Vocabulary practice: trees in autumn

(Topic vocab: seasons, nature, trees)

In mid-autumn, nature presents itself in the most vibrant colours. But are you familiar with the the names of the trees clad in a symphony of autumn hues?

Language practice: idioms with "moon"

Last night's hunter's moon, a super moon, reminds us of some idioms containing the word "moon".

to the moon and back - usually used to tell someone how much you love them (to love someone to the moon and back)

to promise the moon - to say that you do much more than you actually achieve

once in a blue moon - not very often

many moons ago - a long time ago

to shoot for the moon - to ask for the best or most you could hope for

to be over the moon - to be very pleased

to moonlight - to work an extra job without telling your employer

TEFL in adult education: the blog

English as a global language

Among the many languages around the world, English has established global significance and leads competitors such as Arabic, Spanish, and French by a wide margin. 1.5 billion people are assumed to speak English, either as a native language, a second language or a foreign language. 

What is more, English is the means of communication which can be used nearly everywhere around the globe, a fact that does not equally apply to other global languages as they are often limited to certain world regions. 

Contexts of language usage

Terming English 'a global means of communication' does not reflect its significance for the many different contexts of usage beyond everyday communication, especially those which are marked by international collaboration or which can be seen as global industries such as tourism, business and finance, or aviation. 

Education and academia are among those areas where research and findings are nowadays better communicated if made available in English. The same applies to news media and online communication in general. 

The growing importance of English language instruction

As a consequence, English language instruction has become a sought-after option for many people to gain basic language skills or improve their language proficiency. 

In educational contexts such as in schools or at tertiary educational institutions, language classes have long been a permanent component of national curricula or have even been offered as full degree programs. 

Besides, language schools, often privately run enterprises, are providing the opportunity to study the language in a less institutionalised setting. 

The challenges of English language instruction in adult education

English becoming more and more important also leads to new challenges in language instruction. Besides the established teaching contexts in schools and universities, adult education has seen a surge in English language courses and classes, which cater to different needs. 

Teaching English to adults, though, comes with its own challenges and requirements. Often, students have no or very little language skills, or have not had institutionalised language instruction for many years. Moreover, the reason for taking up English language classes vary tremendously with many students focusing on improving their professional language skills, and some just enjoying social aspect of classes and preparing for a holiday abroad. 

TEFL in adult education: blog objectives 

For the aforementioned reasons, teaching English in adult education deserves more profound considerations, which this blog is about. 

More general observations on the nature of language instruction for an adult audience will be extended by concrete ideas and experience on teaching methodology as well as useful resources.