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Deconstructor · Joined: 30 Dec 2003 Posts: 775 Location: Montreal

But again, what difference does it make what accent the teacher has since the student could never really pick it up? Isn't it more important to be in the company of a teacher who knows how to help one learn?

Why this obsession unless there is some romanticism involved?

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Deconstructor · Joined: 30 Dec 2003 Posts: 775 Location: Montreal

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

I think we're on a slightly different wavelength here. Incompetnet teachers clearly do not belong in the classroom, agreed.

Looking at it from our point of view, from the outside in, yeah, it looks discriminatory. A student, the individual, sees it from their own experience. Again, my experience here in Mexico is with students who usually have an intermediate or higher level of English, are currently in positions where they have to interact with English speakers (Americans most often), and have already determined what their needs are.

If that student says, 'it is important to me that I work on my own accent' or that 'I need to practice listening and interacting with a particular accent', then their perception is bang on right, regardless of what I think as a teacher. What am I going to tell them? 'No, you really shouldn't worry or consider accent in others or yourself'? To some degree, I do point out that a student shouldn't expect to master an accent...it's unrealistic, but I'm not going to contradict a student's real experience with the language as they experience it at work, over the phone, abroad, etc, etc.

Without a doubt, the native-speaker aspect of TEFL is grossly abused by language schools for image, promoting the school, etc. But, it doesn't apply to every teaching situation out there. The OP is talking about Korea, and I'm going off here about Mexico (City), my students, and my experience here. I'm only telling you what many students here are saying.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

You know, Decon, the real crime here is that you and I are playing TEFL Tennis on Labour Day weekend.

dajiang · Joined: 13 May 2004 Posts: 663 Location: Guilin!

Hey Drakis,

You can easily find work in China and South East Asia.
I'm not sure about Korea and Japan because I've not been there myself, but I heard you could get by doing freelance work as well.

Mind you, you can work in the EU as well.
Spain, Portugal, Greece, etc. are all really nice places to work at. You might have problems getting your wife over to the EU though.

China really isn't bad, and you can save quite a sum of money there. Taiwan is another good option (while it's still there), with higher wages.
Kyrgyzstan sounds interesting too btw. I've got a friend there that did some part-time teaching in Jalalabad, but the wages there are really low.

btw this might be a useful site for you:
www.mixed-couples.nl

Good luck,
Dajiang

Cdaniels

dagi · Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 425

"1. EC passport issued by the Netherlands"

What is an 'EC passport'? And if you have a PhD in Psychology, why on earth do you want to do TEFL?

Babino · Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Posts: 8 Location: Europe

Hi there!!!

I can't really understand why you think your Netherland passport will be such a problem. I teach in China with a French passport, I speak English without an accent, have a degree, and thatt's all that mattered to them. You could always tell them that your dad was from the Netherland and that's why you have the passport. I didn't have any problem, and I hope you won't either!!!

Good luck, let me know how you get on!

drakis · Joined: 15 May 2004 Posts: 19

Thanks to those of you that had something positive to contribute to this thread. I looks like I'll be going to China at the end of the month - Babino, maybe I'll see you there. I'll be going into Hebei province.