Module 1 – An introduction to YLs and how they learn How do YLs
di8er from Adult learners?
MOTIVATION
Adults have a clear purpose for learning English. This can be for personal or
professional reasons. While it is true that some YLs and Teens choose to come to
English, they are usually in the classroom because someone else decided they should
be. This could be their parents or their school. This means that teachers ned to work
extra hard to motivate them and to ensure their lessons are engaging and enjoyable.
Catering to their interests is one way of doing this. While adults have very clear interests
and reasons for coming to class, YLs and Teens do not. Their interests like their skills are
developing and change often and quickly. Teachers of YLs need to ensure they invest
time into finding out about their learners’ interests and catering for this in the selection
and adaptation of materials and activities.
CONCENTRATION
Adults can concentrate for longer periods of time as YLs find it easy to get distracted
with other things that seem more interesting or fun. However, this is not always true,
certain activities and games can hold their attention for a long time. Young children
often ask for the same story to be read again, as soon as they have just finished hearing
it. They are happy to play certain games over and over again if they are engaged and
having fun. This is something that teachers of YLs need to consider in their planning.
Shorter stages are better and materials should be engaging and have an element of fun.
LEARNING ABILITY
Adults are more aware of how language works and can think about the rules and
understand more abstract concepts. With YLs this is diHerent as they are still
developing their cognitive ability and so are not always aware of rules. They tend to be
more focused on meaning and not on grammar or rules. While adults learn language in
a more ‘direct’ way, YLs tend to learn from many diHerent sources and will pick up
language more ‘indirectly’ from the teacher, the materials, etc. This of course has
implications for teaching and how we approach grammar with younger children.
YLs are also in the process of developing physically, so learning skills such as reading
and writing can be aHected by their stage of development. Clearly this is not an issue
that teachers of adults need to be concerned with. Depending on the age of the YL
group you are teaching, you may have to help with things like cutting, copying from the
board, etc. The age and stage of development of the children needs to be considered
when planning activities. E.g. if you are teaching very young learners, you would need to
focus the lesson on listening and speaking as they would not be able to read and write.
MAKING LESSONS MEMORABLE
It is important to make lessons and activities memorable by using lots of visual aids and
movement. This will help YLs as they tend to learn language quickly but also forget very
quickly. Adults are better at this as they have more learning strategies and are also more
aware of the need to record what they learn. Recycling and constant revision is one way
of helping address this issue in the YL classroom. Children are by nature curious and
have a good sense of imagination. This is also something that teachers can exploit in
the classroom to ensure that lessons are engaging and fun.
DIFFERENT LEARNERS
No two learners are the same- this goes for both adults and YLs. However, there are also
diHerences between adults as a group and YLs or Teens. The younger age group usually
prefer more ‘hands on’ activities as they tend to learn better by ‘doing’. YLs also have
varying energy levels and moods and teachers need to ensure that they channel this
energy for a positive eHect. This has clear implications for planning and the choice of
materials and activities as flexibility is key.
LEARNING HOW TO BE IN A CLASSROOM
Teaching YLs is not only about teaching them language. Teachers need to consider other
non- linguistic skills which adults have already mastered. Behaviour and social skills
are an important part of teaching YLs. When planning game-like activities, teachers
need to ensure they have considered aspects like turn-taking, sharing, etc. Games
should be more about co-operation then competition and there should be a clear set of
rules to follow. Setting clear boundaries and routines helps to establish a positive
working atmosphere and limit behavioural problems. Routines also make YLs feel safe
and teachers need to ensure they make the classroom a familiar and secure
environment.
HOW DO YLs PROCESS LANGUAGE
Meaning
YLs tend to think about meaning more than they think about language and how it works.
It is important to provide them with lots of examples of language and make this
meaningful to them and their experience through clear contexts, images, etc.
Pronunciation
This is another area where YLs seem to be better than adult learners. They are good at
mimicking what they hear and can often produce sounds more easily than adults who
find it diHicult to identify and produce sounds that they do not have in their own
language. However, repeating something perfectly does not necessarily mean that the
YLs have understood what they are saying. So this brings us back to meaning and the
need for constant checks and clear contexts.
ERROR AND ACCURACY
It is only when YLs go to school that they become more aware of error and become
more concerned with making mistakes. Although, on the whole they are usually less
inhibited than adult learners, it is still important for teachers to encourage
experimenting and risk taking and to be sure not to over- correct. Adults will be more
concerned with getting it right, while YLs with getting their message across.