Job Discussion Forums

Vasey · Joined: 19 Jul 2007 Posts: 3

Hi . What i really mean to say is that i have been in the game (Trinity college TEFL cert) on and off for about 8 years.I don't consider myself a great teacher but i am not a terrible one either.Of course teaching TEFL has an error rate and i know that not every student is going to be enchanted by me.I have a proven track record in Russia,Slovakia and Ukraine so i don't really have any other option other than plodding on.I am currently teaching business English, mind you if i was a fiscal genius i wouldn't be doing this shite.

One thing which is starting to bother me is that before i would work 6/3 months as a teacher then go back to work in England for about the same period in some low paid office /driving job usually through an agency.This allowed me to save up for the next trip.Because of the Crisis i may have to stay on teaching.I am now teaching in an Industrial Ukrainian city where i don't come across many native speakers so of course i am not speaking , or hearing any banter ( sayings ,idioms etc)which would benefit me and my students.

Usually after a spell in England i would be a wealth of knowledge in regards to current affairs,showbiz,football tickets,chavs,highviz jackets, the Polish( who put our workers to shame i might add) and the price of a pint of Guinness etc.The banter and the pisstaking with my co-workers as always helped me with my teaching.Get the picture?Now after nearly 9 months away from the UK i am feeling like i am a fraud or i am losing some of my skills because nearly all of my students ask me how things are in England.I don't want to be stuck in some expat bubble in a big city although it does have its advantages.I have been watching news clips,movies on youtube to try and increase my vocab.Has anyone got any better suggestions for my piece of mind? cheers

SueH · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 1022 Location: Northern Italy

Apart from visits home (not sure how you are fixed for low cost flights where you are) and getting online why not use skype and have phone chats with your friends in the UK?

Depending on the level of the students having the latest slang is probably less important than you think. You can always look up things like the latest minimum wage, or price of a pint over the 'net.

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 9:07 pm Post subject:

Wow- for the time periods you're thinking about, I wouldn't think it would be an issue at all. by all means, read the latest news and gossip on the internet, and watch movies when you can. Talk to friends back home and keep up... but honestly, the slang that changes in several months isn't the stuff that most students need to keep up with.

Best,
Justin

PS- Living outside of my own country for over a decade; I just spent a month in the old USA for the first time in ages- I can still communicate with folks!

ESL Hobo · Joined: 23 Oct 2008 Posts: 262

I totally understand where you are coming from. My English has gotten so bad it's hardly fit for teaching level one classes. I hardly ever talk to native speakers of English. I guess the best thing to do is to make time for chatting with expats where you live.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

I haven't been back to the UK since 2002, or lived there for longer than a few months since 1978.

As I never watched TV or followed football when I was there I would have been just as clueless about superficial trivia as I am now.

SueH · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 1022 Location: Northern Italy

Well, I play football here, but couldn't say much about the big teams. The other day I couldn't think of the name of a common muscle in English and had to go to the Italian-English dictionary to remind myself!