Teach English in Tanyi Zhen - Linyi Shi

One of the greatest advantages about a TEFL course is that it prepares you to phase different classroom settings. Conducting a Needs Analysis Test to have a better understanding of your learner profile will give you the ability to create the appropriate development plan for various age-groups and will contribute to the teaching skills needed to help students with their learning abilities. Young learners have short attention spans and a lot of physical energy. They are adult dependent learners so it is crucial to create fun interactive lessons that involve entertaining games. In terms of learning, they need to be given a wide variety of activities to help them receive information from a variety of sources that involve movement and their different senses (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). The teacher needs many objects, visuals and pictures to work with, and to make use of all the classroom surroundings. Young learners learn indirectly rather than directly and every learner is unique and different. They understand mostly when they see, touch, hear and interact rather than from explanations. The delivery of the lesson must be done slowly with pronounced delivery, higher pitch, and exaggerated intonation with lots of patient repetition. Teachers need to carefully plan the timeframe of their lessons to ensure they have enough material for the duration of the class and to have their full attention at all times. Flashcard and drilling games are a good way for children to pick up correct pronunciation as they hear and use the language many times. It is important to give students a need for the language before you drill them so making the language fun, memorable and stimulating will be beneficial. Warmers such as Hangman, Pictionary, and Mimes are useful techniques for action verbs, communicative activities designed to get students motivated and using English. They are especially useful if they are linked into the study phase of the lesson. Positive reinforcement and individualized appreciation of child’s efforts should be rewarded. Teaching young learners requires special skills and psychology. It is crucial to be aware of your student’s needs and take the necessary steps to optimise the environment of the class. Altering the dynamics of the classroom by changing the seating arrangements or by mixing the students into groups could help improve classroom management. Being fair and consistent with positive encouragement to develop confidence and reduce any possible self-consciousness is always recommended. In addition, it is important to come down to the physical level of the child by sitting on the floor or squatting next to them. On the other hand, Adults are self-directed learners and more often than not they come to learn English with a clear purpose in mind and it is usually to improve their career or studies. Adult learners have higher motivational levels since they are committed to improve their English. They are very independent, can organise themselves and even decide the direction of the lessons. It is important to build good rapport with the students to be able to know what they want to achieve out of the lesson and work towards those set objectives. Adult lessons could be less energetic so lessons should be structured very well to concentrate on reading, writing, listening, and speaking. More often than not, there will be diverse levels of English competency within a class, so you have to challenge the stronger learners to prevent them from getting bored. When planning adult courses a Needs Analysis must be done to tailor the class to address as much individual needs as possible, but with more focus on the group’s common needs. It is also key for the teacher to establish the right impression and professional approach so they establish themselves as professional in the teaching environment. With Adults it is necessary to devote time on activities and engage students more deeply with the learning material. However, one common problem is that they are often tired from the day at work so having interactive and stimulating activities such as role-play, communication games, surveys and mill-drills will allow the students to properly interact with one another, use real life experiences, and to practice target language while keeping them engaged and motivated. Utilizing the engage stage to engage students fully, the study stage to provide controlled practice, and the activate stage to give the students the chance to use their language knowledge will keep their interest and attention on the lesson being presented. Young learners bring curiosity, enthusiasm, and energy, while adults bring motivation, life experiences and have their own ideas and opinions. Although there may be significant differences between teaching young learners and adults, the fundamental practice remains the same. Encouraging communication and language use, utilizing your student’s previous knowledge and, above all, maintaining a fun and entertaining atmosphere in the classroom will enable you to be successful no matter the age-group of the learner.