Job Discussion Forums

[Yawarakaijin]

Thanks for your time everyone.

I was wondering if anyone knows of any short TEFL programs being offered in the Tokyo area. Our company has just recently hired a new teacher and things are not working out.

On paper he looked great, but it has become clear that he simply will not have what it takes unless he gets some more formal training. Any advice would be appreciated.

[dove]

Just out of curiosity, what is the new hire doing wrong? Why are his lessons so bad?

[babar6789]

I fail to see how a "short TEFL course" will improve his teaching. You might need to give him a month off to do his CELTA.

[Yawarakaijin]

Obviously a month long program would benefit us the most but it is simply not an option. I don't want to get into why we hired someone without teaching experience in the first place, it is a moot point and wasn't my call to begin with.

We can't lose him for an entire month so I was wondering if anyone knows of a shorter program or perhaps one that he could attend on the weekend.

I really don't want to turn this thread into an arguement about hiring procedures or what does or does not make a good teacher.

[Yawarakaijin]

[fluffyhamster]

Why not see what's coming up in the textbook he's using with whatever classes (assuming there are textbooks assigned to classes) and help him plan a few lessons ahead. He could then rehearse those whilst being observed, or you could even demonstrate how you'd teach those lessons (and see if he could reproduce what he thought were the good keypoints). Team-teaching his real classes e.g. stepping in with tactful suggestions, offering to help by taking over for a bit when he has obvious difficulties (he could then cool off and note how you resolve things), could also be an option. Sure, this would take up not only his but also your free time, but at least the "training" would be 100% relevant and practical (and not cost anyone anything). Why entrust others to do a sufficient job? Or you could just fire him.

By the way, has he got any books on ELT? I am a firm believer in the value of reading (much depends on the value of the book, though! But even bad ones can serve their purpose), and if one reads thoroughly and extensively enough, one can learn well over half of what an average up-to-a-month-long course might provide. You could recommend one and go through some of it with him, pick his brain (if he has one!).

[Apsara]

I don't really see how a TEFL course would help this guy much. It seems like he is a bit awkward/ doesn't really know what is correct behaviour for different social situations, and is not a good communicator.

I've met people like that, and they usually either don't become English teachers to begin with, or if they do, they don't last long.

[Yawarakaijin]

[fluffyhamster]

So you reckon the hirer will have to become firer? How long/soon will that be? I kinda feel sorry for the guy, especially if he flew out on his own dime after the application process had failed to weed him out (assume there was no web or even phone interview. Not after a debate on "your" hiring procedures!). Ultimately however it sounds (as Aspara had the guts to say!) like this guy just isn't cut out to be a teacher and was kidding himself if he imagined he could succeed as one.

[alexcase]

Shane/ Saxoncourt do the Trinity Cert TESOL part time in Tokyo, I think it's open to people outside the company. That's the 4 week course, but spread over a few months of weekends, I think. Not sure about dates.

For shorter stuff, all I can think of are the ETJ Certificates:

http://www.eltcalendar.com/events/details/1950

Again, not sure about dates.

Sounds like a bit of time in the forces might be more likely to sort him out though...

TEFLtastic blog- www.tefl.net/alexcase