Teaching opportunity to work in the Southeast of England

TimePlan is excited to offer Canadian trained secondary teachers an exclusive opportunity to work in the Southeast of England.

Join us for an interview in Toronto this April. You'll have an opportunity to meet with two secondary Headteachers representing The West Kent Learning Federation of Schools who are looking to fill vacancies for the September 2008 school year.

Interview times fill up quickly, so please get in touch early to avoid disappointment.

So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch today!

Call us toll free on 011 800 8463 7526 or drop us a line on canada@timeplan.net
(please include your full name and number).

I look forward to hearing from you!

Cheers,

Carly Skeen
Canada Recruitment Co-ordinator

TimePlan Education Group Limited
20-21 Arcadia Avenue, London N3 2JU
Phone +44 (0)20 8371 8030 Fax +44 (0)20 8371 8031

http://teachenglishblog.blogspot.com/

Role and Function of Teachers

Question to Teachers Forum

"Why do we of the communicative bent avoid explaining the plusque parfait to six-year-olds and others? We are trying to allow the student to build his own system inductively; and if his system works, good; and if his system doesn't work, we correct him (sans explanation)."

Response 1

The obvious response to this question is that there is a universe of difference between the way children and adults learn languages.

Young children do not have a metalinguistic awareness of language or their learning process. They do not ask "Why?" questions about the structure of language. Adults are different, both cognitively and emotionally.

Most adult learners have a natural desire and inclination to analyze what they are learning. I agree with "B A" that it is unprofessional and insulting to brush off an adult learner's questions about the structure of language.

Regardless of how entrenched a teacher is in his beliefs about how languages are learned, the teacher must give way to the student's perceptions of what will help her learn. If that means answering questions about the difference between 'should' and 'should have,' it is the teacher's job to answer those questions.

Response 2

"I've been a supervisor, coordinator, and school principal in my career. If I had a teacher who said that repeatedly, I'd replace that teacher. (Let me be clear: I'd FIRE that teacher a.s.a.p.)"

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It is always interesting to listen to and view discussions from different perspectives.

Is it correct to allow teachers to teach according to their personal beliefs of how the brain actually works or learning occurs?

What if the teacher is using data from 30 years ago that is incorrect? The people who believed the earth was flat were "correct" for thousands or years.

Should teachers be hired based on what they believe and how they teach?

Do teachers have to put on their resumes "I believe this ... about teaching and learning methodologies"?

If a teacher teaches in a specific manner because of his beliefs - then the teacher is by actions imposing his beliefs on his students and colleagues and others within his sphere of influence.

If a teacher teaches in a specific manner because of his beliefs - then the teacher is by his actions treating all students in a stereo-typical fashion - great for believers in equality - poor for people who know that the 50,000 variations in the gene pool create unique individuals that learn differently - students who are taught in this stereotypical fashion are suffering from instructional prejudice.

Some additional questions

Should teacher training include brain function and learning methodology beliefs.

Should the annual professional development days include recent brain function and learning methodology beliefs.

Who is going to pay for all this training?

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Teach English Blog URL
http://teachenglishblog.blogspot.com/

2008 IATEFL Annual Conference

The British Council and IATEFL are pleased to announce the official launch of the Exeter Online website in the run up to the IATEFL Annual Conference in Exeter, 7th – 11th April 2008.

The Exeter Online site allows remote participants to take part in one of the world's biggest ELT conferences through a variety of resources including:

- video recordings of selected sessions

- audio recordings of selected sessions

- live streamed plenaries and events

- moderated special interest discussion forums

- chat sessions

- blogs and photo albums

* To visit the Exeter Online website, go to:
http://exeteronline.britishcouncil.org .

The first time you visit the site, you'll need to create your own free user account
- http://exeteronline.britishcouncil.org/login/signup.php

This initiative builds on the earlier collaboration between the British Council and IATEFL in Aberdeen last year, which brought together 1,600 teachers and trainers at the actual conference, and 2,500 online. This year we expect a much larger audience, and this is a real opportunity to take part in the biggest online ELT training community.

