Job Discussion Forums

[misskaty]

I've just finished a CELTA course and I have four months teaching experience.

I have two job interviews on one morning next week and am wondering how to prepare.

I am a confident teacher and received positive feedback about my lessons. The only thing I'm not so sure about is grammar. I am ok when I am teaching a lesson and can research it and feel sure about it beforehand. But I'm worried that the interviewers may put me on the spot with some obscure grammar questions.

How likely is this? And if I screw up the answer, which I imagine is a high possibility, due to nerves and being put on the spot - is there any chance of still being offered the job?

Does anyone know a good website where I can brush up on my grammar?

Thanks for any advice.

[Justin Trullinger]

As a reasonably new teacher, you CAN'T know all there is to know about grammar. (even as an extremely experienced one, in fact.) And a decent employer will know this.

A more important question might be how well prepared you think you need to be. If you get a grammar stumper in the interview, which you probably won't, be sure to mention that you are newish, and don't expect to be able to answer everything on the spot, but that you have resource books, and plan to go into the class prepared for the grammar you have to teach.

Also work on your "delay" tactics. If a student stumps you with a classroom grammar question, do NOT repeat NOT improvise an answer. You'll be wrong, have to go back and retract, and will look incompetent. Thank students for their insightful questions, explain that today's plan doesn't allow for all the time they would require, and we'll come back tomorrow. Then do, after you've had time to do your homework.

But don't feel that you have to be able to offer all grammar questions "off the cuff." And don't accept a job where the employer thinks so.


Best,
Justin

[johnnyappleseed]

I ask potential employees how they would explain present perfect to students who have no equivalent in their language.

I don't expect them to know everything about grammar, though--does anybody?

[Anda]

Um, only been in this game since 1990 but have yet to be asked grammer questions at a job interview. I don't teach grammer either or for that matter know it. I used to be employed as a conversation teacher but these day they call it oral English. I'm good at what I get employed for.

[fluffyhamster]

I was also going to mention present perfect for a start - nothing too obscure, just those points that apparently can cause students problems (and which were likely focused on during the CELTA that you recently completed, misskaty - such things should still be fresh in your mind, plus you have four months' experience on top of that, in which you probably came to a realization or two and began developing your own approach(es) somewhat). The interviewer is sorta asking you how you might approach (or rather, re-approach) certain points if you or more importantly your students hadn't seemed to benefit and "fully" learn from the treatment in say the textbook the class were using.

FWIW, my own answer to that specific question was that I'd highlight the experiential aspect ('Have you (ever)...?' (implicitly versus 'Did you...?))of the present perfect; here the form has a clearer and more essential/useful function than its other aspects/uses (such as worrying unduly about things like 'I've broken your pen' versus 'I broke your pen'). (The interviewer seemed very satisfied with my answer and more or less immediately offered me the job, but I then found a clause in the contract insisting that any deviation from the textbook and approved materials had to be OKed by the DOSs! Had to then turn them down, it would've cramped not only my style but also my thought processes and ability to prepare/"think outside the page"!).

Jack Richards has an interesting paper on teaching the present perfect in his The Context of Language Teaching (it can help to read around linguistically, beyond the general and often rather vague general methodology guides).

Regarding online grammar guides, I must admit that I can't think of that many good ones off the top of my head (although I have posted the odd glossary link or two over on the Teacher forums) - maybe I haven't been looking hard enough! - but then, sometimes the less-than-stellar don't make you think much (are rather basic and cut-and-dried) and can therefore end up being rather uninspiring. I generally prefer to use quality printed references for grammar; there are however some excellent and very accessible dictionaries (for general vocab) available online.

[denise]

I've been asked to do impromtu mini-lessons on grammar in some interviews. I couldn't stop myself from thinking, "What if I am screwing this up?!?!?" the entire time, but I just hoped that they were focusing more on how I coped with what was basically a winging-it situation. I'm sure they knew that it was awkward, I was being put on the spot, etc., etc.--I wondered if that was the point. Rather than blushing and apologizing and telling them that in a real class setting I would delay it, do research, etc. (which I would if I were truly stumped in class), I just jumped to my feet and went for it, feigning confidence. Did it work? Well, it happened in the interview for my current job, and they offered me the job the next day!

d

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

You should probably know at least the tenses and aspects as well as active and passive voices. They're sort of the basics. There are about a billion sites for it, and about the same number of books that will explain it for you as well.

[Kaspar Hauser]

[Anda]

I am what I'm employed for, meaning a English conversation teacher or as they seem to call it here in China an oral English teacher.

Nearly all the places that I have worked have had grammar teachers. It takes me 40 to 60 class hours over four to six week to get my students speaking simple English.


I know how to get my students speaking English fast which is something that grammar teachers don't seem good at.

