Job Discussion Forums

rioux · Joined: 26 Apr 2012 Posts: 880

I saw a job advertisement for a university job that required that a lecture be given by the foreign staff.

Has anyone participated in this? What was talked about in these speeches and how long were they?

Shroob · Joined: 02 Aug 2010 Posts: 1339

Most likely it will be a once a semester thing and on a topic of the teacher's own choice, as long as it's loosely related to the west. Best just ask just to be sure though.

NoBillyNO · Joined: 11 Jun 2012 Posts: 1762

doogsville · Joined: 17 Nov 2011 Posts: 924 Location: China

I do one a semester, though we didn't have to do it in the first semester. I've done 'The history of the English language' and 'Halloween', since that one was in October. Up to one and a half hours of PPT and videos and speaking, it's no big deal. This semester I'm doing 'Understanding and using poetry in English to improve your language ability'. I'm looking forward to it to be honest. My uni pays me for 16 hours of teaching, and I've never come close to doing all the hours, so I can't complain. Another factor for me is that it gives me an opportunity to something I never got to do in a language mill, where 'dancing monkey' was more popular than 'English teacher'.

Toast · Joined: 08 Jun 2013 Posts: 428

I had a Saffer buddy who did one on racist slang expressions and their origins. He used hip hop songs and scenes from movies such as Platoon, Goodfellas and Schindler's List to show their contextual usage. The lecture was apparently so popular the Dean even asked him out for dinner the next night with some local politicians and big-wig businessmen. Good old PC China haha.

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

Bud Powell · Joined: 11 Jul 2013 Posts: 1736

Your school will probably have an ENGLISH WEEK or some special activity, and you'll be asked to give a talk. You'll probably be able to talk them out of their assigned topic.

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

I did one in 3 years. It was packed out and new kids arrived less than 5 min from the end.
I talked about my home country and (very inexpertly) sang an indigenous song.
That said it was not long after the start of the new academic year and freshmen will go to anything in those first weeks.
I recall all the new FTs were scheduled.