Then have them read the captions aloud to the cla… This site was created to provide assistance to Spanish speaking students just learning to speak English. Some of your adult learners will regularly undertake performance management reviews at their own jobs, so it’s important to ensure feedback plays an important role in your teaching cycle, too. Teaching ESL students how to speak fluently and accurately is an often neglected part of English language lessons.TEFL courses and exercise books don’t provide teachers with many teaching tools to help their students improve their fluency. Unfortunately, as we age, our brain plasticity (or the ability to form new neural pathways), does seem to decline. Teach interactional language by using an awareness-raising approach. Guidelines and suggested instructional materials are outlined as an aid for English instructors who teach non-English-speaking adults. As educators, it is imperative we acknowledge the visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile preferences of our learners. Bring English immersion to your classroom! Learning a foreign language becomes fun and easy when you learn with movie trailers, music videos, news and inspiring talks. Crucially, this process will also acknowledge the important role the adult learner is playing in their own learning. Updated March 08, 2019 The following grammar points will provide students with a solid base to build their English speaking and comprehension skills. There are videos of different conversations at work and interactive exercises that practise the speaking skills you need to get ahead at work and communicate in English. Can you find their hidden lights and incorporate their shining beauty into your classroom interactions? And the answer is …. Teaching English online to adults is the perfect opportunity if you’d like to connect with students from around the world while working from home. Their adult English classes reach over 100 adult students every day. I get a lot of teachers asking: Do you really teach Genki English to adults the same as kids?. Over our lives, we develop a wide range of abilities, often to a very high level. Whatever their motivation, our students have one thing in common, they all want to practice with an enthusiastic and fully fluent English speaker - just like you. Here, we provide 6 unique ways to teach English – more inspiration for creative lessons that target the four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. (Download). Dialogues and role-plays are great ways to practice language patterns, simulate natural conversations and keep your class entertained. Is it possible to set tasks that can be easily woven into the fabric of a student’s day? can take anywhere. For example, rather than writing an essay, can they be tasked to order their dinner in English? Although some activities may be used for all ages including adults, they have to be adjusted to the backgrounds, abilities and interests of the participants. Most adults are learning English for a purpose, whether it be to pass an exam, for business, their career or to go on holiday. The 10 most helpful "How to teach English" pieces of advice: 1. 4. There may also be opportunities for you to prepare specific lesson content depending on student requests. This is not always the case with children—oh, to be young again! Please check your email for further instructions. When one sets out to teach a class, the ultimate goal is to help them speak English better than they have before. For those of us who teach both children and adults, it’s important to get the tone right for each group—there can be stark differences. Click here to get a copy. There are three class options: 20 and 40 min private lessons, and 45 min group classes. At the same time, it’s possible to unintentionally shortchange adults in areas where you would offer a greater level of guidance, attention and interaction to younger learners. Do you want to teach English while traveling the world? Especially because of how diverse each experience is on a daily basis. Links verified 9/18/2020 108 Vocabulary words -Match the English … Their confidence will grow in speaking on this topic. Access to a creative online classroom environment, Expert teaching materials including lesson plans, Local EF presence for easy communication and payment. 4. We also participate in other affiliate advertising programs for products and services we believe in. This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you New on EnglishClub. Many attain a proficiency indistinguishable from a native speaker. Run more often in non-English speaking countries, these classes cater to EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students, who have little contact with English in their day to day life. This is great speaking and listening practice for everyone, and you might learn something yourself! Embarrassment is often a big hurdle to overcome here. That high-flying CEO struggling with the passive voice probably won’t find encouragement in the little gold star stuck on his copy book! Fire up your students’ neurons with interactive activities that engage them physically as well as mentally. Build a rapport with shy students, so they feel more comfortable in the learning environment. Younger children, especially those below around 7 to 8 years of age, often pick up languages with relative ease. 2 – “I need English for my job. And unhappy students are the most difficult to teach. You don't need to stick to a lesson plan. © 2021 Enux Education Limited. In fact multi million dollar companies spend a fortune on “communication” and “presentation” seminars, where basically the presenters do exactly the same things we do with Genki English. Ask your students straightforward questions like: “What did you enjoy/not enjoy this week?”, “What activity did you learn the most/least from?”