Job Discussion Forums

[Djob20]

I arrive in Buenos Aires in a week, from where I am planning to move on to try and find work. I am a 23 year old British guy with a Celta but little-to-no teaching experience, and I am aware of the fact that teaching from December to March is probably going to be freelance with private students. Therefore, im trying to work out what teaching materials I need to bring, considering that I don't know what age or what level of student I 1shall be teaching.


Im planning to bring,

dictionary / thesaurus

The Azar grammar workbook

A book of short stories called "Sudden Fiction"

Pictures of my family

Magazine cut-outs, pictures of filmstars, images from internet such as sports, images of London etc

A copy of Scrabble




So what am I missing people? A vocab book, a book of games ....

Is there anything you really wish you had taken with you in the way of materials you didnt?

Or anything which has proved invaluable?


Thanks for any input
Dominic

[coffeedrinker]

I agree with most of your list - the only thing I might skip is the dictionary, just becaue it takes up quite a bit of space and you should have a good selection of dictionaries in bookstores to buy in almost any large city in the world. I'd probably skip the thesaurus completely.

Pictures are good because they can be used so many ways with different levels. (Imagine you are this person; what do you think these people are thinking/feeling/saying to eachother; which picture do you like best and why; describe this picture...) I often wish I had more pictures, especially with more than one person and with different things going on.

More advanced students might use games like Taboo (bring just the cards) or Scattegories (copy the categories).

Maps of your town or other towns that have English place names, or tourist brochures.

Menus from restaurants (again, ideally with foods that have mostly English-type names...I love Mexican food but your students probably don't need to practice their Spanish )

Also grocery store ads to practice (and compare) prices.
Hope this helps! Good luck.

[dmb]

I'd say leave the lot at home.

Just make sure you have a decent internet access.

[thrifty]

Please don't show the poor students pictures of your family. They will be paying good money for the lessons.

[tedkarma]

Take a big dose of patience and flexibility with you.

I really like Jane Hadfield's Elementary Communication Games. Wouldn't go anywhere without it.

Good Internet access will be VERY helpful.

[Djob20]

Thanks a lot guys for the advice. Ill be making sure I have got good access to a good internet connection wherever I end up. And also lots of pictures of all kinds as Coffeedrinker suggests.

Thrifty -I read somewhere that pictures of your own family are a very usefull thing to take with you, to give elementary classes in particular on introducing yourself and talking about your family. Anyhow, they don't take up much room.

Tedkarma - I just searched for the Jane Hadfield book on Amazon and it seems to cost 30 pounds, so Ill think unless I can find a second hand copy, Ill go for a cheaper option.

Thanks again guys, Dominic

[thrifty]

If you went to an elementary Spanish class would you expect your Spanish teacher to show you pictures of his/her family and would you be interested?

[Djob20]

[tedkarma]

[Serious_Fun]

[canuck]

Longman Picture Dictionary.

[VanKen]

[viovio]