Teaching ESL to adults can be both an interesting and overwhelming experience simultaneously. ESL classrooms usually have a diverse population. People from different backgrounds and life groups share the common goal of learning English. Adults in the ESL classes are motivated and energetic about acquiring English speaking and written knowledge to improve their lives. But finding effective learning methods and coming up with suitable lessons plans for these diverse people can be challenging for the teachers. Following are a few tips to help you teach ESL to adults in a better way.
Set clear objectives
As a teacher, you should keep the specific goal in mind before teaching ESL to adults. In order to master the English language, there are four important skills to learn: reading, writing, speaking and listening. And your whole lesson planning should be based on these four skills. Also, decide the material that you will cover in the class. Likewise, set clear expectations for the class before teaching. Establish the daily goals for the class and create the normal processes of the group work, discussion and assignment. As English is not the first language of these students, they might find it hard to complete their assignments. But they can always take help from an online nursing essay writing service uk.
Create the class environment so that every individual can participate and collaborate in the class activities. Encourage your students to learn as they are away from the classroom environment for a long time and might find it hard to adjust. Be supportive of every student and prioritize community building. Students are likely to benefit and acquire English learning skills from the ESL classes if you set these objectives before teaching them.
Take care of your student’s needs
In the ESL classroom, every student has a different learning process. Some learn fast, and some take time to learn basic things. It is a great challenge in teaching the adults their different levels of learning skills. In order to overcome this issue, it is important to track each student’s progress and take care of their needs to make sure no student falls behind. It includes class participation, discussions and written tests. Treat every individual equal, but give extra time to those who need it.
When teaching adult students, it is significant to acknowledge the fact that these students have a life outside the class and obligations towards their family and work. Ensure that your students know that you care about their other responsibilities. Communication is the key; inform them about the significance of the class attendance. And make sure they have enough resources at home to learn efficiently. Ask them to explore and find different ways to learn; you can also suggest them to the list of books to read.
Know every student’s academic history and culture
It is important to respect every individual’s life experience and culture in your adult learner class. You have a diverse ESL adult class, some of them have little formal education in their native language, and others have higher education from their country. Consider this different level of learning in the adult learner class when taking important learning choices. Knowing the academic history of every individual will help you understand them better. Following this method will make adult learners comfortable in the class and proficient them in English. Taking ESL classes can be an overwhelming task besides the home and work life. That is why keep the classroom environment inviting and open, where everyone feels respected, supported and safe.
Keep ESL lessons relatable to their lives
Creating connections between the real world and the classroom is the key to teaching adult learners. Adults learn the English language to perform their daily lives tasks easily. That is why it is important to teach lessons applicable in real life. Keep your lessons practical, which can be implemented in everyday life. Such as simple vocabulary lessons which can be used in common daily activities like shopping at the market, ordering coffee at the restaurant, or utilizing transportation. Utilize your routine as a layout for planning and defining examples to teach your students. This technique will help your students work on their English language proficiency actively.
Keeping the class lecture relevant to the age group is also important. In ESL classes, it is common that your students will be older than you. Subsequently, it is critical to keep the class subject-relevant, which can be comprehended by the students easily. Your students will be over the age section of fifty, and talking about modern youth culture in the class is not suitable for them. It is essential to keep the lecture applicable for all age groups with different backgrounds.
Keep instructions simple and clear
Teaching a class of adults that you barely know can be tempting. You have to use polite language, so you will not sound rude. Telling difficult instructions to the students who only know little English can also be a sign of impoliteness. Make word by word clear instructions to make them understand like please, thank you etc. Use gestures and break down large instructions for better understanding.
Avoid the metalanguage
Students are new to the English language, so they cannot understand terms like adverbs of frequency, irregular verbs, or past tense simply because they have a weak vocabulary and cannot structure sentences. Do not teach them only theoretically but also utilize practical techniques to understand how to form sentences. After teaching everything, ask them whether they understand because many people pretend to understand even if they have not understood.
Remember your students are fluent in their language
It may be a minor point but need to be considered. When students make an effort to speak English, it is important to encourage them and ignore their accent and pronunciation errors. Because as you know it is not their first language and they are trying hard to learn English.
Teachers have to be patient with adult learners and teach them proactively. You have to be careful at every stage. Teaching adults can be challenging, but it will provide you with the best experience