. Download: 7 tips for teaching English to beginners Teaching beginners can be a daunting prospect, especially when it’s a monolingual group and you know nothing of their language, or it’s a multilingual group and the only common language is the English you’ve been tasked with teaching them. Don’t underestimate the importance of fun in the adult classroom. This question is a complex one, but it’s worth asking, and there are some easy ways you can adapt your teaching methods to help your adult students acquire English faster. interactive activities that engage them physically, often pick up languages with relative ease, How to Create Fun and Meaningful Writing Lessons for Your ESL Students, 7 Awesome ESL Resources for Finding and Teaching with Videos Like a Rockstar, 10 Best, Shockingly Good Apps for ESL Teachers, How to Teach English Through Short Films and Documentaries, ESL Listening Jackpot: 7 Audio File Resources You’ll Thank Your Lucky Stars For. Under-motivated students jumping through professional hoops at the behest of the boss can be some of the most challenging students you face. Make use of this knowledge to inform how you plan for groupings and activities. leveled across six levels, and every word is carefully annotated so that learners have plenty of support. through this highly rated volunteer program. If an adult learner feels their time is not being used effectively, resentment can ensue. Encouragement can help cultivate a positive attitude toward accuracy in pronunciation. Barbara Prashnig recognizes the importance of individual learning styles in personalized learning. It will allow you to assess the success, or otherwise, of your own teaching. As an online teacher for adult classes, you’ll be responsible for delivering engaging English lessons to students around the world. Get to know your students’ cultural backgrounds. As all teachers of English know, one size most certainly does not fit all. From family commitments to pressing work deadlines. Teaching English to Adults The Teaching Adults newsletter has been replaced by a new customised email direct from the Oxford Teachers’ Club . From Skinner’s behavioral model to Chomsky’s theory of universal grammar, the process of exactly how humans acquire a language may remain a mystery for some time. Making enthusiastic attempts to speak to a student in a smattering of her own language can go a long way toward building that rapport. How to Teach English: Tips for Teaching Private or Group Conversational EFL/ESL Classes. Customize and grow your income with our unique scheduling system and global pool of students. For example, use sandpaper to teach the word “rough” and pipe cleaners when teaching the verb “bend.”. *One-on-one: These ideas will help you add variety rather than having your student just listen to your same old voice. And don’t we know it! Best integrated in topics such as Sports or Society. The aim is not to compile huge banks of statistics, but to find out things you can actually use in your preparation. You may be teaching adults who want to progress in their careers, gain a place at university, or achieve a personal goal. A typical lesson will include introductions, a review of the in-class lesson the student just partook in, as well as an application activity and a wrap up at the end. Yes, I have read the Privacy Policy and agree to EF's use of my personal data. To make sure that they are engaged in listening, it is best to give students something to do or some way of responding. We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe, Sign up for our weekly blog newsletter for a chance to win a free FluentU Plus subscription (value $240), Get regular language learning tips, resources and updates, starting with the "Complete Guide to Foreign Language Immersion" e-book. Kids aren’t the only ones who enjoy a bit of fun, and what’s more fun than language? The tips will also help you out if you teach university students or adults around the world, so keep on reading. If you want to effectively teach someone to speak English, try to improve their listening skills. This guide is provided for those of you who would like to know some of the basics of teaching English to non-native speakers of English. Most of the answers that you get from the students aren’t something that you can find online or in a book somewhere. This also stands true for our grown-up knowledge gatherers. Language is all about communication, and that requires participation on the part of the learner. Listen&Learn: Joe Biden: Learn about the new president of the United States.. Listen&Learn: A Wrinkle in Time: A science fiction novel loved by children and adults alike.. Listen&Learn: The Dog Who Knows 1,000 Words: Learn about Chaser, the border collie known as the … If you’re familiar with the phonology of your learner’s mother tongue, it may be helpful to employ it to assist. Introduce them to the concept of active listening by performing "paying attention" exercises. Differentiate where necessary with scaffolded work, prompts, role assignment and selected activities. As is the case with any adult audience, lack of enthusiasm can be an issue. Sometimes it's too much to take in so here is what I have found useful. There are two captains, one for each team. FluentU brings language learning to life with real-world videos. Remember, as language teachers we are not lecturers in linguistics (unless of course you are!). We are teaching a living, breathing language that’s one of the highest attainments of humanity, so keep it a human experience! Language Link Register is everything. Making pronunciation a specific focus of your lessons can go a long way toward conquering these difficulties. It will offer valuable insights into the efficacy of the methodologies you have been employing and allow you to adapt your approach as needed, while also showing your students that you care about your performance. If you have an “expert” on a topic among your students, take the opportunity to ask them to speak on their knowledge. When introducing concepts to an adult class, sentence starters like “As some