Motivation is the key to any form of successful learning whatever the age group of the pupils; motivation is a key determinant of success. Most TEFL teachers tend to contextualise motivation as being a problem for teenagers or maybe children but adult learners can struggle with enthusiasm too. Adult learners often arrive with their own goals, previous experience of study which may be out of date or unhelpful and also often some very real fears about returning to the classroom after possibly many years away. Adult learners need to feel that they want to succeed and they can succeed.
What other challenges do adult learners face?
Unlike teenagers and children, adult learners have lots of other things to contend with as well as learning English. They will probably have a job or career and maybe a family, possibly even both and also other commitments which means their time and resources are scarce when it comes to taking on the challenge of learning a new language. There are therefore lots of challenges along the way which can knock an adult learner off track and not only interfere with their taught sessions and private study but also demotivate them sufficiently for the whole process to become just too much effort.
What is important to keep in mind when you are teaching adults?
- Adults need to know why this training matters
- They need to be able to see the relevance of what they are learning now
- They have a need to share their experiences both with the teacher and their fellow students
How to demonstrate to adult learners that training matters?
Adult learners with busy lives will not be interested in expending time and effort on something that is not relevant and significant to their lives. They are time poor so learning needs to be targeted, relevant and specific. For most adult learners, the driving force behind their learning is not to acquire a new language simply as an academic exercise. Usually, their goal is better career opportunities either within their own country or overseas or they need sufficient English language skill to access higher education. Lessons need to be directly focused on delivering specific knowledge with practical outcomes.
- Plan defined goals and objectives for each lesson
- Ensure these goals match the students’ aspirations and targets
- Communicate the objectives clearly by either writing them on the whiteboard or producing course checklists or frameworks for each topic with clearly identified learning outcomes
- Always refer back to the targets with the students, this can be done daily after each session or weekly or at the end of a topic. Ask the students whether they feel the objectives for that module have been achieved. This will also help them feel positive towards their learning as they will be able to see the progress being made
Demonstrate the relevance of their learning
Use short, defined projects and role-play to ensure that the sessions are clearly relevant to the students. For instance, if you have a class of medical professionals, the topic for the day could be the vocabulary and phraseology surrounding taking blood pressure.
Start by introducing the words and phrases they will need to know with learning assisted by pictures and practised pronunciation. Then contextualise the vocabulary in complete sentences which are relevant to a healthcare setting. This can be followed by role-playing with students acting as doctor and patient to practice the new vocabulary and endorse learning with real-life situations. This demonstrates relevance and will really inspire confidence in the pupils. It also encourages free-thinking and improvisation as well as embedding language skills and it takes the learning out of the classroom into real life for these healthcare professionals.
This type of session will be fun and interactive without being viewed as either pointless or childish. There is also sufficient challenge without the learning goals proving unachievable. Writing can be incorporated into the project, for instance, the crafting of a medical report or it can be used as a homework task. This style of lesson works well in a food environment so designing a menu, for instance, a great exercise for a mix of students who come from varying backgrounds and have different goals.
Sharing experiences
Adult learners are always keen to bring their own life experience into the classroom and this is something a TEFL teacher can utilise to promote learning and a positive ethos.
- By letting students share their stories and input into the sessions, the teacher is showing respect for their pupils and encouraging rapport between the students who may all be from different backgrounds
- It allows students to anchor the English they are learning to concepts and experiences which are relevant and salient to their own life
- It creates opportunities for genuine and authentic skills practice
Keep a list of prompt questions which can be brought out and used when needed, some helpful questions might include:-
- What is your happiest memory?
- Where is the best place you have been on holiday?
- What is the most frightening thing that has ever happened to you?
- What is your earliest memory?
- Who has been the biggest influence on your life so far?
You can develop great levels of motivation and engagement with adult learners by letting them share their own experiences through listening, spoken and written tasks. People always want to tell their own stories and create a point of reference within this new learning environment, allowing them to do so will enhance their success. Feeling valued and listened to is one of the biggest motivators in anyone’s life.
There is a wealth of information available online as motivating adult leaners is not confined solely to the TEFL classroom, it is a challenge for all adult education across a variety of subjects. Tailoring the course content to the learners sitting in front of you in the classroom is as important for success as understanding the challenges that face your students.