|
Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
arioch36
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 3589
|
 Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 4:52 am Post subject: |
 |
|
Obviously if the only time allotted is for lectures and then a few question afteerwards, you know that what you are really in for is someone hyping a book they want to sell, or to "be a name" or get published in a journal.
BTW please be clear, I AM NOT saying this is the case here. What I would like to have seen on In Time's post is the schedule of events. Nothing top secret or difficult about that. Seriously, if it sounded good, I would ask the school to pay. That is legit. brian Christman?? Is that his name, who has a China TEfll talk site, there things are more stuffy and pretentious, but also at times more useful in the academic arena, there was someone there who used to advertise the seminar in Kunming that sounded worthwhile
I really am not sure if the May Holiday time is a time that I would want to do much travelling though |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
arioch36
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 3589
|
| Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 5:04 am Post subject: |
|
|
Sorry Vikuk, i maybe didn't clearly answer your question, which I think was asked in earnest.
The schedule can tell you about
| Quote: |
| What is the difference between a real and fake workshop environment? |
For instance .. 9 AM-12 ?, how many people present? Three speakers? On different topics? In one lecture hall? Then that is what it will be, a lecture by someone trying to convince us he is great. If a speaker is engaging, it might be interesting for a while, but worthwhile?
In this case, what hourse for recruiting? Job fair? Or conference? The schedule will help determine
Who are the speakers? Unfortunately sometimes they want to get someone they can claim is important. How many years has the person taught in China? Or is the conference trying to get someone "big" name, thus no Chinese experience. thus no validity, no purpose. Krashen has never taught or researched in an Chinese environment. I have yet to see any actual true research on a Krashen "Theory" done in China, only talk using his name occassionally to try to make valid the persons own ideas (right or wrong .. I am not anti Krashen, only want us to use Krashen in a valid way, for those of us who are "krashenites"
The schedule says all of this. read between the lines a little.
Having someone who has published, or has clearly and concisely written about a teaching matter, is good, because we can believe the person has actually prepared to to share with us. the speaker/instructor can even let us read his plan before arriving. How many different workshops can we choose from. I would feel a truly good workshop must be continued ovr a two day span
Your thoughts? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
vikuk
Joined: 23 May 2007
Posts: 1842
|
| Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 5:38 am Post subject: |
|
|
Arioch I quite agree with you - somebody standing on a stage plugging a book or a company isn't a workshop. Workshops for teachers should have the quality of interactive experience - set up with the aim of creating a piece of work that's intended to instruct and train all participants (including the instructors) They seem best planed and staged when they're focused on specific educational situations. Something to do with building a common product that has a use for all participants. In the case of the China FT - a product that has relevance to a China EFL situation.
Ohhhhhhhhhhh - and I nearly forgot - the most effective workshops may include a high entertainment/fun factor. Otherwise they just become darn boring - a sleeping class.
| Quote: |
| Having someone who has published, or has clearly and concisely written about a teaching matter, is good, because we can believe the person has actually prepared to to share with us. the speaker/instructor can even let us read his plan before arriving. How many different workshops can we choose from. I would feel a truly good workshop must be continued ovr a two day span |
Arioch - sounds like you could be well acquainted with published material that specifically relates to Chinese EFL - stuff that's been written by people with China experience. From your studies could you suggest some useful reading for the rest of us. The kind of literature that would introduce us to the work of of authors that could be useful contributors to a China EFL workshop.
A question to everyone - who are those leading lights of China EFL, who are the real experts in this game - who's worth listening to, who's worth following  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
vikuk
Joined: 23 May 2007
Posts: 1842
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 6:14 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| A question to everyone - who are those leading lights of China EFL, who are the real experts in this game - who's worth listening to, who's worth following |
A deathly silence!!!!!!
Lets take off on a new tack -
Conference = workshops = training
Has anybody here received any training with regard to teaching EFL in China. What kind of trainers are there in China - what kind of quality/specialist knowledge can they bring to an EFL workshop that gives it relevance to the Chinese teaching environment |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Lobster
Joined: 20 Jun 2006
Posts: 2040
Location: Somewhere under the Sea
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 6:34 am Post subject: |
|
|
I don't really know of any names that stand out as experts in this field, but I've met a lot of good teachers here. I'm a teacher trainer myself. I can provide information on: The Chinese public education system, working conditions of FTs in China, the learning environment here, the psychology of Chinese learners, working conditions of Chinese English teachers, developing materials for the ESL classroom, and curriculum design. I focus on practical skills and am not much for radical theory (as you may have guessed from my posts). I also stay away from ECE for the most part.
RED
Your persistant attempts to include sigs in your posts have been thwarted again! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
vikuk
Joined: 23 May 2007
Posts: 1842
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 7:21 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| I focus on practical skills and am not much for radical theory (as you may have guessed from my posts). |
As far as EFL teaching method goes, I actually don't think there's that much real radical theory out there. I also believe that much of the radical we bump into is mainly concentrated into the language certain authors use to describe their theories. And indeed where better a place to rip these outer-layers of language away - than a face to face conference workshop situation!!!!!
