Rewards And Challenges Of Teaching Adults A Second Language

Language School (www.english.school.nz)

by Cait Adams

It's never too late to learn a new language! Some people think that school is just for the young, but learning a new language at any stage of life opens doors of opportunity in the most unexpected places.

Adult students from all over the world find their way to New Zealand where there are a number of high quality English language schools and a friendly and welcoming culture.

As the language of international business, people of all ages choose to learn English to give them the edge when dealing with clients and colleagues from other countries.

Teaching adults can be tricky though. While it's rewarding to further anyone's set of skills with education, there are a number of challenges that teachers face when working with adult students.

Challenges

Lives outside of school

Younger students seriously benefit from being able to commit full focus to their education, but adult learners often find it difficult to juggle learning and other responsibilities like work and families. Having a flexible timetable for learning is an absolute must and many language schools that cater for adult learners put a great deal of emphasis on providing a flexible learning experience.

Frustrations and disappointments

Adult learners also tend to have higher expectations of themselves and be more self-conscious about their mistakes. Not everyone is perfect, and when an adult student gets something wrong or feels like they aren't making progress, they tend to become frustrated. Learning a language is hard, and it's easy to become disenchanted when you don't see results immediately. By outlining realistic goals and providing a safe and friendly learning environment, teachers can help their students stay motivated to achieve.

Rewards

Motivated learners

Everyone remembers primary and secondary school and how difficult it was to see the benefit in what you were doing. Adult learners are better motivated and committed to learning what they are studying - it's far easier for teachers to work with motivated and autonomous learners who are studying because they WANT to study.

Knowledgeable and able to contribute

Adult learners can often bring their own experience into a class to better learning for everyone. Language is all about expression, and adult students have a lot of stories to tell and can draw from their own life experience to share and learn with in classes.

Teaching adult learners is incredibly rewarding, despite the few challenges that it presents. Learning a second language isn't easy, and watching someone become fluent in a new language is incredibly rewarding as a tutor.

CCEL (Christchurch College of English Ltd) is a privately-owned English language school located on the University of Canterbury campus in Christchurch. CCEL works in partnership with the University and provides international students with a pathway to further study.

Established in 1991, CCEL welcomes over 1,000 students to Christchurch each year. Students can study General English, Business English or exam preparation courses. CCEL is also a teacher training centre and trains both native and non-native English speakers to be EFL teachers. The College has 20 classrooms and was purpose-built as a language training centre.

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