Adult language learners often have a knowledge of linguistic structure that can be used to help them learn Spanish. Because adult learners have learned the grammar of their native language already, most adults know what the basic categories of speech are, for example, nouns, adjectives, and verbs. Spanish and English, although not technically in the same language family, are very similar in terms of grammatical categories. Exploiting this knowledge during teaching can help adult learners learn Spanish without limiting them to basic, repetitive phrases.
Adults have also learned additional communication skills and have more experience in varied social situations than children. This can also be taken into account when formulating teaching standards for adult learners. For example, brief demonstrations of communicative situations and even practice between the adult learners in your class can span a wide range of topics and issues. In this way, the instructor has more freedom to create engaging and more complex exercises for students of Spanish.
Learning activities for adults should encompass both structure as well as communication. Too much instruction of linguistic structure will likely cause students to become bored. On the other hand, too many communicative activities will not ensure that adult learners are aware of important grammatical rules in Spanish. Formulate teaching standards that incorporate both and create activities that are fun and effective. Games and other activities can be used, however, make sure that they are age-appropriate and sufficiently advanced. Finding a balance between teaching structure and communication can be a challenge, but one that can reap great rewards for both instructor and students.