..................................................................................................
An example of what I write and use for class to add interest while at the same time being practical. It doesn't post here however that well.


The Prank. By Anda.

1. Sue: I�ve been thinking Kate, and I think things are too boring (无聊) around here
( 这儿 ) at the moment. ( 此刻)
2. Kate: You got any ideas ( 主意 ) on how we could make things ( 使事情 ) a bit
more interesting ( 更有趣点 ) Sue?
3. Sue: Um, how about we get Sid to call up (phone up) Miss Kim our
math teacher and pretend (假装) that that he�s interested ( 感兴趣) in
taking her out ( 带她外出) on a date. ( 约会 ) I have her cell phone number
already. ( 已经 )
4. Kate: Huh, that sounds like (听起来) a fun idea ( 一个有趣的想法) as Sid isn�t from
our school. He also sounds like a young business man
( 年轻的商人 ) doesn�t he?
5. Sue: Yes he�s got an interesting sexy voice (声音) plus he sounds very intelligent.
( 他听起来很聪明)
6. Kate: That�s cause he always gets top of his class ( 他经常得班级第一 ) at Nanjing
Number One Middle School. He is great at math especially. ( 尤其) He�ll
be a businessman one day ( 有一天 ) for sure!
( 肯定 )
7. Sue: Yep, he could even pass for twenty two couldn�t he?
8. Kate: You�re not thinking of getting him to actually date Miss Kim are you?
9. Sue: Why not, Miss Kim is pretty (漂亮) and Sid gets plenty of pocket money
( 足够的钱 ) off his father. His father is a very successful businessman
( 十分成功的商人 )
10. Kate: I thought ( 想) that you really liked ( 你真的喜欢) Sid yourself. ( 你自己)
11. Sue: I do, but as a friend not a boyfriend. Anyway this is just for laughs ( 玩笑而已 )
as nothing will happen. ( 没事的 ) Like Sid is not going to fall in
love with a teacher ( 她不会爱上一个老师 ) and get married (结婚) is he?
He�s only eighteen so he has to wait another four years ( 他不得不再等四年)
before he is of legal age ( 法定年龄 ) to get married ( 结婚) anyway.
12: Kate: I don�t suppose so! ( 我不这样认为 )
13: Sue: Okay then I�ll give Sid a ring ( 戒指) and get him to meet me after school
(让她放学后见我) today. I�ll put it to him; ( 给他戴上) I mean ( 我是说 )
the idea ( 想法 ) of trying to date ( 尝试约会 ) Miss Kim. I�ll challenge
him (我要考验他) like (for example) ( 比如 ) �I bet you couldn�t date
one of our teachers, ( 我打赌你不会约到任何一个老师 ) like young Miss
Kim our new first year teacher! She�s only twenty two still!
14. Kate: It�s worth a try, ( 值得一试 ) as you say ( 如你所说) it would be (那将是 )
a great laugh if it worked out! ( 如果行得通 )
15. Sue: Yes that�s right! I�ll get Sid to wear a good suit if he can get Miss Kim to meet
him. He can pretend (他可以假装 ) to be doing (正做着) a trainee management
course ( 管理培训课程) at his father�s company. ( 在他父亲的公司 )
16. Kate: Well go on ( 继续 ) phone Sid and get this prank on the go ( 是这个恶作剧继
续 ) then!