Timetable

The launch of the site gives all remote participants a chance to register,
familiarize themselves with the site and get to know fellow participants.

Forum moderators are already in place and ready to start the discussions which will lead up to the official conference on 8th April. Once the live conference has started, participants will be able to enjoy some of the live sessions and other events happening in Exeter. For more information on the conference and the online site, please see the Exeter Blog at:

http://iatefl.britishcouncil.org/exeter2008blog

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Teach English Blog URL
http://teachenglishblog.blogspot.com/

How to Choose a Language Tutor

Picking the best tutor can change your life, give you the first "A" or even a pass for the first time. Picking the best tutor can build confidence to do something for the first time or hone existing skills into excellence.

Available tutors can be:
high school or college students,
part-time high school teachers, college teachers, workers or professionals or
retired workers, teachers or professionals.

Available tutors can have subject theory experience as a high school student, college student, as a worker, manager or professional.

Available tutors can have no teacher training, beginner 100 hour TESL certificates, Bachelor of Education Degrees, Masters of Education Degrees or Education PHD's.

Available tutors can have real work experience as a worker, supervisor, manager, executive or owner.

Students should pick the tutor who has the education, theory training, teacher training and real work experience that suits the student's goal.

If a student wants to improve their pronunciation then they should study with a teacher with accent reduction training, communications training or a voice coach.

If a student wants to learn advanced business English then they should study with a tutor who has business education, teacher training and real business experience as a professional.

Students have to understand that price and quality are not always related so they have to have a basic schedule for pricing and value of tutor instruction.

Our basic price guide for Language tutors is:
English as a second language ESL Tutors
High school students $10 per hour,
college students $15 per hour,
university graduates $20 per hour,
university plus TESL graduates $25 per hour,
university plus Bachelor of Education $30 per hour,
university plus Masters of Education $35 per hour,
university BA, MA, plus PHD Education $45 per hour,

Many tutors add for their experience or specialty training. For example: if you want to learn advanced business English for corporate finance many business English teachers with 10+ years of real business experience will charge from $60 to $100 dollars because it is a subject specialty.

When hiring a tutor ask to see proof of their education, training and experience. Good tutors have a professional web page with pictures, certificates and experience listed and usually have a resume or professional teaching portfolio available to show prospective students.

When hiring a tutor ask how the tutor will test your current skills. Ask how the teaching materials will be used. Ask what teaching materials will be used. Ask if and how skills testing will occur. Ask what teaching methods will be used. Ask if homework is assigned.

Some students want to study with their friends. Ask the tutor if a small group can be taught at the same or special price. With conversation based programs the small group formats can offer excellent learning and practice sessions and better prices.

Hiring a tutor is like hiring an employee. There are lots of tutors with different prices and levels of education, teacher training and work experience.

Hire a tutor that will help you achieve your goal.

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Teach English Blog URL
http://teachenglishblog.blogspot.com/

BEST of BESIG 2 Call for Papers

TESOL France (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) and IATEFL BESIG (Business English Special Interest Group) are pleased to present BEST of BESIG 2 Call for Papers.

Saturday June 7th 9am to 7pm

Call for Papers

Following the success of the Best of BESIG 2006 in Paris, TESOL France and IATEFL BESIG have decided to come together for a second time. Prospective speakers for the Best of BESIG 2 are kindly asked to submit abstracts for talks pertaining to new and emerging practical approaches in the Professional English context. These include:

* Teaching tips for teachers of Business English,
* Relationships between Professional English and other disciplines,
* English for Professionals and the use of technology,
* New materials & innovative ways on how teachers can use them,
* Discussions on the trends, evolution and future directions of Business English.

Please include:

1. Name of speaker(s) + affiliate (where necessary)
2. Title and synopsis of workshop / paper you consider appropriate for the event and target audience. Approx 100 words.
3. Language of delivery (French / English),
4. Target audience - e.g. experienced / less experienced trainers, etc.
5. Publisher sponsored workshop Please include name of publisher,
6. Biodata. 100 words max,
7. Any time during the event when you will not be available,
8. Technical needs.

