The number of U.S. students studying abroad seems to be increasing significantly on an annual basis. Although there is not adequate research to understand why, the anecdotal evidence would suggest that this generation of "Millenial" students realize the primary need of understanding others that are different than themselves to achieve success in business, politics, and general global welfare.

The 2008 IIE Open Doors Report suggests that in 2006-2007, study abroad by U.S. college students increased by 8% from the previous year and an increase of close to 150% since 1996-1997. The IIE Open Doors Report has been the primary source of data for international education enrollments in the U.S. for several decades. However, it is not clear that the significant increase in study abroad participation data is not merely a result of better data collection and reporting efforts in the last decade.

The Open Doors Report 2008 also suggests that U.S. college students are participating in programs in much more diverse geographic locations, seeing reporting increases in study abroad destinations. "The number of U.S. students studying in China, Argentina, South Africa, Ecuador and India each increased by more than 20 percent over the previous year."

However, the 2008 Open Doors Report shows insignificant participation in Cyprus. Why should a U.S. college student explore Cyprus as a relevant and meaningful destination for study abroad?

So, if participation in study abroad is increasing and students are increasingly seeking out "non-traditional" locations, why do so few U.S. college students study abroad in Cyprus? Unofficial reports would suggest that prior to 2005, fewer than five (5) U.S. college students studied abroad in Cyprus every year.

We can only speculate as to why Cyprus has not previously been a common study abroad location for U.S. students. But some of the main speculations include:

1. Few Americans know much about Cyprus

2. Because the first language in Cyprus is Greek, many American students and Study Abroad Advisors might incorrectly assume that unless students are fluent in Modern Greek language, they would not be able to study at a Cypriot institution of higher education

3. There are very few colleges and universities in Cyprus

4. Cypriot institutions have not promoted themselves to the American study abroad market

5. Because Cyprus is a bi-communal society divided by a United Nations demilitarized zone, some people may think Cyprus is a dangerous location

6. Because Cyprus is so close to the "Middle East" some people may think that it is an Arab nation and/or may have security issues related to "Middle Eastern" countries

It does not require a sophisticated investigation to learn that most of these supposed obstacles to study abroad in Cyprus should not be obstacles at all.

by: Isaac Chu

By Barbara Gross Davis, University of California, Berkeley. From Tools for Teaching, copyright by Jossey-Bass.

Research has shown that good everyday teaching practices can do more to counter student apathy than special efforts to attack motivation directly

Some students seem naturally enthusiastic about learning, but many need-or expect-their instructors to inspire, challenge, and stimulate them: "Effective learning in the classroom depends on the teacher's ability ... to maintain the interest that brought students to the course in the first place" (Ericksen, 1978, p. 3). Whatever level of motivation your students bring to the classroom it will be transformed, for better or worse, by what happens in that classroom. Unfortunately, there is no single magical formula for motivating students. Many factors affect a given student's motivation to work and to learn (Bligh, 1971; Sass, 1989): interest in the subject matter, perception of its usefulness, general desire to achieve, self-confidence and self-esteem, as well as patience and persistence. And, of course, not all students are motivated by the same values, needs, desires, or wants. Some of your students will be motivated by the approval of others, some by overcoming challenges.

