Go-along language teaching: a pedagogical approach for older learners in ESL contexts

Abstract

ABSTRACT Older learners of English in ESL contexts are an underserved learner type. Courses typically do not cater to their age-related cognitive and physiological needs and link curriculum content with their typical everyday life activities. This study presents go-along teaching (GAT) as a pedagogical approach for older migrant learners of English by demonstrating the implementation of GAT with an intact class. We describe the sequenced instructional procedures from the initial identification of learning objectives and the subsequent design of suitable go-along routes, venues, and tasks to the practical implementation of GAT in the curriculum, and the assessment of learning outcomes. We demonstrate that by participating in go-along learning procedures, older learners improve their ability to operate in their local environment, engage in real-life language use, and develop practical transferable knowledge. According to course feedback, learners believed they were more confident in their ability to function independently in everyday social contexts.