LEARNERS VARIABLES I

TEACHING ACROSS AGE LEVELS

In some cases, people who teach language ask about inconveniences teaching ESL, English as a second language, they assume that are native speakers they will not have problems teaching ESL.

Someone has to begin to get the taste of teaching in order to get a meaningful learning because teaching means appropriate techniques that must be included in any training as a language teacher. And also if you could somehow pack a suitcase full of the most current teaching resources, you would still have to face to face the question of which your learners are, where they are learning and the reason because why they are learning the language.

Even when find yourself in trouble situations like dealing with contextual considerations in language, teaching by addressing the learner variable of age, language proficiency, societal expectations and  many situations that the author mentioned. So you have to remember that each of these considerations is essential to incorporate into your choices of techniques, lesson organizations, and supporting material.

 Teaching Children

Trough the time, it is been believed that children are effortless second language learners and far superior to adults in their eventual success. But children have a tremendous subconscious that would be taken in account

Adults are not necessarily less successful in their efforts. Many studies have revealed that adults can retain a larger vocabulary taught by abstract process, grammatical things, and linguistic concepts.

And teaching children requires specific skills and intuitions that differ from adult teaching. In order to teach children, you may take into account these next pieces of advices

You should exaggerate when you speak in front of the children because you need to keep their minds alert.

Putting to yourself in their shoes is something essential because they love learning by playing or laughing. But just keep in mind that the sense of humor of children is different from adults.

Make sure that you catch their attention and they are interested in what you say because they have a curiosity sense really amazing. All the senses need to be simulated with visual and auditory modes. One great option is to do TPR activities in order to help students to internalize language. Do not forget to practice meaningful language and also help children to internalize concepts for example the smell of the flowers, the taste of the food, etc. someone easily could thing that children are not affected by causes that affect adults, but inside of them are many questions like what do the others think about me. Though do not forget that children are more fragile that adults so make students to laugh with each other, be patient, use gestures, encourage overcoming their potential barriers to learning.

In order to success, there are few things you should do and should not   Do not treat children like adults neither adults like children

Do not discipline adults in the same way as children because your students are adults who can be reasoned with like adults instead your children will not understand or catch the purpose of the punishment

Teaching teens

 Since they are children whose ages range between twelve and fourteen you have to change the techniques because they are not children neither adult the same techniques could not fit with them.

In order to increase the quality of you teaching you should use or adequate the next advices

Topics for discussion is a great idea to give students the challenge to consider what they would do in any case or what technique would they use to fix any situation since they have to be in groups or pair  teacher has to remember that groups should then share their thoughts with the rest of the class.

But after that is required that students defend their assertions with examples to sum up.

Be careful with the groups; just remember that all of them have to participate in the discussion or debate.

LEARNER VARIABLES II

TEACHING ACROSS

PROFICIENCY LEVELS 

It is supposed that teachers already know how to refer someone to the correct level but there is no teaching day with exact proficiency with the levels beginning, intermediate, advanced.

Regarding the American Language Institute of San Francisco state university, what we call a beginner is someone that already knows hundred English words; someone is able to use a few common survival phrases. But what is beginning for someone not is for others.

For setting in the correct level many details are taken and an interview can be used to structure fluency, pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary.

To posses proficiency are things taken in account

To be able to satisfy courtesy requirements, face to face familiar topics, to speak the language with sufficient structural accuracy and conversation on formal and informal, practical, social, and professional’s topics, articulate, and also today many test designers are utilized as a standard for assessments

The teacher role

As the beginners are very dependent of the teacher for model of languages, the teacher is the center, and the students are able to initiate few questions. So it is the responsibility of the teacher to keep the ball rolling, but some techniques would be used as work in pairs or grouping. The time and the directions are given by the teacher for that teachers have to plan topics activities types on time etc.

Talking about the teachers, they are the models for some students as a result their inputs are crucial because every student is focused on the teacher that’s why the teacher English needs to be clearly and articulated but not means slowly, and

Simple vocabulary and simple structures have to be used in order to not complicate the understanding of the students. Someone could complain about having a native language student in class but it would be a great thing for teacher because the student would be an amazing tool for teaching however it becomes an option.

To teach beginning level the authenticity is important in order to get a meaningful learning, so the use of simple greetings and introductions, phrases, are vital in this level and the repetition in this level makes to increase the desire to your students to practice, and something unforgettable is that you should be very sensitive in order to be friendly and openly without fear  of being corrected at every mistake, on the other hands you need to correct  some selected an grammatical points because the big mistake is to believe or to assume that no news is good news or that no correction implies perfection however your job is to  create balance.

Another point is the student creativity but at this level students can be creative  only with the controlled vocabulary of language they know and you must to remember is not the biggest, wait a moment the innovation comes later when they have they own control.

Regarding with techniques are used in this stage must be simple techniques as repetition and drills.

Furthermore the listening an writing skills are include in every learning language process and  students are limited by grammar and vocabulary, as part of learning the reading and writing  reveals the differences in every level, but in this level no complex material is required means letters, simple notes etc. Talking about grammar  from simple to complex because the complex structures sometimes frustrates students, tough explaining grammar could be an issue, but you must  explain some grammar points. Therefore, an inductive approach to grammar with suitable examples and patterns will be more effective.

 Teaching intermediate level