Teacher BlogsAny teacher with experience of teaching teenagers and adults would agree the challenge is very different even when the subject and level is the same. Each group requires different types of activities, a unique rhythm for the lesson and special skills for the teacher who needs to be absolutely aware that these two groups of students learn, interact in the classroom and perceive their learning process in absolutely different ways.
How teenagers learn
Teens need clear instructions and continuous monitoring. Their attention span is short, so the rhythm of the lesson has to be dynamic, with activities changing ideally every 5 to 10 minutes, and addressing all sorts of learning styles. Besides, they tend to learn better when doing cooperative activities where they can interact with their classmates and they don’t feel anxious when trying new activities, but enthusiastic if they’re fun.
They’re also more curious and energetic than adults. They don’t usually have responsibilities out of school that distract them from the lesson. However, they would easily lose motivation working on their own or if they are not constantly receiving positive reinforcement for everything they do well. Positive reinforcement encourages them to perform well at school, but it also helps them with their self-esteem and boosts their memory as this study suggests (https://zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu/brain-study-reveals-how-teens-learn-differently-adults).
Young students crave extrinsic motivation – they have to study that subject in particular because their families have decided so – and they will lose enthusiasm if they’re not continuously stimulated. Furthermore, correcting their mistakes without making a fuss is indispensable, as they are at an age in which looking good in front of others is really important, and we want to keep them motivated and well-behaved in class as much as possible!
Another characteristic of adolescents is that they genuinely trust their teachers. They rarely question the curriculum or how much the teacher knows about it (they believe the teacher knows everything and more about the subject). However, they can also be disrespectful towards the teacher or their classmates, and in a Young Learners environment, discipline is always needed and a teacher who understands class management is essential.
How adults learn
While in a Young Learners’ classroom all students share the same age and have similar backgrounds, in an adults’ classroom that is not true anymore. You find students of all ages and backgrounds and people who bring their life experiences to the classroom have their own ideas and opinions and enjoy discussions.
Psychologists have recently found (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-42732442) that adolescence lasts now until the age of 24, which means that some students in the classroom may still need to learn as teenagers, while others will require an absolutely different approach as we explain below, and it can pose a problem when keeping everyone motivated.
The vast majority of adults is autonomous. They do enjoy talking in groups or pairs to discuss topics; however, they also need some time during the lesson to reflect on what they’re learning so they can understand it better and internalise it, and be able to decide for themselves what needs more attention.
They also have preconceived notions of how a lesson should be, especially if it has been a long time since they have been to school. Unless you explain your methodology, you risk some of them arguing with your methods or even your ability to teach. It’s not that they don’t trust you, it’s that they probably are older than you and have had different learning experiences throughout their lives and may be a bit reluctant to learn your new (new to them) method. But once they try it, they always like it. They just need some time to adapt, so be patient.
And connected to the above, it is important to know that older students are usually anxious and nervous in the classroom – they too need lots of positive reinforcement to help them lower their anxiety towards their learning expectations, as they are usually more afraid to fail than young learners, because they are the ones who have decided to study that particular subject and spend money doing so.
In the case of adults discipline is rarely needed as it’s very strange that a student has difficult behaviour in class. If that ever happens to you, you should discuss it with the director or academic manager of your school who will speak with the student and decide what’s best to do. That might involve moving the student to another group or giving them a good talk, or in some cases refunding their course fee.
Adults are intrinsically motivated. They have chosen to be there, but you will still need to specify why they are learning something in particular and why they need to invest their time in it, so they can connect with it and devote as much time as you decide. They are also able to focus on just one activity for longer without getting bored, as long as they find it useful, help them improve some skill, and gives them the opportunity to express themselves.
Not all teachers have the ability to adapt to these two types of classrooms easily, and that’s ok. It is not imperative for a teacher to be able to teach all groups of ages, but in my opinion, those who are, are phenomenal teachers who can connect with different types of students, teach them, mentor them and guide them throughout their learning journey. In other words, teachers who are out of this world.
