Describe a time you taught something to an old person
You should say:
· When it was
· Who you taught
· What you taught
· And explain how you felt about it
There are a number of occasions I could talk about, but the one I’ve chosen to talk about is the time I taught my neighbour how to use Microsoft Word. I can smile about it now, but believe me it was not a pleasurable experience in any way shape or form.
So, it was a few years back when I was living in my old house/apartment and we used to have a neighbour called Judy. She was a lovely sweet lady and I got on really well with her so when she asked me if I would show her how to type a letter on Word I willingly/happily agreed, and we arranged a time for the following week. In my job, I regularly train other members of staff so I didn’t give it a second thought and just expected to have a pleasant time with her showing her how to use this piece of software. How wrong I was!
When I arrived at her house, I opened up a blank document and started explaining a few key things such as how to save the document and she waved her hand angrily and said ‘I don’t need to know that, just show me how to do the letter’. I am quite a calm and patient person, but oh my goodness she really tested my patience. Rather than allowing me to explain things in a logical order she wanted to do it her way.
On reflection, I think she was a bit embarrassed that she needed a younger person to show her because she had worked in a senior management position before she retired and was highly respected in her field, but this was back in the days before the widespread use of computers. I guess she felt frustrated* by her lack of knowledge and skills. After a tricky and testing hour, she managed to do the letter and we had a coffee and she did apologise for her offhand behaviour. I wouldn’t say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks**, but you need loads of patience to do it!
Describe a Time You Taught Something to an Older Person
There are several instances I could discuss, but one stands out vividly. A few years ago, while I was living in my old apartment, I had the opportunity to teach my neighbor, Judy, how to use Microsoft Word. At the time, it seemed like a straightforward task, but it turned out to be quite a challenging experience.
Judy was a delightful and kind elderly lady, and we had a good rapport. When she asked me if I could show her how to type a letter using Microsoft Word, I gladly agreed. I set up a time for the following week, expecting it to be a pleasant and educational experience. Given my background in training staff at work, I thought this would be a breeze.
However, when I arrived at her home and opened a blank document, I quickly realized that things were not going to go as smoothly as I anticipated. Judy was eager to learn how to create a letter but seemed uninterested in the basic functions like saving the document. She brusquely waved her hand and said, “I don’t need to know that, just show me how to do the letter.” Despite my usual calm demeanor and patience, her attitude was testing my limits.
Looking back, I understand that Judy was probably feeling embarrassed. She had retired from a senior management position where she was highly respected, and the advent of computers was a new challenge for her. It’s likely she felt frustrated by her lack of familiarity with technology, especially given her previous accomplishments in a field that hadn’t yet integrated digital tools.
After an hour of navigating through her frustrations, Judy finally managed to complete her letter. We shared a coffee afterward, and she apologized for her earlier behavior. It was a valuable lesson in patience and understanding. It reaffirmed to me that while you can teach an older person new skills, it requires a great deal of empathy and perseverance. It’s not so much about the difficulty of the task but rather about supporting someone through their learning process with respect and patience.
Vocabulary and Phrases Table
Vocabulary/Phrase | Bangla Meaning | Russian Meaning | Hindi Meaning |
pleasurable experience | আনন্দদায়ক অভিজ্ঞতা | приятный опыт | सुखद अनुभव |
a lovely sweet lady | একজন মিষ্টি ও সদয় মহিলা | милая и добродушная дама | प्यारी और मधुर महिला |
willingly/happily agreed | আনন্দের সাথে সম্মত | с готовностью согласился | खुशी से सहमत |
blank document | ফাঁকা নথি | пустой документ | खाली दस्तावेज़ |
calm and patient person | শান্ত এবং ধৈর্যশীল ব্যক্তি | спокойный и терпеливый человек | शांत और धैर्यशील व्यक्ति |
tested my patience | আমার ধৈর্যের পরীক্ষা | испытывал мое терпение | मेरी धैर्य की परीक्षा |
logical order | যুক্তিসঙ্গত অর্ডার | логический порядок | तार्किक क्रम |
embarrassed | লজ্জিত | смущенный | शर्मिंदा |
frustrated | হতাশ | разочарованный | निराश |
tricky and testing hour | জটিল এবং পরীক্ষামূলক ঘণ্টা | сложный и проверочный час | कठिन और परीक्षणात्मक घंटे |
offhand behavior | অযথা আচরণ | неучтивое поведение | गैर-जिम्मेदार व्यवहार |
old dog new tricks | পুরানো কুকুর নতুন কৌশল | старой собаке не научишь новым трюкам | बूढ़े कुत्ते को नई तरकीबें नहीं सिखा सकते |
loads of patience | প্রচুর ধৈর্য | масса терпения | बहुत सारा धैर्य |
4o mini
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