Tips for Teaching Adults

Tips for teaching

Adults are a relatively difficult type of studets due to their needs and experiences so here are some...

adults

TEACHERS SHOULD ...

Adjust the instructional materials and methods to accommodate the students’ skills and maturity levels.

Select the best methods: CLL (since students and teachers maintain a client-counsellor relationship and are treated as equals), or Direct Method (since students learn the language similarly to their L1 acquisition, learn to think in the TL and use the TL for communication).

Consider that adults usually have a Field Independent learning style to keep them motivated and comfortable since this style involves independent analysis and experiencing real situations.

Develop fruitful strategies: teachers should help students follow certain steps to improve learning by means of learning and metacognitive strategies. This way students focus on both the content to be learned as well ass their learning process.

Propose learning tasks with practical, clear and relevant purposes connected to issues in the adults’ lives, experiences and needs.

Consider the appropriateness and the extent of use of technology in the case of each particular group.

Provide support and encouragement when asking them to take risks or try new skills (since adults frequently feel rather insecure in their position as students) and focus on the positive aspects and on students’ progress.

Take advantage of students’ ability to work cooperatively.

Bogado, Gonzalo Ariel Alcocer Aranibar, María Victoria

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