Teaching ESL in Japan, Information on Teaching English Overseas

ESOL Collaborative Team Teaching

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

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

Teaching In South Korea

ToSouth Korea is an incredibly popular destination for people teaching English as a second language. But why is this and conditions will a teacher expect to find when they arrive?

There are a number of compelling reasons why Korea is a great destination for ESL teachers. Korea has an abundance of teaching positions available to all levels of teachers. The only requirements to teach in Korea are that you have a degree in any subject and are a native English speaker. The majority of positions available are entry-level positions where no experience is required. There are jobs with Universities and state run middle and high schools that require more advanced qualifications and would be appealing to the more experienced and qualified teacher. All these types of job are in constant demand and finding the right job to fit your circumstances is not difficult.

The compensation and benefits package in Korea is a big attraction. After university many students are left with high levels of student loan debt, teaching in Korea offers a possible solution to this. The salary and benefits offered to teach in Korea make it easy to put aside large amounts of money (in my experience at least 50%) and yet not have to compromise your lifestyle. You also will have your return plane tickets paid, for so there is no cost to you to travel there and start teaching and return home when you are done. The average wage for a teacher in Korea of between $2000-$3000 gross per month with the pay rising the more experience and qualifications you have. From that you will have around 5% taken in income tax. Other than tax you have very few other expenses to worry about. The school pays for your accommodation although it is your responsibility to pay the utility bills and in most cases you will have to pay 50% of your medical insurance(normally around $50 per month). This will be a total deduction of around $150 to $200 per month. So as you can see you are left with a very large portion of your paycheck to do with as you please. Living costs such as food are not particularly high either, especially if you like Korean cuisine. On top of all this at the end of your contract you will receive one full months salary as a bonus. Some schools also offer a resigning bonus to teachers who sign another contract.

Korea geographically is only a short flight away from other east and central Asian destinations such as China, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia. It is very common to take a couple of months between teachingcontracts to travel these countries and really explore the continent. Teaching in Korea gives you the flexibility to take a longer break between contracts due to the demand for teachers.

Korea has a lot of benefits for teachers but there are also some pitfalls that have to be considered and avoided. Proper research needs to be done before leaving to teach both on the school you will be teaching, its location and also the Korean 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 are. Teachers can 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 will be avoided. Before accepting a position it is a good idea to speak with one of the current western teachers preferably by phone that can alert you to any possible problems.

When it comes to culture it is very important to do your research about Korea. Korea culturally is vastly different to North America or Europe and research on this should be done before deciding to teach there. Many teachers will experience culture shock in Korea and some will not be able to deal with these differences. These differences can be more distinct dependant upon you location within Korea. If you intend on living in Seoul or other of the large metropolitan cities then the differences will not be so distinct due to the large foreign presence. In smaller cities and towns there could be little western influence meaning these destinations may not be for everyone.

Korea offers numerous benefits to teachers both monetarily and through opportunities provided with by job. The labour market for teachers in Korea also means getting the right job is easier than many other locations.

Teaching in Korea is an experience you will have that will stay with you for the rest of your life and is a great opportunity for anyone no matter what his or her situation. Read more Articles by this author visit Link

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