Art And Science Of Helping Adults Learn

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

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English Department

Research Project How to avoid anxiety in an elderly English beginner’s group at Asociación Gerontológica Costarricense (AGECO) during the first bimester of 2013 through the input hypothesis

I-103 Graduation Seminar

Bachelor in English

Names: 1. Azofeifa, Paula

Instructor’s name: Rodríguez, Priscila

March 3rd, 2013

Chapter 2

Theoretical Framework

The following theoretical framework contains the antecedents in which this investigation is based on, as well as a review of the most popular theories of second language acquisition. Furthermore, the current approaches for the English language teaching, and the relationship between each of these theories and approaches with the research question of this project.

2.1 Antecedents

2.1.1 Andragogy : The art and science of helping adults learn.

Malcom Knowles (1968) popularized this European concept over thirty years ago. Andragogy, (andr - 'man'), contrasted with pedagogy, means "the art and science of helping adults learn" (Knowles, 1980, p. 43). Knowles labeled andragogy as an emerging technology which facilitates the development and implementation of learning activities for adults. This emerging technology is based on five andragogical assumptions of the adult learner:

Self-Concept: As a person matures, he or she moves from dependency to self-directness. The adults decide what do they want to do and when. Experience: Adults draw upon their experiences to aid their learning. This experience helps in a second language acquisition; they can apply the knowledge already got into this new language.

Readiness: The learning readiness of adults is closely related to the assumption of new social roles. The adults learn topics they like and they don´t do it because they must is just because they want to.

Orientation: As a person learns new knowledge, he or she wants to apply it immediately in problem solving. This makes the learning process more interesting if the students can apply the new information on his real life.

Motivation (Later added): As a person matures, he or she receives their motivation to learn from internal factors.

These five statements are similar with the thoughts and theories of others. Merriam and Caffarella (1999) point to three keys to transformational learning: experience, critical reflection and development. The aspect of experience (the second assumption to andragogy) seems like an important consideration in creating an effective learning opportunity for adults. The learning opportunity needs to be relevant and applicable to a person’s set of experiences.

Critical reflection is the second key to transformational learning and part of andragogy’s self-directed learning. Reflection time is yet another essential principle to creating an effective learning experience for adults. It is important to develop an environment that is favorable to learning including time for reflection and analysis. Adult learners need time to contemplate the ramifications of the learning experience to their experience and responsibilities.

The third key to transformational learning is development (corresponding to the third assumption of andragogy). Merriam and Caffarella state that "the ability to think critically, which is mandatory to effecting a transformation, is itself developmental" (p. 330). If development is the result of transformational learning, then an effective adult learning opportunity needs to be created that will take personal development into consideration.

Andragogy assumes the following about the design of learning:

Adults have the need to know why they are learning something.

Adults learn through doing.

Adults are problem-solvers.

Adults learn best when the subject is of immediate use.

"Within companies, instructional methods are designed for improving adult learners’ knowledge and skills. It is important to distinguish the unique attributes of adult learners so as to be better able to incorporate the principles of adult learning in the design of instruction" (Yi mentioned in Learning Theories/Adults Learning theories, 2005, p. 34). Within this context, adult learning is aimed at not only improving individual knowledge and skill, but ultimately it is the goal to improve the organizational performance by transfer of learning directly to work applications. Yi suggest three methods to foster learning in adult organizations: Problem-Based Learning which seeks to increase problem-solving and critical thinking skills; Cooperative Learning, which builds communication and interpersonal skills; and Situated Learning, which targets specific technical skills that can be directly related to the field of work (Yi, 2005). Each of these methods support the assumptions about how adults learn; specifically they are more self-directed, have a need for direct application to their work, and are able to contribute more to collaborative learning through their experience.

2.1.2 Multiple intelligences

Howard Gardner represents those theorists who have dismissed the idea of one type of intelligence as typically measured by today’s psychometric instruments. He posited that there were seven (later eight) types of intelligences (Gardner, 1993):

Linguistic intelligence

Logical-mathematical intelligence

Spatial intelligence or the ability to form a mental model of the spatial world and to maneuver within it using this model.

Musical intelligence.

Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, or the ability to solve problems using one’s body as performed by athletes, dancers and other craftspeople.

Interpersonal intelligence or the ability to understand other people.

Intrapersonal intelligence or the ability to understand one’s self.

