Job Discussion Forums

soapdodger · Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 203

Yep Gambate, what's even worse in this part of the world ( Central Europe), and I'm sure elsewhere, is automatically moving students up a level on completion of the set text...whether they are ready to progress higher or not (which is often the case). I recently got handed 2 very nice guys for a conversation class who had been learning for 6 years with only local teachers (many of whom would have trouble scraping a pass at PET,sadly) clutching copies of Cutting Edge Upper Intermediate which they had finished. After an hour and a half it was clear that they were at best Pre-Int., more like good-ish Elementary. I felt really sorry for them, I think they knew they had been let down but weren't too worried because their company had been paying for it all.

coffeedrinker · Joined: 30 Jul 2006 Posts: 149

I post here because it's just nice to feel like I have an answer for someone's question - or can add something to the discussion - that no one else has posted yet.

I've taught in Eastern Europe as well and have spoken with teachers who have taught both EFL and ESL and I do think there are substantial differences. I think in the language school industry there is a customer service mentality - which is not great for learning but is pretty understandable. Even though I work hard and the end result is students learning, I rarely felt like I was "helping them". I felt like I was doing my job and doing what they paid for.

I got into teaching because I wanted to live abroad and be more than a tourist. I got to like it, developed my skills, and stuck with it like people tend to stick with jobs generally.

I do think there are advantages for the teacher and students both when the teacher isn't just there out of altruistic goodwill or something, but is there with an interest in and respect for the students country, culture, etc.

I think it's valuable to live somewhere as a foreigner and get to know local people as more than service providers or business associates to negotiate with or probably worst - solely as recipients of international aid, which is how most foreigners in the country I worked in interacted with locals to some extent. It sounds sort of cheesy but - in the face of the customer service-y angle of efl - I think this is still a big benefit, and lots of people are better off for doing it.