Thomas Moll
Director of Content
I remember being very intimidated the first time I was asked to teach older adults in my congregation. I had a solid training from Concordia University-Nebraska in teaching all ages, but I also knew that there would be people sitting in class who had been studying the Bible three times longer than I’d been alive!
As you are preparing to work with older adults in your congregation, especially in leading Bible studies or other groups, here are some tips as well as research on how we can best meet the unique needs of adults who come to the table with varied knowledge, skills, and experiences.
Forming the Content for Older Adults
As we age, our brains process new information a little more slowly — and good lesson design works with that, not against it. Here are some tips to help design your lessons in a way that take into account that you’ll have some quick learners and some slower ones in your class setting.
1. Make a Map
Letting participants know where you’re going helps people to begin the class with a framework for learning that will support them throughout the lesson. Even if you don’t have time to put together a full outline of the class, consider coming up with a statement or image you can share at the beginning of the class that sets the theme for where you’ll be taking your learners.
2. Tiered Concepts and Questions
Knowing that you’ll have some deep theologians and some fledgling Christians in your learning setting, consider splitting points into foundational and deep concepts. An example could be in parable of the prodigal son from Luke 15.
a. Foundational Concept:
“When the father sees his son coming home, what does he do — and what does that tell you about how God feels about people who've wandered away?”
b. Deeper Concept:
“The older brother never actually leaves the house, but Jesus frames him as just as lost as his brother was. Where do you see that same 'older brother' posture in your own faith — earning rather than receiving?”
Increase Engagement
Active engagement isn’t just a nice-to-have — it changes what actually sticks. For years the theory of “learning styles” was championed (visual, auditory, kinesthetic). We now have more nuanced understanding of how adults learn and research has shown that people don’t fall neatly into preferring one learning style, but using a variety of teaching modes, especially for older adults, increases knowledge retention.
Active Engagement Ideas
1. Fill-in-the-blank Outlines
Handouts with blanks to fill in do more than they look like they do — the act of writing a word yourself, rather than just reading or hearing it, is what helps the brain encode and hold onto it. Make sure that it is in a larger print.
2. Doodling Space
You may have been one of those kids who was called out for doodling in class, but it turns out that, if it’s focused on the taught content, it can reinforce learning by adding a different mental pathway for our brains to process a concept. Consider leaving some blank space in your handouts and even encourage those doodlers in your class.
Social Engagement Ideas
1. Small Group Questions
Either at the beginning of the lesson or for a break in heavy content, consider having a few small group questions. Older adults are more motivated by relational and emotional engagement than by information intake. Asking questions that encourage adults to share stories and life experiences will also give older adults the opportunity to share the wisdom that comes with aging. Breaking people into groups can be as easy as telling people to connect with 3 to 4 people close to them and then asking the person with the birthday closest to that day to go first.
2. Take it Outside … the Church Walls
Give adults the challenge to share what they’ve learned with someone outside of the church between lessons. Putting a learning into our own words helps us to synthesize that knowledge. This is also a great way to challenge adults to share the Gospel in the communities they’re already in outside of the church.
You Care and So Do We
The fact that you’re reading this means that you care about your learners and that genuinely matters. Let us know how things work out after you try some of these tips. We are encouraged by all the educational opportunities that churches offer where older adults can grow in their faith and share it with other generations. Keep up the good work!