Gardner (1993) maintains that the first two are the types of intelligence commonly measured by IQ tests, and which are commonly accepted as "intelligence."

Gardner later added an eighth intelligence to his taxonomy, Naturalist Intelligence, which he defined as "expertise in the recognition and classification of the numerous species -- the flora and fauna -- of his or her environment" (Gardner, 1999, p. 48)

Intelligence in the real world requires adaptation, selection, and/or shaping the environment. Measurement of contextual intelligence would relate to the issue of social perception, culture fairness, and cultural relativeness.

The elderly person based her learning process on the interpersonal intelligence because it is important for them the relationship they can develop with other students into the class and with the teacher. The intrapersonal intelligence it’s necessary also to learn a second language, it will show the ability of each student to learn according to his desires and interest.

2.1.3 Conditions and environment necessaries for adults to learn.

Some research suggests that situational circumstances compose an environment that promotes or discourages learning. Those circumstances may be created by organizational structure, positive or negative environmental situations, or time constraints. Child and Heavens (2003) suggest, "The learning capabilities of organizational members are, at least in part, socially constructed by national, occupational, or other institutions" (p. 310). They also suggest that internal restrictions are established by specialities or departments within the framework of organizations that delay learning.

In following the line of environmental issues within organizations supporting or interfere learning, Starbuck and Hedberg (2003) suggest that positive outcomes are much more apt to result in a positive and successful learning experience. They contend, "Pleasant outcomes (successes) reinforce Stimulus-Response links whereas unpleasant outcomes (failures) break Stimulus-Response links. As a result, pleasant outcomes are much more effective at teaching new behaviors" (p. 331). This concept follows the transformational leadership theory providing positive opportunities for individuals to grow within the framework of organizational life. However, it may be contended that learning through failure (i.e. experiments which do not result in the anticipated outcomes) may provide a more thorough and circumspect understanding of the given topic or issue under examination, although this method will generally involve a longer learning curve. --The license to fail is often the surest key towards successful learning which an organization may provide.

Weber and Berthoin Antal (2003) suggest, "A key question is how long organizational learning processes take and whether the duration can be externally influenced" (p. 353). They further contend that learning processes that require practice are much slower than those that do not require practice. Time consideration is an important element in considering the process of learning within an organization that must meet specific deadlines or has a client base that needs to be managed continuously. The conditions may not be suitable for an elaborate training or educational program. Organizations must consider time pressure as a tool that can encourage learning and speed up processes. However, Weber and Berthoin (2003) contend, "Time pressure can both accelerate and slow down learning processes...is experienced as motivating or threatening...if the sense of threat becomes too excessive, however, learning can be slowed or made impossible altogether" (p. 355).

In 1998, the American Psychological Associations Media Psychology Division 46 Task Force Report on Psychology and New Technologies broadened the definition of media psychology and included eLearning and distance learning in among array of theoies of learning to be included in research on adult learning. Learning psychologist and media psychology pioneer, Bernard Luskin expanded the understanding of "e" learning beyond electronic to included sensory response in this type of learning whan he interpreted the "e" to mean education, excitement, enthusiasm, enjoyment and energetic, among other perceptions attached to media in the adult learning enviorinment. This expansion added twenty-first century thinking into the theoretical framework comprising theories in adult learning.

2.1.4 Input Hypothesis

The Input hypothesis of Stephen Krashen applies only to language acquisition and not to language learning. In other words, this is an explanation of how second language acquisition takes place. According to the Input Hypothesis, the learner improves and progresses in a "natural order" when the student receives second language "input" that is one step ahead of his current stage of linguistic competence. Second language learner require comprehensible input, represented by i+1.

2.1.5 Affective filter hypothesis

The affective filter hypothesis talks about the different affective variables that influence the second language acquisition. These variables are not linguistic factors such as motivation, self confidence and axiety.

According to the affective filter hypothesis, affect effects acquisition of a second language, but not learning, by facilitating or preventing comprehensible input from accomplishing the language acquisition appliance. Krashen claims that students with high motivation, self confidence, a good self image, and a low level of anxiety are ready to success in second language acquisition. In other words, affective variables such as fear, boredom, nervousness, and resistance to change can effect the acquisition of a second language by preventing information about the second language from reaching the language areas of the mind.

2.2 Literature Review

The following section describes the most popular theories of the second language acquisition, which also, are the base of the research conducted by the investigator in this project.

