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Teaching with a speech impediment

 
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ggcpres



Joined: 31 Jul 2015
Posts: 1
PostPosted: Tue Aug 11, 2015 2:56 am    Post subject: Teaching with a speech impediment Reply with quote
I'm an American with a natural midwestern accent...and a slight speaking impediment that effects some of my s sounds (like in bruce) and rare but existent stutter. I never have issues being understood and generally have better grammar than most native speakers.

I have an MA in English and can answer questions like 'why is the spelling so different from the pronunciation' or 'why is the word for the meat so different from the animal it comes from' off the top of my head.

So, is it possible for me to teach aboard, and if so, should how forthcoming should I be on the impediment.
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
PostPosted: Tue Aug 11, 2015 3:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
ggcpres wrote:
I'm an American with a natural midwestern accent...and a slight speaking impediment that effects some of my s sounds (like in bruce) and rare but existent stutter. I never have issues being understood and generally have better grammar than most native speakers.

I have an MA in English and can answer questions like 'why is the spelling so different from the pronunciation' or 'why is the word for the meat so different from the animal it comes from' off the top of my head.

So, is it possible for me to teach aboard, and if so, should how forthcoming should I be on the impediment.

Obviously, this forum doesn't allow us to hear you, but how have others perceived your speaking? Have you asked several trusted friends, especially those who teach ESL if they consider it to be a noticeable impediment in terms of teaching? If the feedback you've gotten is positive, I suggest you consider the following:

1) volunteer for a month or two at one of your local nonprofit refugee/ESL literacy organizations as a classroom assistant, which will allow you to teach alongside seasoned instructors who can offer feedback on your speaking; and

2) enroll in either a CELTA or SIT TESOL course (after your volunteerism) for formal, entry-level teacher training that includes 6 hours supervised and assessed teaching practice with real students. Do an Internet search on CELTA and SIT TESOL --- both courses meet the TEFL requirements of the better employers worldwide.
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suphanburi



Joined: 20 Mar 2014
Posts: 916
PostPosted: Tue Aug 11, 2015 10:17 am    Post subject: Re: Teaching with a speech impediment Reply with quote
ggcpres wrote:
So, is it possible for me to teach aboard, and if so, should how forthcoming should I be on the impediment.


I am sure that you could teach aboard somewhere. Try Carnival Cruise Lines.

As to being a teacher abroad... don't worry about it.
If you mention it prior to interview you won't even be considered for an interview.
If it becomes an issue at interview then you won't get hired.
If you get past the interview stage then Bob's yer uncle.

Just make sure you have enough coin in your pocket to fund your flight home when they do discover it and terminate your employment. Labor standards in most of the EFL world where an American can work are not what they are at home.

.
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In the heat of the moment



Joined: 22 May 2015
Posts: 393
Location: Italy
PostPosted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 4:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
So you have a slight lisp and stutter when you're nervous? No problem, at all, really. When focussing on pronunciation don't focus on the 's' sounds in words, and try to develop ways to overcome your nervousness (or, at least, hide it).

There are many tools in a modern classroom - video, PPTs, online websites, in class activities, role playing etc - where the focus is not on you, but on the media or the students. If you have a few of those 'up your sleeve' you can whip them out at the first hint of nerves and stuttering. When the students' attention is not on you they'll quickly forget or ignore any small impediment.

And I second the two previous posters' replies - good advice.
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roadwalker



Joined: 24 Aug 2005
Posts: 1750
Location: Ch
PostPosted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 11:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
If it really interests you, go for it. I've worked with one teacher with a definite stutter (although markedly less when teaching a prepared lesson) and with many teachers with non-standard accents. I could understand the stutterer because he had a neutral accent, but it took a little more time. I often had to ask the others (British, North American, and South Asian) to repeat what they were saying because I just didn't catch it the first time.

In China, many of my students ended up in jobs where they needed to speak English on the phone with a wide variety of speakers. Many would struggle at first when the speakers didn't sound like their English teachers. To the extent that your condition creates difficulties for you, it is also real-world practice for your students to improve their communication skills. Good luck.
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Teacher in Rome



Joined: 09 Jul 2003
Posts: 1286
PostPosted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 7:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Quote:
I'm an American with a natural midwestern accent...and a slight speaking impediment that effects some of my s sounds (like in bruce) and rare but existent stutter. I never have issues being understood and generally have better grammar than most native speakers.


Echoing what the other posters have said...

Many of us have odd "idiosyncrasies". I can't pronounce the /d/ in "had" and end up saying "hat", for example; and when I ask students to speak back words from my "modelling", I often hear a rather twangy west country accent - even when I try hard to be "standard"!

But what I think is more likely to get in the way is an obvious stutter. I'm no expert in this, but if you know when you're likely to stutter (and you say it's rare, anyway) you're probably self-aware enough to reduce the possibility. Maybe it's a question of scripting your lesson / directions to students until you feel more natural as a teacher... As I said, I'm no expert on this, but I can tell you that the more confident you feel, the less students (or anyone else for that matter) will notice anything out of the ordinary.

Good luck with your teaching career!
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