Job Discussion Forums

[go_ABs]

There's a thread on China Job-Related that asks 'which is your favourite level to teach?'. I'd like to take that one step further: what are the most rewarding aspects of the levels you like to teach?

I teach children who are absolute beginners. I love being able to make them laugh by being stupid, seeing in their eyes when things 'click' after they finally understand a difficult concept, and getting to know the kids' mainly through their actions rather than their words. I like seeing kids come out of their 'shell' - often they are initially a bit scared of the big white pointy-nosed big-eyed whitey - and eventually participate in class with a smile.

Why do you like teaching the level(s) you like teaching?

[denise]

I prefer university-aged advanced students. Why? That age is a good mix of blossoming maturity/awareness of the world and youthful fun. And that level means they can converse and are academically-oriented, which just suits me for some reaon.

Right now I�ve got beginning adults, and they are great too. I just love this job! (minus the kids, though...)

d

[expatben]

I taught some 5 year olds and yeah I agree with you Denise. With 5 year olds its not just the teaching its all the other things that goes with it-having to watch them constantly, the inevitable fight breaking out ect ect. Adults are more mature (supposibly) and because of that you can just work on the English.
I think every age group is different, luckily so is every teacher

[EnglishBrian]

Zero beginners - it's the one level where everyone in the class is the same level. Plus I think you get to see the biggest change in students' English in the shortest time, don't have to worry about fossilised errors and you can really do it like they teach you on CELTA courses. And you don't have to field any of those daft (ok awkward) questions you get at higher levels.

[sigmoid]

For me, university students. Most of them have a good foundation of language skills and you get to teach them things that are useful and related to their future career and the working world in general. You can go off-topic a bit too and discuss history or cultural issues. and you don't have to be entertaining all the time. Most of the courses are task-based so the students do the work while the teachers facilitates, advises and evaluates.

[ls650]

In Indonesia I taught ages 4 to 44. Here in Mexico I teach university students.

I prefer teaching the older students: teaching children is okay in small doses, but four or five hours a day tends to burn me out pretty quick.

[Deconstructor]

I've been asked this question many times before and my answer surprises some.

Having taught all age groups (5 to 65) and all levels from absolute beginners to university and native-like speakers, I'd have to say that I love teaching all of them and could never choose one over another. Each one has its own special challenges and dynamics.

Well, maybe there is one group that I don't enjoy a lot: the extremely advanced who think that they sill have something more to learn when in fact they are finished. Of course, there is always room to learn more, but at a very advanced level students must deal with complex texts, complex writing and presentations. These take a great deal of homework for the students who often don't have the motivation and still believe that it's the teacher's job to chew the food and put it in their mouths. I REFUSE!!!!!

I am teaching one such class now. The first thing I told them on the first day was, "This class is extremely difficult and demands great deal of dedication. You are going to do all the work and discover your own answers while I am going to be only a guide. if you believe that I as a teacher am solely responsible for giving you all the answers while you sit there and take notes; If you do not like participating in class rigorously; if you are not ready to do at least two hours of homework per day; if you are still interested in grammar; if you do not have specific linguistic goals nor are you interested in them; if you believe that I am going to magically provide you with the North American accent, you should drop this class immediately because if you do not, I am going to fail you!!!". I tend to lose 30% of the class and that is exactly my goal.

[valley_girl]

I like teaching intermediate-level adult students. The reason I prefer adults is that children require far more babysitting and classroom management (not that some of the adults don't...lol). I prefer teaching at the intermediate level because those students have enough English to grasp things fairly easily, without a lot of explanations and examples, and yet they don't know so much that they think they know more than I!

[expatben]

Good point

[dmb]

I have fave classes not fave levels. Naughty dmb

[expatben]

Also good why are they your favourite