2.2.1 English Language teaching

2.2.1.1 Grammar Translation Method.

The grammar translation method is a foreign language teaching method derived from the classical (sometimes called traditional) method of teaching Greek and Latin. The method requires students to translate whole texts word-for-word and memorize numerous grammatical rules and exceptions as well as enormous vocabulary lists. The goal of this method is to be able to read and translate literary masterpieces and classics.

The grammar translation method has two main advantages.

The phraseology of the target language is quickly explained. Translation is the easiest way of explaining meanings or words and phrases from one language into another. Any other method of explaining vocabulary items in the second language is found time-consuming. A lot of time is wasted if the meanings of lexical items are explained through definitions and illustrations in the second language. Further, learners acquire some sort of accuracy in understanding synonyms in the source language and the target language.

Teacher’s labor is saved. Since the textbooks are taught through the medium of the first language, the teacher may ask comprehension questions on the text taught in the first language. Pupils will not have much difficulty in responding to questions in the first language. So, the teacher can easily assess whether the students have learned what he has taught them. Communication between the teacher and the learner does not cause linguistic problems. Even teachers who are not fluent in the target language can teach it using this method. That is perhaps the reason why this method has been practiced so widely and has survived so long.

This method helps the researchers to prepare activities in which the translation was used in a good way and also how it interferes in the acquisition of the new information about the second language and their native language. For example it could be given exercises about fill in the blanks and they could write the words that were missing on the sentences and also reading comprehension questions.

2.2.1.2 The Audio-Lingual Method

The Audio-Lingual method of teaching had its origins during World War II when it became known as the Army method. It is also called the Aural oral approach. It is based on the structural view of language and the behaviorist theory of language learning.

The audiolingual approach to language teaching has a lot of similarities with the direct method. Both were considered as a reaction against the shortcomings of the Grammar Translation method, both reject the use of the mother tongue and both stress that speaking and listening competences preceded reading and writing competences. But there are also some differences. The direct method highlighted the teaching of vocabulary while the audiolingual approach focus on grammar drills.

The objective of the audiolingual method is accurate pronunciation and grammar, the ability to respond quickly and accurately in speech situations and knowledge of sufficient vocabulary to use with grammar patterns. Particular emphasis was laid on mastering the building blocks of language and learning the rules for combining them. It was believed that learning structure, or grammar was the starting point for the student.

The main activities include reading aloud dialogues, repetitions of model sentences, and drilling. Key structures from the dialogue serve as the basis for pattern drills of different kinds. Lessons in the classroom focus on the correct imitation of the teacher by the students. Not only are the students expected to produce the correct output, but attention is also paid to correct pronunciation. Although correct grammar is expected in usage, no explicit grammatical instruction is given. It is taught inductively. Furthermore, the target language is the only language to be used in the classroom.

It aims at developing listening and speaking skills which is a step away from the Grammar translation method.

The use of visual aids has proven its effectiveness in vocabulary teaching.

2.2.1.3 Total Physical Response

The Total Physical Response Method was created by Dr. James J. Asher, professor of the San Jose State University, to collaborate to the learning process. This method pretends that the students learn a second language by responding in a physical way to a verbal command.

The method relies on the assumption that when learning a second or additional language, language is internalized through a process of codebreaking similar to first language development and that the process allows for a long period of listening and developing comprehension prior to production. Students respond to commands that require physical movement. TPR is primarily used by ESL/EAL teachers, although the method is used in teaching other languages as well. The method became popular in the 1970s and attracted the attention or allegiance of some teachers, but it has not received generalized support from mainstream educators.

In the classroom the teacher and students take on roles similar to that of the parent and child respectively. Students must respond physically to the words of the teacher. The activity may be a simple game such as Simon Says or may involve more complex grammar and more detailed scenarios.

TPR can be used to practice and teach various things. It is well suited to teaching classroom language and other vocabulary connected with actions. It can be used to teach imperatives and various tenses and aspects. It is also useful for story-telling.

Because of its participatory approach, TPR may also be a useful alternative teaching strategy for students with dyslexia or related learning disabilities, who typically experience difficulty learning foreign languages with traditional classroom instruction.

According to its proponents, it has a number of advantages: Students will enjoy getting up out of their chairs and moving around. Simple TPR activities do not require a great deal of preparation on the part of the teacher. TPR is aptitude-free, working well with a mixed ability class, and with students having various disabilities. It is good for kinesthetic learners who need to be active in the class. Class size need not be a problem, and it works effectively for children and adults.

