- Differences between ESL adult learners and ESL young learners
Due to the various psychology and different personal lives of each age group, there are significant differences between primary young learners (aged around 5-12) and adult learners (aged above 18) when learning English as described in the table below:
| ESL primary young learners | ESL adult learners | |
| Reason of learning English | -parental encouragement-English is concluded in curriculum of young learners at school *** No serious and concrete targets *** Low compulsion *** Learn English comfortably and passionately | -passing English tests/ exams-getting a good job -winning a scholarship abroad *** Serious and concrete targets *** High compulsion *** Learn English with tons of pressure and stress |
| Learning behaviors | -less willing to take part in classroom and outdoor activities - being afraid of making mistakes when raising ideas -spending most of time listening to teachers’ lecture *** Learn English actively | -being always enthusiastic to enjoy activities in and out of the classroom-confidently express their thoughts and their voices in classrooms *** Learn English passively |
| Area of interests | -focusing on forms of words, phrases, structures more than meanings | -acquiring the meanings clearly before understanding the forms |
| Time of learning | Very little time(most of time for working and social relationship) | A lot of time due to their freedom from work |
- Limitations of adult learners when learning English
The limitation of age creates lots of difficulty for adults to learn English language effectively.
The first problem is about time. Adult learners are too busy with their jobs, other studies and daily lives to concentrate on learning English seriously. They find it so hard to spend their time attending fully an English course or doing English assignments at home after their hard-working time of working and studying other fields.
The second limitation is limited thought of adult learners when learning English. Concretely, adult learners are too diffident to contribute their ideas to English lessons in classroom. They are afraid of making mistakes because they think their teachers may blame them or their classmates may laugh at them. Similarly, they may get frustrated easily when they realize that they have made no or little progress in their process of learning English.
Besides, adult learners are sometimes attracted by many others interests such as playing games or chatting on social networks like Facebook or Twitter ; which decreased significantly their determination to begin an English course or continue their English study course. To these types of English learners, even when they have determined clearly their target of learning English, they give themselves an optional choice in which learning or not learning English is not too important.
- Why adults should be a child to learn English
Of all differences between ESL adult learners and primary young learners as well as all limitations of adult learners when learning English mentioned above, I myself think that the differences in term of the targets of learning English between two these group of age should be considered the most.
As mentioned above, primary young learners have no concrete targets when learning English. That primary young learner access to English lesson without any stress and pressure gives them much freedom to learn English naturally and comfortably. It can be said that they learn English – a second language by the ways which are quite similar to their learning the mother tongue. They attentively join in the lectures of teachers and actively raise their ideas or volunteer to sing English songs or play English games; which leads to their natural acquisition for English language.
In contrast, the adult learners have too many reasons to give up their English learning at very first stages. Their traditional methods of learning that depends on teachers too much makes their study of English almost boring.
Therefore, I personally suggest that every ESL adult learner should learn English as if they were primary young learners. Actually, the best result of learning any language is that the learners can use that language fluently at the most basic level. It means learners are hoped to be able to speak, listen, read and write that language at a definite level. Speaking, listening, reading or writing abilities are language skills that require the practice of language learners.
Hence, take the role of a child to learn English!
Beginning your studying English with a friendly attitude first, which means it is necessary for you to love English and then acquire it! Be brave and enthusiastic to answer your ESL teachers’ questions, raise your ideas, express your troubles when there are any difficult English words or phrases, play English games, sing English songs, tell stories in English and rehearse dramas in English.
Throw away all your stress and pressure that you must pass an English test to win a scholarship abroad or to apply for a job, let learn English like a child who is much curious of discovering something very new and interesting. And then you may see the positive changes!
Learning any foreign language, for instance English language needs a long-lasting procedure, so don’t be disappointed when you cannot understand it and use it excellently after a short time. As you can see, a child needs at least one year to be able to communicate in his or her mother tongue at very basic level. There is no reason that you force yourself to acquire English in just few days or few weeks! Remember that we have a lot of chances to learn English again and again or more and more. And to make your English study less stressful, start with the simple words or structures, then continue with the more difficult ones. Be a child also means you do not have to learn a large amount of English knowledge at just one time; but a little English knowledge each time, and learn English every day!
In conclusion, each person has a variety of ways to learn English. However, it will be an interesting experience if you can do the same way a child do because it may bring lots of effects to your learning. Here are some useful websites for your references:
By Bui Chi and Thanh Huong
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