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In this short essay, I will try to outline the main differences when it comes to teaching groups of younger learners compared to adult learners. Us as teachers need to understand the way these groups approach learning as it will help us determine the correct way to make and deliver programs that are suitable for both groups. The main difference when it comes to teaching these two groups would be the motivation each group has for learning the language. Adults are typically internally motivated to improve their language skills for a variety of reasons, whether it be a job requirement, a necessity for improving one's career or just a general lust for knowledge. Whereas younger learners are usually not very motivated to learn as they will typically be learning it as a requirement of their studies with no actual goal that they wish to achieve, and for that reason will need to be motivated by the teacher to learn using a mixture of diverse topics and fun, enjoyable activities. Another point of difference between the two groups is their dependence on the teacher. Adult learners are typically self-directed learners, meaning they will require a less structured, a more free-flow style of lesson where they will usually wish to be involved in the choosing of the subject material being taught as to make sure it is relevant to them and that it can be immediately implemented in their daily life and/or career. On the other hand, younger learners, having no life experience and as stated before no real goal to strive for will usually require a much more structured lesson and will be very dependent on the teacher for learning new material, care should be taken to make sure that there is always time set aside to make the lessons fun and enjoyable through engaging activities to keep the younger learners focused and motivated. Adult learners will be for the most part much more focused on the lessons being taught even though their information retention might not be as high as that of young beginner learners, as stated before to ensure that the younger learners are paying attention we should try to make the lesson as engaging as possible. Discipline is another point where the two groups differ tremendously. Adults will usually be well-disciplined as they have chosen to be there to improve their language skills. Whereas younger learners might present a few problems when it comes to discipline, in these situations, we as teachers need to remember to keep calm and have patience and tolerance. It is best to get down to their level and explain to them why their actions or behavior is not acceptable and help them understand the problem and thus hopefully decrease the chance of it happening again. As teachers, we must create and maintain good rapport with the students. We have to make sure that the students, regardless of age or level, feel comfortable within the class and are eager and willing to learn. Students will have a much more positive and easy experience learning from a teacher they can trust. In summary, regardless of age or level, we as teachers need to understand each student's needs and motivations and make programs that suit those wants and needs. We must pay attention to the feedback our students give us so that we can better prepare future lessons. Above all else, we must remember to be patient and tolerant, as every student is there for a reason, to improve his/her language skills.
