ESOL Collaborative Team Teaching

Testimonies: Lessons learned from ESL teaching in South Korea

Korea is one of the most popular destinations for ESL/TEFL teachers, with many thousands arriving each year to work. The salaries offered are fairly good and the benefits package is excellent. The abundance and constant demand for teachers also mean it is a popular destination for first time teachers looking to start a career in ESL/TEFL teaching, and for those who are just taking a year or two out after university. This is what I did myself, after graduation taking a job teaching in Korea where I spent over four years. During that period I learnt many things about the positive and negative aspects of teaching in Korea, from my own experiences and those of friends and colleagues around me. All in all I had a very positive and enjoyable experience and look back on those years fondly. When looking back in hindsight most of the major problems that most teachers face can be eliminated before even leaving for Korea. The serious problems


I found most people to encounter could be put into two categories work (school) and culture. Your time spent working at the school or "Hogwan" as it is known will play a huge role on how happy you are and where most people's problems occur. What must be understood is that these "hogwans" are businesses and like all businesses some are more reputable than others. Teachers would have problems with non-payment of wages, breaches of their contract in regards to hours, overtime payments, or living conditions. If the right steps where taken before accepting the position most of these issues could have been avoided. Before accepting a position it is a good idea to speak with one of the current western teachers preferably by phone. If you are able to do this you should ask the following questions, What is it like to work at the school? What are the teaching shift patterns and the hours of work? (Many schools operate a split shift teaching schedule). Are you paid on time and how are you paid? Are contract terms and conditions honoured? This final question may sound rather redundant however in my experience many "hogwans" have English contracts only to let their teacher know what is expected of them and what they should expect. By all accounts contracts written in English seem to have dubious legal standing and act more as guides than required actions. It is a good idea to get the school to send you pictures of the accommodation as the apartments provided can sometimes be barely livable. Generally the apartment will be a lot smaller than you are used to but this is the case for the majority of living accommodations in Korea so should not come as a shock. It also advisable to find out if you will be sharing an apartment with anyone and who they are. Be prepared to teach as soon as you arrive. You will usually begin teaching classes a day or two after you arrive so it is advisable to have some activities and ideas for lessons prepared. Although not essential I also found it useful to have some form of teacher training. It gives you some knowledge of what to do and teaching that first class becomes less daunting.


When it comes to culture it is very important to do your research about Korea. Korea is vastly different to North America or Europe not only in the look of the country but how people act and behave. Many teachers will experience culture shock in Korea and some will not be able to deal with the differences. The differences are also more distinct dependant upon you location within Korea. If you intend on living in Seoul then the differences will not be so distinct due to the large foreign presence in the city. In smaller cities and towns there could be little western influence meaning these destinations may not be for everyone.


I would recommend going to teach in Korea to anyone however you must know what you are signing up for. Do your research and take your time in making a decision on your job and I am sure you will have a great time and avoid most of the problems you could encounter.

TEFL Lesson Planning - Warmers That Will Make Your Students Adore You Part III

In a previous article we talked about the importance of including a warmer in TEFL lesson planning and outlined the most important aspects to be included. Here is a summary of what we said the warmer should include:

1. An easy-to-succeed activity.
2. Include continuity from the last class.
3. Physical activity.
4. Physical contact.
5. Co-operation between students.
6. Break the usual classroom layout.
7. There should be an aim to the task.
8. Link into the next part of the lesson.
9. A 5 to 10 minute activity.

But how can we put these things into practise?

To illustrate how, we will go through an example warmer - a classic called 'Grab' - and each time one of the elements above is satisfied, it will be shown in brackets. Lets take an imaginary group of students to give some context:

• Ages: 15-17
• Level: Intermediate
• Number of students: 10
• Previous class teaching aim: should for advise
• Present class teaching aim: phrasal verb forms
• Materials used: flash cards with illustrations of common action verbs

What to do:

