher should always be at liberty to enquire from his/her students how they feel about the course. Whether young or old, my personal experiences have shown me that enquiring from them and incorporating their opinions make them feel happy and also gives them a sense of belonging with the result that both the teacher and the student are the better for it in the long run.