When it comes to engagement, you often put in more effort with young learners. Well, if you ask teachers of adult learners, you will find them agreeing with your opinion. However, it does not that mean that teaching adult students is very smooth. Teaching is always complicated no matter whom you are teaching, and it is not just the behaviour but the different style of each student to perceive things and understand the concept. Even if you are teaching adult learners, it can be pretty hard to engage them.
You will have to use distinct procedures to make sure that they explain the thought well. Though you have to teach book material, you need to think about what new things to introduce to engage and make the class interactive.
If you keep uttering what is writing in the book, it will make the lecture monotonous. Whether you are a subject teacher or language trainer, you must have some tactics to keep them engaged. Here are the tips that help young adult students engaged in the classroom.
Stay on Track
Adult learners are usually professionals who join your classroom after spending a day in the workplace. They are generally running out of time. This is why you must stay focused. You should discuss relevant things.
Do not overstretch the topic. You can plan your lesson before you take the class. The lesson plan will help brief you on what you have to cover in the course, so you do not get puzzled about what to teach and what not to teach.
Make sure that there is a sequence between the topics you are going to teach to the class. Otherwise, learners will get confused and lose interest.
Make the Classroom Interactive
Just because you have prepared a lesson plan, it does not mean that it is enough. Even if you have carefully examined the topics you have to discuss in the class, it may not be enough for you. If you want to engage your students, you should make the class interactive.
You can ask them questions so they stay attentive throughout the class. This will encourage them to be all ears, so when you call on them, they have the answer to your question. To make the classroom interactive, you can conduct activities too.
Most people think that activities are generally mean for young learners, but that is not so. For instance, if you have to take the class of professionals who have joined your batch to improve business communication skills, you can ask everyone to imagine themselves as entrepreneurs and business consultants who have conglomerated at a seminar where they have an opportunity to network.
This kind of activity will make your class more engaging than just uttering a couple of introductory phrases to them.
Share Useful Resources
Do not expect your student to rely on books. You will have to be creative if you are serious about your learning. You should introduce some new elements so students can carefully listen to you. What is already mentioned in the book, they can learn about them from the book anytime.
If you want to make the class interactive and engaging, you will have to tell them new things related to the topic. You can introduce an activity to implement those things in your lecture.
For instance, if you have to teach your students about email writing to a client, you can refer to some phrases already mentioned in the book and suggest some new ways to write instead of those phrases.
For example, most people start an email with the prevalent phrase, “Hope you are having a productive day.” They can get to know about them from their books. You should try to tell them some new things about the email writing to a client, including new phrases like “Hope you are in fine fettle.”
Apart from this, you should also give them new resources. Advise them how they can get more knowledge about a similar topic aside from the book. When your students find you telling them something new and valuable in the class, they will admire you and stay focused.
Provide Immediate Feedback
You can enhance the experience of your students by providing them with immediate feedback. You should ask them questions to know if they have understood the topic, spot errors, and make corrections. It will urge them to cooperate in the class actively.
It means that you don’t need always to require to ask them to provide feedback. When you conduct activities, you can go from one student to another to see how they are doing, and then you can give feedback either on the spot or collectively. So it is the best way to keep your students engaged.
Use Technology
Investment in technology is crucial to enhance the classroom experience of students. Make confident that you have the right accessories, like a projector, to teach your students. If you do not have enough money to invest in technology, you should take out instant loans in Ireland to fund them.
The Takeaway
To make your class engaged, you will have to focus on your teaching methods. You do not just need to stay limited to the literary text. You can instead introduce your creativity to make the lesson plan enjoyable. Make sure that you conduct activities, provide valuable resources, and offer feedback to your students.
Eoin Owen is the author of content writing and a professional blogger and financial consultant with more than four years in the same industries.