Teacher Discussion Forums

I would like to share experiences on the topic.
Living in a country with a very high rate of retired citizens it is vital to be as skillful as possible to give them a life besides the second language.

Could you explain your idea a little further? Give some examples of what you mean?

motivating them for a life, a better life at stages where they attend classes mostly to socialize, sometimes to have the chance to talk to somebody who cares.
so my concern is always to give them more and better, not only from the language itself, but also for them to take when they walk out the classroom
thanks for your reply!!!

Do you have a problem with them coming to socialize and learn something too during the process? I don't see a problem with that. Just coming to class is often what they need.

I suppose that Tete is saying that when the elderly people come to class then we should make efforts to provide the kind of class they are looking for, with lots of social interaction and stress-free warmth. Not worry too much about past participles.

I agree. I teach elderly people too, but usually one at a time, in a group of younger people. It's often difficult, especially here in Korea where there is a mountainous generation gap. So, if Tete has whole classes of people with similar needs, maybe Tete is lucky.

(That seems to be the case with your teaching environment Lori, and therefore the humanistic approach you take may very well be the best thing).

Actually, my students range in age from 18 to 80. Heh. But the older ones seem to really enjoy coming to class and learning. In my ESL Computer classes they learn how to send e-mail to their grandchildren .