Recently I’ve been teaching adults at IH Newcastle…and after specialising in YLs for over 15 years, I never thought I would find the same enjoyment teaching adults. However, I’ve found that I use the same motivating techniques with adults…singing, chanting, dancing, playing. etc. Admittedly, I’m the one who does most of the dancing but it does get them motivated, makes them laugh (which lowers the affective filter) and gives them something to talk about. I think if they see that you are prepared to make a fool of yourself, and act childishly, they are too and their inner child is unleashed. The advantage of this regression is perhaps linked to first language acquisition, and students acquire the language being taught in a way that they learned their first language.
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