Company TESOL Courses

Teaching classes containing a wide variety of ages People learn english for various purposes. english can be used to teach their own children, to be an english teacher, to use in their business, or to have fun. As a global language, english represents an important social, linguistic, and economic resource. The demand for english and for teachers of english around the world is likely to continue. For this reason, there are many of different types of students. As a teacher, having classes containing a wide variety of ages is a quite hard to deal with. Teachers will face lots of problems and difficulties when they teach these kinds of classes. Students will have different purpose, prior learning experience, and motivation. Teachers should be well prepared and trained to teach the classes and they need to deeply consider which way of teaching would be the best way to their students in the classes. First of all, if a teacher has a class containing a wide range of ages, he/she should survey their purpose, motivation, level, and prior educational experience. If there are too many differences in one class, it is better to make another class to classify them. If students are different not only in ages but also in purpose, the class must be hard for teachers to manage. In this case, the teacher should divide the class into two which have same purpose. If this way is impossible, teacher should at least make group of students who has same purpose so that they can discuss or have feedback, and do an activity together. Students already have gap of ages in the class, in this situation, another differences can make students confused and their motivation down. Teachers should try to make intimate environment among students. Because of wide variety of ages, students must hard to talk and appeal their opinion each other. For example, in Korea, It could be impolite if young students directly point out older students’ flaw even though it is happening during the class. However, once they are close and understand each other, it will be natural to give an advice and talk about their flaw together. The students’ can be less shy and be active when they close each other, either. Teachers’ language and contribution is important for successful TEFL class. Carefully-designed teaching plan, well-organized in-class activities, and properly-applied teaching method are commonly accepted as important factors. While language is the first and main medium for all of these, teachers’ language deserves great emphasis as far as students’ motivation is concerned. Especially, in the class with wide range of ages, teachers’ language is more important because the efficient languages in a class according to age are different. If the teachers’ languages are too serious and dull, younger students will not manage them. Younger students can fall asleep or be distracted. On the other hand, the languages are too funny and moving, older students will not concentrate on the lecture because the funny accent can bother them. For this reason, teachers in the class with wide range of ages should be more careful and adjust their voice and accent according to circumstances and students’ reaction. In other word, the teacher should be more sensitive and thoughtful in this type of class. The class with wide range of ages is difficult and hard to manage. However, if teachers take good survey before and during the class and comprehend students’ needs, make a smooth and intimate environment, are good care of their language, and are sensitive to their students, managing the class will not be hard. Moreover, teachers can pull out many interesting stories and opinions from the students with wide range of ages. Likewise, if teachers know what is good and what is bad thing in the class, the age diversity should not be matter.