Firstly, the age group I need the least support and guidance is the 14-16 age group.

The
main reason for this is that it is the group I have more experience with so I had the
opportunity to tackle some difficulties already. Additionally, the students within this age group
already have a good English level and some maturity to understand some more complex
and abstract concepts. When preparing my lesson plans for this age group, I tend to show
them videos that relate to the topic being taught and this usually works well as an
introduction or even after teaching them vocabulary since it creates opportunities for the
learners to discuss the topic.
As a teacher of this age group, I can create a good rapport with my students. This leads to a
good learning environment and everyone feels comfortable to share their ideas and even
their doubts. This age group normally needs to prepare for exams and I consider it to be
another of my strengths because I can combine well General English classes that practise
all skills with Exam preparation classes that deal with more specific tasks.
One of my weaknesses with this age group is to know how to deal with some misbehaving
that usually happens due to hormonal changes. These students are usually self-centred and
I sometimes have difficulties motivating them to work in pairs with students other than their
friends. It is also quite complex to deal with overconfidence which is common among the
“stronger” students in this age group.
The age group I need the most support and guidance is the 2-5 age group. First of all, this is
the age group I have the least experience with so it is harder for me to plan lessons and
address specific problems related to this age group.
This age group requires the implementation of routines and I consider this to be one of my
strengths since when I taught this age group I would implement some such as the “Hello
song” to introduce the lesson and the “Goodbye song” as a sign that the lesson had finished.
They are also characterised as having a vivid imagination which can be helpful when
planning activities such as drawings or paintings related to the topic.
Being energetic (too energetic sometimes) and having a short attention span can make it
difficult for the teacher to find enough activities to keep them engaged in the lesson. I
consider this to be one of my main weaknesses mainly because I do not know enough about
this age group. This makes it harder for me, as YL teacher, to come up with valuable
activities that address these specific problems.
Finally, I am looking forward to improving my knowledge about the 2-5 years old age group
and to find out more about their likes and dislikes. I think I will struggle with the activities to
engage the students throughout the lessons. However, during this module, I was already
able to understand they need to be short, and that the use of flashcards, and chants are
important activities to include as well as specific routines.