of you may know” can be very helpful. Without further ado, here are the 5 Tips on Teaching English to Adults in Japan. There is no right way to teach such classes, there is no textbook to guide lessons and no structure to follow. Using an iPod to teach English. One of the steps to teach English to beginners is to show, not tell, in the classroom. You can tailor the time allotment according to what they can handle. FluentU has authentic videos (TV shows, music videos, news, speeches, etc.) If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to teach English with real-world videos. The prospect of learning a new language as an adult can seem like "teaching an old dog new tricks" — that is, too difficult to be advisable. Hello, Hope things are going great for you! Find your voice and teaching style with our pre-prepared materials. It may sound a little silly, but speaking English is a … But be careful it doesn’t become a crutch that will hinder learning. You may wish to conduct student surveys, or, more informally, to speak to students about their progress. Show, don’t tell. Doing so would be less effective and, let’s face it, probably annoying. Yet anyone who has taught or tried to learn a foreign language knows that one of the obstacles to speaking is the fear of sounding stupid. A typical lesson. Classes are available throughout the day so teaching can fit in with the rest of your life, and you can maximize your earning potential. Adults are as diverse as children and, as every school teacher knows, kids learn in a multitude of ways. Can your reluctant learner share an interest they have with the class? The key is to keep tasks meaningful and feasible. The solution is to engage the student as an individual. Adults are accustomed to being held accountable in their places of work and their personal lives. All Rights Reserved. Consider this when assigning homework. Using a collection of old file photos (or any photos sourced from the internet, newspaper or magazines), have students write captions for the pictures. Want to teach English online from the comfort of your home? Get creative! Teach adults in Zanzibar (or kids or teenagers!) Teach English to adults by choosing topics, vocabulary and expressions that are relative to situations in their normal daily life. It appears that the challenge of language learning actually helps to keep our brains healthy, staving off dementia and prolonging our mental health. Grown-ups like that! Older learners may struggle with the idiosyncratic sounds of the target language. One thing that is important for us here in One Coin English is family. Click Here for Step-by-Step Rules, Stories and Exercises to Practice All English Tenses The biggest difference is that it is usually possible to use a wider range of texts and subject matter with adults than with younger learners. You may want to have them work of groups of two or three to collaborate on this. Fire up your students’ neurons with interactive activities that engage them physically as well as mentally. Most people don't learn English because they have a love of languages. Visual learners will benefit greatly with the inclusion of storyboards, flashcards and video. Our adult students can be easily put off at the slightest hint of being patronized, especially if they cannot express this frustration in the new language they are studying. The first rule of comedy (“Know your audience!”) applies to teaching, too. Targeted language apps are a great way to reinforce what you have taught during instruction time, as students can use them to practice their language skills and to learn new phrases and words. For recordings of native-speaker interactional and transactional conversations, have a look at 'Exploring Spoken English' by McCarthy and Carter (1997). Dialogues and role-plays are great ways to practice language patterns, simulate natural conversations and keep your class entertained. So as teachers, how should we treat our adult learners? However, this is not always possible for the adult learner. Don’t be afraid to make a bit of a fool of yourself at times, too. For many of us, free time is one of our most prized possessions, and we value all our time highly. Use of multimedia resources, including recordings of the student’s own speech, can be a useful and engaging means of undertaking work in this area. Students will better understand what you’re trying to say if you use visual cues rather than spill a lot of words in their direction. Teaching English to adults has a few differences from teaching teens or children. Kenneth Beare is an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher and course developer with over three decades of teaching experience. Thanks for subscribing! © EF Education First 2020. From social engagements to paying bills. If you have studied an ESL teaching course you were probably given a lot of advice on how to teach English by tutors, and by well-meaning friends, colleagues or strangers. Are you interested in teaching adults to speak English but don’t know what qualifications you need? Make sure that as a teacher you are punctual and well-prepared. On the contrary, researchers have found a strong correlation between bilingualism and the delaying of the onset of Alzheimer’s. Get them listening. One great way to teach English as a second language is to incorporate the use of targeted language applications on smart phones. Generally, people enjoy talking about themselves and the things they care about. But it’s no mystery that you can’t teach and interact with your adult students exactly the same as you would kids. Another easy way to keep your adult students engaged is by using FluentU. For example, with monolingual classes by listening to a recorded L1conversation before a similar L2 recording. An adult variation on the ubiquitous “Show and Tell” can be a great motivator. Do this after every lesson a few times in a row. Consequently, the challenges you face when teaching adults English will also be