However, it is recognized that TPR is most useful for beginners, though it can be used at higher levels where preparation becomes an issue for the teacher. It does not give students the opportunity to express their own thoughts in a creative way. Further, it is easy to overuse TPR-- "Any novelty, if carried on too long, will trigger adaptation." It can be a challenge for shy students. Additionally, the nature of TPR places an unnaturally heavy emphasis on the use of the imperative mood, that is to say commands such as "sit down" and "stand up". These features are of limited utility to the learner, and can lead to a learner appearing rude when attempting to use his new language. Of course, as a TPR class progresses, group activities and descriptions can be used which continue the basic concepts of TPR into full communication situations.

2.2.1.4 The competency based language teaching.

According to the English teachers worldwide website "telflpedia", it started being applied in the mid 1970´s as a result of an increase in the work opportunity areas and it was initially used in vocational education, industry training, language and orientation programs, refugee programs and adult literacy programs.

This approach emerged in the United States in the 1970s and can be described as "defining educational goals in terms of precise measurable descriptions of the knowledge, skills, and behaviors students should possess at the end of a course of study" (Richards & Rodgers, 2001, p.141).

Teaflpedia also mentions that this approach increased the students or trainees motivation since they could notice the importance of what they were learning is a short period of time and they could be in the highest standards of competency. Both teachers and students can have a clear direction of what is expected to be achieved at the end of the training.

The learning activities used in CBLT can be described as systematically designed activities to achieve a certain competence. These activities are real-world tasks which "may be related to any domain of life" (Richards & Rodgers, 2001, p.144) but especially to survival-oriented and work-related situations in a new environment (Richards & Rodgers, 2001, p.144). Typical areas, for which such competency-based activities have been developed, are for example Job Application, Job Interview, or Work Schedules. All these areas "can be described as a collection of units of competencies" which consist of "specific knowledge, thinking processes, attitudes, and perceptual and physical skills" (Docking, 1994, p.11).

Richards - Rodgers,( 2001), cited by teaflpedia argues that the teacher gives positive feedbacks, corrects the students’ mistakes immediately and is aware of the students needs, adjusting the activities to the students’ performance, assessing their ability in the performance on the task she requires in the class.

Competency based language teaching has a functional and interactional perspective, meaning that language is taught considering the social context and the communicative needs of students. It has predictable vocabulary and structures since students know exactly the vocabulary and the structures that can be found in different situations and they place them in the different learning situations.

Richards-Rodgers (2001) cited by teaflpedia reports that his approach requires that the student accomplished with the learning process, be active in the class to perform the task the teacher requires, this is the ideal behavior that the investigators was needed in their research, because the students needs to be engage so that they can acquire the new information and anchor it with the information they already had and create with this a meaningful learning.

2.2.2 Current approaches for English language teaching

2.2.2.1Communicative Language Teaching

The communicative approach in language teaching starts from a theory of language as communication. The goal of language teaching is to develop what Hymes (1972) referred to as "communicative competence." Hymes coined this term in order to contrast a communica­tive view of language and Chomsky's theory of competence. Chomsky held that linguistic theory is concerned primarily with an ideal speaker-listener in a completely homogeneous speech community, who knows its language perfectly and is unaffected by such grammatically irrelevant conditions as mem­ory limitation, distractions, shifts of attention and interest, and errors (random or characteristic) in applying his knowledge of the language in actual performance. (Chomsky 1965: 3)

For Chomsky, the focus of linguistic theory was to characterize the abstract abilities speakers possess that enable them to produce gram­matically correct sentences in a language. Hymes held that such a view of linguistic theory was sterile, that linguistic theory needed to be seen as part of a more general theory incorporating communication and culture. Hymes's theory of communicative competence was a definition of what a speaker needs to know in order to be communicatively com­petent in a speech community.

The range of exercise types and activities compatible with a commu­nicative approach is unlimited, provided that such exercises enable learn­ers to attain the communicative objectives of the curriculum, engage learners in communication, and require the use of such communicative processes as information sharing, negotiation of meaning, and interaction. Classroom activities are often designed to focus on completing tasks that are mediated through language or involve negotiation of in­formation and information sharing.

