Job Discussion Forums

hip-hop boy78 · Joined: 02 Dec 2004 Posts: 90 Location: Hip-hop land

It's becoming apparent that the teaching/education forum on gaijinpot is a lot more active and even interesting than this one. Would anyone care to speculate as to why that might be? I don't think recent events have anything to do with it, since gaijinpot have also deleted threads that harm advertisers on that site and they've even banned some people from posting. Which site do you prefer browsing? And why?
I check out both from time to time though it seems that there is far more interesting debate and discussion going on 'over there' compared to here.

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Revenant · Mod Team Joined: 28 Jul 2005 Posts: 1109

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

Inertia. If there are more interesting threads on GP, for whatever historical reason , people will post there more often and so the situation will tend to continue.

Also many people teaching English In Japan do not define themselves primarily as English teachers but are mainly interested in Japan. So they feel happier on a site dedicated to Japan, rather than to EFL teaching in general but may contribute to a teaching post if it looks interesting.

Many people check out both sites and just respond to whatever threads interest them. GP seems to have more trolls but they tend to stay away from the teaching threads.

Brooks · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara

I would prefer to see more posts about teaching but I don`t see much on this board. But on Gaijinpot I do.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Brooks,
What would you like to see that isn't already covered in the FAQs and stickies, plus the dozens of pages of previous posts, plus the teacher forum?

madeira · Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 182 Location: Oppama

Not many people read FAQs or stickies on any site; I guess they seem old. I don't pay attention to anything over a year old, as far as info about jobs/schools goes.

Gaijinpot has a wider purview and many more posters. It's much easier and faster to become a member, too. So, it gets more trolls, but also more regular-type members.

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Brooks · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara

Glenski,

I am thinking of moving on to a different job in the future and I am interested in reading about people`s experiences at technical universities or at semmon gakkos.

A lot of newbies use this board and many posts don`t mean much of anything to me.
I have been here for over 5 years and am married to a Japanese national, so the things I think about aren`t the same as people who haven`t been here long and are single.

I am interested in reading about ideas that work when teaching oral skills.
I read about the Immediate Method and am curious about it.

and pronunciation teaching and new ways of teaching the same old stuff.
I teach teenagers, so I have to be creative.

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

Hi Brooks,

I hear you. When I came to this site a year ago I was excited to learn about the things you mentioned. I guess it is a bit like work, though.

Are you familiar with a text called Marathon Mouth?

Cheers,
s

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Brooks · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1369 Location: Sagamihara

I have both those books you two have mentioned.
I teach drama so I am interested in pronunciation teaching for drama students.

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

That's interesting. Are you currently using it and how do you like it, if you don't mind my asking?

markle · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 1316 Location: Out of Japan

markle · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 1316 Location: Out of Japan

With regard to the Daves vs Gaijin pot debate I think these things ebb and flow with little influence from the board operators. Each site has it's moments at different times. The only thing you can do about it is post more about what interests you yourself.