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age range question

Posted by Rolfe Kiehne · October 20, 2006 · 5 replies

My director is considering a 3 week winter camp in Missouri for Korean youth from elementary to high school age. He wants a total of approximately 40 hours of ESL ,and the rest of the time will be cultural events.

My concern is how to accommodate a huge age range considering the differences in learning abilities and styles in a group who may be from 7 to 17 years of age. Also, none of our teachers have experience with elementary age children. Are we in trouble?? Any help would be appreciated.

Rolfe

5 Replies

simplyesl

The difference in age has a few of issues:
1. The sts rate of learning is different (very different between 7 and 17 year olds).
2. The content that they actually learn is also different.
3. The games and the approach to the lessons are different.
4. Their interests are different.

Don't have classes with sts as young as 7 and as old as 17. It's possible to do the winter camp, just split up the age groups!

Eric

I agree with simply esl. split them up into more age appropriate groups maybe even at the cost of mixing the levels. mixed levels will be much easier to deal with than the huge difference in ages. if it was just a few years it wouldn't be a problem but considering your talking about a student who just got out of kindergarten versus one that is about to go to university, the gap is too big.

btw, where are you in missouri? i grew up in st. louis and went to uni in springfield... 🙂

eric

Rolfe Kiehne OP

Thanks to simplyesl and to Eric for replying. You've confirmed some of my concerns. Mixed proficiency levels would be easier to handle, but aren't their certain dynamics (maturity, learning styles and abilities, etc.) that must be dealt with in those cases? Don't younger people learn differently than older ones? Also, I can forsee that if we divide according to age and according to proficiency, we could need a very large number of teachers.
To Eric,
We are located in Wentzville, MO. We are a small university with a 20 year history, serving primarily Korean seminarians.

Thanks again,

Rolfe

Eric

Rolfe Kiehne wrote:Mixed proficiency levels would be easier to handle, but aren't their certain dynamics (maturity, learning styles and abilities, etc.) that must be dealt with in those cases?

You are going to have those different dynamics in any class. If you were to tailor a class to their age, level, maturity and learning style, you're classes would be no bigger than 4 students. I just think that mixed levels will be easier to compensate for than mixed ages.

Rolfe Kiehne wrote:Also, I can forsee that if we divide according to age and according to proficiency, we could need a very large number of teachers.

This is also right. Ideally, your classes would be divided into appropriate age AND level groups. But, it's not always possible so you have the make due with what you got.

Rolfe Kiehne OP

Thanks, Eric. I'll try to keep you posted on our plan, if it develops. I may need your expertise again.

Rolfe