Teaching to different age groups

Related: Teaching in a Chinese Kindergarten vs University

 Juniors

Don’t let the junior age group make you think it is easier to teach older students. It’s not. Teaching this age group has its own challenges. Being a teenager is not an easy task, and with so much changes going on in their lives and their bodies, their confidence is up and down. You will find that your juniors have begun to care about other people’s opinions and how they are seen by others, so make sure activities are comfortable.

The best way to make this lessons for juniors work is to make them relatable. The first lesson will always be awkward no matter what, as the students are just getting to know you and their classmates. So use the first lesson to get to know them. Do this by doing a quiz, or a questionnaire to find out their favorite movies, music and things they do in their free time. Once you have this information, you are able to get to know their world, and they have had a chance to learn about each other, often finding common interests. Now that you know what their interests are, use them to make your future lessons more relevant. If the lesson is structured around a topic they understand or have an interest in, you will more easily keep them engaged.

Not only can you make use of the students’ interests, also make use of popular media channels they use. For example set out an activity where they need to make a snap chat video in English, or write up a good Instagram caption. This will encourage them to use English in their everyday lives and understand various situations that certain language is used in. Keep it fun as always, and never show judgement to something one of the students likes or follows as this can be a huge step backwards in their comfort in the classroom.

Adults

Many new teachers are afraid of teaching adult classes as most of the time you will be teaching someone older and more experienced than you. Don’t let this bother you. Remember they have come to learn a skill from you and they are feeling just as insecure for being taught by someone younger. Due to this dynamic, make the classroom a neutral place.

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 You will need to have a different attitude to this class as they are not children you need to discipline. Have the classroom environment feel more like a meet up of friends, a place to learn from each other and help each other out. Try not repeat words of praise like you would with younger students as this may sound condescending. Your attitude towards these students must be transparent, open and honest.

When getting to know them, find similarities between yourself and them. Talk about music, sport or current affairs around the area which the students may know about or be able to relate to. This gives a sense that you’re from the same world. With lessons on everyday English use places they know as examples. If your students like shopping, ask where they do most of their shopping, mention where you go and use these locations in your activities. Some good activities are word searches, job applications, mock telephone calls or ordering goods online.

Across any age group, we want to remember to practice patience and keep learning fun. This may seem obvious but can be forgotten once you have been teaching for a while. Always ask yourself how you would like to experience learning a language and how you would like the teacher to treat you. Keep it light-hearted and fun for all ages and turn your class into something they look forward to every time.

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