Researchers have begun to identify those aspects of the teaching situation that enhance students' self-motivation (Lowman, 1984; Lucas, 1990; Weinert and Kluwe, 1987; Bligh, 1971). To encourage students to become self-motivated independent learners, teachers can do the following:  Give frequent, early, positive feedback that supports students' beliefs that they can do well.  Ensure opportunities for students' success by assigning tasks that are neither too easy nor too difficult.  Help students find personal meaning and value in the material.  Create an atmosphere that is open and positive.  Help students feel that they are valued members of a learning community. Research has also shown that good everyday teaching practices can do more to counter student apathy than special efforts to attack motivation directly (Ericksen, 1978). Most students respond positively to a well-organized lesson taught by an enthusiastic teacher who has a genuine interest in students and what they learn. Thus activities you undertake to promote learning will also enhance students' motivation. General Strategies Capitalize on students' existing needs. Students learn best when incentives for learning in a classroom satisfy their own motives for enrolling in the course. Some of the needs your students may bring to the classroom are the need to learn something in order to complete a particular task or activity, the need to seek new experiences, the need to perfect skills, the need to overcome challenges, the need to become competent, the need to succeed and do well, the need to feel involved and to interact with other people. Satisfying such needs is rewarding in itself, and such rewards sustain learning more effectively than do grades. Design assignments, in-class activities, and discussion questions to address these kinds of needs. (Source: McMillan and Forsyth, 1991) Make students active participants in learning. Students learn by doing, making, writing, designing, creating, solving. Passivity dampens students' motivation and curiosity. Pose questions. Don't tell students something when you can ask them. Encourage students to suggest approaches to a problem or to guess the results of an experiment. Use small group work. See "Leading a Discussion," "Supplements and Alternatives to Lecturing," and "Collaborative Learning" for methods that stress active participation. (Source: Lucas, 1990) Ask students to analyse what makes their classes more or less "motivating." Sass (1989) asks his classes to recall two recent class periods, one in which they were highly motivated and one in which their motivation was low. Each student makes a list of specific aspects of the two classes that influenced his or her level of motivation, and students then meet in small groups to reach consensus on characteristics that contribute to high and low motivation. In over twenty courses, Sass reports, the same eight characteristics emerge as major contributors to student motivation:  Instructor's enthusiasm  Relevance of the material  Organization of the course  Appropriate difficulty level of the material  Active involvement of students  Variety  Rapport between teacher and students  Use of appropriate, concrete, and understandable examples Incorporating Instructional Behaviours That Motivate Students Hold high but realistic expectations for your students. Research has shown that a teacher's expectations have a powerful effect on a student's performance. If you act as though you expect your students to be motivated, hardworking, and interested in the course, they are more likely to be so. Set realistic expectations for students when you make assignments, give presentations, conduct discussions, and grade examinations. "Realistic" in this context means that your standards are high enough to motivate students to do their best work but not so high that students will inevitably be frustrated in trying to meet those expectations. To develop the drive to achieve, students need to believe that achievement is possible -which means that you need to provide early opportunities for success. (Sources: American Psychological Association, 1992; Bligh, 1971; Forsyth and McMillan, 1991 -1 Lowman, 1984) Help students set achievable goals for themselves. Failure to attain unrealistic goals can disappoint and frustrate students. Encourage students to focus on their continued improvement, not just on their grade on any one test or assignment. Help students evaluate their progress by encouraging them to critique their own work, analyse their strengths, and work on their weaknesses. For example, consider asking students to submit self-evaluation forms with one or two assignments. (Sources: Cashin, 1979; Forsyth and McMillan, 1991) Tell students what they need to do to succeed in your course. Don't let your students struggle to figure out what is expected of them. Reassure students that they can do well in your course, and tell them exactly what they must do to succeed. Say something to the effect that "If you can handle the examples on these problem sheets, you can pass the exam. People who have trouble with these examples can ask me for extra help." Or instead of saying, "You're way behind," tell the student, "Here is one way you could go about learning the material. How can I help you?" (Sources: Cashin, 1979; Tiberius, 1990) Strengthen students' self-motivation. Avoid messages that reinforce your power as an instructor or that emphasize extrinsic rewards. Instead of saying, "I require," "you must," or "you should," stress "I think you will find. . . " or "I will be interested in your reaction." (Source: Lowman, 1990) Avoid creating intense competition among students. Competition produces anxiety, which can interfere with learning. Reduce students' tendencies to compare themselves to one another. Bligh (1971) reports that students are more attentive, display better comprehension, produce more work, and are more favourable to the teaching method when they work cooperatively in groups rather than compete as individuals. Refrain from public criticisms of students' performance and from comments or activities that pit students against each other. (Sources: Eble, 1988; Forsyth and McMillan, 1991) Be enthusiastic about your subject. An instructor's enthusiasm is a crucial factor in student motivation. If you become bored or apathetic, students will too. Typically, an instructor's enthusiasm comes from confidence, excitement about the content, and genuine pleasure in teaching. If you find yourself uninterested in the material, think back to what attracted you to the field and bring those aspects of the subject matter to life for your students. Or challenge yourself to devise the most exciting way to present the material, however dull the material itself may seem to you.

by Dimitrios Thanasoulas, Greece

http://www3.telus.net/linguisticsissues/constructivist.html

As a philosophy of learning, constructivism can be traced to the eighteenth century and the work of the philosopher Giambattista Vico, who maintained that humans can understand only what they have themselves constructed. A great many philosophers and educationalists have worked with these ideas, but the first major contemporaries to develop a clear idea of what constructivism consists in were Jean Piaget and John Dewey, to name but a few. Part of the discussion that ensues grapples with the major tenets of their philosophies, with a view to shedding light on constructivism and its vital contribution to learning. As a revealing gloss on this issue, it could be said that constructivism takes an interdisciplinary perspective, inasmuch as it draws upon a diversity of psychological, sociological, philosophical, and critical educational theories. In view of this, constructivism is an overarching theory that does not intend to demolish but to reconstruct past and present teaching and learning theories, its concern lying in shedding light on the learner as an important agent in the learning process, rather than in wresting the power from the teacher.

