.: TESOL Top Related Articles
1). ESL Exams: A Teacher's Guide
It's the end of another class, and one student has stayed behind. No problem, you think, maybe an easy grammar question, or a comment on how they enjoyed the class (or not!)... or maybe it's a question about an ESL exam. "What's the difference between TOEFL and TOEIC?" "Should I take the FCE?" "Who recognizes IELTS?" So if you don’t know your BEC from your KET, or your CAE from your CELS, here's a brief guide to the most popular ESL exams.
Article tags: esl, efl, esol, tesol, tefl, tesl, teaching english, esl exams, learning english, learn english, teaching english as a foreign language, fce, cae, toefl, toeic, cpe, pitman, cambridge
2). English Teachers And Culture Shock
I was talking recently to a young woman who had just returned from a teaching post in Korea. She said her first months in her job were a nightmare because of the unfamiliarity of everything. It made me wonder how teachers can prepare themselves to cope with culture shock.
Anyone who leaves their familiar environment for a prolonged spell is prone to the stress of culture shock. Although we know on a rational level that we are going to meet unfamiliar routines and customs, ...
Article tags: teach english, teaching english, teaching english overseas, esl jobs, esl, tefl, tesol
3). Teaching "Used to" to ESL students
Here's a way to introduce the structure "used to" to your ESL students.
1 Find or draw on the board a picture of someone who looks like they could have just won some money. A photo from a magazine of someone driving an expensive car, or sitting in a luxurious room, for example, would work well. Give the person a name, and set the scene for your students of someone who has just won the lottery, or elicit it from them ("Why is Jane driving an expensive car?"; "How did she afford her expensive clothes?" etc.
Article tags: esl, efl, esol, tesol, tefl, tesl, teaching english, learning english, learn english, teaching english as a foreign language
4). Native Speakers?
In a recent poll, I asked readers if they thought English language teachers should be native speakers. The result was interesting, as the vote from those with an opinion was close with 48% believing they should be native speakers and 41% saying no. I don’t know what you think about this but I’ve always had mixed feelings.
The first question I would raise with those who believe being a native speaker is an essential prerequisite for an English language teacher is, which nat...
Article tags: teach english, teaching english, teaching english overseas, esl jobs, esl, tefl, tesol
5). Using DVD and Video in Your ESL Class - Part One
Have you ever wondered how to use movies in your ESL classes, without just sitting your students down in front of the screen, hitting 'Play' and sitting back to watch?
Here are a few ideas to get you started, using very short movie extracts to present and practise new language and develop communicative skills.
1 No picture
Choose a short extract (2 or 3 minutes) with plenty of sound effects.
Article tags: esl, efl, esol, tesol, tefl, tesl, teaching english, esl video, learning english, learn english, teaching english as a foreign language
6). The Hallmarks Of A Professional Teacher
Have you ever wondered what the qualities of a really professional teacher are? I know that all teachers want their students to like them, but being liked isn't the be-all and end-all really, is it? I mean teachers have to make some unpopular decisions sometimes.
Teachers can be popular just because they are friendly and helpful, but to be truly professional and effective they need other qualities.
Article tags: teach english, teaching english, teaching english overseas, esl jobs, esl, tefl, tesol
7). Choosing A Timetabling Software
Recently, I was asked for information about timetabling software. I don't feel I can recommend a particular product as each school will have different requirements, but I thought it would be worth discussing some of the issues involved in choosing software appropriate to your needs.
I think the first consideration is ease of use for those who need to operate the system.
Article tags: teach english, teaching english, teaching english overseas, esl jobs, esl, tefl, tesol
8). An Acronym By Any Other Name
I don't know about you but I loathe acronyms. Yes, I know they have a convenience factor but they also seem to me to be potentially sinister, redolent of George Orwell's Newspeak. Our field has its fair share of them and woe betide anyone who uses one wrongly. Never, for example, say ESL or TESL when you mean ESOL or TESOL. Why? because you might unwittingly.
Article tags: teach english, teaching english, teaching english overseas, esl jobs, esl, tefl, tesol
9). Older Teachers
I met a retired engineer the other day and she told me she was half way through a TEFL training course. She wanted to know what I thought her chances were of finding a teaching job when she has completed the course. Well, I can't disguise the fact that there is a lot of age prejudice in the world of ELT. I think all sorts of reasons combine to make this a profession dominated by young teachers.
Article tags: teach english, teaching english, teaching english overseas, esl jobs, esl, tefl, tesol
10). Mixing Spaghetti And English: Teach English In Italy
For those who dream of teaching abroad, Italy is often the first country that comes to mind. Beautiful, historical, and surrounded by a sense of romance, Italy is a dream for most Westerners who plan on traveling for a career.
It should come as no surprise, then, that English teaching jobs in Italy are somewhat difficult to obtain. There's a lot of competition and a lot of applicants, and if you're hoping to secure a position you should be prepared to prove yourself.
Article tags: teach english, teaching english, teaching english overseas, esl jobs, esl, tefl, tesol
11). Is A Degree In ESL Worth It?
A recent poll asked whether English teachers should have a degree of some type. Approximately 64% of the respondents thought they should have a degree for teaching ESL: quite a high "yes" because, as always, there were some "don't know" meanings that makes the "no" camp very small.
I am generally in favor of teachers being first educated to degree level.
Article tags: teach english, teaching english, teaching english overseas, esl jobs, esl, tefl, tesol
12). Health Matters
I guess nobody likes thinking about what can go wrong with the recruitment process. We all like to think we are reasonable employers, offering a fair package in return for a professional job. Yet, we do operate in a market that is prone to certain complications. Think about it. We recruit mainly young teachers who travel a long way from their home and friends, perhaps to a country they don't know anything about.
Article tags: teach english, teaching english, teaching english overseas, esl jobs, esl, tefl, tesol
13). How Long Is An ESL Working Week?
It seems that some schools combine long hours with revolving days off so that teachers find it hard to recharge their batteries, let alone keep up the quality of their teaching.
As so often this comes back to cultural norms. Many teachers come from a background in which it is normal for the working week to run from Monday to Friday leaving Saturday and Sunday free.
Article tags: teach english, teaching english, teaching english overseas, esl jobs, esl, tefl, tesol
14). Do You Know How Your Students Want To Learn?
Learner power is the topic of this article. I wonder how many school directors think about asking their students how they want to learn. The idea of conducting a needs analysis to find out what students want to learn is nothing new, but I’m not sure if we are quite so used to trying to find out their preferred learning styles. I mention this because it strikes me that so many teachers come from the same mould, having qualified through courses based very much on progressive western views of educational practice.
Article tags: teach english, teaching english, teaching english overseas, esl jobs, esl, tefl, tesol
15). Language And Culture
The native/non-native-speaking-teacher issues open a whole can of worms of how standards are regulated. I still think the key point about teacher selection is to find the best person for the job. If the non-native speaker fits the bill, then surely that's all that matters. As for regulation, well I agree that students should be protected from sham schools that take their money but don't offer a professional service. Each country, it seems, has its own regulatory system, some ...
Article tags: teach english, teaching english, teaching english overseas, esl jobs, esl, tefl, tesol