ESL in Canada has been busy surveying students while here in Korea and is recommending the homestay tutor program for students studying in Canada.
This is the best educational value for international ESL students and provides an excellent stable environment for language learning.
Homestay Tutor program
This program is designed for homeowners to add real value to the "Homestay Experience" of international students who travel to Canada to study English as a second language.
Homestay in Canada can be a wonderful experience for students to receive real one-on-one tutoring in English pronunciation, language rhythm, tone and timing. The student can hear oral demonstrations and practice their basic conversation skills in a positive nurturing environment that no mass language class in Canada can duplicate.
Homestay students have stated that they have learned between 0% and 90% of all English during their stay in Canada at the Homestay. ESL in Canada is interested in developing the positive aspects of individual tutoring for students and help homestay families be properly compensated for the true value of their contributions.
The typical language student travelling to Canada pays from $600 to $1500 for 100 hours of ESL classes, pays $600 to $900 for homestay and a variety of registration fees from $200 to $500. The first month for the typical language student costs from $1400. to $3000. Canadian dollars.
Because of the high costs most language students stay in homestay for one month then move to an apartment with other students where very often the native language is spoken. The language students have been forced to a totally negative language-learning living situation because of basic economics. The typical language student sits in a class with 10 to 25 other students and receives from 0 to 10% teacher help. If we use the 10% and 100 hours formula - the typical language student pays $60 to $150 per hour for their individual teacher attention.
ESL in Canada wants to change the economics for language students to help them learn more for less. The basic economics for homestay tutoring is very simple. Costs of a room range between $200 to $400 per four week period, the price for Meals is $300 per four week period and the price for 40 hours of tutoring is $600 or 60 hours
for $900 per 4 week period. The Total Cost to the student is $1100 to $1600 Canadian dollars per four week period.
The language students can also study TOEFL, Cambridge, TOEIC, Business English, Career English or advanced grammar for 2 hours per day at the language schools for $250 to $400 per month or they can volunteer at the ESL in Canada Social club for free language exchanges.
The homestay tutoring program will save students $300 to $800 each month. The combination program will provide 30 additional hours of individual attention each month. This combination will allow language students to stay in the homestay and remain in the 100% positive language learning environment for the entire study period
in Canada.
Real Benefits for Homestay Tutors
The first benefit is the personal satisfaction that is generated from watching a fellow human being succeed using the information and skills obtained from your teaching.
The knowledge that you will help your students save lots of money and learn more with you.
The students will stay with you for three to twelve months instead of changing every 2 or 4 weeks.
Monthly Tutor compensation for two students should range up from $2400. depending on location, meals and tutoring program.
By registering a Homestay tutor business with ESL in Canada you can use the extra $2500 to $10,000 in tax deductions the business will use to shield the additional tutor income.
I enjoy getting back taxes from Ottawa - you should too!!!
Blog URL
http://teachenglishblog.blogspot.com
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Who is responsible for the students' learning?
Who is responsible for the students' learning?
Kids do not take responsibility for their learning.
At a national Social Psychologists Conference a group of researchers presented a study they'd done on learning mathematics in four different countries. It had been inspired by the results that U.S. students scored much worse than students in other countries.
The students in the other countries were studying, because THEY wanted to. American students reported studying because it was expected of them and to please their parents. American students used externally motivating reasons not internal.
Some of the established student trends of low grades, vandalism and disrespect is partially due to the fact that parents give students too many things. Parents do not teach students the experience of wanting something, saving up for it and the pleasure of finally getting it. Life for some students is so easy that they just coast through it, absorbing as little as possible, throwing away possessions, friendships and opportunities because they think there'll always be another one waiting around the corner.
Bored teens are setting fires to cars, fighting and doing drugs. I think kids who have to work to get what they have will value it more because of the planning and effort it took them to get it. This teaches respect for other people's possessions and achievements.
Who is responsible for the students' learning?
The true answer lies with whomever has the power to exert the most control over the variables associated with learning. This depends on the age of the student. The 13-18 year olds have increasing control over whether or not they learn and teachers
have decreasing control.
It has always been my education goal to empower students by teaching them
to take advantage of the controls they have over learning. Students must realise that this control exists and they need to create independence. This independence is real because of variables over which teachers have little or no control with adolescents.
I hold students accountable for their learning. Students have to do the work, to the best of their ability at that time, location and pace of my instruction.
I hold myself accountable for providing the means by which this learning occurs by teaching how to learn, by providing accessible instruction, by providing appropriate feedback and fair performance measurements.
Learning is obviously a partnership, but it is not in the student's interest to over-emphasize dependence on a teacher to learn. Witness the high school honour students who go fail miserably as college Freshmen because they cannot learn independently.
