Teaching Children vs. Teaching Adults Essay Example
Teaching Children vs. Teaching Adults
The assignment:
To do an internet search to submit a set of strategies or tips in teaching adults and teaching children.
There are many differences in teaching children and adults. Obviously, a teacher must adapt the material when teaching children and adults the same topic. But there are other differences too. Adults and children both learn at different speeds and come into a classroom with different life experiences. A teacher must adjust the material to accommodate students' skill levels and adjust teaching methods to match their maturity levels.
Attention Span * Average adults and children have differences in attention span. A teacher must recognize this and adjust lesson plans to accommodate the attention span of the students. Most children will not be able to sit still as long as the average adult, therefore a teacher should schedule time for physical movement for children. A teacher should break lesson material into smaller segments for children and infuse crafts and other visuals to keep their interest. Though adult students often appreciate short breaks to stretch, their attention spans are longer, so these can be shorter and less frequent than when teaching children.
Communication Differences * Methods of communication must be considered when teaching adults and children. An adult audience is likely to stay focused on a teacher who is merely delivering a speech. Adults appreciate and benefit from visual aids and stimulation, but the visuals can be more educational, such as graphs and charts, than entertaining. A class of children will lose interest more quickly, therefore requiring a more creative method of communication. A teacher can use puppets or flannel graphs as visual aids to help students stay focused.
Vocabulary Differences * Vocabulary is another issue that a teacher must consider. Adults are likely able to focus their attention on lessons with longer and more obscure words.
The assignment:
To do an internet search to submit a set of strategies or tips in teaching adults and teaching children.
There are many differences in teaching children and adults. Obviously, a teacher must adapt the material when teaching children and adults the same topic. But there are other differences too. Adults and children both learn at different speeds and come into a classroom with different life experiences. A teacher must adjust the material to accommodate students' skill levels and adjust teaching methods to match their maturity levels.
Attention Span * Average adults and children have differences in attention span. A teacher must recognize this and adjust lesson plans to accommodate the attention span of the students. Most children will not be able to sit still as long as the average adult, therefore a teacher should schedule time for physical movement for children. A teacher should break lesson material into smaller segments for children and infuse crafts and other visuals to keep their interest. Though adult students often appreciate short breaks to stretch, their attention spans are longer, so these can be shorter and less frequent than when teaching children.
Communication Differences * Methods of communication must be considered when teaching adults and children. An adult audience is likely to stay focused on a teacher who is merely delivering a speech. Adults appreciate and benefit from visual aids and stimulation, but the visuals can be more educational, such as graphs and charts, than entertaining. A class of children will lose interest more quickly, therefore requiring a more creative method of communication. A teacher can use puppets or flannel graphs as visual aids to help students stay focused.
Vocabulary Differences * Vocabulary is another issue that a teacher must consider. Adults are likely able to focus their attention on lessons with longer and more obscure words.