Touch Of Country Class

IntroductionIn this article I will gather the most common problems/difficulties Thai learners have when learning English. I will spot the main difficulties you as the teacher will deal with and I will give my tips/solutions of how you can understand the problems and deal with them.The article is based on own experience and new information I have learned from this course.Some of the major differences between Thai learners and European learners are:Certain students can be reluctant to talk and produce English in class. It can be caused by natural shyness or just the fact that they cannot express themselves in English or it can have its roots in cultural issues.How do we deal with these issues and how do we know if certain behaviour is caused by student´s culture or by natural ...  [Read more]

While teaching English as a foreign language it is very important that the teacher or instructor take on board the cultural differences and discrepancies that occur between different societies. As may appear obvious, teaching English in Asia will be significantly different to teaching English in the Middle East. This is due to the religious, social and all round societal differences between the regions i.e. the cultural differences. As pointed out by Kenneth Barre in his online article, cultural differences from a teacher's standpoint can affect a variety of key teaching planning, methodology and structure. Cultural Differences Affects: 'What students expect to hear in a conversation 'Vocabulary and set phrases students try to use 'Degrees of formality / informality 'Literal...  [Read more]

While teaching English as a foreign language it is very important that the teacher or instructor take on board the cultural differences and discrepancies that occur between different societies. As may appear obvious, teaching English in Asia will be significantly different to teaching English in the Middle East. This is due to the religious, social and all round societal differences between the regions i.e. the cultural differences. As pointed out by Kenneth Barre in his online article, cultural differences from a teacher?s standpoint can affect a variety of key teaching planning, methodology and structure. Cultural Differences Affects: ?What students expect to hear in a conversation ?Vocabulary and set phrases students try to use ?Degrees of formality / informality ...  [Read more]

Although teaching jobs can be arranged in Asia once you arrive in your destination of choice, in many countries it is common for jobs to be arranged in advance from within your own country. One area where this is certainly true is if you join a government run placement program. The following are the most popular programs of their kind in Asia. EPIK stands for the English Program in Korea, a scheme run by the South Korean government that places foreign teachers into schools across the country to work as English language instructors. EPIK is one of the largest and most popular schemes of its kind as it offers a competitive salary, a good range of extra benefits, and the chance to experience living and working in a unique cultural environment. If you meet the specified criteria then you...  [Read more]

New technology in the classroom not only provides the teacher with a wealth of supportive tools but also provides interest and variety for the student and makes learning more interesting and relevant to today's society. The World Wide Web has made communication readily available and for the English learner offers a wealth of opportunities to supplement learning, A key asset of new technology in the classroom is the Interactive Whiteboard, a large touch sensitive board, which can be connected to a digital projector and a computer, which displays images from the computer screen onto the board and allows for more varied, creative and seamless use of teaching materials. It provides electronically all the familiar features of a traditional classroom blackboard or roller whiteboard...  [Read more]

Every year tens of thousands of people from all backgrounds leave behind their existing life and head overseas in search of fun, travel and adventure. They are able to do this by completing a TEFL certification course that gives them all the qualifications they need to apply for English language teaching jobs in countries all over the world. If you want to join this ever growing number of TEFL qualified teachers, there should be very little that can get in your way. Among the many attractions of teaching English abroad is the fact that you are free to choose not only the region where you would like to work, but also the specific country or even city. For some teachers the history and culture of Europe appeals most, while others are drawn to exotic destinations across Asia or Latin...  [Read more]

If you want to have a job in place and all the paperwork sorted out before you leave your home country, a TEFL placement program is certainly worth considering. Several countries across Europe and Asia have government run schemes that recruit foreign teachers to work in their public school system. The following options are long established and respected programs that offer a great opportunity to live and work in some of the most popular teaching destinations. The TAPIF Program, short for Teaching Assistant Program in France, is a government initiative that places applicants into French state schools to work as teaching assistants. The program provides a great opportunity to live and work in a country where long-stay visas can be difficult to secure for non-EU citizens. For those who...  [Read more]

If you crave adventure and a lifestyle that’s out of the ordinary, Phnom Penh, Cambodia is the perfect location to launch your ‘teach English abroad’ journey. The transformation of Cambodia over the past three decades from a country characterised by occupation and trouble, to a Southeast Asian powerhouse, is phenomenal. There’s an insatiable demand for English language skills in Cambodia - and a chronic shortage of TEFL qualified people to teach English. What does this mean for people just like you? Simple! It means opportunities galore. Phnom Penh is the capital city of Cambodia and the nation’s international gateway. With a population of around 2.5 million people and a relatively confined central business district, it has a noticeably slower pace of life than you’ll find in...  [Read more]

There’s only a handful of cities in the world that truly deserve ‘must visit’ status and Hanoi is certainly one of them. While most people can only dream about a fleeting trip to Hanoi – if they’re lucky – ‘living like a local’ and working as EFL teacher in this magnificent city is a realistic proposition for anyone with a sense of adventure. Hanoi is Vietnam’s capital city and the seat of government. It’s noticeably smaller than Ho Chi Minh City in the south, but the pace of life is similarly frenetic. While Ho Chi Minh City is often referred to as Vietnam’s ‘engine room’, Hanoi is more of a ‘grand old lady’. It’s tough to pin down what makes Hanoi such a special place. Is it because there’s history, culture and art on display in seemingly every street...  [Read more]

What does TEFL mean?    The acronym TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language. It is commonly used to refer to training courses that almost anyone can take to learn the skills and knowledge required to teach English to non-native speakers in countries all over the world. What is the difference between TESOL and TEFL?    TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language and TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. These descriptions are generally used interchangeably, however, TESOL is more common in the USA and TEFL is more common in the UK. Do I need a TEFL certificate to teach abroad?    Although it is possible to teach abroad without a TEFL certificate, we recommended that you complete a TEFL...  [Read more]

Moscow's vibe fluctuates between formal capital and cultural powerhouse. The Kremlin is at the core of political life, a building with an intimidating architectural style. Go inside – its cathedrals and museums whisper a thousand stories about czars and czarinas, patriarchs and princesses. The Kremlin is Moscow’s crème de la crème. The 12th-century construction began with wood, and blossomed into the world’s largest medieval fortress. Waltz through Red Square past Lenin’s Mausoleum, with his century-old body lying in state, to find palaces, museums and a startling art collection inside the Armoury, including some of the famed Fabergé Eggs. Wander through the world's largest gallery of Russian art. In the contemporary wing, analyze Malevich's provocative...  [Read more]