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joehaz
Joined: 19 Jan 2013
Posts: 7
Location: California
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 Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 11:45 pm Post subject: First time esl teacher |
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Hi I am going to china to teach English for the first time and the school wants me to give a demo lesson for 20 minutes to there staff so they can check out my teaching style . I am worried because I don't know what I should do . I would like to play a few games and teach some basic vocabulary . But I really can't think of what games I should play or how I should go about this demo class . I am going to be teaching 4th , 5th , 8th grade classes when I start at the school 40-45 min lessons 3 times a day Monday-Friday . If any one can give me some tips on how there first demo class went or what I should do would be much appreciated .
thanks |
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johntpartee
Joined: 02 Mar 2010
Posts: 3258
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| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 12:17 am Post subject: |
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| Just ask each student a question or two, find out if they have English names; if they don't give them one, ask them if they like it. If they don't, suggest another one. Ask them where they are from, what their parents do for a living, any brothers or sisters, what they do in their spare time..........Assess their speaking skills. It'll go over fine with the administrators. |
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Javelin of Radiance
Joined: 01 Jul 2009
Posts: 1187
Location: The West
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| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 1:54 am Post subject: Re: First time esl teacher |
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| joehaz wrote: |
| Hi I am going to china to teach English for the first time and the school wants me to give a demo lesson for 20 minutes to there staff so they can check out my teaching style . I am worried because I don't know what I should do . |
Hi Joe. If you don't know what to do then it sounds like you don't have a teaching style. This might give you a bit of insight into what to do, or what to expect.
http://www.ajarn.com/ajarn-street/articles/the-dreaded-demo-lesson/
Or this.
http://forums.eslcafe.com/teacher/viewtopic.php?t=572 |
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chinadad
Joined: 29 Nov 2011
Posts: 291
Location: chengdu
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| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:06 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Hi I am going to china to teach English for the first time and the school wants me to give a demo lesson for 20 minutes to there staff so they can check out my teaching style . I am worried because I don't know what I should do |
I think you should be more worried about the fact that you're getting a further job interview after you arrive. The other thing I'd also be worried about is that they are throwing you into the Lions Den before giving you any prior training - even some of the worse schools let their teachers have a few days following around in other classes to see how the job is done.
I presume you have gone through the basic 'must be done' procedure contacting one of the school's present or former FT's to get an idea over the lie of the land - get back in contact and ask about these demo-classes |
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Non Sequitur
Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China
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| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:59 am Post subject: |
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Am unclear if the demo is to a class of students with staff looking on, or just to staff.
If the latter I would be concerned as they will not react and if your teaching method is communicative you will look like a total dork. Sorry but there is is.
If the former I agree that asking names is a good starting point. Maybe if they are active kids and understand your simple instructions organise a two team race - word chain or similar. |
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Javelin of Radiance
Joined: 01 Jul 2009
Posts: 1187
Location: The West
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| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:09 am Post subject: |
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Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't games supposed to be 5 minute warm up activities or time fillers at the end of a proper lesson? If I'm asked to give a demo lesson a condensed version of a lesson teaching some relevant language point is what I'd prepare, not a game activity.
Last edited by Javelin of Radiance on Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:10 am; edited 1 time in total |
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mcloo7
Joined: 18 Aug 2009
Posts: 434
Location: Hangzhou
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| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:09 am Post subject: |
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| Is this a normal thing that a school would do when you start working there? |
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Javelin of Radiance
Joined: 01 Jul 2009
Posts: 1187
Location: The West
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| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:11 am Post subject: |
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| mcloo7 wrote: |
| Is this a normal thing that a school would do when you start working there? |
They usually ask before they hire you, and it's more common with language mills like EF or Wall St.
Last edited by Javelin of Radiance on Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:11 am; edited 1 time in total |
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kev7161
Joined: 06 Feb 2004
Posts: 5880
Location: Suzhou, China
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| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:11 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| the school wants me to give a demo lesson for 20 minutes to there staff so they can check out my teaching style . |
A simple typo I'm sure but, as a new teacher (and even long-timers as well!), you'll want to be very careful of all the details. Good luck! |
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mcloo7
Joined: 18 Aug 2009
Posts: 434
Location: Hangzhou
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| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:14 am Post subject: |
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| Javelin of Radiance wrote: |
| mcloo7 wrote: |
| Is this a normal thing that a school would do when you start working there? |
They usually ask before they hire you, and it's more common with language mills like EF or Wall St. |
Ask you to give them a demo when you get there, or a demo online somehow? If you're taking the job (in China) from your home country would they still want a demo through webcam? |
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Javelin of Radiance
Joined: 01 Jul 2009
Posts: 1187
Location: The West
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| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:21 am Post subject: |
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| mcloo7 wrote: |
| Javelin of Radiance wrote: |
| mcloo7 wrote: |
| Is this a normal thing that a school would do when you start working there? |
They usually ask before they hire you, and it's more common with language mills like EF or Wall St. |
Ask you to give them a demo when you get there, or a demo online somehow? If you're taking the job (in China) from your home country would they still want a demo through webcam? |
I doubt it. Demos seem to be for people who are on the ground knocking on doors already. |
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Non Sequitur
Joined: 23 May 2010
Posts: 4724
Location: China
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| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 5:25 am Post subject: |
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| Javelin of Radiance wrote: |
| Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't games supposed to be 5 minute warm up activities or time fillers at the end of a proper lesson? If I'm asked to give a demo lesson a condensed version of a lesson teaching some relevant language point is what I'd prepare, not a game activity. |
If you're referring to my post, a word chain teaches students to quickly recall vocab (automaticity it's called).
It will also go down well with Chinese parents if this is a language school.
That means bucks.
I share concerns about what next if OP bombs on this task. |
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joehaz
Joined: 19 Jan 2013
Posts: 7
Location: California
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| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 5:27 am Post subject: |
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| OK to clear some thing up I am going to have a demo of my teaching style for the staff not students . They told me they want to see how I teach so they can give me advice before I go to the school and start teaching the students . This demo is for my recruitment agency to help me before I go and teach at the Public middle school . So please give me any other advice and thanks so far . |
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chinadad
Joined: 29 Nov 2011
Posts: 291
Location: chengdu
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| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 5:36 am Post subject: |
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Giving a successful demo, here in China, is your insurance that school actually wants you. Coming in totally cold through a series of extremely shallow telephone or skype interviews only shows the employer you're white and can talk English. Even when you get here, and you turn out to stink as an EFL teacher, you're not 100% certain that the school will employ you. If you become some sort of liability then they'll find a way of ditching you.
This is why 2 years of teaching experience - over professions such as tree-surgery - is deemed as a pretty good grounding to taking on an EFL job - not just for an employer but also for you 
| Quote: |
| OK to clear some thing up I am going to have a demo of my teaching style for the staff not students . They told me they want to see how I teach so they can give me advice before I go to the school and start teaching the students . This demo is for my recruitment agency to help me before I go and teach at the Public middle school . So please give me any other advice and thanks so far |
For a recruitment agency - this sounds more like an interview - be prepared for bait and switch |
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Javelin of Radiance
Joined: 01 Jul 2009
Posts: 1187
Location: The West
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| Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 6:04 am Post subject: |
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| joehaz wrote: |
| OK to clear some thing up I am going to have a demo of my teaching style for the staff not students . They told me they want to see how I teach so they can give me advice before I go to the school and start teaching the students . This demo is for my recruitment agency to help me before I go and teach at the Public middle school . So please give me any other advice and thanks so far . |
If you incur any transportation costs going to and from this demo, and if it interferes with a normal meal hour, ask them up front if they'll cover that. |
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