Contributed by a hard working teacher
Edited for blog posting
Kids do not take responsibility for their learning.
At a national Social Psychologists Conference a group of researchers presented a study they'd done on learning mathematics in four different countries. It had been inspired by the results that U.S. students scored much worse than students in other countries.
The students in the other countries were studying, because THEY wanted to. American students reported studying because it was expected of them and to please their parents. American students used externally motivating reasons not internal.
Some of the established student trends of low grades, vandalism and disrespect is partially due to the fact that parents give students too many things. Parents do not teach students the experience of wanting something, saving up for it and the pleasure of finally getting it. Life for some students is so easy that they just coast through it, absorbing as little as possible, throwing away possessions, friendships and opportunities because they think there'll always be another one waiting around the corner.
Bored teens are setting fires to cars, fighting and doing drugs. I think kids who have to work to get what they have will value it more because of the planning and effort it took them to get it. This teaches respect for other people's possessions and achievements.
Who is responsible for the students' learning?
The true answer lies with whomever has the power to exert the most control over the variables associated with learning. This depends on the age of the student. The 13-18 year olds have increasing control over whether or not they learn and teachers
have decreasing control.
It has always been my education goal to empower students by teaching them
to take advantage of the controls they have over learning. Students must realise that this control exists and they need to create independence. This independence is real because of variables over which teachers have little or no control with adolescents.
I hold students accountable for their learning. Students have to do the work, to the best of their ability at that time, location and pace of my instruction.
I hold myself accountable for providing the means by which this learning occurs by teaching how to learn, by providing accessible instruction, by providing appropriate feedback and fair performance measurements.
Learning is obviously a partnership, but it is not in the student's interest to over-emphasize dependence on a teacher to learn. Witness the high school honour students who go fail miserably as college Freshmen because they cannot learn independently.
Contributed by a hard working teacher
Edited for blog posting
http://teachenglishblog.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Teaching ESL in North America
Being a new ESL teacher is difficult. Career ESL teaching in North America is not easy and not available overnight with most professional organisations.
Most ESL schools are marketing organisations. They like to sell their school as the best (in everything) to the international students. The schools like to present themselves as established, well organised, professional, with highly qualified & experienced teachers, proven curriculums, lots of resources and a history of happy students.
If you want to teach ESL in the competitive private school industry then you have to realise that as an ESL teacher you are part of a packaged commodity. For most ESL teachers to get a job in North America you have to have a combination of personal qualities, education and teaching experience.
The ESL schools that try to cover 10 levels, 45 electives, activities; and self-directed programs are usually stretched because of budget restrictions. Many schools are on low-margin, high-volume programs and cannot afford to make hiring mistakes. The ESL schools are risk adverse and concentrate on revenue retention.
To be a successful career ESL teacher you can look at the stages most teachers go through. The start can be wonderful or ugly. It depends on your preparation.
Many successful career ESL teachers tutored while they finished their university and teacher education programs. As a tutor you can really learn how to help a student. You can see their struggles and provide the solutions.
The next step is the classroom. The leap from one student to 25 is major and requires all the theory and methodology necessary to operate as a classroom professional. You have to do this in person. Get the practicum supervision and corrections necessary to teach ESL professionally.
Experience can be gained in North America as a community volunteer, operating your own classes, coop classes, teacher observation, or travelling internationally where experience is not required.
After two years of mistakes and corrections, continuing education, workshops, professional exchanges, brainstorming, team teaching, collaboration, students calling you wonderful, others not so happy - then the higher paying professional organisations consider you job - ready.
Comments, questions or complaints should be Emailed to info@eslincanada.com
Original Post
December 2001 ESL in Canada
Most ESL schools are marketing organisations. They like to sell their school as the best (in everything) to the international students. The schools like to present themselves as established, well organised, professional, with highly qualified & experienced teachers, proven curriculums, lots of resources and a history of happy students.
If you want to teach ESL in the competitive private school industry then you have to realise that as an ESL teacher you are part of a packaged commodity. For most ESL teachers to get a job in North America you have to have a combination of personal qualities, education and teaching experience.
The ESL schools that try to cover 10 levels, 45 electives, activities; and self-directed programs are usually stretched because of budget restrictions. Many schools are on low-margin, high-volume programs and cannot afford to make hiring mistakes. The ESL schools are risk adverse and concentrate on revenue retention.
To be a successful career ESL teacher you can look at the stages most teachers go through. The start can be wonderful or ugly. It depends on your preparation.