• Greet the students.
• Hold up a flash card (e.g. a picture of someone running)
• Ask the students 'What's he/she doing?' (easy to succeed)
• The first student to reply correctly (S1) is asked to come to the front of the class. (activity)
• S1 is given the next flash card and the teacher prompts S1 to ask the class 'What's he/she doing?'
• The first student to reply correctly (S2) is asked to come to the front of the class. (activity)
• S2 then continues with the process.
• When all the students are at the front of the class, the teacher tells the students to form a closely knit circle sitting on the floor. (activity, co-operation, breaking with the classroom layout, physical contact)
• All cards are placed face up on the floor.
• The teacher says an unfinished 'should for advise' sentence with an action verb from a flash card in mind e.g. 'To keep fit you should...' (includes continuity from the last class)
• The teacher, by way of example, then grabs a relevant flash card (running, for example)
• The teacher states that by grabbing the card he/she has won a point. (an aim to the task)
• The game is now set to start, and the teacher gives another 'should for advise' sentence.
• As the students try to grab relevant cards, their hands will collide (activity and physical contact)
• The teacher will often have to peel away layers of hands to find whose is at the bottom of the pile and who is therefore the winner (teacher-student physical contact)
• To keep the card, the winner has to complete the unfinished 'should for advise' sentence appropriately using the verb from the flash card.
• The student who wins the card then has to say the next unfinished 'should for advise' sentence to continue the game (this student does not grab for a card)
• The winner is the student at the end who has most cards.
• The teacher then says 'Thank you. Now please go back to your seats, sit down, pick up a pen and note down what I write on the blackboard.'
• The teacher then writes these very same instructions on the blackboard, and asks the students to say what kind of verbs he has underlined: 'Go back to your seats, sit down, pick up a pen and note down what I write on the blackboard.' (Link into the next part of the lesson - phrasal verbs)

By the time you have finished this warmer, you will have well prepared students, and a very positive cooperative atmosphere in the class. Oh, and I nearly forgot to mention: your students will adore you!

In the next article, we will give a list of different activities that meet all these requirements for a good warmer, all of them great fun, and needing next to no materials.

Adrian Allen is one of the co-founders of http://www.findateacher.es andhttp://www.buscaprofesor.es which is a bilingual search tool for private teachers to advertise themselves to students. It can be used either for free, or by paying a small subscription fee for better ranking in the database. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adrian_Allen

TEFL Lesson Planning - Warmers That Will Make Your Students Adore You Part II

In a previous article we talked about the importance of including a warmer in TEFL lesson planning and outlined the most important aspects to be included. Here is a summary of what we said the warmer should include:

1. An easy-to-succeed activity.
2. Include continuity from the last class.
3. Physical activity.
4. Physical contact.
5. Co-operation between students.
6. Break the usual classroom layout.
7. There should be an aim to the task.
8. Link into the next part of the lesson.
9. A 5 to 10 minute activity.

But how can we put these things into practise?

To illustrate how, we will go through an example warmer - a classic called 'Grab' - and each time one of the elements above is satisfied, it will be shown in brackets. Lets take an imaginary group of students to give some context:

• Ages: 15-17
• Level: Intermediate
• Number of students: 10
• Previous class teaching aim: should for advise
• Present class teaching aim: phrasal verb forms
• Materials used: flash cards with illustrations of common action verbs

What to do:

• Greet the students.
• Hold up a flash card (e.g. a picture of someone running)
• Ask the students 'What's he/she doing?' (easy to succeed)
• The first student to reply correctly (S1) is asked to come to the front of the class. (activity)
• S1 is given the next flash card and the teacher prompts S1 to ask the class 'What's he/she doing?'
• The first student to reply correctly (S2) is asked to come to the front of the class. (activity)
• S2 then continues with the process.
• When all the students are at the front of the class, the teacher tells the students to form a closely knit circle sitting on the floor. (activity, co-operation, breaking with the classroom layout, physical contact)
• All cards are placed face up on the floor.
• The teacher says an unfinished 'should for advise' sentence with an action verb from a flash card in mind e.g. 'To keep fit you should...' (includes continuity from the last class)
• The teacher, by way of example, then grabs a relevant flash card (running, for example)
• The teacher states that by grabbing the card he/she has won a point. (an aim to the task)
• The game is now set to start, and the teacher gives another 'should for advise' sentence.
• As the students try to grab relevant cards, their hands will collide (activity and physical contact)
• The teacher will often have to peel away layers of hands to find whose is at the bottom of the pile and who is therefore the winner (teacher-student physical contact)
• To keep the card, the winner has to complete the unfinished 'should for advise' sentence appropriately using the verb from the flash card.
• The student who wins the card then has to say the next unfinished 'should for advise' sentence to continue the game (this student does not grab for a card)
• The winner is the student at the end who has most cards.
• The teacher then says 'Thank you. Now please go back to your seats, sit down, pick up a pen and note down what I write on the blackboard.'
• The teacher then writes these very same instructions on the blackboard, and asks the students to say what kind of verbs he has underlined: 'Go back to your seats, sit down, pick up a pen and note down what I write on the blackboard.' (Link into the next part of the lesson - phrasal verbs)

By the time you have finished this warmer, you will have well prepared students, and a very positive cooperative atmosphere in the class. Oh, and I nearly forgot to mention: your students will adore you!

