What Qualities Do Adult English Language Learners Want in a Teacher?

What makes a great English teacher? Children and Adults apparently disagree.

Marisa Constantinides, a prominent EFL teacher and blogger, wrote a fascinating article that explores this issue in a fascinating post. Here it is.

http://marisaconstantinides.edublogs.org/2010/02/14/what-kind-of-teacher-are-you-are-you-in-your-students-hall-of-fame/comment-page-1/

While I have no experience teaching young child, the survey confirms my perceptions about the educational desires of adult students. Many adult students work and struggle in boring, stressful positions so they seek more creativity and passion in their English classes – and English teachers. Further, given the time pressures, instructors who both efficiently manage their classes and display patience are appreciated.

I would be curious, however, to know if there is a difference between various types of adult learners. For instance, many Business English classes in an EFL context include many middle-class professionals while many more working class adults attend ESL classes in English speaking classes. I also wonder if different ages of adults would provide different responses. Would younger working adults look for the same qualities as seniors taking an English class? Would creativity and passion still top the list of desired characteristics for English teachers?

The bottomline remains the same: our English students invest considerable time, energy, and often money into their studies. It behooves us to create compelling English lessons, exude energy, and patiently, clearly their "good mistakes".

“I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.”
Socrates (BC 469-BC 399) Greek philosopher of Athens


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The Dogma of Dogme | Kalinago English

What makes a compelling classroom conversation, anyway?

This excellent overview of the Dogme teaching style, by ELT and Business English expert Karenne Joy Sylvester provides a solid primer. It also provides an intellectual "defense" of simple, authentic, and meaningful conversations in our ESL and EFL classrooms. If you are taking a methods class, you will especially appreciate this article. Check it out!





The Dogma of Dogme | Kalinago English

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Create Compelling Conversations.
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