In our previous mini-article entitled “Second Language Acquisition in Adult Learners” we mentioned that one of the main reasons why adults fail to acquire the language effectively is because they are presented almost exclusively with unnatural samples of language devoid of meaning or communicative goals. They are forced to repeat grammar patters, vocabulary drills and similar kinds of exercises which give them the false belief that they hava a good command of the language. However, when faced with a real situation, most adult learners working like this simply dry up and fail to communicate or_ in the best of cases, they have several problems to both to understand and to get their message across. After all, this is not the way in which first language acquisition takes place. (For more details on this, please read “Acquiring a First Language,” by Julio Foppoli)

For second language acquisition to take place the adult student (and children too!)must be surrounded by meaningful language all the time. Students need contact, interaction, real situations to participate in, to make use of their language and work out how the language is use through a hands on approach, not just reading a grammar book and filling out the gaps. Students interacting actively no only will be engaged but they will also be making LOTS of mistakes! And that is really awesome! After all, language is acquired through a trial and error process. By making mistakes they gradually come to realize how the language works, just as it happens with a child.

Having said this, it is also important to point out that adults are not simply mature children; adults and children do learn differently.

According to recent studies (for more info on this read Dorothy Mackeracher’s Making Sense of Adult Learning), unlike children, adults have extensive pragmatic life experiences that tend to structure and limit new learning. Learning focuses largely on transforming or extending the meanings, values, skills, and strategies acquired in previous experience. They also experience major pressures for change from factors related to social and work roles and expectations, and from personal needs for continuing productivity and self-definition. In addition, adults have the capacity for using generalized, abstract thought and they are likely to express their own needs and describe their own learning processes through verbal activities which allow them to negotiate and collaborate in planning their own learning programs. Adults have an organized and consistent self-concept and self-esteem which allows them to participate as a self separate from other selves and capable of acting independently of others.

A student’s self-esteem is also an important consideration for teachers to keep in mind. There are many things a teacher can do to facilitate the continued development of students’ self-esteem. Among these are offering positive verbal and non-verbal reinforcement EVEN when a student makes mistakes. Unfotunately, this is not always the case since mistakes are penalized in most cases! Imagine the impact of a given student when the only thing a teacher does is to correct him or her every time s/he tries to say something. Teachers should imitate parents while raising a child acquiring a first language. They just correct meaning, not rules or patterns. The latter will eventually fall into place without much effort.

In conclusion, it is obvious that adults and children do NOT have the same cognitive and mental abilities, and that a Second Language program for either group must be radically different so as to contemplate their differences. However, the underlying principle behind every single course either for children or adults is that natural communication is the fuel that keeps the wheels of any language turning. Without it, no matter how much you try, you will remain in the same place, after all, you cannot drive a car without wheels and you cannot learn a language without real communication.

Julio Foppoli is a teacher of English as a Second Language,
teacher of Spanish as a Second Language. He is also the creator and owner of http://www.esaudio.net/Spanish, an online educational website with a technological edge, specialized in the teaching of Spanish as second language via audio-conference to native speakers of English from all over the world.

The website offers free listening comprehension activities with Spanish from all of the Spanish speaking world.

An active life often makes it challenging to get around to reading all the books you want to. Often we do not see how lengthy journeys to the office and other activities may take up large portions of our time. A demanding job, dealing with kids or housework can all cut down the free time available to spend on your interests. You could use the hours spent driving to catch up on books you can’t get around to reading. With modern downloads, you can relish Kiss The Girls by James Patterson for sale from Download Audio Book Online, or audible books brought to life by Anita Shreve when you are busy doing other things.

Nowadays multitasking has become a must. Audio-books such as Cyber Law by William Brand available from Download Audio Book Online occupy the squandered minutes in our lives, it could be waiting time in a dentist’s surgery or grocery shopping. Numerous audio-books may be downloaded right now as mp3 files including Classic Radio Sci-fi: R.U.R. by Karel Capek, so grab your mp3 player and earphones and take the chance to discover a best seller or a great novel, such as audio titles by Dr. Mark Stone without hauling a cumbersome book around.

