Teach English in China: finding the right position for you
Tom Garside
China has grown into a fascinating, diverse, challenging and ultimately rewarding place to be an English teacher (though of course this depends on the situation where you find yourself when you get to the school you are working with). The range of education groups, schools, kindergartens, university departments… where English Language Education (ELE) is practised means that your experience in China will depend on your choice of position and the role you go for. Here are some ideas to get you…
All categories, Careers in TESOL, Certificate courses, Teaching skills, Diploma courses
My journey to becoming a teacher trainer: Eve Conway
Eve Conway
Amongst teachers, becoming a teacher trainer seems to be quite a popular career goal. However the reality is that there is actually quite a small proportion of jobs available compared to the number of teaching jobs, so potential would-be trainers might find themselves waiting for years before they get the chance to actually train. A quick search on TEFL.com shows that at the moment of writing, there are 10 jobs listed under ‘teacher trainer’ compared to 468 listed under ‘…
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TEFL Masterclass: the power of grouping learners
Bryan Holmes
ESL classes usually require students to work in groups or in pairs. Groupings are beneficial for learners for several reasons and this week’s blog will take a quick look at the rationale behind group work and its value. Let’s begin by looking at the some of the reasons we encourage group work:
1. Increasing student talk time while highlighting language needs.
Varying interaction patterns for new teachers is often difficult. Pairing students together promotes a learner-centered class…
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Teaching abroad: interview tips for new TEFL teachers
Bryan Holmes
After completing a Trinity Cert TESOL or Cambridge CELTA course you will start applying for jobs. There isn’t really a shortage of full time work in TESOL, but there is a lack of quality employers. Securing a post can be a daunting chore and presenting yourself in a professional manner will make a huge difference in whether you’ll get hired or not. This week’s blog looks at top tips for getting the teaching job you’re looking for.
General Information
ESL teachers, especially…
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The 8 biggest mistakes made by trainee TEFL teachers
Tom Garside
Of the 175 or so trainee teachers who study the Trinity Cert TESOL certification in Hong Kong each year, very few know what they are in for. The gradient of the learning curve, the retention (and application) of so much content in such a short space of time, the stress and sleepless nights… A lot of these issues can be avoided with some realistic pointers before they join. This article presents the 8 biggest mistakes made by Certificate-level trainees on TESOL courses such…
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Integrating reading and listening skills for IELTS & ISE exams
Bryan Holmes
Reading and listening requirements for IELTS & ISE exams are vital for ESL students to study abroad at English speaking universities. These skills are especially important as they’ll need to attend lectures and interact with various materials throughout their studies. Additionally, they may be living in an English environment where they will need to develop these skills for everyday communication.
Reading and listening skills requires a lot of practice. However improvement…
All categories, ESL activities, Teaching skills
Do points systems miss the point?
Eve Conway
One of the first things that new teachers are taught, especially if they are having difficulty with a new class, is that in order to better manage learners’ behavior they should set up a points chart. Points systems vary from simple concepts such as adding marbles in a jar, having a classroom chart on the wall or even online e-platforms where points can be stored and remembered. Whilst sometimes being efficient and visual, points can stir up quite a lot of…
All categories, Teaching skills
Incorporating the 4 C’s into Chinese classrooms
Rachel Sims
As 21st century skills become a hot topic in the world of ESL, teachers regularly face the challenge of integrating the 4 C’s (creativity, collaboration, critical thinking and communication) into an often already busy curriculum and perhaps more importantly, the challenge of making them accessible to their students. This is where culture, or more specifically, students’ educational philosophy comes into focus, as their beliefs and prior experience shape how easily these skills can be taught.…
Teaching skills, ESL activities
Top 10 reasons to teach English in Hong Kong
Ryan Robbie
Working as a TEFL / TESOL teacher in Hong Kong is one of the most rewarding experiences you could ever have. In Asia, Hong Kong is often overshadowed by other teaching destinations such as Thailand, China, Japan and Korea. This blog aims to highlight why Hong Kong should be number one on your list.
10. Results happen fast
One of the most rewarding experiences as a teacher is watching your students improve. While teaching English in Hong Kong you may be surprised to see just how fast they…
All categories, Careers in TESOL
Top TEFL teaching destinations
Eve Conway
You may be considering giving up your 9-5 and taking a year (or more) out to teach abroad. You might have also completed an initial certificate in TESOL or a CELTA and be contemplating your next step. It can be quite overwhelming trying to decide what your next step should be. The world is so large that it can sometimes seem like the possibilities are limitless, and although choice is largely a positive thing, this may at the same time seem a little daunting. As a teacher who has…
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Top 10 grammar mistakes in Hong Kong (part 2)
Tom Garside
Continuing on from our part 1 article which highlighted five major English grammar problems faced by Cantonese speakers, here are another 5 common problems, with some explanations and teaching ideas to address them in class.
6) Can you cooking? / play tennis is fun
What's the problem? Cantonese speakers have problems using gerunds (-ing forms) correctly, either overusing them inappropriately, or reverting to basic infinitive forms incorrectly, as in the examples…
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Beyond single words: working with meaningful lexical chunks
Eve Conway
As a brand new teacher, I found myself teaching supply to a class of eight year olds. I had just completed a Cert TESOL a month prior, but I still didn’t have an overwhelming bank of ‘go to‘ vocabulary activities to draw from. The games that I remembered from my own childhood were “I Spy” and “Hangman”, so I decided to give them a whirl. The kids responded positively at first; a game is a game, and kids like games, right? But after playing hangman at the end of numerous…
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