Real controversy in education seems to stem from sociopolitical discussion on the topic of education and social change (the teacher's role) - hardly an area we FT's can influence here in China.
Nawwww, a much more relevant focus point are those practical classroom skills - which indeed can be described as a reflection over putting theory into practice.
I think a conference - focused on that subject of the practical, pragmatic China FT - that had teachers of the caliber of Red in attendance would be a brilliant "think-tank" situation for both the interested newcomer and the more experienced China EFL specialist. We need the language of the those who have an more earthy trad approach to teaching to counter the flying in clouds types - and vice versa. Both can learn from each other - after all the theory of the wild experimentalist hardly reaches its full potential if there's no down-to earth teachers willing to use it 
How about you guys that have gone through a training process here in China - what useful input did you get from your teacher trainers |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
lf_aristotle69
Joined: 06 May 2006
Posts: 546
Location: HangZhou, China
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 7:32 am Post subject: Workshops... |
|
|
| vikuk wrote: |
| Quote: |
| I focus on practical skills and am not much for radical theory (as you may have guessed from my posts). |
As far as EFL teaching method goes, I actually don't think there's that much real radical theory out there. I also believe that much of the radical we bump into is mainly concentrated into the language certain authors use to describe their theories. And indeed where better a place to rip these outer-layers of language away - than a face to face conference workshop situation!!!!!
Real controversy in education seems to stem from sociopolitical discussion on the topic of education and social change (the teacher's role) - hardly an area we FT's can influence here in China.
Nawwww, a much more relevant focus point are those practical classroom skills - which indeed can be described as a reflection over putting theory into practice.
I think a conference - focused on that subject of the practical, pragmatic China FT - that had teachers of the caliber of Red in attendance would be a brilliant "think-tank" situation for both the interested newcomer and the more experienced China EFL specialist. We need the language of the those who have an more earthy trad approach to teaching to counter the flying in clouds types - and vice versa. Both can learn from each other - after all the theory of the wild experimentalist hardly reaches its full potential if there's no down-to earth teachers willing to use it
How about you guys that have gone through a training process here in China - what useful input did you get from your teacher trainers |
I see this thread is about to drop off the top page (i.e. imminent death...) 
I plan to attend this 'conference'/meeting event. It's especially convenient as I live in HangZhou now...
I think some practical workshops are a great idea. A few seminars would be OK too if they were relevant .
I usually avoid jobs where class sizes are very large (>40 students), some ideas in that area would be useful for me I think.
Actually, I'm currently not working. I'm taking a semester off to study Chinese. I hope my student visa status won't prevent me from attending and taking part in the range of activities...?
If you haven't been to HangZhou before then I can really recommend that you put it on your schedule. If not for this conference then I also know that the Yangtze River jobs fair will be in HZ in April this year. I went to the one in NanJing last year. It wasn't bad.
April and May will be great temperature wise too.
For info on the expat and general cultural here a G00GLE search on MORE Hangzhou magazine.
I have no association with the publisher, by the way...
Cheers,
LFA |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
arioch36
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 3589
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:10 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I'm still waiting to hear a proposed schedule |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
un
Joined: 09 Mar 2008
Posts: 670
Location: on-line china
|
| Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2008 1:46 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Sorry for the delay
Decision was made to change the date, as many folks expressed reluctance to travel during the holiday jam.
FAOs DATE: May 23-25
FTs DATE: May 24--25
Each presentation etc. is scheduled for 50-60 minutes, but that can be flexible.
Sessions:
Saturday
8:20--12:00
1:30--5:30
Evening social activities.
Sunday
8:10--11:30
Afternoon West Lake activities.
Saturday afternoon, and possibly again later, we will have 2 concurrent events, in 2 different rooms:
(1)Presentations/Workshops/Q&A/Discussions
(2)DEMO Classes with my motivated PolyTech students
(I will give DEMOs of <1>Movie Magic and <2>Mandarin--English Community Language Learning, using Movie segments. Folks are welcome to give DEMOs of their methods.)
LOBSTER's comments are well-taken.
| Quote: |
| The problem with every "conference" I've attended here is that it becomes nothing more than a series of talks or lectures by those wishing to promote their latest research/theory/idea/book/program. No workshops, no social activities outside of meals, no question periods, no displays and no interaction. |
We will have Q&A/Discussion sessions.
We will have social activities, including hanging out at a West Lake
lakeside/quiet/open-aired Tea House.
We will rent a large boat, for folks willing to split the cost.
For folks interested, we can have some fun doing movie-based role plays, with students from the Zhejiang Drama Institute, in English and/or Chinese.
We welcome PROPOSALS from folks for:
*Presentations
*Workshops
*DEMO classes.
Please give specific INFO for ABOVE, as well as your CV.
This is a non-profit event. Presenters will receive an Honarium covering train transportation and accomodation at Zhejiang U.
Further details will be posted soon at the Website: www.chinatefl.com
Feel free to PM me for further INFO.
We expect to have 300 FTs. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
