Teaching different age groups

SESSION # 1

Teaching DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS

Young learners, adolescents and adults.

Luz María Martínez Serrano

INTRODUCTION

The age of our students plays a significant role in determining how and what we teach. Individuals at different stages of life possess varying needs, abilities, and cognitive skills.

Teachers have to remember that each student is an individual with different experiences both in and outside the classroom.

YOUNG LEARNERS

Teaching to young learners involves using age-appropiate, engaging, and interactive methods to make the learning process enjoyable and effective. Children love discovering things and they respond well to being asked to use their imagination.

Theorists describe young learners highlighting the complexity of early childhood development. While there are commonalities, such as the emphasis on active learning and the importance of social interaction, each theorist offers a unique perspective on how children think, behave, and learn.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzbXoe1Avy59WUdYaGwxcktsUGM/view?pli=1&resourcekey=0-q7DN0LJ4nCWAYPOkSJMePg

HOW DO YOUNG LEARNERS LEARN?

T H E O R I S T S

sTRATEGIES

1. Use songs and Rhymes: they could help Ss with memorization 2. Play games: they make learning fun and can improve vocabulary and grammar. 3. Storytelling: Read stories aloud and use picture books to introduce new words and concepts. 4. Visual Aids and Pops: use flashcards, posters and realia (real objects), these help learners make connections between words and their meanings. 5. Role Playing and drama: drama activities can build confidence and encourage speaking in a fun setting. 6. Art and Craft Activities: incorporate coloring, drawing and craft projects to reinforce vocabulary and concepts., these activities can also help with fine motor skills and creativity.

7. Use Technology: Integrate educational apps, videos, and interactive online games to supplement learning. 8. Create a Language-Rich Environment: Label classroom objects in English and create word walls with new vocabulary. Surround learners with written and spoken English to reinforce learning. 9. Focus on listening and Speaking: Use simple instructions, questions, and dialogues in everyday classroom interactions. 10. Be Patient and Supportive: Create a supportive atmosphere where learners feel comfortable taking risks with the language. 11. Consistency and Routine: Repetition and regular practice are key to language acquisition.

https://www.myenglishpages.com/teaching-english-to-young-learners/

https://www.gamestolearnenglish.com/

HOW DO ADOLESCENTS LEARN?

ADOLESCENTS

Teaching to Adolescents highlight the importance of considering cognitive, social, and emotional development. Effective teaching strategies should be adaptable, supportive, and responsive to the unique needs and developmental stages of adolescents.

There are a number of reasons why students and teenage students in particular may be disruptive in class. They need self-esteem and the peer approval they may provoke from being disruptive, also the boredom they feel as well as the problems they bring into class from outside school. (Harmer 1998: 2) However, we should not become too preocupied with the issue of disruptive behaviour, when teenagers are engaged, have a great capacity to learn, a great protential for creativity, and a passionate commitment to things which interest them.

Adolescents must be encouraged to respond to text and situations with their own thoughts and experience, rather than just by answering questions and doing abstract learning activities. We must give them tasks which they are able to do, rather than risk humilating them. Teaching adolescents requires understanding their unique developmental needs and tailoring instructional methods accordingly. Various educational theorists and authors have provided insights on effective strategies for engaging and educating this age group. Here are some key approaches:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzbXoe1Avy59WUdYaGwxcktsUGM/view?pli=1&resourcekey=0-q7DN0LJ4nCWAYPOkSJMePg

IMPLEMENTATION TIPS:

Engagement and Relevance: Make learning relevant to their lives. Adolescents are more engaged when they see how learning applies to their own experiences and future goals.

Respect and Relationships: Build strong, respectful relationships. Adolescents are more likely to engage in learning when they feel respected and understood by their teachers.

Structure with Flexibility: Provide a structured learning environment but allow for flexibility and student input. This balance can help manage the need for independence while maintaining order.

Description: Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform where teachers can create quizzes on various topics. Students can join these quizzes in real-time, making it a fun and competitive way to practice English.Focus: Vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension. Website: https://kahoot.com/

Description: Memrise uses spaced repetition and fun, interactive lessons to help learners memorize new words and phrases. The platform offers courses in English and various other languages. Focus: Vocabulary, pronunciation. Website: https://www.memrise.com/es/

Description: Duolingo is a popular language-learning app that turns English learning into a game. It offers a variety of exercises to practice reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Focus: All language skills (vocabulary, grammar, listening, speaking). Website: https://www.duolingo.com/

.Description: Storybird is a creative writing platform where students can create their own stories with visual prompts. It encourages them to practice writing skills in a fun, imaginative way. Focus: Writing, creativity. Website: https://storybird.com/

Description: Blooket is a classroom review game that combines fun game mechanics with educational content. Teachers can create custom games that test students' knowledge in a playful environment. Focus: Vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension. Website: https://www.blooket.com/

Description: With Educandy, you can create engaging activities in minutes. Just enter your words, or questions and answers and Educandy turns your content into cool interactive games. Once you've created an activity, a unique code is generated. Focus: Vocabulary Website: https://www.educandy.com/

HOW DO ADULTS LEARN?

ADULTS

They can engage with abstract thought and "often depend on the conscious exercise of their considerable intellects, unlike children to whom language acquisition naturally happens" (Pinker 1994: 29).

Adults have a whole range of life experiences to draw on, they have expectations about the learning process and may already have their own set patterns of learning. Adults are often prepared to struggle on despite boredom. They have a clear understanding of why they are learning and what they want to get out of it.

Adults are never entirely problem- faced learners, and have a number of characteristics which can sometimes make learning and teaching problematic. * They can be critical of teaching methods. Their previous learning experiences may have predisposed them to one particular style which make them uncomfortable. * They may have experienced failured or criticism at school which makes them anxious and under- confident about learning a language. * Many other adults worry that their intellectual powers may be diminishing with age- they are concerned to keep their intellectual powers alive, to maintain a sense of generativity (how much learning has been going on in adult life before they come to a new learning experiene).

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BzbXoe1Avy59WUdYaGwxcktsUGM/view?pli=1&resourcekey=0-q7DN0LJ4nCWAYPOkSJMePg

Malcom Knowles

Knowles is often credited with popularizing the concept of andragogy, which is the art and science of helping adults learn. Knowles posited that adults learn differently from children and emphasized self-directed learning. He identified five key assumptions about adult learners:

• Self-concept: As people mature, they move from being dependent learners to self-directed ones.
• Experience: Adults have a rich reservoir of experience that serves as a critical resource for learning.
• Readiness to learn: Adults are ready to learn when they experience a need to know or do something.
• Orientation to learning: Adults are problem-centered in their learning, meaning they prefer learning that is immediately applicable to their personal or professional life.
• Motivation: While adults respond to external motivators, they are mostly driven by internal factors such as self-esteem, curiosity, and a desire for better quality of life.

Exercise #1

Instructions: Click the link,read the article and give your opinion about ANDRAGOGY. https://www.growthengineering.co.uk/adult-learning-theory/

REFLECTION

What are my students interests, hobbies, or daily experiences? How do they learn best- visually,auditorily, kinesthetically? How do I need to adapt my language, pace, and content? What motivates them at this age? What classroom management strategies work best?