Job Discussion Forums

[PlayadelSoul]

[cangringo]

Yes the Mexican teachers speak English but as mapache is saying, they tend to explain in Spanish because it's easier. Very good post mapache!!

I am constantly having to say en Inges por favor...in reference to the explanations because I agree - if it's explained in Spanish it's much easier for them to forget and unless they practice they don't remember. Hence the ed lesson...I am constantly reinforcing that one and it does help.

[Samantha]

mapache wrote:

[Prof.Gringo]

The problem is that there are way too many Mexican English teachers that simply don't have a complete command of the language. Far from it, many Mexican teachers make constant mistakes in their spoken English, this is in-turn learned by their students and they repeat it as they try to progress or later become teachers themselves.

[cangringo]

Yes and my husband wanted me to point out that a lot of the time we don't understand what the other teachers are saying. Our roommate who has a TEFL cert from Canada has terrible pronunciation and I think we all know how important pronunciation is. If not, check out the hilarious things students say topic.

It's rather important to say beach and not bitch...disks instead of dicks...etc, etc.

My newest student was commenting the other day that she has trouble understanding me because she has learned from Mexican teachers for 15 years. After that long, you would think she was Advanced but she's barely intermediate.

[gordogringo]

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[Samantha]

Disclaimer: This is not a response to Gordogringo's post because it seems he lives in a different world than the rest of us on most any issue.

This horse has been beaten beyond death, in my opinion. If you want to teach in Mexico you are just going to have to get over this issue because legally 90% of the teaching staff is supposed to be Mexican whether we like it or not. And whether they have an accent or not. Over the years, I have worked with MANY Mexican teachers in Universities and upscale private language schools. I have had no trouble understanding any of them speak whatsoever, nor did their students. Many of them were educated in the USA for the purposes of learning English and others learned from listening to TV and studying their butts off. Here's something to consider: The schools and students get what they pay for in the way of teachers, foreign or Mexican.

The superior attitude displayed in this thread could be why Mexican teachers often times resent foreign teachers. We are guests in this country and we can learn about the culture and the laws, and accept things the way they are or head for the bus station to points north. We have options.

[mapache]

Defend yourself, your school and your teachers ad nauseam. The fact is if you allow teachers to repeat everything learned in English a few seconds later in Spanish, the students will not learn effectively are being short-changed in their education. Mexican teachers speak Spanish to their students too much - it's human nature and would occur with any other language education. The best coordinators enforce the no-Spanish rule after basic with both Mexican and foreign teachers. This rule requires discipline and is more difficult to enforce with Mexican teachers.

In regard to student rule enforcement, the problem with many schools is that they cram over 20 students in one class to make money so it is impossible for the teacher to control the class. A group of four students is better off chipping in 25 pesos per hour each and leaning English with a good private native English speaking teacher who uses a superior. up-to-date teaching system like Cambridge Interchange with audio, video, and didactic activities in English; not lessons, recordings and videos in English with a heavy Mexican accent.

[Guy Courchesne]

First, I have to join Samantha on the high road on this...

Second...Mapache, what age group are you referring to? You seem to be drawing on only two extremes...everything translated or complete immersion. There is a fertile field to harvest for the teacher who sows with varied seed.

When working with adults (beginner to advanced) who are perfectly capable of deciding for themselves what works best, a whole range of tools becomes available, up to and including explanation in Spanish. You can't push a teacher-centered, authoritative approach to adults who are already armed with a wide range of problem solving skills.

However, I think it's a common assumption that immersion is the best route (The minds ... take the path of least resistance...certainly not limited to students), despite both the impracticality of it in Mexico and its idea that 1+1 only ever equals 2. You seem to be underestimating the students...viewing them as dogs (not literally - think Pavlov) taught to salivate at the ringing of a bell....pure conditioning.

An acorn won't take root if I plant it in the desert....so we walk away and curse the barrenness of it. Learn the desert a little better and plant an agave...then we get a bounty.

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[cangringo]

Ok whoa, didn't realize that this was a debate about legality. I was simply supporting the argument that in some cases a native speaker is best. I wasn't trying to be high and mighty and I'm sorry that some of you see it that way.

It's a debate and I'm constantly suprised at how many people take things so personally in forums such as this. It's not a personal whack at anyone and I believe I said that the Mexican teachers are still good teachers and they have every right to work in their country doing what they were trained for. I was simply pointing out the benefits of being taught by native teachers - and as I also stated, it depends what you are learning English for.

Please take all my comments in context, don't just quote a few and send out scathing remarks. I won't take any road, I prefer my own path.

[mapache]

Yesterday in "el rancho", my friend introduced a new roster into his chicken yard. Immediately, the roster in charge of the yard attacked the new comer. I felt like I was in a "palenque" and then realized the situation was simlar to some posters in this forum, including me. My cock fight with Playa del Carmen is over now. I can only hope all Mexican students can learn well by various methods. Teaching English is a noble profession and usually a work of love. Best to you all.
cock-a-doodle-doo!

[mapache]

how histerical, the AI system deleted cock even when it wasn't a grosseria!