Many proponents of Communicative Language Teaching have advo­cated the use of "authentic," "from-life" materials in the classroom. These might include language-based realia, such as signs, magazines, advertisements, and newspapers, or graphic and visual sources around which communicative activities can he built, such as maps, pictures, symbols, graphs, and charts. Different kinds of objects can be used to support communicative exercises, such as a plastic model to assemble from directions.

2.2.2.2 The natural approach

In 1977, Tracy Terrell, a teacher of Spanish in California, outlined "a proposal for a 'new' philosophy of language teaching which [he] called the Natural Approach" (Terrell 1977; 1982: 121). This was an attempt to develop a language teaching proposal that incorporated the "naturalistic" principles researchers had identified in studies of second language acquisition. The Natural Approach grew out of Terrell's experiences teaching Spanish classes. Since that time Terrell and others have exper­imented with implementing the Natural Approach in elementary- to advanced-level classes and with several other languages. At the same time he has joined forces with Stephen Krashen, an applied linguist at the University of Southern California, in elaborating a theoretical ra­tionale for the Natural Approach, drawing on Krashen's influential theory of second language acquisition. Krashen and Terrell's combined statement of the principles and practices of the Natural Approach appeared in their book, The Natural Approach, published in 1983. The Natural Approach has attracted a wider interest than some of the other innovative language teaching proposals discussed in this book, largely because of its support by Krashen. Krashen and Terrell's book contains theoretical sections prepared by Krashen that outline his views on second language acquisition (Krashen 1981; 1982), and sections on implemen­tation and classroom procedures, prepared largely by Terrell.

Krashen and Terrell have identified the Natural Approach with what they call "traditional" approaches to language teaching. Traditional approaches are defined as "based on the use of language in communicative situations without recourse to the native language" - and, perhaps, needless to say, without reference to grammatical analysis, grammatical drilling, or to a particular theory of grammar. Krashen and Terrell note that such "approaches have been called natural, psychological, phonetic, new, reform, direct, analytic, imitative and so forth" (Krashen and Terrell 1983: 9). The fact that the authors of the Natural Approach relate their approach to the Natural Method has led some to assume chat Natural Approach and Natural Method are synonymous terms. Although the tradition is a common one, there are important differences between the Natural Approach and the older Natural Method, which it will be useful to consider at the outset.

From the beginning of a class taught according to the Natural Approach, emphasis is on presenting comprehensible input in the target language. Teacher talk focuses on objects in the classroom and on the content of pictures, as with the Direct Method. To minimize stress, learners are not required to say anything until they feel ready, but they are expected to respond to teacher commands and questions in other ways.

When learners are ready to begin talking in the new language, the teacher provides comprehensible language and simple response opportunities. The teacher talks slowly and distinctly, asking questions and eliciting one-word answers. There is a gradual progression from Yes/ No questions, through either-or questions, to questions that students can answer using words they have heard used by the teacher. Students are not expected to use a word actively until they have heard it many times. Charts, pictures, advertisements, and other realia serve as the focal point for questions, and when the students' competence permits, talk moves to class members. "Acquisition activities" - those that focus on meaningful communication rather than language form - are empha­sized. Pair or group work may be employed, followed by whole-class discussion led by the teacher.

2.2.2.3 Cooperative Language Learning

Cooperative language learning is based on the idea that second language learning can be best done in heterogeneous groups, when all students work collaboratively and cooperatively for one common goal. It replaces the idea that students have to work competitively against one another. On the contrary, it rather supports the idea Vygotski claimed in his Sociocultural (S-C) Theory, which states that "Interaction not only facilitates language learning but is a causative force in acquisition." (Saville-Troike 2006: 111). Vygostki was of the opinion that social interaction is seen as the only way of learning a language sufficiently and therefore he came up with his idea of the zone of proximal development (ZPD), "an area of potential development, where the learner can achieve that potential only with assistance" (Saville-Troike 2006: 112).

Taking Vygotski's idea where language learning is done with social interaction, cooperative language learning focuses on language learning in natural settings through the use of interaction in pairs or/and group work. This means that interaction within one heterogeneous group can lead to a maximum of language learning, if the students work collaboratively. To do so, they have to use the L2 and share the idea of achieving a common goal, which is not on the first side the learning the language, but solving the exercises. This means that the actual language learning process can be seen as a side effect of the task, because students have to use the foreign language just as a means of communication. That also lowers the anxiety of talking in a foreign language and therefore it encourages students to make use of it, but being less afraid of making mistakes.