Within the constructivist paradigm, the accent is on the learner rather than the teacher. It is the learner who interacts with his or her environment and thus gains an understanding of its features and characteristics. The learner constructs his own conceptualisations and finds his own solutions to problems, mastering autonomy and independence. According to constructivism, learning is the result of individual mental construction, whereby the learner learns by dint of matching new against given information and establishing meaningful connections, rather than by internalising mere factoids to be regurgitated later on. In constructivist thinking, learning is inescapably affected by the context and the beliefs and attitudes of the learner. Here, learners are given more latitude in becoming effective problem solvers, identifying and evaluating problems, as well as deciphering ways in which to transfer their learning to these problems.

If a student is able to perform in a problem solving situation, a meaningful learning should then occur because he has constructed an interpretation of how things work using preexisting structures. This is the theory behind Constructivism. By creating a personal interpretation of external ideas and experiences, constructivism allows students the ability to understand how ideas can relate to each other and preexisting knowledge (Janet Drapikowski, personal communication).

The constructivist classroom presents the learner with opportunities for “autopoietic” learning (here, I deploy the meaning of Francisco Varela’s term in a context different to the original one) with a view to helping learners to build on prior knowledge and understand how to construct new knowledge from authentic experience—certainly a view in keeping with Rogers’ experiential learning (Rogers, 1969, 1994). C. Rogers, one of the exponents of experiential learning—the tenets of which are inextricably related to, and congruent with, those of constructivism—made the distinction between cognitive learning, which he deemed meretricious, and experiential learning, which he considered significant. For him, the qualities of experiential learning include:

personal involvement;

learner-initiation;

evaluation by learner; and

pervasive effects on learner (see the web document: http://www.educationau.edu.au/archives/cp/04f.htm)

Rogers’ humanistic approach to learning is also conducive to personal change and growth, and can facilitate learning, provided that the student participates completely in the learning process and has control over its nature and direction; it is primarily based upon direct confrontation with practical, social, personal or research problems; and, self-evaluation is the principal method of assessing progress or success. ibid.)

Interestingly, contrasting this approach with the typical behaviourist classroom, where students are merely passive “receptacles” of information from the teacher and the textbook, is rather revealing. We will come to that later on in the study. At this juncture, it is important to briefly discuss the theories of John Dewey, Jean Piaget, and Jerome Bruner that have certainly influenced our stance toward the nature of learning and, concomitantly, teaching. For Dewey, knowledge emerges only from situations in which learners have to draw them out of meaningful experiences (see Democracy and Education, 1916 and Experience and Education, 1938). Further, these situations have to be embedded in a social context, such as a classroom, where students can take part in manipulating materials and, thus, forming a community of learners who construct their knowledge together. Students cannot learn by means of rote memorisation; they can only learn by “directed living,” whereby concrete activities are combined with theory. The obvious implication of Dewey’s theory is that students must be engaged in meaningful activities that induce them to apply the concepts they are trying to learn.

Piaget's constructivism is premised on his view of the psychological development of children. Within his theory, the basis of learning is discovery: ‘To understand is to discover, or reconstruct by rediscovery, and such conditions must be complied with if in the future individuals are to be formed who are capable of production and creativity and not simply repetition’ (Piaget, 1973). According to Piaget, children go through stages in which they accept ideas they may later discard as wrong. Understanding, therefore, is built up step by step through active participation and involvement. However, applying Piaget’s theory is not so straightforward a task as it may sound.

(see http://curriculum.calstatela.edu/faculty/psparks/theorists/501const.htm)

According to Bruner, learning is a social process, whereby students construct new concepts based on current knowledge. The student selects information, constructs hypotheses, and makes decisions, with the aim of integrating new experiences into his existing mental constructs. It is cognitive structures that provide meaning and organization to experiences and allow learners to transcend the boundaries of the information given. For him, learner independence, fostered through encouraging students to discover new principles of their own accord, lies at the heart of effective education. Moreover, curriculum should be organized in a spiral manner so that students can build upon what they have already learned. In short, the principles that permeate Bruner’s theory are the following (see Bruner, 1973):

Instruction must be commensurate with the experiences that make the student willing and able to learn (readiness).

