Job Discussion Forums

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 12:55 am Post subject:

Hmmm. If you don't like the amount of money you make in this field...oh well. I don't really know any other field where people are generally satisfied with what they earn.

But

gaijinalways · Joined: 29 Nov 2005 Posts: 2279

A larger problem in Japan is low student motivation and a lack of progress shown by many students. Partly due to the lack of focus on learning a language (too few hours a week of study and actually using the language, instead an overreliance on grammar-translation 'yakudoku'), partly due to little effort put out by students outside of class time activities (and even then, for some, not too much in class).

So it is frustrating to see students never reach their potential, remaining fossilized at a low level.

As to pay, I do okay, though university usage of agencies that send 'language' teachers out for more expensive university classes with fewer students are proliferating and cutting into the regular lecturers' job security. What is ironic about these new conversation classes is that they go aganist the idea of hiring more qualified people to teach. These classes do fit in with the idea of universities hiring people on shorter term contracts and then dumping them if the classes don't have enough interest from students.

Jizzo T. Clown · Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2006 3:33 am Post subject:

Justin--

I do stand by my statement. Notice I said "most." This involves listening and reading.

When you move to a new country and don't know the language (or only have a basic understanding of it), you rely on listening and reading to get by.

I'm not saying that speaking and writing don't have their place (well, writing is really debatable), because you do have to know how to ask "how much," but then again if you can understand numbers then you've got the shopping thing figured out...basically.

As for my students, the majority of English needed at the university level is used for listening to lectures and reading texts. Of course they will have to write papers (and give the occasional speech), but the writing will come once they have inductively learned how to read at the collegiate level.

As well, their social needs will eventually determine the level of their spoken English.

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

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

Why does "deconstructor" continue doing what he so evidently despises? Wouldn't he be happier doing something else?

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

He does it because deep down he loves it. And he loves complaining about the thing he loves. He would not be happier doing anything else because then he wouldn't be able to express his love for it with the bitter riposte that is his poetry.

I prefer to sing a different tune on teaching abroad...

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:39 pm Post subject:

Hey Guys,
I get your point Jizzo, and the fact that you're preparing students for a university setting certainly makes what you're saying make more sense to me. A lot of what I do, though, is to prepare students for their first ever experiences, abroad, and I'd be doing them a disservice by making it receptive only.
I also think of my own language use as a model for what second language learning means to me, as most of the time I live and work in a language that isn't native. If I couldn't talk on the phone; write, as well as read, emails and proposals; and talk, as well as listen, to people; I would be out of a job.
And Decon- don't ever change. I guess we don't agree on a lot of stuff, but I always enjoy your posts. I do agree that students can learn in spite of their class and teacher. They can also learn in their class with their teacher. Or at least if they're learning in spite of me, I can't help that notice that the ones in my class do so faster than those who are not in class. Is this a coincidence? Well, probably...

Best,
Justin

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

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

For "deconstructor," schizophrenia is a full-time job that is much more interesting than teaching English. It keeps him going and going and going....

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

You're not trapped. You're just lazy (and probably rather comfortable) and you've given up. If you were sufficiently motivated, you'd find a way to change your life for the better. Others--in more "desperate" circumstances than yours--have done it.

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

Aushwitz survivors?

Henry_Cowell · Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3352 Location: Berkeley

Your estimation of your sorry fate is just a tad inflated.

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

...just a tad, yeah?