3581. Can an Adult Learn a Language When He or She Is Getting a Bit Older? The Answer Is a Qualified Yes!

 Some of my students have lately improved a lot, and I notice it on our dear online lessons. I teach English as a foreign language. I teach grownups. And they are autonomous learners, so also when we finish the school year at the end of May I guess they will continue learning that marvelous language on their own. 

An autonomous learner is the one who really and truly wishes to learn. If he or she is learning English, they will carry out a series of activities. Namely they practice the four language skills: listening, reading and writing. 

Did I say four? I did. Well, one of them also practices speaking by replying to himself when doing exercises as if he was answering on the class to several people. Even I sometimes do it myself, when learning that language! It is not some crazy speaking alone, to myself! 

For example some months ago I used to dedicate some daily minutes to a C1 English book. C1 is advanced but not the top, which is C2. And when the speaking activities came up, I used to mentally answer those exercises… and I noticed my fluency somewhat developed, believe me. 

And how do I notice those students have bettered? Well, in a series of points. 

They show more fluency when talking. 

They utilize more accurate grammar and they say more things in an accurate way. 

They have more lexis. I guess they use some words they’ve recently learned. 

And I feel they are more secure when they intervene on the online lessons. I’m happy with them. Well, with all my learners: all of them take classes so seriously. 

Last but not least: on the classes all of them contribute to the conversations umpteen plus zillions of times. Have a nice week.