PRINCIPLES OF TEACHING ENGLISH TO DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS: A QUANTITATIVE STUDY OF AGE-SENSITIVE APPROACHES IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING
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Keywords

English Language Teaching, age groups, quantitative research, pedagogy, communicative approach, learner-centered instruction, language acquisition

Abstract

The effectiveness of English Language Teaching (ELT) is significantly influenced by learners’ age, cognitive development, motivation, and psychological characteristics. This study investigates the principles of teaching English to different age groups through a quantitative research design. The purpose of the research is to identify the most effective teaching approaches for children, teenagers, and adults and to analyze how age-related factors influence language acquisition. Data were collected through questionnaires distributed among 120 English learners and 30 English teachers from schools, universities, and language centers. The findings demonstrate that young learners respond more positively to interactive and game-based activities, teenagers prefer communicative and collaborative learning, while adult learners show higher achievement through practical and goal-oriented instruction. Statistical analysis revealed that age-sensitive teaching methods significantly improve learner motivation, classroom participation, and language retention. The study concludes that successful English teaching requires flexible methodologies adapted to learners’ developmental needs. The findings may contribute to the improvement of modern ELT practices and learner-centered pedagogy.

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