Job Discussion Forums

[travelgoddess]

The first time I taught (Taiwan) it was in a school that had a very strict plan to follow and it was very teacher oriented.

The 2nd time I taught (Vietnam, post CELTA) anything went, as long as they were engaged. Teacher oriented for short explanations were soaked in, but generally a student focused, engaging activites were appreciated.And I dug this SO much more than the 1st time.

The 3rd time I taught,at home in San Francisco,Ca,at a small language school, I taught my first multi-lingual classes. I tried using the interactive lessons/activities learned during and after CELTA, but even in my conversation classes, a lot of times they fell flat. I adjusted and added more teacher talking/explaining time,but ended up with a sour taste in my mouth. The point was to get THEM to talk.

Wondering what teaching styles dominate in whatever country you are living/teaching in. This is almost becoming more of a factor in my next location than the place itself.I like being able to create active,interesting lessons. But if I do and they are not liked or wanted,whats the point?

Thanks for your input. Will be interesting to see your replies.

Oh,and as far as class size goes, in the above, they averaged around 15 people per class for most of the teaching done so far.

Steph

[gaijinalways]

The teaching style will vary depending on the institution, the course and its goals, and the industry (junior high school, university, corporate classes, or language schools). I have seen all kinds of approaches used by teachers teaching the same classes in university. At a language school, an instructor is more constricted but there is still some freedom for teacher input.

Directly answering your questions, I think it would be difficult to define by geographic area any partciular teaching style that predominates, though certainly some countries don't expect as much, whereas others have higher standards, but again this will vary depending on the institution. I've taught in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and in Japan, and I have seen various situtations in all 3 countries.

[Glenski]

[travelgoddess]

Appreciate the comments.

I suppose for my next school I will have to do more observing and question asking BEFORE signing on. Have been kinda quick to take jobs in the past, and have been really luck for the most part so far.

Thanks again, I look forward to more comments on the matter.

Steph

[naturegirl321]

Drilling is dominate here in Korea in public school.

In Peru, they like small groups, everyoe talks.

[arioch36]

Unlike some other teachers in China, I have found that for most of my classes, the students will get involved ... as long as I expect them to get involved and the department expects them to get involved. I have found these two to be the keys.
I have become more and more convicted that the department plays a huge role. I've taught enough years in China (7th) to know what works and doesn't work. IELTS or "international school" were the kids parents pay megabucks, and the department (school) has few standards ... quite often nothing is going to work well. On any given day, half the students may not show up.
I am teaching marketing majors and law majors for the 2nd year. Obviously, English not as good as english majors. The college is a low middle rank college. Students goofing off, missing classes, are read the riot act. A student failing will not graduate until they come to ME to pass a make up test. And after this was known (and perhaps also they have heard they can actually improve their english in my class), now, no one comes close to failing. Every student puts in a decent effort. And when students work at something, they enjoy it more.

But I have found (maybe my personality, or maybe China) I must be very controlling the first couple of weeks. First breaking them in small groups for pair or group talk. This also serves as an excuse to break up cliques. Girls and boys divided as evenly as possible. The first couple of weeks I tell them exactly how they must talk, which I guess is pretty opposite the traditional "student-centered", but in reality is very student centered. It's what the Chinese college student needs.

No drilling at all, well very little.

[gaijinalways]

[MELEE]

I think what gaijinalways says is true for Mexico as well. Traditionally education is very teacher centered. But English classes taught by native English speakers often fall outside of the realm of traditional education, not matter what institution they work in. This may take some getting used to on the part of the students. But if you tell them why you are running the classes they way you are, usually most of them will respond.

[arioch36]

[coffeedrinker]

I've taught in language schools in three countries in eastern Europe, and I would generally describe it as a mix. Students are receptive to fun things like games and speaking and generally interactive activities, but it is also not unusual to find students who say things like:

- correct me when I make a mistake because that's how I learn
- I am here to speak with a native speaker, not my classmates

To some extent, you can explain the basis for doing things other ways, and this will work better in a school that, for example, explains its communicative or task-based focus in its promotional materials. It will also work better if other teachers in the school teach in a similar way to you - or maybe better said have similar ideas about what is important (fluency over accuracy, student-centered activities, etc.).

I guess I'd agree that it isn't easy to say - things always happen this way in this country - but at the same time, I have found similar things in the three contexts I've worked in. I suppose looking for how the school presents its classes to students and how a variety of teachers there teach (rather than just directly asking the school) is a good way to get a sense for how things will go.