Job Discussion Forums

[Shan-Shan]

Very amusing!

There certainly are professionals in China; but I still believe the industry itself here is a joke. Hopefully, things will evolve given the presence of dedicated teachers.

[A Token of My Extreme]

[M109A3]

Token,

My ribs are hurting from laughing so hard!

Actually, y'all need to write on the third or fourth grade level (i.e. like writing or editing for a newspaper, radio or television news broadcast). That should help the situation. Plus, if you don't believe me, just check out the next "professional" English newscast you hear and pay attention to the adjectives, verbs and adverbs. ITN, BBC and CNN are some good ones to pick apart. Check it out!

[The Voice Of Reason]

...

[kuberkat]

Aw, a look around the entries in this forum is enough to prove that even highly qualified, professional English teachers have their blurry grammar and spelling moments.

True that in many places, an "English" face seems more important than actual English ability. (Face is what matters in Chinese culture, after all...)

Also true that the McEnglish industry has done some scandalous things to both education and the English language.

But the question I ask myself is how much language ability really matters. A teacher who has imperfect English ability, but the right personality and the right approach, can mean far more to EFL students than a flawless grammarian who turns them off.

Dontcha think?

[no_exit]

I agree kubercat. I have a Columbian teacher who is great with children. Her English is excellent, but it isn't perfect. My old school had a Korean teacher who was similar. The kids loved her. There are many factors when it comes to teaching English, and depending on the level and age of the students, sometimes perfect English isn't the most important thing. It still won't do to have teachers whose English doesn't even come close though -- the English in the OP was pretty apalling.

[Shan-Shan]

You've ruined what I had hoped would be a splendid weekend, no_exit! I'll review my original post (though I would appreciate a critique beyond a simple "appalling")

I do not disagree that my original post is not without flaws; however, I cannot agree that an English teacher should be forgiven when making consistent errors in his/her speech and/or writing. Were a biology instructor to occasionally mix up mitochondrion with mitosis, a great misdeed would be done to the students. Again, were a history teacher to relate how cave-children played with baby dinosaurs, students would come away with a very wrong, though quaint, vision of our ancestors' past.

The adults where I once worked loved their Canadian teacher. Their devotion remained intact even after I had to correct the flaws taught to them by the happy Canuck. He may have been friendly, and "great with the students" (handing out gummy bears and pencils, having dinners for "top students"); but in the end, the students, all of whom came to the school to improve their English and not to drink orange drink, had received a great disservice on many occasions due to the imperfections in the teacher's English language ability.

I do realize that teaching is more than the sum of the instructor's linguistic awareness/abilities. However, when errors are being taught and learned in the classroom, regardless of the severity, the teacher should enter English rehab or find another profession.

[vikdk]

Shan-shan � another way at looking at the no_exit post, would be to consider it as a public reflection on her possible misgivings over hiring a non-native speaker as an English teacher - and not any logical discussion or extension of your OP. After all her opening sentence reveals to the world that she has of all things - a Columbian - working for her!!!! But fear not dear readers - this girl can be understood when speaking English and doesn't make too many mistakes!!!!
Quite glad I�m not that poor Columbian girl � whose employer has started to dissect her talents in front of an audience � do you think she was asked beforehand if she was willing to be used as a public specimen �
has biology gone rampant in this thread

[BlakeS]

[no_exit]

[vikdk]

[no_exit]

Oh, I see. I make a post (anonymously) commending a member of my staff, and you go after my "professional integrity," but is perfectly acceptable for people make OPs (also anonymously) making fun of a co-workers English language skills (not that I object to your post either Shan Shan, it is certainly not the first time FTs have posted about other FTs, I'm just saying).

It simply amazes me the levels of hypocrisy some people will sink to in order to (pointlessly) tear into another poster.

[vikdk]

[no_exit]

Shows what you know about Kunming. There are plenty of foreigners from all different countries here (somewhere between 3 and 5 thousand total), and more than one Columbian. No one is going to pick out one Columbian girl from my postings. There are only a handful of teachers in Kunming who even bother to look at this forum anyhow. Anyhow, thanks for your concern, I'm sure my Columbian teacher would be really grateful to know that you're out there protecting her from being praised by her boss on an internet forum, vik. Never mind those teachers who have outed other teachers by name and said all manner of nasty things about others, no no, an employer should never compliment one of her staff publicly.

Again, completely ironic that this conversation should be taking place on a post entitled "Joke of an FT."

[vikdk]