Young VS Adult learners: How do they differ?

Do children acquire knowledge differently than adults? Yes and no! While there are some similarities in the way these two broad groups learn, in this post I focus on their differences. Becoming aware of the ways in which children and adults learn, will make you better equipped to facilitate your own learning as a learner, your students’ as a teacher, or your child’s as a parent. Because the ways in which one learns best, dictate the teaching methods and materials ought to be used. So, what are the differences between young and adult learners?

Differences between young and adult learners.

My experience teaching English to young and adult learners.

Over the course of my ESL teaching career, I have dealt with learners of all ages – from preschoolers as young as 4, to young adults and professionals from various fields. Find out what I have observed about the ways in which young and adults learn over the countless hours teaching General, Academic and Vocational English.

As fun as it gets – Working with young learners.

• Children need constant stimulation and motivation.
  
  
• The more enthusiasm you show about the subject matter, the more involved young learners get.
  
  
• Repetition, persistence and patience are key.
  
  
• Trust and rapport are of outmost importance.
  
  
• Most children refrain from using learning strategies and techniques, as they do not develop similar tools in L1. Concentrate on just a couple of them for starters. Try to boost questioning, elimination and guessing skills.
  
  
• Children are great imitators. That works perfectly when they are taught pronunciation and when they reproduce common phrases effortlessly, but at the same time the educator assumes a more responsible role as a model for the language.
  
  
• The communication needs of young learners are pretty basic. Moreover, children are So, it is rather easy for them to acquire the vocabulary to express themselves. This poses an excellent opportunity to inspire them to adopt a positive attitude towards the language and learning.
  
  

Continuous learning with adults.

• Adult learners require maximum results and fast. The way to stay realistic as to your expectations is to self-evaluate every so often. Do you learn as fast as you think or would like to? Ask your English teacher about strategies and hacks you can use to speed up your learning.
  
  
• Resisting change and new ways is another common phenomenon when teaching adults. English is taught quite differently than L1. That is, language skills and language learning strategies in English are taught explicitly, as well as implicitly. And that means that you may be an established professional who, nevertheless, has to learn new tricks. Keep an open mind!
  
  
• Adults adore explicit and direct teaching as they are used to lectures. Bear in mind that a language lesson should be the student’s time to use L2, not the teacher’s. Language should be spoken!
  
  
• Even though older students are self-motivated, they get disappointed when they find it difficult to reach the level and range of language they possess in their L1. Just think for how long you have been communicating in your native language and at what level you speak it, versus for how long and how often you interact in L2.
  
  
• University students and professionals lead busy lives. This affects knowledge acquisition and retention negatively. Setting a pace that suits your lifestyle along with realistic goals are imperative. Revising and summarising frequently help too. You know the drill!
  
  
• The older one gets the more he/she tends to eschew experimentation and more fun activities, like singing, when learning English. I do get how goal-oriented you are, but nothing can help language learning more than bringing joy to the process.

What’s the big deal?

Bottom line: the teaching process should always be infused with fun and positivity and make ample room for experimentation for children as much as for adults. Try not to overestimate or underestimate the learning skills of either group. What is important to focus on is the strengths of both young and adult learners. Let’s learn from and with each other!

Stay tuned for some common Myths about English Language Learning!

How can you eliminate the teacher?

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232574401_Do_Children_and_Adults_Learn_Differently


https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/Documents/college-artslaw/cels/essays/younglearners/Mod-6-YL-Khan.pdf

https://www.jstor.org/stable/1166059?casa_token=Up4Zz7vj4BIAAAAA:pxemhDdvyykMCSqJvvE1037qQb-ConDhbmcl6L6XKZVx9CISkvpg11bpEgzLy0YkDKLSODXUXHU7Xr2V5tz1GZOJK3eXhn1hDOoATg53RwIMNgxa28IN

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14613800020029914?casa_token=J2EXNbROz2wAAAAA:LNgwVGkKTsrkRMZ1-N4n1AWdm7JR-Z1aiQ8eDwkVJRmJm-_Xj9sIS-yJ73OyDvD-UeQrfP_29mRixw


https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/pioneers-our-field-jean-piaget-champion-childrens-ideas/#:~:text=Children%20are%20not%20%22empty%20vessels,own%20theories%20of%20the%20world.%22