Teacher Discussion Forums

If anyone could suggest any tried and tested lesson plans or activities they have used (and worked) for a class of absolute beginner adults it would be much appreciated. ive never actually taught adults before and am a bit nervous about how to teach them. What would you guys say are the main differences between teaching adults and kids?
Thanks in advance for the help

I would have trouble comparing teaching adults with kids since I've only taught adults for over 30 years. Do you really mean absolute beginners? Here is a quick hodge podge of some things I've done. Among other things, I have used realia (plastic fruits and vegetables, plastic forks, combs, paper cups, household items etc.) to teach items and colors. (What's this? It's a ___; What color is this? It's ____) These items can also be used by students to ask each other the same questions. Students can say, "Give me the ...." or "I want the ...." or "Do you want the ...?" and trade things back and forth. If you don't have realia, you can use pictures.

Part of the body can be taught starting simple with "Put your hand on your head," etc. and get harder with right, left, two commands at a time, or negative commands (but don't put your right hand on your left elbow) as the class progresses.

I have taught numbers, and then dictated phone numbers, and used them to teach linking (American English "sick-sate" for "68" for example, in phone numbers. I've had them play bingo (regular bingo, although some teachers like to do their own bingo in other ways).

I've taught the letters and then given each student a set of alphabet cards, asking them to hold up the letter that I say, so I can see the whole class response at a time. They can ask each other to hold up letters too.

I've used a clock (old style--with hands--it's my age, I can't help it ) and given them each a clock. When I say the time, they fix the hands for that time and hold up the clock so I can see. After some of this practice, they can ask each other.

Well, that's just some of the stuff off the top of my head. Mostly I try to keep a lot of variety that includes student/student interaction, writing, listening, speaking, reading, etc. I believe that if the students are having an enjoyable time, it makes it easier to learn. I teach in a noncredit adult program, so there are no grades to worry about. On the other hand, we have open-entry open-exit classes, which means new students can pop in at any time.

If this doesn't seem to be what you want, ask again.

there's a book in a teaching series by oxford uni press called beginners which has hundreds of activties for complete beginners. i've never taught 'true' beginners before but i used some of the activties with some of my false beginner classes. A good one i use with the time (after covering the "rules" of time telling) (from this book) is arrange 12 chairs in a circle, draw the numbers 3 6 9 12 on paper, fold them and put them on their respective chairs (representation of a clock face). All students line up and the first two students come and choose any chair to sit on. One student represents the short hand and the other the long hand. one of the students asks the next person in the line " what's the time?" and the other person answers "it's ....", other students check the answer to themselves, the person asking says"thanks" and then one of the students goes to the back of the line and the first person in the line comes and sits down becoming the long hand of the clock. etc..
there's another good activity i rememeber whereby students cooperatively write down all the words in their language which are also the same word in English. because most languages have lots of loanwords from english this can effectively demonstrate to the students they already have a latent storehouse of usable english words.
cheers

mumra
A lot could depend on whether you're teaching English as a second language or as a foreign language ... because if you are teaching in an English-speaking environment there's much more scope for interaction about the everyday activities necessary for survival. Teaching in a non-English-speaking environment would tend to be rather more formal and classroom oriented.

Some years ago now I was learning a second language and a new teacher arrived whose experience was with children - and junior ones at that. It took her a while to start talking to us as equals: that meant thinking of us as equals, even if in that particular field we were only learners. That's easier, of course, if your class is less than twenty or so, and you can arrange the seating in a less formal manner, say U-shaped or in two or three groups. [Obviously, if you're in China with sixty students in front of you, formality will be the order of the day!]

And even with rank beginners try to validate their experience: see if they can explain, draw or bring in pictures of the work and interests that absorbed them in their previous life, and help the class to appreciate all that, even if in a very basic way (again, I'm talking mainly about immigrants in an English-speaking environment).

I've said enough. Others can add their experience if you're in a non-English environment, with a more homogeneous class and students with a more common purpose and experience.

You may find this even more of a learning experience for yourself than when teaching children, mumra, and I hope you're encouraged by some really interesting experience from the start.

Norm.