NB: In the past, Best of BESIG attendees have greatly enjoyed workshops that have been more practical than theoretical.

Important Dates:

* Notification of acceptance: April 30, 2008
* Details of preliminary schedule: May 15, 2008
* Event Date: June 7, 2008
* Papers are to be submitted in .doc or .pdf format via e-mail and sent to: tesol@enst.fr

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Teach English Blog URL
http://teachenglishblog.blogspot.com/

I teach Freedom

I teach Freedom

I do not want my students thinking that knowledge is hidden or only passed
on to a chosen few.

I do not want to produce co-dependent or charismatic personality followers
out of my students.

I do not want my students running after me for years and years begging for
"interpretations" or "patterns we use".

I share what I know and where to find more.

I share how to use rules, tools and methods.

I share how to apply, modify and invent.

Students learn how to use multiple reference sources to gain more knowledge.

Students learn how context, situations, environment, audience and politics
change what language is used.

Students learn to communicate from their core.

Students learn how to test, modify and improve their communications.

My students become confident then independent and go out on their own.

The Freedom to learn whatever you want, whenever, without chains holding you
back is exhilarating.

Yes I teach English grammar. I teach Freedom

ESL in Canada

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Teach English Blog URL
http://teachenglishblog.blogspot.com/

The Best ESL Teachers include Grammar

The arguments against grammar teaching are almost always set up straw men to knock down. Most of us, at least those of us in ESL (which I'm most familiar with) don't teach grammar the way those in the zero-grammar corner want to believe we teach it.

When I talk about teaching grammar, let me make it clear that I am NOT talking about Grammar Translation. I am NOT talking about meaningless drill. I am NOT talking about memorizing rules. I am NOT talking about an insistence on accuracy above all else. I am NOT talking about asking students to do grammatical analysis and insisting that they use meta-language.

All I'm talking about is helping our students understand how English works, raising their awareness, and giving them opportunities to gain experience with structures useful to their interlanguage development in all skill areas -- with grammar teaching just one aspect, one component, of a balanced program of instruction.

Here is a well-known study:

Norris, J. & Ortega, L. Effectiveness of L2 Instruction: A Research Synthesis and Quantitative Meta-analysis. Language Learning 50:3, September 2000, pp. 417-528.

In the abstract, they say their article is a summary of "investigations into the effectiveness of L2 instruction published between 1980 and 1998. . . . "The data indicated that focused L2 instruction results in large target-oriented gains, that explicit types of instruction are more effective than implicit types, and that Focus on Form and Focus on Forms interventions result in equivalent and large effects."

In other words, in this meta-analysis of research, the conclusion is that the explicit teaching of grammar (which includes both inductive and deductive strategies) is more effective than implicit approaches (i.e., with only communicative exposure to target structures).

And further, this excerpt discusses the two major approaches to including a grammar component in an instructional program. Focus on Form essentially means slotting in grammar to content-based, task-based, skill-based communicative teaching, with the grammar designed to help students perform the activity at hand -- and there is a wide variety of ways to do that, including either reactively or proactively, or both.

Focus on FormS (which I call Grammar-Based Teaching) essentially refers to working from a structural syllabus and weaving in content-based, task-based, skill-based communicative activities designed to give a lot of exposure to and opportunities for practice with the target structures. These two basic approaches to including grammar are, as Norris and Ortega say, equally effective, so the choice of one over the other would depend on the teaching situation. But to choose not to include any grammar instruction at all is to ignore what a preponderance of research in the last 25 or 30 years has shown about the effectiveness of a grammar component.

Just one last note: grammar-based teaching is chock full of comprehensible input and meaningful communication. Grammar teaching today is, as a teacher once said, "a hybrid that works." Let's stop talking about straw men.

Betty Azar

You can reach Betty Azar at:
Azar Grammar

Teach English Blog URL
http://teachenglishblog.blogspot.com/