Many successful career ESL teachers tutored while they finished their university and teacher education programs. As a tutor you can really learn how to help a student. You can see their struggles and provide the solutions.
The next step is the classroom. The leap from one student to 25 is major and requires all the theory and methodology necessary to operate as a classroom professional. You have to do this in person. Get the practicum supervision and corrections necessary to teach ESL professionally.
Experience can be gained in North America as a community volunteer, operating your own classes, coop classes, teacher observation, or travelling internationally where experience is not required.
After two years of mistakes and corrections, continuing education, workshops, professional exchanges, brainstorming, team teaching, collaboration, students calling you wonderful, others not so happy - then the higher paying professional organisations consider you job - ready.
Comments, questions or complaints should be Emailed to info@eslincanada.com
Original Post
December 2001 ESL in Canada
http://teachenglishblog.blogspot.com/
Monday, October 23, 2006
ESL Teacher Information Articles
ESL Teacher Information Articles
Some interesting "2006" facts for new ESL Teachers
The world has definitely changed since September 11, 2001.
Overseas travel is still down 20% (5 years later)
Teachers interested in Middle East positions has declined 95%
Good News for ESL Teachers
Worldwide demand for English language training has increased over 10%.
Samsung will use English as the head office language by 2007
China needs another 1,000,000 English speakers for the 2008 olympics
China wants 300,000,000 English speakers by the year 2020
Worldwide requests for overseas teachers up 300%.
Teachers' salary in China - 2001 was $2500RMB now is $5,000RMB up 200%.
Bad News for the ESL Industry
Estimated % of individuals using fake certs to get overseas jobs 60%
Number of fake teachers deported from Korea for fake degrees 416
Best estimate for fake certificates sold in Asia to native English
speakers since 1980: 42,000.
Number of Asian agents selling fake certs charged, convicted, jailed 0.
Cost of fake degree, TESL cert, transcripts and special university
hotline phone number to verify degrees: $600.
Estimated % of worldwide illegal ESL language schools that are not
properly registered, licensed or operating 40%.
In the mad rush to get a good TOEFL score before the speaking section
becomes manditory - the cost for a Korean pro test writer to create fake ID and write a 600 score: $1,500 USA and the cost to bribe a Chinese test proctor to complete your test after the exam: $10,000 RMB.
Most obvious nonsense school ads: good looking English teachers to teach older gentlemen English at their home during the evenings.
Most brutal stories of Middle East ESL teacher mistreatment include: locked up in apartments with no food, water or heat, strip searches, robbery, assaults, death threats.
Most evil fraud: using J1 program to send underage prostitutes to the USA
Being a new ESL teacher is difficult
Most North American ESL schools are marketing organizations. They like to sell their school as the best (in everything) to the international students. The schools like to
present themselves as established, well organized, professional, with highly qualified and experienced teachers, proven curriculums, lots of resources, a history of happy students.
If you want to teach ESL in the competitive private school industry then you have to realize that as an ESL teacher you are part of a packaged commodity. Remember that most ESL schools pay for advertizing, marketing, salesmen, agents, flashy brochures and have to travel to expensive international student education fairs to recruit students. ESL schools pay from 25 to 50% to get ESL students in the door.
For most ESL teachers to get a job in North America you have to have a combination of personal qualities, education and teaching experience. The ESL schools that try to cover 10 levels, 45 electives, activities, and self-directed programs are usually stretched because of budget restrictions. Many schools are on low-margin, high-volume operations
programs and cannot afford to make hiring mistakes.
To be a successful career ESL teacher you can look at the stages most teachers go
through. The start can be wonderful or ugly. It depends on your preparation. Many successful career ESL teachers tutored while they finished their university and teacher education programs. As a tutor you can really learn how to help a student. You can see their struggles and provide the solutions. The next step is the classroom. The leap from one student to 15 is major and requires all the theory and methodology necessary to operate as a classroom professional. You have to do this in person. Get the practicum supervision and corrections necessary to teach ESL professionally.
Experience can be gained in North America as a community volunteer, operating your own classes, team teaching classes, teacher observations, or tutoring. Travelling internationally where experience is not required can be exciting and educational - however one has to consider the dramatic life-style changes and risks which accompany these opportunities.
After 2 years of mistakes and corrections, continuing education, workshops, professional exchanges, brainstorming, team teaching, collaboration, students calling you wonderful, others not so happy - then many of the higher paying professional organizations consider you job-ready. Career ESL teaching in North America is not easy and not available overnight with most professional organizations.
New ESL teachers should take an internet tour of teacher white, grey and black lists, personal webpages and blogs to see good, bad and ugly teaching experiences.
May the force be with you.
Original Post: ESL in Canada
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