Job Discussion Forums

[Jamerikoi]

Hello, I've been looking for English teaching positions for the last few months without much luck. I have a college degree in the science field, but have no English teaching experience apart from a bit of private instruction to beginners.

What seems to catch me is the grammar. I haven't thought about grammatical terms for 15 years, so I've forgotton most of it though I've been re-studying. How do you explain idioms and sayings grammatically? How do you answer questions (without pausing to think) when a student asks the difference between two synonyms? The intro test to eikaiwas even seem to have a grammar section. I can speak and write in a grammatically correct fashion, but cannot explain things grammatically :p.

Where do I take it from here? I sort of feel a bit stuck. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[seklarwia]

Idioms and sayings should be explained in terms of history/origins, but you are not likely going to be teaching too much of this so its not something to sweat too much over.

I think most people are in the same boat as you unless they specifically studied linguistics, etc. You won't always have the answers so you should just accept this. Don't be tempted to create a explanation when you don't have one.

Invest in a good grammar book and carry it with you. If you still don't fully understand, simply tell the students you want to make sure you are giving them 100% accurate info, seek advice from someone with more expertise then tell them next lesson.

Learn some explanations for some commonly used grammar. So things like when to use the present perfect instead of simple past, understand how you form the passive, learning some commonly used terminology such tense names, etc. At least then, you won't be consulting grammar books every 3 secs.

Have you actually taken some of these interview grammar/language tests? The tend to be relatively simple; looking more to see that you are literate rather than to test your level of grammatical knowledge.

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

Understanding and then explaining things 'grammatically' is a large part of teaching English in Asia.

You showed up to a country in order to teach language, and haven't thought of language structure in fifteen years. That's like someone showing up to teach biology after having taken intro to biology in their first year of high school fifteen years ago and then having never taken a science course again and saying "I took biology in high school, I should be able to teach it" when asked about their double major degree in Creative Writing (Poetry) and Music Performance (harp).

[Jamerikoi]

That's the thing... I was more interested in teaching outdoor activities and had been doing so until I had knee surgery (takes a good year to heal). With that in mind, I figured teaching English would seem like a decent choice. I have been teaching English for a year, but using translation and repetition as opposed to grammar as a teaching tool. Maybe I should just do toddler "eikaiwa"? asdf.

[Glenski]

You are rarely if ever going to need to explain idioms. Don't try to do it historically. Just say that's the way they are. Japanese idioms are the same way. Look at a book of them and you'll see why it does no good to try explaining how they came to be. Just tell students what they mean.

Grammar. Learn. That's all I can say. Practical English Usage by Michael Swan is a typical (and good) reference book.

When (and if) someone asks the difference between synonyms, tell them that's hard and that you will look it so that you can more fully and clearly explain next time. Then DO look them up. Don't dance and give pitifully poor answers on the spot.

As for those eikaiwa with grammar tests, good luck!

[fat_chris]

I agree with what has been said here. Learn grammar! Get yourself a few grammar books and give them a look with a cup of your favorite drink at the local Starbucks. Become familiar with the basics, i.e., as seklarwia mentioned, knowing the difference between the present perfect and the past perfect and when to use them and why to use them.

Learning the basics doesn't take much and it really isn't complicated. Give it a go!

In addition to the Swan book recommended by Glenski, may I also recommend the Raymond Murphy grammar books. Take your pick:

--Basic Grammar in Use (by Raymond Murphy)
--Essential Grammar in Use (by Raymond Murphy)

and

--Advanced Grammar in Use (by Martin Hewings)

http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Grammar-Use-Answers-Self-Study/dp/0521675804/ref=pd_sim_b_1

Scroll down and you'll see all the goodies on the aforementioned webpage, including the Swan book mentioned by Glenski.

Remember, we all have to start out learning grammar at some point. I did so back in '96 when I was an exchange student in Hamburg, Germany and conducting private lessons.

Best of luck!

Regards,
fat_chris

[cornishmuppet]

I'd second the Swan and Murphy books mentioned by Glenski and Fat Chris. How English Works by Swan was the required reading for the TESOL course I did (though Practical English Usage is a lot more detailed), along with a book called Teaching English (I think) by a guy called Jim Scrivener. I studied the hell out of those books for two months before the start of the course, only to find on arrival that I was the only one who'd read them. Some people hadn't bought them at all. Needless to say, when I got to the grammar exam I had a certain advantage.

Most Japanese students are pretty forgiving. If you don't know, most will accept you offering to check and explain the following week. When I worked in Italy the students were notorious for trying to catch teachers out. At the school I worked in it was common to see them turn their noses up at a vague answer, and they were constantly bitching to the secretaries that the teachers weren't good enough. Happened every year, apparently.

[Glenski]

Depends on what the question is, isn't it, cornishmuppet? I've had some doozies, and from Japanese HS teachers, no less!

Throw an equally puzzling one their way and see how they respond.

Seriously, just tell people that grammar is pretty complicated, and that English is full of exceptions, so you need to check to be sure you can explain it well. If it's a synonym thing, no difference. HS kids get Word Navi vocabulary at the rate of 40 words per week, and some of those have very synonymous words that their teachers can't explain, and the example sentences in the books are pretty lame sometimes.

Swan
Murphy
Don't forget anything by Betty Azar.

But arming yourself with reference books on grammar and such won't help you TEACH. Learn how to do that, too. On-the-job training here is woefully inadequate.

[Jamerikoi]

Damn.. so the whole "HEY! ALL YOU NEED IS A COLLEGE DEGREE AND YOU'LL BE TEACHING ENGLISH AND STACKIN' CHEDDAR" thing is as I understand it a fallacy. I've realized I'm a good teacher at what I do (outdoor stuff), but maybe that doesn't translate well in an English teaching environment in Japan. I'm broke as a joke and just need enough cash to buy a plane ticket back stateside. I'm ready to swim across the pacific ocean. My reasons may be a bit deeper, but I'm pretty much losing my sanity here. I'm trying to make sense of everything, but it's a mad world. My mind is spiralinginto a dark place and the pain I feel waking up in the morning can't be described with words. I wish I knew what to do.

[wayne432]

I feel that it also depends on who you're going to be teaching.

Like if I had a student who was just starting to learn English ask me why a certain grammar point was the way was, I would explain the basics and then probably send him to a Japanese grammar teacher if he wanted to know more, because my explanation would be too confusing for him.

[move]

[Glenski]

[cornishmuppet]

To the OP, as I understand it from your last post you are already here? If so, have you looked at other forms of employment just to tie you over to save enough money to get home? I had a friend who came out on a working holiday visa and ended up working in a ramen shop. He spoke only minimal Japanese. Check the message boards in your local international centers, looking around for part time work.

[Cool Teacher]

Oh no! You sound depressed! Are you in Japan and unemployed? Do you have a place to live?

[Cool Teacher]

btw that Scrivener book is Learning Teaching I got Jeffrey Harmer'S How To Teach English but t.hese books are aboutteaching not grammer. Best books on grammar are by Parrot (can't remember the name) and Swan (metioned before) If you buy them together you can kill two birds maybe just buy a small grammer book by Collins or something though.

Stay Cool