After School That Day At A Coffee Shop.
17. Sue: Hi Sid! Sit down I�ve got a challenge for you! ( 我对你有疑问 ) Kate
and I reckon (think) that you couldn�t pull off (accomplish) ( 你不能)
pretending to be a twenty three year old trainee manager (实习经理) and date
( 约会 ) a young lady teacher from our school called Miss Kim.
18. Sid: That would be pretty hard (fairly / reasonably difficult) ( 困难) but I like a
challenge. ( 我喜欢挑战) Dad�s been training me (teaching me) for some time
(a while) ( 一会儿) now to work as a (象 一样工作) manager for him. Are
you sure (你肯定) this Miss Kim is pretty and young, not some 30 year
old woman that can�t find a husband ( 找不到对象) because ( 因为) of looks
(appearance) or something?
19. Sue: I wouldn�t do that to you ( 我不会那样对你的) Sid! Miss Kim is in her first
year out of university. (大学毕业一年) She pretty and dresses well (穿得好)
and has a nice personality. (有人格魅力)
20. Sid: Um, then why are you setting her up for a prank?
21. Sue: Because she�s a slave driver. (Makes us study real hard)
22. Sid: She sounds interesting! Do you have here cell phone number?
23. Sue: Yes its 3631 994 2936.
In Class A Week Later.
24. Kate: Well what happened, (怎么了) Miss Kim looks very happy.
25. Sue: All I know is that Sid dated her and went on a date with her. He isn�t saying
anything else but he looks happy too.
26. Kate: You don�t think she kissed him do you?
27. Sue: I hope not. ( 我希望不会 ) I�m starting to fell jealous I think!
( 我想我开始感到嫉妒了 )
28. Kate: It sounds a bit late to start feeling jealous. This was your idea
after all! ( 毕竟这是你的主意 )
29. Sue: Oh, I shouldn�t worry as it won�t last once she finds out Sid�s age!
Four Years Latter.
30. Kate: Hi Sue did you get an invite (你被邀请去) to Sid�s wedding（婚礼）?
31. Sue: Yep, I can�t believe it. ( 难以相信 ) They�re actually getting married!
( 他们真结婚了 )
32. Kate: Huh, yes you should set up as a match maker. ( 你可是个大媒人 )
33. Sue: How was I to know (我怎会知道) that they were made for each other
( 他们是天生的一对 ) with their interest in math (对数学感兴趣) and each
other? Sid told me he knew on the first date ( 第一次约会她就知道 ) that
Miss Kim was the right woman for him. ( 金小姐就是他的另一半 )
34. Kate: You really did want to marry Sid yourself didn�t you? (你确实你想过娶她不
是吗？)
35. Sue: Of course I did, who wouldn�t want to marry him! ( 谁不愿嫁给他 ) He�s
handsome, good personality, ( 有魅力 ) rich parents and now a manager
( 现在是经理) for his father�s company.
36. Kate: I think you could have married him too as you were his best friend at school!
37. Sue: You don�t have keep to reminding me of that (你没必要告诉我那些) Kate!
38. Kate: Yeah, I know, fancy giving your boyfriend away like that!
39. Sue: Oh, shut up will you!
40. Kate: Okay I know how you must feel! That boyfriend you have now is rubbish
( 垃圾) compared ( 比起来 ) to Sid! Ouch! You didn�t have to
kick ( 踢 ) me like that!
41. Sue Shut up then if you don�t want another kick! ( 不想被我踢就闭嘴! )

[fluffyhamster]

Anda, your stuff is a bit too long, involved and "gushy" for my taste (and ultimately representative of mainly your idiolect), but if your students really are responding to it then who am I to judge what you do!

[MO39]

[Anda]

I teach at a middle school where I have up to 68 students a class. Some classes I see only once a week which is normal for public schools here in China and in South Korea.

The reason that students don't learn English is mainly through having too little input in the form of reading or conversation. The other reason is that the exercisers that they usually do don't require them to actually use the language to create their own sentences.

....................................................................................................

Simple questions for example;


1. Do you know a funny joke?


2. Do you like to sing? What kind / type of songs do you like / enjoy?


3. How old will you be next year?


4. What job do you want when you finish your education?


5. Would you like to be a ghost?


6. What do you like doing?


7. Do you like to play with cats and dogs?


8. What do you like to eat?


9. What day is it today?


10. Can you play basket ball?


11. What�s your father�s job?


12. Have you been to Shanghai?


13. Do you know a beautiful girl or a handsome boy?


14. Do you like eating lots of food?


15. Do you like to play sports? Do you have a favorite sport?

................................................................................................

Higher level


1. Would you like to be able to breathe underwater in the sea or river and live there?
Owen class 17 G 8


2. Why don�t you go and play with matches in a bomb factory?
Owen class 17 G8


3. Why are you going to the library everyday? Are you meeting your girlfriend / boyfriends there?
Delia class 17 G8

4. You are annoying me! Please jump out of the window and leave me alone super boy / girl okay?
Delia class 17 G8

5. Do you think you have special abilities like Super man / woman?
Fiona class 17 grade 8

6. Do you know why tortoises can live up to 150 years? Is it because they don�t have to attend school and are able to take it easy?
Fiona class 17 grade 8

7. What are you going to do when the police catch you bad boy?


8. Oh, my god, My name is Helen. What�s your�s handsome boy?
Liu Xiagin class 17 grade 8


9. Do you think that playing computer games is good for us?


10. Do you know why we can�t live without going to the toilet?


11. Who�s your favorite teacher and why?


12. I heard that your brother turned into a pig! Is this true? Oh and how did he turn into a pig? Did a witch or a wizard do it to him?

[fluffyhamster]

I think it's great that your students (even if they have a little help and editing from you) are producing stuff like that, Anda - Chinese students IME certainly beat Japanese ones for ability and imagination (doubtless the two are tied, or rather, one constrains the other), but one day they will need to put childish things aside...

No offence, but once (if and when) you have to teach adults, the input (and I agree that there should be more than is often the case, but am still not sure about the length of yours) has to change considerably - you can't always be so indulgent (self-indulgent?). So I guess I am asking how you would teach potentially more demanding/serious/grumpy adults - sure, they'll still appreciate a laugh every now and then, but they also need to see results in or for more serious contexts too.

