Job Discussion Forums

[aineoc]

Hi,
I have an interview for NET scheme in London next week. i have no idea what i will be asked and am desperately seeking any tips and advice for it! Any help at all would be brill!
Thanks,
Aine

[bootsie]

Hi Aine,

I had my interview last week in NZ and didn't get selected (most likely because I'm a newbie with little experience) ... but this is what you'll need to demonstrate:

� knowledge of the NET scheme including if you are a PNET that you may work in 2 schools
� experience with and knowledge of team teaching
� knowledge of Hong Kong curriculum initiatives
� experience with and knowledge of developing reading and writing skills for varied ability groups including for primary schools early literacy learning
� experience with and knowledge of managing large and mixed ability classes
� knowledge of strategies to motivate reluctant learners or those who may be shy, afraid to fail
� knowledge of phonics teaching and you might integrate phonics into your English teaching
� experience with and knowledge of developing whole school activities to promote English
� experience with and knowledge of the use of resources and strategies such as IT, shared reading and big books (including practical examples of the use of these resources)
� experience with and knowledge of working with students with learning difficulties
� experience with preparing and delivering PD and the kind of the PD you would like to deliver
� experience with and knowledge of dealing with resistance to new strategies for teaching and learning in a system where the norm is to use exams and tests to achieve syllabus outcomes

Good luck!

[catbells]

My interview is also next week in London. Maybe will bump into aineoc.


That is a lot of knowledge you have to demonstrate in one interview. But I guess it is experience we are expected to have when working in schools in our own home country.

But this may prove a little difficult due to the difference the system of primary teaching in HK.
[experience with and knowledge of managing large and mixed ability classes ]
Teaching mixed ability within the same class is what we do anyway, but primary school teachers in UK are class teachers (although I'm not a teacher either) and won't be teaching from age 5-11, they only teach within their year group. Whereas primary teaching in HK is based on subject teaching.

Anyway, thanks for the useful tips, Bootsie.

[aineoc]

crikey.........thats a gelluva lot to know. think I will just go to the interview for the "experience" as I dont think my heart is in it this year. Will be good to know what to plan for inthe future. That is a whole lot of stuff I gotta get ready!! Thanks a mil for your replies!
Best of luck!
aine

[bootsie]

Well, that's the information I got given from the recruiter in Australia to prepare for the interview. At the actual interview I was questioned on the above areas amongst a few others, including, how I would cope working in an isolated environment... They (EMB people) didn't paint a very nice picture of what it would be like as a NET and to be honest I'm kinda glad I didn't get selected as I'm not ready for the position anyway - maybe with a few years (or ten!) under my belt first.
Good luck to you all!

[misutabiru]

I found all of those points very useful in preparing for my interview. When I actually got in there though, they only asked me a few questions: one about my previous teaching experience, and one about my familiarity with literacy promotion. And that was it! Not sure if I actually passed or not, but it was a relatively painless process.

[jackmack]

I went for my interview in HK on Friday. I wasn't asked any questions pertaining to the system or to anything relating deeply to teaching. Here are the questions I can remember:

1. Why HK?
2. Any experience in teacher training?
3. Would I come without husband being employed (no!)
4. How would I motivate those not interested in English?
5. How would I deal with four hour meetings in Cantonese?
6. What are my leisure activities
7. Did I know my hols could be different to my husband?
8. What extra curric activities could I offer?
9. How would I deal with behav management issues?
10 Would I be able to teach large classes?
11. How would I deal with conflict with immediate supervisor who wanted to teach only grammar translation method?

That's about it. Honestly it was a piece of cake- not in the least bit stressful and interviewers were very nice.

Written test was also a doddle - what whole school activity would I implement? I wrote pages on a reading scheme.

Hope this helps.

[hkteach]

Interesting questions (or dare I say it????? loaded questions!!) - some of them relate to issues which cause big problems for many NETs - meetings in Cantonese and allocation of holidays (which varies from school to school).

The holiday issue is always being discussed - many principals here state that the designated holidays 'are for children, not teachers' while their more enlightened counterparts give their NETs decent holidays.

EMB has 'recommended' that NETs not be expected to sit through meetings in Canto (even if an interpreter is provided) because they are just a waste of time, covering issues not relevant to the NET and the NET's time could be better spent doing something directly related to their jobrole.

So, I'd interested to know your response to these questions.

[11:59]

Looking at the questions Jackmack says were posed makes me unsure whether to laugh or cry.