Site Search:
 
Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Do web restrictions interfere with your teaching? Sanity?

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> China (Job-related Posts Only)
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
modal_particle



Joined: 19 Oct 2009
Posts: 16

PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 9:34 pm    Post subject: Do web restrictions interfere with your teaching? Sanity? Reply with quote

Hi Guys,

I'm debating accepting an offer in Guangdong and with the latest fiasco involving internet censorship in China I wonder if it's going to drive me nuts. I use a LOT of web resources to plan lessons - do esl teaching resources websites ever get blocked in you guys' experience?

On a side note, how about social networking sites (facebook, etc) that let you stay in touch with people outside of the country?

I'm probably being paranoid but I would find teaching pretty hard without the internet at my disposal...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
gene



Joined: 03 Mar 2010
Posts: 187

PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 10:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Countering that all other devices and services are provided.. a VPN will get you though...but note of caution: If the internet is so important, you should insure (if possible) the working conditions of the internet at the school or apartment where you would be doing most of your prep.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
themanymoonsofjupiter



Joined: 26 Jun 2005
Posts: 205
Location: The Big Link

PostPosted: Wed Mar 31, 2010 11:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

gene's right--my biggest problem is not at home but in the classrooms, with their horribly slow internet that very rarely brings up any information from non-china-based websites. you do have to improvise (assuming that you will even have a computer in the classroom...), but it's not completely atrocious if you know how to download embedded video and the like.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
sharpe88



Joined: 21 Oct 2008
Posts: 226

PostPosted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 3:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ESL teaching resources: not blocked

Facebook, Twitter, Youtube: blocked
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Halapo



Joined: 05 Sep 2009
Posts: 140
Location: Jiangsu, China

PostPosted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 7:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another thing to consider, the class room projector, speakers, internet, you name it, might work one day and not the next.

In a week I visit 12 different class rooms and all of them should have all these things in working condition. Almost every week one classroom or more isn't working, and its not even the same classroom from week to week.

Trying to fix it yourself or find somebody to fix it isn't really and option, you will need to have a backup plan ready to go.

I never count on the the internet working, I download everything to my computer if I want to use it in class. My home internet and the school's have very different filtering going on, and that without a VPN at my place.

For every lesson plan, I have a "oh no, the computer wont work" plan, its nearly as detailed as my lesson with the computer.

Expect to use the blackboard more then you plan.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Old Surrender



Joined: 01 Jun 2009
Posts: 393
Location: The World's Largest Tobacco Factory

PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Man, I would love to have Youtube for class.

Anyway, I download ALL of my vids and audio onto my machine or USB drive at home. That way it'll still be there tomorrow for class in case something happens to the Internet.

It's not just China's fault, sometimes sites just get taken down by their owners. Confused
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Dan The Chainsawman



Joined: 04 May 2005
Posts: 302
Location: Yinchuan

PostPosted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 1:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used to get cranky about not having youtube for some of my higher level classes, but then I realized most of what I wanted is hosted on the chinese vid sites.

Annoying, but not insurmountable.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Yahoo Messenger MSN Messenger
ttorriel



Joined: 13 Oct 2008
Posts: 193

PostPosted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 2:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

And yet you don't see Chinese teachers claiming they can't teach because of internet restrictions. That should tell you something.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
china-1994



Joined: 24 Mar 2010
Posts: 36

PostPosted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 2:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well considering I was teaching students who were going abroad, I had a long list of helpful sites to visit to improve their English.However, this constant narrowing of popular English dominated sites, seems to be thwarting my efforts- So big pain in the ...
Cheers,
WW
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
ttorriel



Joined: 13 Oct 2008
Posts: 193

PostPosted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 3:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Post your list of sites. I teach the same sort of class and my students are able to access the sites I recommend.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
xiaolongbaolaoxi



Joined: 27 Aug 2009
Posts: 126

PostPosted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 5:48 am    Post subject: Give them the sites anyway Reply with quote

Give 'em the sites anyway. Add a few sentences after each as a brief description to how they can use it/for what... If you happen to know that it is accessible in China, it can become a conversation piece.... which site was best for students and why...

I did this multiple times picking sites that tended to be grammar- and listening-comprehension oriented. #1 high interest. #2 even if they're not interested, culturally, they will thank you anyway [in my experience] and leave you with a warm fuzzy feeling.

... if you know there are specific videos you want/need and you have good relationships with students, you can let them know what you want/need ahead of time [make sure they know whether you want subtitles] and they can hunt it down for you, usually gladly [and related DVDs]... They get to help the teacher, they get extra practice, and if you happened to pick the right thing, they may blab it to their friends, so that by the time you use it in class, they have seen it a few times [=repetition without you having to do anything.] When class finally rolls around, you can actually watch and talk about it as opposed to students just watching something they can't understand and leaving when the bells ring. Conversely, I really wanted to use something in a culture/politics class, and the internet guru student sent a "I don't think anyone will like it...." message. And she was right... it would have soared right over their heads. So we talked about the thing instead of spending two hours on a movie only I would have understood much less liked.

I know I am going to regret writing the next sentence...Just watch out for bikinis. miniskirts,etc. Waitresses wearing very tight/revealing/short clothes=no big deal for students [at current school one CT would probably have been sent home in America based on her wardrobe], but a woman in a swimsuit=complete and total chaos for the rest of the class.

XLB
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> China (Job-related Posts Only) All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
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

Teaching Jobs in China
Teaching Jobs in China