[Anda]

Oh, you mean change the subjects?
.......................................................................................................

The Job Photos. Story By Anda
Jill Hi Sue, would you like to join me for a light lunch?
Sue Sure Jill, have you planed to go somewhere special?
Jill I was thinking of having lunch at Tony�s.
Sue That sounds good! Tony has super food and great coffee!
At Tony�s.
Jill This Italian salad is really tasty Sue!
Sue Um, you�re right!
Jill Tell me Sue! How did you get a job with the company we work for?
Sue Oh, you�re inferring (saying) that I tricked them somehow!
Jill Yes, well kind of! You�re very smart as well as being highly qualified but you�re not exactly beautiful in appearance Sue!
Sue Yes I know! You needn�t remind me!
Jill Sorry Sue, but you know that I�m not trying to be offensive! (rude) I�m just curious.
Sue Oh it�s okay Jill, we�re close friends. I�ll tell you, if you promise not to tell anyone else about what I did!
Jill You needn�t worry Sue. Your secret will be safe with me!
Sue Well I always wanted to work in this state (province) plus our company is a leader in biotechnology that I majored in at university!
Jill That�s right, you were contracted from interstate, weren�t you?
Sue Yes! You see I knew that I wouldn�t have had much of a chance of landing a job at where we work, if I had have let them know how fat I was.
Jill Yes I can remember the first day that you started with the company. When you walked through the front door, everyone went into shock! (was very surprised)
Sue Come on Jill! Don�t keep on reminding me that I�ve got a weight problem!
Jill Sorry, sorry!
Sue Okay, anyway my brother back home is a raging (out of control) homosexual (man that likes other men not women for company) plus he�s a fashion designer.
Jill He�s not one of them, is he?
Sue I�m afraid so but he�s just a little queen, (a man who takes the place of a woman in a homosexual relationship) not some macho (act tough) puff! (a homosexual who takes the male role) He�s quite funny when you get to know him!
Jill I don�t think I�d want a brother trying to out compete me if I bought a boyfriend home!
Sue No problem! He sticks to his own kind, except for once when I unknowingly bought a bisexual (a person who goes with either a man or a woman) home for coffee.
Jill Ops, that was a mistake!
Sue Yes, but my brother didn�t think so! Candy my brother asked if I wanted to share him!
Jill Sue this conversation is getting a little out of hand!
Sue Um I suppose so, anyway getting back: I saw the ad on the internet from our company one day at home and remarked to my brother that I�d love to get the position but had no chance considering that the management at our company had requested (asked for) full head and body photos.
Jill What did your brother say to you?
Sue Candy said to me; �No worries Sis� The next moment he had me in his bedroom showing me on his computer how I could look with a few alterations.
Jill A few alterations! What alterations?
Sue Candy had done a facial make up on me once and afterwards had photographed me with his digital camera and then downloaded the photos onto his computer. My face looked radiant. My brother is supper with make up.
Jill Come on, keep talking! You still haven�t told me about the alterations?
Sue Anyway the next thing I know my brother just whips my head off!
Jill Whips your head off!
Sue Yes it�s easy to delete or add anything on a digital photo on a computer if you have the right program.
Jill What did he do with your head Sue?
Sue He stuck it (my head) on a top fashion model�s shoulders after he had beheaded the poor girl!
Jill Oh Sue! You didn�t send photos of yourself or at least your head to our company using that poor girl�s (fashion model�s) body did you?
Sue Yeah I did and it worked! It was a great body that my brother got me. Also Candy found the name for a medical condition to account (give reason) for a sudden large increase in body weight!
Jill It�s getting worse! You lied and deceived (tricked) your way into the job with the company!
Sue Well yes but everything is fair these days in corporate business. For instance (example) our company makes out that they don�t discriminate (unfairly treat) job applicants on appearance, age or sex when they hire staff.
Jill What did they say when you arrived to commence (start) work?
Sue They coughed and sputtered! They naturally asked what had happened to my body. I explained to them about the rare (uncommon) condition that I had acquired (got) but how it didn�t interfere (alter) with my work performance.
Jill Then what did they say?
Sue Well they couldn�t say much as I�d got them to send signed originals of the four year contract to me which I countersigned at my solicitors office. Of course they told me how sorry they felt for me!
Jill Wow Sue you certainly tied (bound) them up. I can see your point but. They do make out that they don�t discriminate on appearance, sex or age. You�ve just beaten them at their own game.
Sue It�s a shame that dishonest people like those in our management, force people like myself to become dishonest like them also.

[misskaty]

Thanks for the advice.

Well I had my two interviews, and neither asked about grammar. Phew. And I've been offered one of the jobs.