In the next article, we will give a list of different activities that meet all these requirements for a good warmer, all of them great fun, and needing next to no materials.

Adrian Allen is one of the co-founders of http://www.findateacher.es and http://www.buscaprofesor.es which is a bilingual search tool for private teachers to advertise themselves to students. It can be used either for free, or by paying a small subscription fee for better ranking in the database. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adrian_Allen

TEFL Lesson Planning - Warmers That Will Make Your Students Adore You - Part I

Lesson planning with TEFL warmers: essential for effective teaching. Part I

To ensure effective learning for a language class, the challenge is to secure the students' attention, and prepare their minds so that you have got a few vacant neurones to program linguistically.

To achieve this, here are the main elements to include in a good warmer activity to start the class, and why they are important.

1. An easy to succeed activity.

Always start the class with students doing something which they can succeed in. This makes them feel optimistic about their abilities, and sets a positive outlook to their frame of mind. What could be worse than being asked to do something at the beginning of the class that you can't do. As the warmer develops, tasks can become more challenging, but the first tasks should make the student say 'Yes! You're good! You can do this!'

2. Include continuity from the last class.

Start the class by using language from the previous classes to activate their memories through association. The students benefit enormously from 'being transported back in time' to the end of the last class' content - helping them to access all the language that was being used. It also gives a sense of continuity. This is a well established technique used by television producers, where often the last things to happen in a series are recapped in a few brief excerpts before the current episode gets underway.

3. Physical activity.

There is a world of difference between what a human being can do before and after a little physical exercise. However light, exercise relaxes, focuses and clears the mind, and increases the heart rate to allow the whole body to be more prepared for mental activity. Woe to the student who gives up exercise during exam season in order to get in more hours of revision and study, only to find their attention span and ability to commit facts to memory has been seriously reduced.

4. Physical contact.

Everything in life has its reason. So why, when people meet, do nearly all cultures introduce an element of physical contact into the process of greeting each other? Because it is a highly effective ice-breaker - an act that has a profound psychological effect on the way we perceive the person we are dealing with and nearly always for the better. The type of physical contact varies enormously from country to country, from hugs and kisses in warmer climes to the somewhat ceremonial, brief hand shake in others. But the underlying function is the same. We are sentient beings, and gain great reassurance from well intended physical contact, with our trust towards others being enhanced and our predispositions relaxed.

5. Break the usual classroom layout.

The warmer is better of it needs the students to move tables and chairs, or simply relocate themselves to a different part of the class. This breaks down routines that create student linguistic dependence on familiar settings, as well as generating the feeling of novelty. It can also be a good way to mix student groupings, allowing the teacher to pair up different individuals, introducing variety into the class.

6. There should be an aim to the task.

Many warmers seem to have no particular reason for being done other than for the sake of being a warmer! Always make sure there is a point to the activity, such as finding the solution to a problem, include a competitive aspect, or transfer information to arrive at a conclusion.

7. Link into the next part of the lesson.

When the warmer closes it should serve as a natural jumping board for the next theme of the lesson. This allows the student to transfer their concentration effortlessly, and also gives the sense that the teacher is in control and knows where he or she wants the class to go. This imbues the student with confidence in the teachers ability.

8. A 5 to 10 minute activity.

Traditionally, a warmer has always been talked of as lasting between 5 to 10 minutes, and for a typical one hour teaching period, this is a logical amount of time to spend, allowing time for the main teaching aim to be dealt with. Having said that, most good warmers lend themselves well to in depth recycling, and this is an invaluable tool for the teacher to have on hand. So the duration is actually a matter that the teacher should consider to be totally at his convenience.

In the next article we will see how to put these aspects into practise.

Adrian Allen is one of the co-founders of http://www.findateacher.es, http://www.buscaprofesor.es, which is a search tool for private teachers to advertise themselves to students. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adrian_Allen

TEFL Jobs in Asia

With travel becoming cheaper and the world getting smaller, it might be tempting to think that there are no new experiences to be had. Well, we have news for you: this definitely isn't the case in Asia! It's one part of the world that has managed to keep the flame of its ancient traditions burning brightly, despite its gleaming, modern side. Its history, diversity and great respect for tradition are amongst the things that Asia is famous for. There's also an abundance of sights worth seeing: the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, Sunkakuwan Bay, the Tubbataha Reef, Mt.Kinabalu and the industrial hubbub of Tokyo are just the tip of the iceberg!

Though it is a veritable feast for the eyes, Asia is much more than a tourist destination. With so many interesting things to see and experience it's no wonder that people flock to Asia, but you can still find areas untouched by the tourist boom.

