Job Discussion Forums

[Noelle]

Trapezius..

Syntax and semantics in high school English classes? Are you serious?
Where did you go to high school? What else did they teach you... discourse analysis? I envy you if you had the opportunity to actually study such things in high school.

I was only trying to make a point of defending the OP who seems genuine in his/her motives and willing to take criticism from teachers who are actually qualified to teach.

It's been awhile, but if my memory serves me, I think there were students in my high school graduating class who could barely read in English. They were native speakers. This was 1996.

For what it's worth, I too am interested in making the move to the Middle East as I've worked too hard in becoming a qualified teacher in this field to stay in a place where any college/uni grad with a North American accent can come and "teach" English.

[MTelmar]

Ok, for what it's worth, at least in the State of California, you should at least know what syntax is by the time you get to high school, and be really familiar with it by the time you graduate.
It's in our Content Standards, and we use/teach the term in pretty much all subjects, not just English (your Social Studies paper must have 'proper syntax'; math problems must use 'proper syntax' (lol, yes, there's syntax in math), etc).
Of course, that doesn't mean our students can use proper syntax, but we do teach it to them

I can't speak for other states, but I'm assuming the same is true to at least some degree, as it's also in the National Frameworks, not just California Standards.
I also can't speak for pre-2000, either, as that was before I was credentialed, and had no idea what Standards and Frameworks were, but I will guarantee you that kids going to school since 2000, in Northern California, are taught 'syntax' starting in 5th grade and on.


On a different topic, I totally understand Noelle, and totally agree, and definitely disagree that one needs to be a native English speaker to teach English - quite the contrary! I've seen this in the classroom many times - non-native speakers having much better control of all things English, and using much better English than those of us born into the language!

[adorabilly]

hi Maxwell.

1. You need to understand that there are literally TONS of people who post these general "I really want to teach in the UAE" topics. And with a little bit of research you can easily find what qualifications are needed. (either here on daves, or on the regular net)

2. You are extremely reactionary. You asked a general question, and the first response to you was to ask you for more specifics, who do you want to teach, what do you want to teach etc... And from there YOU have gotten snippy, and snide. Others have not kept it clean either, but you have denegrated more than anyone else.

3. With a bachelors degree (non education, non english) and 1 year of teaching experience in korea you will find it difficult to get any job here in the UAE, particularly dubai. You may be able to come and work at places like ADU, or at some lower tier grade schools. Key word there would be MAY.

At a minimum you need to get some sort of TESL certification (CELTA would be best), or finish an MA in TESL/applied linguistics while you get some more experience (say in korea)

4. Stop being such an ass. It is counterproductive, and will get this thread closed. So chill out, and do some searches before you come in and make a general blanket statements that have been answered at least 100 times before. Do some research, lurk and read. And when you have got a good grasp on the issues then you ask questions you have not been able to find answers for.

[Justbecause]

Where could i find information about doing a masters on line in linguistics?

[veiledsentiments]

Google?

There are tons of them... British... Australian... American...

VS

[Justbecause]

thanks

i've found some now, i wanted advice from somebody who had completed one as it's more likely then that the course would be worthwhile

[veiledsentiments]

There have been many of them discussed here in the last couple years, but I don't know if they would come up on a search or not.

Hopefully someone will pass through.

VS

[mishmumkin]

I think justbecause is trying to stir the pot.

[veiledsentiments]

He/She seems to be around the board asking this question, so s/he may be serious... and even if s/he isn't, there may be others that are...

Or do you know something that I don't...

VS

[mishmumkin]

[The Lemon]

For "teachers" coming from China, Taiwan and Korea, where jobs are normally given to anyone with a BA (and often without even needing that), it's probably hard to understand a market where ESL doesn't equal "job for any native speaker who wants it".

Add the UAE's reputation for being one of the highest-paying ESL countries in the world, and no wonder the site sees so many "I'm thinking of moving to Dubai to teach at a university, I've taught kindergarten in Korea for a year..." threads.

It's been just that easy for them before.

[veiledsentiments]

Oh yes... we do get this type often and it is difficult for the regular posters here not to go on the attack.

And then there are the ones that want to bring along their latest squeeze to 'live together' ... in Riyadh.

VS

[Justbecause]

i am not taking the proverbial piss thank you very much

i am genuinely interested in doing an online masters, i have started a thread in general discussion now though

[veiledsentiments]

I noticed that. That was probably a better place to ask the question than in the middle of a thread here.

VS

[Justbecause]

well i've learned my lesson now

*teachers *