Instruction must be structured so that it can be easily understood by the student (spiral organization).

Instruction should be designed to facilitate extrapolation (going beyond the information given).

It could be argued that constructivism emphasizes the importance of the world knowledge, beliefs, and skills an individual brings to bear on learning. Viewing the construction of new knowledge as a combination of prior learning matched against new information, and readiness to learn, this theory opens up new perspectives, leading individuals to informed choices about what to accept and how to fit it into their existing schemata, as well as what to reject. Recapitulating the main principles of constructivism, we could say that it emphasises learning and not teaching, encourages learner autonomy and personal involvement in learning, looks to learners as incumbents of significant roles and as agents exercising will and purpose, fosters learners’ natural curiosity, and also takes account of learners’ affect, in terms of their beliefs, attitudes, and motivation. In addition, within constructivist theory, context is accorded significance, as it renders situations and events meaningful and relevant, and provides learners with the opportunity to construct new knowledge from authentic experience. After all,

Learning is contextual: we do not learn isolated facts and theories in some abstract ethereal land of the mind separate from the rest of our lives: we learn in relationship to what else we know, what we believe, our prejudices and our fears. On reflection, it becomes clear that this point is actually a corollary of the idea that learning is active and social. We cannot divorce our learning from our lives (Hein, 1991, see www.exploratorium.edu/IFI/resources/constructivistlearning.html).

What is more, by providing opportunities for independent thinking, constructivism allows students to take responsibility for their own learning, by framing questions and then analyzing them. Reaching beyond simple factual information, learners are induced to establish connections between ideas and thus to predict, justify, and defend their ideas (adapted from In Search of Understanding: The Case for Constructivist Classrooms by Jacqueline G. Brooks and Martin G. Brooks, Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 1993).

Having expatiated upon the main tenets of constructivism, let us now content ourselves with juxtaposing constructivism with other theories, objectivist theories that is, and, more specifically, contiguity theory. Byrnes (1996) and Arseneau and Rodenburg (1998) contrast objectivist and constructivist approaches to teaching and learning.

Objectivist View	Constructivist View
Knowledge exists outside of individuals and can be transferred from teachers to students.	Knowledge has personal meaning. It is created by individual students.
Students learn what they hear and what they read. If a teacher explains abstract concepts well, students will learn those concepts.	Learners construct their own knowledge by looking for meaning and order; they interpret what they hear, read, and see based on their previous learning and habits. Students who do not have appropriate backgrounds will be unable to accurately “hear” or “see” what is before them.
Learning is successful when students can repeat what was taught.	Learning is successful when students can demonstrate conceptual understanding.

Amongst the din of shifting paradigms, a theory that used to dominate the field but is not well-known is contiguity theory, an exponent of which is E. Guthrie. The classic experimental paradigm for contiguity theory is cats learning to escape from a puzzle box (Guthrie & Horton, 1946). Guthrie used a glass box which allowed him to photograph the movements of cats. These photographs showed that cats learned to repeat the same movements associated with the preceding escape from the box. In this vein, improvement comes about when irrelevant movements are unlearned or not included in successive associations. Drawing upon behaviouristic principles, contiguity theory sets out to show that, in order for conditioning to occur, the organism must actively respond; inasmuch as learning involves the conditioning of specific behaviours, instruction boils down to presenting very specific tasks; exposure to variations in stimulus patterns is necessary in order to produce a generalized response; and the last response in a stimulus-response situation should be correct since it is this one that will be associated (see http://www.educationau.edu.au/archives/cp/04b.htm).

Within a positivistic tradition, so to speak, under which come the theories of behaviourism, contiguity theory, and many others, the learner was, and still is, seen as relatively passive, ‘simply absorbing information transmitted by a didactic teacher’ (Long, 2000: 6). In the universe created by these paradigms, the powerless learner is “worlds apart” from the omniscient and powerful teacher, whose main concern is to ‘deliver a standard curriculum and to evaluate stable underlying differences between children’ (ibid.). Against this background, the cognitive paradigm of constructivism has been instrumental in shifting the locus of responsibility for learning from the teacher to the learner, who is no longer seen as passive or powerless. The student is viewed as an individual who is active in constructing new knowledge and understanding, while the teacher is seen as a facilitator rather than a “dictator” of learning. Yet, despite its “democratic” nature, many contemporary philosophers and educationalists have tried to demolish or vitiate some of its principles. Such a discussion is outside the remit of this study, of course. We will only briefly mention George Hein (1991, see www.exploratorium.edu/IFI/resources/constructivistlearning.html), who voices some reservations about constructivist learning.

