How To… Teach Adult Learners
Added to website 28/10/2026.
This guide, written by Lucinda Mackworth-Young, takes you through altering your pedagogy for older learners, as well as providing key recommendations for maintaining motivation and developing this side of your business.
The majority of instrumental and vocal teachers begin their careers teaching children, usually in schools. Hence when adult learners first make enquiries, and often these are the parents of our first pupils, we can find ourselves feeling ill-equipped. This guide is written with the aim of helping teachers begin to teach adults, and it also provides a useful refresher for more experienced teachers.
It is divided into four main sections: beginning to teach adults, maintaining motivation, knowing how to teach, and the business side.
The examples within this guide are usually piano based, but can be adapted by instrumental and vocal specialists for their own teaching.
Next Step
This Resource listing is provided by an external organisation. Music Mark does not endorse the content and does not accept any liability for the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of the material provided.
About the Provider
Independent Society of Musicians
The Independent Society of Musicians (ISM) is the UK’s professional body for musicians. Since 1882, we have been dedicated to promoting the importance of music and supporting those working in the music profession.
