Job Discussion Forums

Nabby Adams · Joined: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 215

In Japan my experiece has been that most teaching is more akin to oral comminucation prcatise. I am very good at providing fun, communicative classes that get otherwise quiet Japanese talking and having fun.

For example, I have never had to teach "new grammar" as students have studied anything I would give them before at high school.

To be honest I wonder if I am a good teacher as such or more a good teacher in Japan.

I work around my poor spelling and grammar in Japan (even in my writing classes) I wonder if I could do the same in the Gulf.

sisyphus · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 170

You can learn the Grammar. The Parry book is good. But spelling? I dont know, I once employed a young teacher and he would run from the classroom into my room and ask me 'How do you spell..........' etc.
It was poor but in those days you would take any native speaker you could find. Not now though.

With Malice Toward None · Joined: 20 Oct 2009 Posts: 250

15yearsinQ8 · Joined: 17 Oct 2006 Posts: 462 Location: kuwait

beware of anyone who says - it's not that difficult at all to be a good teacher -
and who says - you can download all you need (from the Internet)

15yearsinQ8 · Joined: 17 Oct 2006 Posts: 462 Location: kuwait

i wonder if i'm a good driver when all i've done is drive tanks......

With Malice Toward None · Joined: 20 Oct 2009 Posts: 250

norwalkesl · Joined: 22 Oct 2009 Posts: 366 Location: Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-China

johnslat · Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 3:19 pm Post subject:

Dear norwalkesl,

But if you ever get the urge, please feel free to correct my grammar , spelling, diction, or punctuation usage anytime.

What's the use of making mistakes unless you have the opportunity to learn from them?

Regards,
John

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 5:22 pm Post subject:

Deicide · Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 5:34 pm Post subject:

Do Arab learners of English generally know the IPA such that one can use it without hesitation?

johnslat · Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 5:55 pm Post subject:

Dear Deicide,

In my experience, nope.

But then, in my opinion, that's no great drawback. Not that I'm an all-out proponent of "whole language", but, like most issues in academia, this tends to get polarized, with the result being an "all or nothing" approach.

I subscribe to the eclectic approach - use the best of everything: whatever works. And that can/will be different with different students.

Regards,
John

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

You have to know Grammar to teach in ME. Not much but enough to understand, and explain the difference between tenses !

As for the IPA, forget it !

johnslat · Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 6:34 pm Post subject:

Umm, just to prevent any possible - if unlikely - misunderstanding:

IPA here refers to the International Phonetic Alphabet, not to the Institute of Public Administration (in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam) nor to India Pale Ale.

Regards,
John

With Malice Toward None · Joined: 20 Oct 2009 Posts: 250

Deicide,
Forget about IPA in the Arabic pre-univ. level context. But when your guys are going to sit exams which include higher lexical register they need to put their vowels and consonants properly. Especially when they are thinking of sitting IELTS, etc. This is what I learnt from helping guys to do dissertations, IELTS and so on.
And if you know where your student need to be helped, it helps him/her and you get paid well, too. A Kuwaiti student took me to coffee at Starbucks, we spent some time together, he left me home and before we parted gave me about 125 dollars as a gift apart from the agreed fee. Surprised

because he got his certificate that day, which, without my guidance, he couldn't have. Very Happy

Good luck
WMTN.

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

You can try and teach the IPA but will meet fierce resistance, both from students and from colleagues.