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.