Working in Asia will give you a completely different perspective, as you're not just going to lie on the beach (although you'll be forgiven for relaxing by the sea on your days off!). Rural areas are often less-visited and are also where English teachers are scarcest, so you'll see a way of life entirely removed from your own as well as some stunning scenery. In the major cities, living amongst the people you're teaching will give you a chance to try your hand at the local language as well as finding everything from the best street food, to the best place to buy a Kimono and the best place to hear traditional Sitar playing!

Culture

Not only does Asia have the largest market for English teachers, it's absolutely huge (breathe in...): Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen... phew!

With so many countries, it's no wonder that cultural diversity is one of the things Asia is so well known for! From riding an elephant in Sri Lanka, to fishing with the locals in Mongolia, sipping green tea in China and surfing the waves in Taiwan, everywhere is open to exploration!

Educational standard

Asia countries are famed for their advances in mathematics and medicine, hundreds of years before the West began to develop, and many countries in Asia are still very forward-thinking. Japan and China have experienced massive economic growth and education is considered a vitally important part of maintaining prosperity, with English language as an important part of both lower and higher levels of education. Countries such as South Korea are improving education and emphasising the importance of the English language and the use of modern technology. In fact, they were the first country to provide high speed internet access to primary, secondary and high schools!

Unforunately, some poorer areas haven't benefitted from the commercial success of the cities and when an education is costly it is all too often forgone. Kerala is the only Indian state to have achieved anywhere near full literacy in primary education, while Bihar struggles with less than half. Learning English is hugely beneficial in these poorer areas, but many have to rely on volunteer work.

Teaching opportunities

The most popular areas for English teaching are Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, China, South Korea and Vietnam. Increasing populations and expanding economies have created a high demand for the English language and the growing middle classes view education as essential for both children and adults alike, so you'll have a wide range of pupils! There's also a great variety of places to teach in, including primary schools, secondary schools, language schools and private schools.

With their increasing appeal to English teachers some countries, have tightened up entry requirements. Japan, Taiwan and Thailand are amongst those where it is now a visa requirement to have a degree if you want to teach English. If you're volunteering, it may not necessarily be an issue but one thing's for sure: any paid work requires a work or working holiday visa, so doing your research is worthwhile.

The Indian subcontinent offers less pay but lots of enthusiasm and appreciation for your hard work. Though paid opportunities can be limited to the more affluent areas, poorer countries have no less to offer culturally and the experience is rewarding enough in itself!

Facilities

Accommodation in Asia can be as varied as the climate, which ranges from glorious sunshine to chilly snow capped peaks. Wealthy countries have higher standards of accommodation which also reflects the cost of living. Japan is famously expensive but the placements are usually well paid: US$1000 per month on average. Homestays and shared accommodation are kinder to your budget and are more likely to be find when working in the South, where pay is less but so is the cost of living. When a meals costs as as little as 50p, there's not much room for complaint!

Chris Soames - Online TEFL courses with over 20,000 course graduates each year, international accreditation and certification recognised by schools worldwide. To Teach English abroad is the perfect opportunity for any English speaker to explore the world and immerse themselves in new cultures. Whether you're a trained teacher or a complete beginner, a TEFL qualification is your ticket for the journey of your life. Contacts: For interviews, images or comments contact: Chris Soames - Marketing & PR Email: chris@i-to-i.com http://www.onlinetefl.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Soames

Teaching ESL to Kids in Korea

New Teacher Tips on How to Improve Speaking Skills in the ESL Classroom

What do you do when students don't want to put that extra mile to do a speaking presentation, so they get cold feet and read from their notes just to get by. Improving speaking skills takes a lot of classroom practice, motivation to speak, and skill. Sometimes it is necessary to think beyond the box, adding creative elements wherever possible depending of course, on the skills of your students and how open they are to creative thinking.

Improving the speaking skills of your students may be difficult, but the added benefit is building confidence in students for speaking skills and strategies. Even though the professional years are still way in the future, help your students by starting small. Teach both speaking and listening activities, sometimes even in one lesson, while preparing them for that future presentation. That way, students don't feel the pressure and burden when it comes their turn to present a presentation due to remembering the fear of those earlier years during those speaking activities.

Teaching Activity Using Speaking Activities
1. Use picture prompts. Depending on the variety of visual resources and class level and ability, a teacher can brainstorm with the class a variety of sentences, (key) words, and phrases around a particular category or situational context that is the building block for a presentation.

2. Follow-up with a memory game or exercise. Students then work in pairs writing down or translating the words they remember.

