“How to be a better language teacher for adult learners?” is a question many of us have asked ourselves. The first quality that springs to mind when thinking of a competent teacher is that they should be knowledgeable in the subject matter they are teaching. This is, by all means, true. But there are also certain “soft skills” that make a difference between a good and an average teacher.

Before I get started, I should note that I wrote this article from the perspective of a teacher in a so-called “conversation club,” where adults come to improve their language-speaking skills. This is somewhat different from classical language schools, where learning is based on textbooks. I have been teaching English and Spanish to small groups and privately in Japan for more than ten years, and the following points are what I found to be essential when teaching adults.

Curiosity

I find benevolent curiosity to be one of the most important traits when teaching foreign languages to adults, in so many ways. During lessons, it can lead to a diverse source of conversation and opportunities to ask open-ended questions, which stimulate students to speak more. Outside of the classroom, following your curiosity and traveling “down the rabbit hole” to learn more about something can frequently lead to possibilities to enhance classes with fresh and memorable content. This is true for the language as well. For instance, answering the question “Why is English the way it is?” could provide some intriguing information. If learners understand the origins of particular linguistic quirks, they frequently find it easier to accept them.

Flexibility

What makes teaching adults so special and rewarding is that each person comes with their own story. Unlike teaching schoolchildren using lesson plans and textbooks, adult learners prefer a more flexible approach and more space to express themselves. Even though the teachers might have prepared a lesson plan for that day, they should be able to readjust the lesson flow to accommodate the initiative of the learners. Students might also come with some questions, and teachers should be ready to give them priority. The fact that students have already spent some time researching independently and have developed some queries will mean that their interest is awake and that they will absorb new knowledge more easily.

Creativity

Creativity is crucial when creating lesson materials or utilizing technology to improve the learning experience. This can add a lot of fun and excitement to each lesson. Additionally, it might encourage students to take initiative before, during, and after lessons. It increases interest and focus, which results in higher learning retention. Inspiration can be found almost anywhere, including in movies, news stories, travel, casual conversation, books, DIY stores, and even your garden. Having a creative mindset will lead you to actively “scan” your surroundings for ideas and ways to enhance your teaching.

Open-mindedness

We all come with our own predetermined set of values, largely formed by our upbringing, surroundings, and other factors. When teaching adults, we are meeting people with their own backgrounds. What is common sense for us might be something very exotic and distant for another person. Being aware of this is one of the key points when creating a stimulating and respectful learning environment. This diversity of opinions can be highlighted and explored. It may even develop into an invaluable collection of lesson plans. Seeing a single topic from several angles might lead to numerous opportunities for discovery.

Patience

The ability to slow down and give students the time they require is crucial. It might be quite tempting to finish our students’ sentences when they are hesitating. After all, we are just helping them. But, are we, really? This “thinking time” is very valuable for them. They are creating new structures and figuring out how to communicate. We, the teachers, should attempt to wait for as long as is necessary, even though it occasionally causes the conversation to stall. And even when we do need to step in, we shouldn’t offer them ready solutions but rather try to give them a hint about how to proceed. With time, these pauses will become shorter, and the conversation will go smoother.

Cultural awareness

Cultural background can influence not only what people think but also how they communicate. For instance, whereas long pauses in conversation are unpleasant to us in the West, they are more acceptable in the Far East. There are a lot of fascinating insights into this subject in the book Culture Map by Erin Meyer. It is crucial to discuss cultural differences openly since students occasionally hesitate out of concern that they might say something that is culturally unacceptable.

Approachability

When instructing both young students and adults, it’s essential to be approachable and to provide a secure, non-judgmental learning atmosphere for the students. Being at ease enhances language learning, memorization, and knowledge consolidation, while stress inhibits learning. The first step in building this environment is to be personable. This will help students lose their fear of making mistakes. Errors are a normal part of learning, and they frequently make it simpler to recall the proper syntax or terminology.

Enthusiasm

As we age, we might get stuck in a routine. It’s equally crucial to be able to stimulate learners’ attention and spark their curiosity as it is to be able to clarify a grammatical issue. Alert minds remember better and can discover their own language patterns and rules. Being genuinely enthusiastic about what you are doing can make the difference between a mediocre session and a wonderful lesson. Enthusiasm is contagious. It helps if the teachers truly enjoy what they do because enthusiasm is something that cannot be faked over the long term.

Empathy

Empathy is the capacity to understand the feelings of another person. Learners come to lessons bringing part of their own world. How they feel on any given day will influence how the class goes and how effective their learning will be. It is important to understand them and, to a certain extent, to tune in with them. Their feelings might also be related to the learning process itself. There may be enthusiasm one moment and frustration the next. Perhaps they are struggling with grammar or trying to memorize terms that are difficult to master. To support future learning, it is essential to acknowledge these emotions and offer an environment free of bias.

Punctuality, sincerity, simplicity, and many more qualities might be added to this list, and some of the terms might even be used interchangeably. Therefore, even though this is not a comprehensive list, it represents what I believe to be crucial and where I place a lot of emphasis while teaching.