There are many benefits of studying for older learners, such as increased self-confidence, increased feelings of health and well-being, reduced feelings of isolation, and increased engagement in the community.
Many seniors wish to study a foreign language and there is now substantial evidence that they can learn a new language effectively. My experience is that senior learners are excellent language students for a number of reasons.
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Life experience
Senior students have a wealth of life experience and when they bring this to the classroom they enrich the learning experience of the whole class. Our teachers comment that older learners are excellent students to have in the classroom as they are always happy to talk about their experiences and give their opinions on a wide range of topics.
Great motivation
Senior learners do not normally need a certificate, diploma, or university credit; their motivation is intrinsic. They may study for intellectual enjoyment, to socialise with their peers, or because it is something they have always wanted to do. In fact, senior learners are very often more highly motivated than younger learners. Their high level of motivation is a great advantage as this has been identified as one of the most important factors in determining successful language learning. The motivation of senior learners is reflected by the fact that they rarely miss a class, participate very actively in the classroom, and always do their homework.
Social element
We have discovered that there is a strong social component in seniors attending English classes. They often attend class to mix with their peers, forming very strong friendships and socialising together after the class and even in their free time.
Attitude
Our experience is that senior learners have an extremely positive attitude toward language learning and life in general. They treat both their teachers and their classmates with the utmost respect and politeness. Our teachers often comment on how kind, considerate, and hardworking senior learners are, and what a pleasure they are to teach.
So our experience is that the life experience, motivation to learn, and positive attitude of senior learners provide them with many advantages as language learners. However, there are cognitive, affective and physiological factors that can affect senior language learning. We are going to identify these factors and then look at how you can adapt your courses and practices to meet the needs of older learners.
Helping students hear
Hearing loss may have a direct impact on learning and performance for senior learners. In order to decrease the negative effects of this auditory loss, teachers should try to accommodate the aging ear in a number of ways by:
speaking clearly and ensuring that the students can see their faces and lips.
adjusting the volume for listenings and videos.
repeating listening texts.
using short films and videos which aid listening comprehension as students can see the face and lips of the speakers.
ensuring that your classrooms have little background noise.
Helping students see
Defective vision increases dramatically as people age. Visual ability is particularly important in education as it is generally accepted that approximately 80% of all learning occurs through vision. To accommodate this loss in vision, here are some steps to follow:
Use a larger print type for printed text.
Make sure that senior students sit as close to the board as possible.
Write very clearly on the board.
Ensure that classrooms have a lot of natural light and that there is direct lighting for the whiteboard.
Mobility
As people age, the body tends to lose some strength, flexibility, and mobility. They may also suffer from arthritis and rheumatism. These changes may make it difficult for older learners to move around the classroom. To compensate for these changes we recommend doing the following things:
Ensure that older learners have comfortable chairs and tables.
Allow more time for older students to do whole class communicative activities where students have to stand up and move around the classroom.
Memory
Research indicates that cognitive development, recall, and problem-solving may show a decline with aging. In order to overcome this cognitive decline which may make it more difficult to learn a new language, teachers can help seniors develop and maintain their cognitive ability in a number of ways:
Integrate memory exercises into classes. Use visual and auditory mnemonic devices, examples, and memory associations to help seniors rehearse and later retrieve vocabulary and expressions from long-term memory.
Systematically repeat and recycle grammar, vocabulary, and expressions.
Encourage students to draw on their wealth of experiences and to use cognitive strategies they have used successfully in the past in their current language learning environment.
Allow more time for students to produce language without being interrupted.
Let's talk: Do you think it is important to learn a new language as we get older and why? What other language learning tips can you share?