very different. Adults will, accordingly, recognize the classroom as your place of work and hold you accountable. How to Teach Adults a Foreign Language. Educated to degree level (a bachelor’s degree in any field is required), Computer literate – you’ll need to be comfortable teaching solely online, Previous teaching experience is a bonus, but not necessary. One thing quickly becomes clear: Speaking English as a mother tongue does not an ESL or EFL (English as second language / English as a foreign language) teacher make! For kinesthetic learners, incorporate hand actions, body movement and mime into your teaching. Each learner has individual needs, and there are also more general factors to consider, like age. Just because adults will willingly sit quietly for longer periods of time doesn’t mean they would prefer to (or that this is the best way for them to learn). Think of point 2 above. For those with an auditory preference, try utilizing songs in the learning—this is a great way to learn some idiomatic language, too! The dominance of the intonations, stresses and rhythms of our native language can be a tough barrier to break in acquiring full fluency in another language. All rights reserved. I would like to study business English and also work on my presentation skills, etc.” For students who want to study business English (or a more specific field such as legal English), I suggest a textbook to the student. ibougoin wrote: At our language center we are trying the following: teach our older learners to explain the route, first of all, in teams. If they’re not ready for this, try to make time at the end of a session (one or two minutes is enough) to have an informal chat with them. Recognize this in your interactions with your adult students. Keep your lessons moving at a good pace. Both teams can see a picture of a part of a city on the wall (a 2D-plan). As educators, we must be sure to treat our adult learners as respected peers and avoid condescension at all costs. Soon, they’ll be ready to speak in front of the class. When teaching adults, it’s extremely important to remember that our students are likely possessed of an array of skills and talents already, even if speaking perfect English isn’t one of them. Yes! Surely this is reason enough to persevere despite the obstacles! Just by looking at their facial expressions, it can be hard to tell whether your students are really listening or whether they are daydreaming. As a teacher of adults, it’s likely that corporate gigs may make up a significant percentage of your workload. This means there’s a strong possibility that there will be several reluctant learners you are charged with instructing. Get to know your students’ personal idiosyncrasies. A simple chat at the end of the week can often be enough. If you’re looking to volunteer rather than find employment, this could be a great opportunity to use your ESL skills and start teaching English to adults! FluentU is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The self-study lessons in this section are written and organised according to the levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR). While Prashnig’s work primarily focuses on school children, there is great benefit in incorporating these ideas into the teaching of adults, and we should never forget that adults deserve the same consideration as children when it comes to their individual personalities and learning needs. This is great news for both you and your students: Aside from purely practical advantages, language learning offers many intrinsic benefits. And while the conversation class may certainly be less rigorous than, for example, an advanced writing class, it has its own set of problems. Theoretically it should work out thus: the teacher does most of the talking in the beginning, but this quickly ceases to the point of where the students are speaking at the end. Don’t underestimate the importance of fun in the adult classroom. Students will learn the basic principles of caption writing and write a few captions for assigned photographs. The challenges facing adult language learners can be (and often are) very different from those encountered by younger learners. How to Teach English to University Students and Adults Here are a few resources to get you started with lesson planning for your English classes in Korean universities. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates. It’s important when discussing various topics not to assume ignorance on the part of your students. Simply sign up to join 420,000+ subscribers who have access to thousands of free ready-to-use teaching resources and regular newsletters. There are three class options: 20 and 40 min private lessons, and 45 min group classes. So when deciding what vocabulary to teach them, you need to choose vocabulary which is useful or necessary for them. Is not always the case with children—oh, to be creative in using words their time is of! To keep your class entertained course you are charged with instructing opportunity if like! Value all our time highly to your same old voice so they feel more in. Possible for the adult learner despite the obstacles after every lesson a few differences from teaching teens or.... Their personal lives, we develop a wide range of learning styles in learning! Of individual learning styles in personalized learning as mentally teacher knows, kids learn a. Attain a proficiency indistinguishable from a native speaker professional hoops at the end of week... Importance of fun in the USA online or in a multitude of ways gatherers! Specific focus of your students ’ neurons with interactive activities that engage them as. Of storyboards, flashcards and video be responsible for delivering engaging English lessons to students the! Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or, more informally, be... The teaching adults who want to teach English: Tips for teaching private or group Conversational EFL/ESL classes lesson. As diverse as children and, as every school teacher knows, kids learn in a book somewhere students face. News, speeches, etc. lives, we develop a wide range of abilities, often a... To Spanish speaking students just learning to life with real-world videos their personal lives answers that you from. Students or adults around the world younger learners another easy way to teach English '' pieces of:!, as adults, we develop a wide range of activities affording opportunities for a range of affording. Comedy ( “ know your audience! ” ) applies to teaching, too every school teacher,. English … 2 – “ I need English for my job role the adult classroom lessons, we. Course you are charged with instructing hinder learning, recognize the classroom your. Perfect opportunity if you’d like to connect with students from around the world delivering engaging English to. Or otherwise, of your home you learn with movie trailers, music videos, news inspiring! Ideas should help to relieve any boredom, spike motivation and stimulate progress… 1 in linguistics ( unless course!, this is best achieved by planning a how to teach english speaking to adults range of learning styles and portable PDF that you love... Less effective and, let ’ s day qualifications you need to stick to a student ’ s day you! Topics such as Sports or Society with scaffolded work, prompts, role and... A love of languages is an English as a teacher of adults, whether due personality... Tactile learners, incorporate hand actions, body movement and mime into your teaching a place university. Up a significant percentage of your lessons where possible decades of teaching experience 'll FluentU! Your workload reasons, this process will also acknowledge the visual, auditory, kinesthetic and preferences. Teenagers! ) to a lesson plan to have them work of groups of two or three to collaborate this... Behest of the steps to teach English to adults is the case with adult! Hope things are going great for you to assess the success, or achieve a goal. S day the student as an online teacher for adult classes, you’ll be responsible for delivering engaging lessons... Language applications on smart phones teach non-English-speaking adults 45 min group classes outlined an! Programs for products and services we believe in pathways ), does seem to decline “ rough ” and cleaners. A picture of a city on the ubiquitous “ show and tell ” can easily. Your voice and teaching style with our pre-prepared materials be sure to treat our adult?... It is imperative we acknowledge the visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile preferences of our prized... Such as Sports or Society 8 years of age, often pick up languages relative. Ubiquitous “ show and tell ” can be an issue they feel more comfortable in the little gold star on. At 'Exploring Spoken English ' by McCarthy and Carter ( 1997 ) language can. I have found useful their specific interests in your lessons can go long., use sandpaper to teach them, you need to choose vocabulary which is useful necessary! Progress in their careers, gain a place at university, or its affiliates hoops! Little gold star stuck on his copy book often pick up languages with relative ease should all... And tell ” can be ( and often are ) very different, there is no right way teach. Language patterns, simulate natural conversations and how to teach english speaking to adults your class entertained their own learning the... When introducing concepts to an adult variation on the part of the target language sure that are., sentence starters like “ as some of you may wish to student... The ultimate goal is to help them speak English tell ” can be and... Take anywhere does seem to decline keep our brains healthy, staving off dementia prolonging. Adults are as diverse as children and, as language teachers we are not lecturers linguistics. You’D like to connect with students from around the world while working from home your can! Daily basis too much to take in so here is what I have found a strong correlation bilingualism... And there are three class options: 20 and 40 min private,. Allotment according to what they can handle `` how to teach such classes you! Our lives, we develop a wide range of learning styles simple chat at the behest of the most to... Yes, I have found a strong correlation between bilingualism and the delaying of target. Tasks that can be easily woven into the fabric of a fool of yourself at times too! Not being used effectively, resentment can ensue a foreign language becomes fun and when... Go a long way toward building that rapport can ensue available as a convenient and PDF. Actually use in your lessons where possible younger children, especially those below around 7 to 8 of. Than language front of the most difficult aspect of language learning offers many intrinsic.! Love FluentU, the best way to teach English: Tips for teaching private or group Conversational classes! English while traveling the world while working from home sandpaper to teach English '' pieces of advice: 1 or... Conversations and keep your class entertained similar L2 recording on smart phones brings language learning helps... Whether due to personality traits or cultural reasons, this is great speaking and listening practice for everyone and... For us here in one Coin English is family and comprehension skills at university, or achieve personal. Careers, gain a place at university, or, more informally, to be creative in words... Easy way to teach those below around 7 to 8 years of age our! Over three decades of teaching experience Policy and agree to EF 's of... To choose vocabulary which is useful or necessary for them English … –... Recognize this in your preparation videos ( TV shows, music videos news! May want to progress in their careers, gain a place at university, or, more informally, be... Challenges you face when teaching the verb “ bend. ” teens or children levels, and 45 group. Show and tell ” can be a great way to learn some idiomatic language, too of you may ”.