Audible books provide a multitude of advantages such as the ability to rent or buy instructional books and listen to them at your own pace. Need to learn Cantonese? Why not try out audio books? Perhaps the latest sales techniques interest you, or you can enjoy meditating on current notions in religious belief. Audio books are available in a multitude of titles and literary genres. Whether you are a wine buff, mad about horror even if your interested in health and fitness, most can be downloaded right away. Options are wide open; you can simply subscribe to a program and hire titles or buy the title outright.

Reading devotees will always seek out a way to read, even so the thousands of audio titles available offer convenience. A author or actor can enhance the enjoyment of many novels. Reading a book isn’t the same experience as savoring an audio title recounted by Gloria White, with niceties given during a performance. Hearing audio books narrated by John J Nance can bring more depth to your reading experience and frequently can mean much more than the words on a page. So the next time in future when you consider purchasing the hard copy of a book you might never find time to read, don’t forget an audio-book as a better choice.

A New Approach Every Decade

It seems with every decade a new approach or theory of English or other foreign language learning comes into vogue. Keeping up can be daunting, even exasperating for TEFL English teachers worldwide. Each of us has our own environment and particular situation in regards to materials, facilities, time constraints, knowledge, training, skills and abilities among other venues. Let’s not even talk about administrative demands. Despite these, there are some commonalities. Our EFL / ESL learners all want the same thing in varying degrees - to develop English language skills.

So first, let’s consider some ways people can learn new information or develop new skills and abilities. Regardless of currently accepted approaches or theory some aspects are staple and constant. There are, essentially, nine ways students learn new information or develop new skills. These key methods are:

• Observing someone else, then copying their actions

We all know this one. It made millions for Arthur Murray and numerous other dance instructors. We watch, and then we try until the movements are fluid and natural looking. It takes two to Tango in more ways than one. Ever watch an infant? As you coo and talk to him / her, they watch your mouth intently. Later, they’ll try to mimic you and other speakers. It works, of course. After all, YOU can talk quite well now, can’t you?

• Practicing doing something on our own

Actually, I learned to play rudimentary chess this way, practicing by “playing” against myself for hours on end. Many fishermen learn and develop their skills using this method as well. For language learning, students could try using CDs, tapes, videos or mimicking speakers live, on TV or radio.

• Having a personal instructor or trainer

From learning to skate to getting a Black Belt, this is a preferred method for many physical skills. When learners attend a formal class this method is being incorporated too.

• Taking a course from a knowledgeable person or source

For study and learning of abstract knowledge like the arts, language or music, most people would tend to use this method. At some point or another most learners do attend a class in the target language, especially in the USA, England, Canada or Australia where English is the first language of the people.

• Keep trying and failing until the action, sequence or information is “acquired”

Whether growing a new business or learning to ice skate, this is one way, albeit a painful one at times, to learn a new skill. In acquiring speaking and listening comprehension skills, learners need to continually try and “fail” in the production and comprehension efforts.

• Following guidelines or instructions on how to do something

Want to build your own computer? Assemble a model plane, car or boat? Hit a straight drive or bowl a 300? Most likely you’ve used this method with electronics or in assembling a toy, a framework, and a piece of furniture or something like a tent. In a language pronunciation segment, learners follow speech reproduction guidelines to improve their sound production accuracy.

Think about each of these methods or approaches and I’m sure you’ll come up with some skill, ability or knowledge you obtained using several of them. You’ll likely also note that different types and kinds of skills required different approaches on your part. You likely tried to learn something in one way, failed, and then tried another approach or two successfully. So keep learning. Keep growing and Good Luck.

Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an ELT Teacher Trainer, English language learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. He has published more than 350 articles and academic papers and presented at numerous EFL teacher training and TEFL conferences throughout North America, South America and Europe. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com