Principles of teaching adults

In this article, I want to talk about 30 undeniable principles of teaching adults including how to teach, which each one has its delicacy and specialty and they can be used in teaching methods as well.

If you are a teacher or you want to teach something to others, especially adults or you decided to work in this department, you have to know all about it and follow its rules. This way you can be the best in your field and others will remember your name and things you taught them.

1- First element is to love teaching willingly.

2- Your energy, motivation, and will to teach is a strong factor that makes the learners learn more effectively. Believe it or not, they will know you like or dislike teaching by looking at your eyes, your moves, and the speech.

It’s best if you show the students that you are interested in teaching adults

3- Don’t forget to ask your students to note things. When they write, the things they are writing will stick better to their minds.

4- You should bait for your audience. It means talking about some research results, study or statistics or a quote from a great person about the subject you want to talk about. This way you can attract your audience in the 20% of your beginning time in the first session. They will know why they have to listen to you and what they will learn.

5- If you want to have an attractive class, as a teacher or as a learner, leave your post and organizational title behind the door and enter the class with your organizational post.

6- As a professional teacher, you have to use a proper manner, body language, and tone and have self-confidence, motivation and will so that it shows them you have a special message for them.

7- As a teacher, you don’t have to enter the class with your bias and prejudice. You have to leave them behind the door,

8- A teacher has to have: 1- knowledge and 2- communication skills and use them as weapons.

9- Don’t attend teaching adults if you don’t have enough knowledge about the purpose, organization goals and you don’t know your audience and their purpose.

You should know the organization, students and your own purpose when you are teaching adults

10- When the teacher believes in what he says and teaches, the content affects the audience more.

11- A teacher has limits too including politics, religion, personal info, sexual content, and nationality. He shouldn’t talk about these subjects.

12- Do not ever mock one of the students. Mention them in front of the others when you want to encourage them.

13- Never get angry. You need to improve your emotional intelligence.

14- Do not throw out the student. Dismissing someone from the class is a clear sign of being an unprofessional teacher.

15- Try to use different methods and ways when you are teaching adults. Give time to students to participate at least 50% of the whole time in the class. Avoid monologues and let them do some teamwork.

One principle of teaching adults is to let them do some team works.

16- As a teacher, be kind and energetic. Smile and try to have a sense of humor. Use different ways to make the class happy and fresh.
Evidence has shown that students can’t learn in a non-energetic class.

17- Have eye-contact all the time. Eyes play the most important rule to convey positive energy. A happy and confident teacher can share his joy with others by looking into their eyes.

18- Notice your students’ body language. When you see signs of exhaustion, change your method or use ice-breakers. For example, set a meaningful game related to your subject and ask them to participate. Show them a short movie with music.

While you are teaching adults, start a game related to your subject to make a change.

19- Change your voice and the mimic of your face. Do not talk with a steady voice because this way you lose your audience and they feel sleepy. Try to move in the class and don’t sit or stand behind the tribune all the time.

20- Have a lesson plan and review your headings and chapters and explain them to your students.

21- Simplify the content as much as you can and talk to your students based on their knowledge level. Don’t forget that the purpose of the class is not to brag about yourself. Your goal is to enhance your audience’s knowledge, improve their attitude and change their behaviors.

22- Always use all your opportunities to enhance your knowledge and wisdom in the fields you teach.

23- Use PowerPoint to present some parts of your teaching subject. Use more pictures in your PowerPoint than texts. Never write all your scripts in your slides and worse, never read the exact words you have written. Remember that a meaningful picture has more value than a thousand words.

Use PowerPoint and pictures when you are teaching adults

24- Don’t ever say “I,” or “me” when you are teaching adults. There is no need to tell them you know things more than they do. Use their knowledge and ask them to participate so that you can learn from them too. For example, don’t say: “I came here to learn, and I see myself as your student.” It is way too unprofessional, and it shows your lack of self-confidence. You have to say: “we want to share our knowledge in this class.”

25- As a teacher, try not to be the executive or the manager of your organization especially when there is criticism about the political situation of the organization. Remember to keep the students’ secrets to yourself. Otherwise, the critic and unsatisfied students will guard in front of you and make you face some challenges.

26- Bring examples for every subject and use case study.

27- Dress up well and put on your best suit when you want to present.

Put on your best suit before you start teaching adults

28- It’s essential to have an induction session for every teaching course. It’s best if the teacher can learn about his student’s level and knowledge.

29- Use a motto or a motivational sentence in all your handouts. It motivates and affects learners more.

30- Don’t forget to use influences, verbal expressions, ups and downs in your voice, emphasizing on important words multiple pauses in time, energetic and willingness in your voice, clarity and fluent words, correct sentences, proper speed and body language (use your hands, facial muscles, eyes, head and neck fit to your words) to have an attractive and useful speech.