As already stated, the theories of Vygotski and Piaget can be seen as setting the base of cooperative language learning. As shown in the premise, social interaction is maintained to be necessary for language learning and thus corresponds perfectly with the principles of cooperative language learning. In working cooperatively, students share the idea of working together and achieving a common goal.

Every member of the group has different ideas and skills and in sharing them with the others, the group can take a maximal profit out of it all. Furthermore, different skills mean that every member of the group has the chance to participate and so every group member is important for the success of the group work. The emphasis of this approach is on cooperative work rather than on competitive work.

Cooperative language learning also encourages students in their critical thinking, because in cooperative environments, different approaches to certain topics occur and the students have to think and consider the whys and hows. Therefore they have to analyse possible solutions, which is another reason why heterogeneous groups are an advantage rather than a disadvantage in cooperative language learning environments.

2.2.2.4 Task based approach

Task-based language learning (TBLL), also known as task-based language teaching (TBLT) or task-based instruction (TBI) focuses on the use of authentic language and on asking students to do meaningful tasks using the target language. Such tasks can include visiting a doctor, conducting an interview, or calling customer service for help. Assessment is primarily based on task outcome (in other words the appropriate completion of tasks) rather than on accuracy of language forms. This makes TBLL especially popular for developing target language fluency and student confidence.

Two early applications of a task-based approach within a communicative framework for language teaching were the national Malaysian Communicational Syllabus in 1975 (Richards and Rodgers 2001 p.223) and the Bangalore Project (Beretta and Davies 1985; Prabhu 1987) both of which were relatively short-lived. Prabhu noticed that his students could learn language just as easily with a non-linguistic problem as when they were concentrating on linguistic questions.

According to Jane Willis, TBLL consists of the pre-task, the task cycle, and the language focus. The components of a Task are: 1 Goals and objectives 2 Input 3 Activities 4 Teacher role 5 learner role 6 Settings.

Task-based learning is advantageous to the student because it is more student-centered, allows for more meaningful communication, and often provides for practical extra-linguistic skill building. As the tasks are likely to be familiar to the students (e.g.: visiting the doctor), students are more likely to be engaged, which may further motivate them in their language learning.

Additionally, tasks promote language acquisition through the types of language and interaction they require. Although the teacher may present language in the pre-task, the students are ultimately free to use what grammar constructs and vocabulary they want. This allows them to use all the language they know and are learning, rather than just the 'target language' of the lesson. On the other hand, tasks can also be designed to make certain target forms 'task-essential,' thus making it communicatively necessary for students to practice using them.[6] In terms of interaction, information gap tasks in particular have been shown to promote negotiation of meaning and output modification.

2.3 What are the necessary conditions in an elderly English beginner’s group to learn English as a second language?

2.3.1 Skills

The skills that the investigators were planning to develop within the students in the classroom research are the ones that correspond to the three basic intelligences, bodily kinesthetic, visual and hearing, through activities for speaking, listening, writing and reading, this with the objective of having activities for all kind of intelligence in every student to make the knowledge meaningful for all of them but also to make the learning process more interesting and funny.

2.3.2 Methodology

The class was conducted in a formal way with the corresponding planning for the class, with the specific objectives, contents, topics, activities and the assessment for each objective, to make sure that the students could perform the task with the expected results. The topics covered were conducted with activities according to the language structures that were learning that day. The instructor explained the activity and then the students began with it.

2.3.3 Class preparation

The class was set up with one month in advance according to the day that was going to be applied, and based on the topics that the students of the course were already seeing to make this class a complement for the knowledge they already had. Furthermore, the activities were made for each skill that the investigators waned to perform and they concentrate the work also in the three intelligences kinesthetic, visual and hear.

2.3.4 Roll of the teacher

The teacher´s role was to become a model, as well as the instructor in the class to exchange knowledge with the students, to be constantly monitoring the well performance of the students and correct immediately whenever there was a mistake in order to learn and improve, and promote the collaboration in the classroom, so the students feel that they belong to the process and they got engaged with the second language acquisition process.

2.3 Relationship between the theories and the research questions

The elderly people should be motivated and with a low level of anxiety in order to learn a second language.

It is necessary to explore the main factors that con influence the learning process of a person in a mature age. It is relevant to investigate about the group and the interest they have in learning English as a second language.