Job Discussion Forums

bharrell · Joined: 25 Oct 2008 Posts: 102

Often, what they truly want (sorry to say) is the feeling of what they thought learning English would be like, a sort of fantasy, without too much discomfort or challenge.

HaHa. This is sooo true.
In general, I think this is the most insightful and lucid description of teaching English in China that I have ever read. Well done.

I have been here for 2 years, and it may be time to leave. The reality of the job and the Chinese has finally seeped into my denial prone brain.

El Macho · Joined: 30 Jan 2006 Posts: 200

Of course students at training centers want to enjoy what they're doing; this is no different from students in any other classroom. However, motivation is especially important when working with students who have already burned up lots of energy working or studying all day.
It's asinine to imply that the students shouldn't/can't/don't want to learn. Of course they can, and if you run your classroom correctly, they'll be much more likely to do.

Read up on the lexical approach (or try to find Michael Lewis's books) to teaching. It incorporates communicative language teaching (CLT), which is based upon language in use, and findings in ed psych, cognitive science, etc.

nickpellatt · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1522

sharpe88 · Joined: 21 Oct 2008 Posts: 226

I disagree. The great majority of "private training centers" (rightfully nicknamed mills) really do just care about sticking a foreign face up there who can be interesting. Teaching ability is nice, but usually an afterthought.

nickpellatt · Joined: 08 Dec 2006 Posts: 1522

Sharpe, the thread isnt about recruiting policy but about how to keep the job. From that perspective, I am suggesting doing a good job, and teaching students whilst engaging them is the way to go. My limited experience does suggest to me that the handsome boy/dancing monkey act only lasts for so long.

People who do a good ESL / EFL job and are committed dont have to worry 99% of the time IMO.

Silent Shadow · Posted: Mon May 24, 2010 7:59 am Post subject:

Teatime of Soul · Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Posts: 905

Excellent point.

When I look back on the best teachers I had over the years, it was the ones who made learning interesting. Some were funny, some humorously sarcastic, and some just filled with passion about the subject.

None were dull.

platinum peyote · Posted: Mon May 24, 2010 4:17 pm Post subject:

Not too sure about the white face only thing, Web in Nanjing (the Golden Eagle branch) has four Cameroonians working there, two of them full time, while another better-paying training center near that Web has a Nigerian and a black South African working there full time.

Bear in mind too that Nanjing has an incredible amount of white foreigners there, both working and studying (due to all the universities in the city).

That said, I thought it was common knowledge that most EFL in Asia was a sing and dance routine, this really shouldn't shock anyone.

Silent Shadow · Posted: Mon May 24, 2010 11:44 pm Post subject:

The difficulties for non-white faces to find employment in China is often exaggerated. White faces are genearally preferred, though.

I don't think anybody on this thread claimed that only white faces are accepted, though.

la dolce vita · Joined: 01 Jul 2008 Posts: 15

I've worked for 2 Webs and visited two more and they all seemed to have a 'token black'. I'm sure it's part of their recruitment policy

One important thing is to remember where the money is coming from, so if you are teaching someone with a job who wants to improve their employment prospects you have to be careful that as well as enjoying themself they feel as though they are getting something out of it, but with the rich kids whose dad pays it's more about getting them to talk about anything as long as they are speaking in English

Its' very important to remember that we are tutors/coaches/whatever and not teachers.

Having said that, I think that it's very important to remember that we have to be proffessional. Yes we aren't teachers, but we are still being paid a proffessional salary

Silent Shadow · Posted: Wed May 26, 2010 3:37 am Post subject:

LongShiKong · Joined: 28 May 2007 Posts: 1082 Location: China

When discussing surveys of parents and students, one of the foreign directors visiting my private last weekend told me how surprised he was by a poll conduced of parents: the main reason they sign up or re-sign is that their kids have fun. It seemed a real shocker to him. As I tried to calm down a raucous class last weekend, I told them I'd rather see them have fun than be bored as I know the affective filter is even greater under that condition.