Effective Teaching Continues
1. Another teaching activity involves asking questions or presenting statements that are not true about themselves, and then asking their friends to decide whether they are true or false. Students have a lot of fun with this one.

2. Play Adjectives All Around! Students have one minute to present all the adjectives they can in a sentence.

3. This person is _______________________________________________.

4. The other student then tries and guess who the person is. Make sure they include a minimum of five adjectives and no more than seven or eight. A teacher can use this activity to draw the students' attention to the different categories that make up an adjective.

Additional Tips for Improving Speaking Skills

*Allot a time limit for each and every speaking activity. Take into consideration those activities that involve either group or pair work.
*Keep the activity fun and simple. Make sure the instructions are also crystal clear.
*Don't overdo speaking activities in one lesson.
*Make sure you aim for a balance between speaking and listening.
*Have a back-up plan for the entire class and for individual students who are withdrawn.
*Always reflect on what can you do as a teacher to help students improve their speaking skills.
*The more diverse and creative your speaking activities become, the easier it will be for you to train your students to improve their speaking skills and speaking exercises will become much more automatic.

Make Your Teaching Sparkle. Teach for Success. Make a difference in the classroom. Subscribe to receive your FREE e-zine and e-book, "Taking Charge in the Classroom" when you visit the New Teacher Resource Center at http://www.newteachersignup.com. Purchase your ebook of classroom tested tips - "Tips and Tricks for Surviving and Thriving in the Classroom," at:http://www.MakeYourTeachingSparkle.com and you'll receive a FREE ebooklet, "Yes! You Can Teach K-12 English language learners Successfully!" Dorit Sasson is a freelance writer, speaker, educator and founder of the New Teacher Resource Center. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dorit_Sasson

Reinforcement Activities For ESL Students

Though many ESL students manage a good level of English, they need to continue practicing the language through diferent activities that will allow them to reach their language goals. In this way, they will not only maintain fluency but also improve their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.

Firstly, most students need to reinforce mainly grammar where difficulties first appear. People tend to translate from their native language to their second language, and this is where some doubts come up because we know grammar is not the same in all languages. Students are not used to learning the second language as their native one; they tend to focus more on rules and a more structured way of learning. This causes the learning of the language to be incorporated slowly. Secondly, in many cases they need to improve their listening comprehension and oral skills.

ESL programs offer a wide range of activities to refresh and reinforce topics that have been covered all year long. These activities are available online, as well as in booklets or study guides to practice in the comfort of their homes.

When we talk about business English, where it might be essential for students to travel, and where they will have to speak to native speakers, attend business meetings, and close important deals, maintaining good fluency is extremely important. Business travelers have higher demands and need a constant language practice not only in class but with extra material and a great number of activities to do at home. Since some of the activities are done at home with the absence of a teacher, they should be clear, with detailed instructions and should be something they can do on their own and bring to class later for corrections.

You may see some examples below of diferent kinds of exercises which may be done in any level to reinforce any kind of topic or grammar point.

Grammar

1. Multiple choice: consists of choosing the best option
2. Fill in the blanks: is also a constructive activity where you have to complete with the correct tense.
3. Complete dialogs: complete a conversation, filling in the gaps with correct verb tenses, prepositions, auxiliaries.
4. Word order: consists of putting words in the right order to make a sentence.
5. Question writing: students will write a question for each of the statements.
6. Matching: it's an interesting activity where you'll have to match two halves to make a sentence.
7. Answer questions: about yourself (practice all tenses, past, simple present or anything else you wish or need to improve)
8. Change from infinitive to past tense: you'll see a list of verbs and you must change them to the past tense.

Reading

1. Students are given a title and pictures. They create a short story on what they think the story is about. Usually warm ups are short paragraphs.
2. Students read the story.
3. There are comprehension questions about the story.
4. Fill in the blanks with verb tenses.
5. Look up words in dictionary.
6. Write a summary about the story.

Writing

It is essential for students to have guided instructions.

1. Writing e-mails in English: you'll see a set of words and expressions that you will have to use and write an email.
2. Writing about your daily routines, where you'll practice simple present.
3. Writing a story in the past tense: state what happened; you have to use the vocabulary provided.
4. Role plays: a whole lot of fun as it also facilitates interaction and improves speaking skills. A situation is presented and students have to write the dialogs. They act them out afterwards.

Speaking and listening activities are available online, where you can practice pronunciation through repetition, for example.

If you enjoyed this article about an ESL programs, please feel free to post it to your site or blog and forward this link to your friends. Have a great day! Don't forget to visit our ESL blog. Learn English in the United States - http://www.englishlci.com/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Thomason

TEFL/ESL Teaching Tips: Seating Arrangements