Young and Adult Learners: Language Development and Writing Task

This assignment delves into the contrasting characteristics of young and adult learners in language development. It highlights the differences in their approach to language learning, considering factors such as autonomy, learning styles, anxiety levels, motivation, and the role of life experiences. The assignment then presents a lesson plan designed for young learners focusing on story writing, detailing the objectives, age group, level, materials, and a step-by-step procedure including warmer activities, context setting, and evaluation. The lesson plan aims to enhance writing skills, comprehension, and vocabulary through interactive activities. Additionally, the document includes references to relevant research on language learning and teaching methodologies, providing a comprehensive overview of the topic. This assignment is a valuable resource for educators and students seeking to understand the nuances of teaching language to different age groups.

Running head: YOUNG AND ADULT LEARNERS 1
Young and Adult Learners
Name
Institution

YOUNG AND ADULT LEARNERS 2
YOUNG AND ADULT LEARNERS
Quiz 1
It is true that adult learners are different from young learners with regard to language
learning. The main difference between adults and children lies mainly in the distinction between
the child’s peripheral, spontaneous attention to forms of language as well as adult’s overt, focal
attention to and awareness of those forms (Nippold, 2016). Children are quite different on
numerous accounts for example:
 Intellectual Development- explanations and rules
 Attention span- the attention span of the children is short
 Sensory input- all their five senses must be stimulated
 Affective filters- children are very sensitive
 Authentic, Meaningful language- children focus on here and now, they often want
immediate rewards as well as success.
The differences are as follows:
1. Autonomy-
Adult learners are extremely independent, whereas young learners are not independent
(Brockett & Hiemstra, 2018). Adults can do the work by themselves, organize themselves as
well as decide on the direction of the lesson, while in young learners; someone has to take
control of the classroom.
2. Learning-

YOUNG AND ADULT LEARNERS 3
Young learners require to be subjected to different activities which are a link to the
different senses. The various activities taking place in the classroom of Young learners should
also be short (DeKeyser, 2018). With adult learners, you can spend more time just learning tasks.
Adult learners also engage more intensely with different learning materials. Adult learners do not
require a wide variety of activities as compared to Young Learners.
3. Anxiety-
Adult learners are normally more nervous when in the classroom as compared to Young
Learners. Children are willing to attempt anything in the classroom so long as it makes fun to
them (Pinter, 2017). They also have no fear. Adult learners sometimes feel anxious due to the
fact that they are not in the age of the typical learner (Herts, Beilock & Levine, 2019). They
often approach issues in the classroom with a sense of anxiety when they are not comfortable.
4. Motivation-
Adult learners are more motivated as compare to Yong learners. Adult learners are
normally in the classroom since they need to or choose to learn English for study or work, which
means the motivation level of adults, are generally high. Young learners generally have no
choice; they may easily lose enthusiasm in case they are not interested in activities which are
taking place in their classroom.
Discipline-
Teaching Young learners require a lot of discipline. An individual has to deal with
discipline effectively and calmly. Whereas in teaching adult learners, disciplines are not an issue.
Life experience-

YOUNG AND ADULT LEARNERS 4
Lastly, the main difference between teaching Young learners and teaching adults is what
the learners bring to their classroom (Davies & Hamilton, 2018). Young learners often bring
curiosity, enthusiasm, and energy, whereas adult learners bring life experience.
Quiz 2
The Topic: Story Writing
Time duration: 40 to 45 minutes
Objective: 1. Practicing writing skills
2. Increasing the anticipation skills of the
students by word guessing activity
3. Reinforcing comprehension skills of the
students
4. Use language to recreate roles as well as
experiences
5. To develop character by description,
dialogue, and action
Age: 05 to 09 years old
Level: beginner
Teaching Aids: Projector, computer, worksheets
Warmer (time:04mins) Link the words:
Tutor or teacher will start a word and then
every student will provide a different word
related to the word provided by the teacher.
For instance when the teacher says red, a single

YOUNG AND ADULT LEARNERS 5
student says apple and so on.
This will help them to know new words and to
build their vocabulary.
Context setting Time: 10min procedure
Teacher (t) Activity Student (S) Activity purpose
1 1. Teacher displays a
video of story
ingenious goat
2. Teacher asks
learners to write what
take place in the story
in their worksheet.
Students watch the
video.
2. They write the
events that occurred
in the story
Audiovisual help in
illustrating the
abstract topic making
it to be more
meaningful for the
students. This activity
will help the students
to remember the
events that took place
in the story.
2 1. Teacher asks
students to try section
2 in worksheet one.
Teacher give out word
guessing activity
1. Students attempt
and answer. Students
do the task by
themselves after that
they their answers
with one another.
The activity related to
word guessing
provides students with
suitable vocabulary
items. It also enables
the students to
comprehend the topic

YOUNG AND ADULT LEARNERS 6
under discussion.
Actual content Time: 10min procedure
Teacher (t) Students (S) Activity Purpose
3 1. Teacher asks the
students about their
most preferred stories
2. Teacher tells the
students how they can
write a story.
3. Teacher shows
students video of a
different story and
then ask the students
the events that took
place.
1. Student answer.
2. Student grasp.
3. Student answers the
activity they can
remember.
This activity enables
the students to know
more about story line.
Recapitulation Time: 8min Procedure
Teacher (t) Activity Student (S) Activity Purpose
4. 1. Teacher distributes
work sheet 2
containing two images
and tells learners to
write a story relating
to the 2 images.
Students write a story
on the two images
The pictures enhance
students’ imagination.
Evaluation Time: 10mins procedure

YOUNG AND ADULT LEARNERS 7
5. 1. Teacher asks
students whether they
find it easy to
understand the
images.
2. Teacher then asks
students what they
have learnt from the
story.
1. Students provide
their opinions.
2. Student provides
their answers.
1.This activity will
strengthen the
speaking skills of the
students on a
particular topic.
2. It helps teacher to
know whether the
procedure and
instructions was easy
for the learners.

YOUNG AND ADULT LEARNERS 8
References
Brockett, R. G., & Hiemstra, R. (2018). Self-direction in adult learning: Perspectives on theory,
research and practice. Routledge.
Davies, R., & Hamilton, P. (2018). Assessing learning in the early years’ outdoor classroom:
examining challenges in practice. Education 3-13, 46(1), 117-129.
DeKeyser, R. M. (2018). Age in learning and teaching grammar. The TESOL encyclopedia of
english language teaching, 1-6.
Herts, J. B., Beilock, S. L., & Levine, S. C. (2019). The Role Of Parents’and Teachers’math
Anxiety In Children’s Math Learning And Attitudes. Mathematics Anxiety: What Is
Known, And What Is Still Missing, 190.
Nippold, M. A. (2016). Later language development: School-age children, adolescents, and
young adults. PRO-ED, Inc. 8700 Shoal Creek Boulevard, Austin, TX 78757-6897.
Pinter, A. (2017). Teaching young language learners. Oxford University Press.