3658. Language Facts or Communication in Class?

 I teach English to adults. It’s so great … and demanding. 

Adults have some characteristic way of learning the language. For example they tend to focus on specific grammar patterns and ways of saying things in the target language. Well, it’s something I also do when learning that language myself. And it is something I cannot change. It is something we can take advantage from, anyway. 

Even in that way they can learn quite a lot. You know, it doesn’t matter they would ask me questions in class that show they are focusing on grammar. It’s ok. It’s ok ever if also we as teachers facilitate there is plenty of communication in English in class. 

I mean, do not confine as a teacher to teach grammar and language facts, but provide a lot of communication in class. 

When some newcomer arrives at one of those groups of mine – and I’m thinking of one specific group – that new student says kind of, Oh I can see my classmates have a lot of fluency while in my case … Why do the other students have that much fluency? 

I guess it’s due to the amount of communication we practice in class. Well, to be honest, they commit a lot of mistakes and errors, yet they achieve to communicate in English and we have some nice discussions. 

So I’d tell you if you teach grownups, it’s ok you teach grammar and language facts; however, try and foster a lot of communication in whatever the target language is! 

As well all this already said may be applied to teens: language facts plus communication. 

For example something we do in class is describing pictures: from that point a lot may be attained in class, just from a photo: namely describing it plus nice discussions from that pic: a lot may be said and prompted from a photograph from their textbook, or a magazine, or something projected on the whiteboard. Have a nice day.

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