For Hein, constructivism, although it appears radical on an everyday level, ‘is a position which has been frequently adopted ever since people began to ponder epistemology’ (ibid.). According to him, if we align ourselves with constructivist theory, which means we are willing to follow in the footsteps of Dewey, Piaget and Vygotsky, among others, then we have to run counter to Platonic views of epistemology. We have to recognize that knowledge is not “out there,” independent of the knower, but knowledge is what we construct for ourselves as we learn. Besides, we have to concede that learning is not tantamount to understanding the “true” nature of things, nor is it (as Plato suggested) akin to remembering perfect ideas, ‘but rather a personal and social construction of meaning out of the bewildering array of sensations which have no order or structure besides the explanations…which we fabricate for them’ (ibid.).

It goes without saying that learners represent a rich array of different backgrounds and ways of thinking and feeling. If the classroom can become a neutral zone where students can exchange their personal views and critically evaluate those of others, each student can build understanding based on empirical evidence. We have no intention of positing methods and techniques for creating a “constructivist classroom.” After all, classrooms are, and should be, amenable and sensitive to a whole lot of approaches to teaching and learning, and a slavish adherence to the letter rather than the spirit of education is bound to prove detrimental. It should be borne in mind that the theory of constructivism, with which we have been concerned, is not yet another “educational decree.” Like philosophy, constructivism can lead to its own de-construction, in the sense that it forges the very structures and associations that could possibly demolish it. It is a meta-theory, in that it fosters a meta-critical awareness. A constructivist orientation to learning is unique because at its heart lies the individual learner in toto, rather than dimly perceived “apparitions” of her essence. Constructivism is a modern version of human anatomy, in the sense that it is based on, and provides insights into, brain mechanisms, mental structures, and willingness to learn.

So, you want to be a teacher?

Before you take the step to officially become a teacher, you really should know what it entails. It is not as fun as the movies show it, nor is it as hard as the movies show it. But it is fun and hard at the same time. Here are some questions you may need to ask yourself before trying to be a teacher:

A teacher should like being around kids.
Do I like children? Can I be in a room full of kids all day long?

A teacher should have patience.
Can I handle saying something over? Can I take failure on the first try?

A teacher works at home too.
Can I handle doing paper work, grading, planning, etc. at home?

A teacher gets it from all sides.
Can I work with a principal, other teachers, and parents? Can I take suggestions and criticisms?

A teacher puts in long hours.
Can I work before and after school? Do I need to be home at a certain time? Can you attend meetings before and after school?

A teacher must supply some teaching materials and teaching extras.
Do I have a problem spending a few dollars a month to make teaching easier, entertaining, and engaging?

Speaking of materials, a teacher sometimes has to face a shortage of student materials.
Can I handle this? Or will I be constantly complaining at the school board and other staff?

A Teacher has one of the greatest responsibilities in the world.
Can I handle being in charge of a student's future? They only get one shot with me!

Becoming a teacher can be a tedious and strenuous task. You must pass tests, take a dozen college classes that may be boring, listen to mentor teachers, practice teaching, and many times while you are teaching.
Can you get organized? Can you be prepared to tough it out? Becoming a teacher can be stressful.

A teacher sometimes needs to change his or her ways.
Can you be flexible and try new things? Can you take direction from a person higher up?

Are you prepared to take the political pressure and do the right thing for your students?

Teachers must manage a classroom full of kids, as well as maintain discipline.
Think about that long and hard. Imagine yourself in front of 35 kids. Can you do it?

If you answered yes to ALL of the above questions, you may be the right person to be a teacher!

One last thing. You should visit a local school and sit in on a class. Stick with a teacher all day and see what it is like. Your local college may be able to set this up. Or, your local school may need volunteers or you could visit your own child's classroom. It is a good idea to talk to teachers before starting down the path.

How to become a teacher

If you have decided that teaching is right for, the first thing you will need is a bachelor's degree. Most any subject will do, but there are requirements for elementary and secondary teachers that you need to be aware of. The best thing is to contact your college or university's school of education before completing a bachelor's degree. Then, you will take the right classes.

Because every state is different, and many counties and school districts as well, you really need to be up close and personal with your local college's department of education. Only they will have the answers. No teaching article will tell you everything you need to know. Impossible. There are so many different ways to become a certified teacher, you need to do the research before starting. Becoming a teacher really depends on where you live. There are a few definites. You will need a college degree. You probably will have to pass a test. You will need a health clearance, such as TB test. You will get a background check. You will probably need to know CPR. Do any of these things surprise you? Get used to it. Many states, such as California, have a lot of hurdles. Some states have fewer. Again, it is imperitive that you look into what your state requires to be a classroom teacher.

REMEMBER: First decide if teaching is really for you. Second, to be a teacher requires a college degree. Whether you already have one, are working on one, or just starting, your third step is to contact the school's department of education or teacher program. Then, you can start checking off the things done and work one the ones you need to complete! Teaching is a rewarding career, but it is not a quick process.

Alternate Ways to Become a Teacher and get Certified

Other Routes to Teacher Certification

Most states have alternate ways to become a teacher than the normal way of completing college and get certified. Teaching internships are very popular. These will allw people with a bachelor's degree in almost any subject to start teaching in the classroom, and at the same time work on a teaching credential. Normally the teacher needs to apply and be accepted to the teacher program from a designated college, but completes the program while teaching. This eliminates the need for student teaching. Don't worry about not having experience. Teachers selected for this process go to meetings first and are mentored by a veteran teacher. Be warned, however, that this can be a more grueling process than the normal way. Working full time as a teacher and going to school (yes you are required to attend classes) is a tough task.

Other Ways to Become a Teacher

Troops to Teachers is a program for honorably discharged veterans to begin a teaching career. They do not certify you, but do give you all the help you need in completing teaching requirements and even giving out stipends in exchange for teaching service. They even help you find a job.

Teach for America is a program designed for recent college graduates and working professionals. This is a two year commitment to teach in under-served areas. They will train you to become a teacher.

Private and church-related schools normally do not require a teaching credential or certificate. Send out resumes to private schools in your area.

Americorps is not a teacher program, but if you are between 17 and 24, either a college student or graduate, you can get a stipend for volunteering to tutor kids. You can get some student loan forgiveness and some experience working with kids.

teach-now.org is The National Center for Alternative Certification for teachers. They can help you locate and identify many ways to become a teacher.

A common question from students and teachers of English as a second language is When do I use the indefinite articles 'a,' 'an,' and 'some'^* (which acts like an indefinite plural article), and when do I use the definite article 'the'?

The truth is that the answer is extremely complex--too complex in fact; it constantly gives me a headache. You could set out to list examples of usage as in Swan's Practical English Usage or Fowler's Modern English Usage, but I have a feeling that your students will quickly get lost.

Instead, I would like to propose a few basic rules that your students could get a lot of mileage out of. I would also like to phrase these rules in a non-standard way to make them more accessible for the ESL/EFL audience. Finally, I would also like to provide a few worksheets so that students can get a feel for these rules in use. So keep in mind that the purpose of this article is to simplify an extremely complex system so that it is understood on a basic level by ESL/EFL students and not to account for every usage of articles with nouns in the English language.

The first rule explains when we use 'the' and when we use 'a', 'an', or 'some'. The second rule deals with unique nouns, which usually require a definite article. The third rule explains why we sometimes leave articles out. As I stated above, these three rules represent an over simplification of a complex system, but they are easy to understand (and teach) and ESL/EFL students should be able to grasp them.

Why is it so difficult? I suspect there are several influencing factors. First of all, articles belong to a system of determiners. And the decision to use an article or not depends on what other determiners you are using along with the noun. And it depends on the context in which you are using the noun. If you look at the list of statements about ducks to the right, it is clear that context and co-occurring determiners are a factor in using (or not) an article. In general, articles should probably not be taught in isolation, but should be included in the wider scope of the system of determiners and that will be the focus of part II on this discussion on articles.

I also suspect adults have a difficult time with articles because the nature of input that they receive is more complicated and rule-breaking compared to the input that children receive. Children deal in concrete nouns and the basic rules usually apply making it easier for children to internalize the rules. Adults on the other hand deal with abstract nouns for which the rules are less clear and sometimes contradictory. And so, children get a foundation from which they learn exceptions and adults see only an apparent random assignment of articles to nouns. But that's just my personal speculation.