Teacher in Development Comments http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com The life and times of an English teacher in Mexico City Sat, 05 Jul 2008 08:36:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: Aaron Nelson http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/05/24/going-native-should-english-schools-discriminate-in-favor-of-native-speakers/#comment-643 Mon, 09 Jun 2008 10:04:03 +0100 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/05/24/going-native-should-english-schools-discriminate-in-favor-of-native-speakers/#comment-643 Jody, Thanks for your comment. You know, I think accent training is vital to fluency development. It's important to learn how to hear English, and all it's variations. Afterall, not all people speak it alike. I do think this type of work would be more valuable for those at a higher level - say upper intermediate and beyond. Perhaps being able to modify your accent a little could help you as you work with lower level students. And, sadly, will help you get a job in a few places. But accents are good things. English is a global language, and those who learn it should be able to deal with different accents. Maybe you could think like a marketer for a little...how could you sell your accent? (It is an advantage for some.) Jody,
Thanks for your comment. You know, I think accent training is vital to fluency development. It’s important to learn how to hear English, and all it’s variations. Afterall, not all people speak it alike.

I do think this type of work would be more valuable for those at a higher level - say upper intermediate and beyond. Perhaps being able to modify your accent a little could help you as you work with lower level students. And, sadly, will help you get a job in a few places.

But accents are good things. English is a global language, and those who learn it should be able to deal with different accents. Maybe you could think like a marketer for a little…how could you sell your accent? (It is an advantage for some.)

]]> by: jody http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/05/24/going-native-should-english-schools-discriminate-in-favor-of-native-speakers/#comment-642 Mon, 09 Jun 2008 05:20:09 +0100 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/05/24/going-native-should-english-schools-discriminate-in-favor-of-native-speakers/#comment-642 Hi I come from the UK (near manchester) and have what some people consider a strong regional accent. I have taught English conversation to advanced and intermediate level students from lots of different countries, and many have picked up on my 'different' accent, sometimes judging it as 'wrong' and asking me if I am 'really' from England! I suppose it's a kind of social class snobbery, that students only want to learn the middle class London-type of accent. I have also seen international students in the UK advertising for native English speakers with 'good' accents only. Has anyone else had this kind of experience? I have another question: what does everyone think about UK teachers with regional accents (e.g. from Liverpool, Newcastle, North Wales, Glasgow, Birmingham)? Should they tone these accents down in order to teach students the elite accent of middle class London, for instance? Or is this a kind of language snobbery that should be avoided? Some would say that in order to understand 'normal' people in the UK, students should hear and be taught by people from a range of places in the UK. What does everyone think?!?!?!?!?! thanks Jody Hi

I come from the UK (near manchester) and have what some people consider a strong regional accent. I have taught English conversation to advanced and intermediate level students from lots of different countries, and many have picked up on my ‘different’ accent, sometimes judging it as ‘wrong’ and asking me if I am ‘really’ from England! I suppose it’s a kind of social class snobbery, that students only want to learn the middle class London-type of accent. I have also seen international students in the UK advertising for native English speakers with ‘good’ accents only.

Has anyone else had this kind of experience? I have another question: what does everyone think about UK teachers with regional accents (e.g. from Liverpool, Newcastle, North Wales, Glasgow, Birmingham)? Should they tone these accents down in order to teach students the elite accent of middle class London, for instance? Or is this a kind of language snobbery that should be avoided? Some would say that in order to understand ‘normal’ people in the UK, students should hear and be taught by people from a range of places in the UK. What does everyone think?!?!?!?!?!

thanks

Jody

]]> by: Chris Cotter http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2008/03/07/grammar-and-your-classroom/#comment-641 Mon, 26 May 2008 20:27:38 +0100 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2008/03/07/grammar-and-your-classroom/#comment-641 You're absolutely right about grammar, as a balance needs to be maintained in the classroom. Too much grammar, and the class is just really boring. No grammar, and students lack the building blocks to understand more difficult sentence constructions later in their studies. Students best remember the target language when they get to use it. Present the grammar, drill the grammar, and then provide increasingly free activities for the class to use the language naturally. They also get to tie the target language into past lessons, and to talk about what interests them. Good post! You’re absolutely right about grammar, as a balance needs to be maintained in the classroom. Too much grammar, and the class is just really boring. No grammar, and students lack the building blocks to understand more difficult sentence constructions later in their studies.

Students best remember the target language when they get to use it. Present the grammar, drill the grammar, and then provide increasingly free activities for the class to use the language naturally. They also get to tie the target language into past lessons, and to talk about what interests them.

Good post!

]]> by: Charlie http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/05/24/going-native-should-english-schools-discriminate-in-favor-of-native-speakers/#comment-639 Fri, 09 May 2008 18:17:37 +0100 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2006/05/24/going-native-should-english-schools-discriminate-in-favor-of-native-speakers/#comment-639 Hi all, Interesting read. I am a non-native efl teacher, teacher trainer and have taught in Ireland and Spain and I do agree with a lot of stuff being sad here, specially the ability to relate to the students' needs and frustrations and in most cases, as Aaron so rightly put it, non-natives have a greater in-depth grasp, knowledge of grammar and language structure and more than likely a greater ease when it comes to explaining it, since they can use their own language as a reference to compare or contrast the points being taught. Having said that, it pains me to say that a huge number of doors are shut to non-native speakers and that is a real shame. Please forgive my boldness but it's "relevant· not "relevent" All the best Hi all,
Interesting read. I am a non-native efl teacher, teacher trainer and have taught in Ireland and Spain and I do agree with a lot of stuff being sad here, specially the ability to relate to the students’ needs and frustrations and in most cases, as Aaron so rightly put it, non-natives have a greater in-depth grasp, knowledge of grammar and language structure and more than likely a greater ease when it comes to explaining it, since they can use their own language as a reference to compare or contrast the points being taught. Having said that, it pains me to say that a huge number of doors are shut to non-native speakers and that is a real shame.
Please forgive my boldness but it’s “relevant· not “relevent”
All the best

]]> by: Lynn Rotz http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2007/12/20/what-makes-a-great-teacher/#comment-636 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:39:02 +0000 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2007/12/20/what-makes-a-great-teacher/#comment-636 Thank you for expressing what has been one of my biggest disappointments since I started in the field of education. I received my teaching certification in 2003 and still I have been unsuccessful in landing a permanent position. The ratio of available positions to applicants where I live is about 100:1. What is so frustrating, is that I know I have so much to offer yet, I am not even getting interviews due to the number of applicants who have a higher level of education. As I am finishing up my third year of substitute teaching, I cannot tell you how many times I have seen teachers who lack heart, a commitment to the community, and the desire to think outside of the prepackaged programs that they are provided, getting the jobs. I think we as educators do need to seek out life-long learning however, it is but one of the ingredients that make for a great teacher. Thank you for expressing what has been one of my biggest disappointments since I started in the field of education. I received my teaching certification in 2003 and still I have been unsuccessful in landing a permanent position. The ratio of available positions to applicants where I live is about 100:1. What is so frustrating, is that I know I have so much to offer yet, I am not even getting interviews due to the number of applicants who have a higher level of education. As I am finishing up my third year of substitute teaching, I cannot tell you how many times I have seen teachers who lack heart, a commitment to the community, and the desire to think outside of the prepackaged programs that they are provided, getting the jobs. I think we as educators do need to seek out life-long learning however, it is but one of the ingredients that make for a great teacher.

]]> by: Lynn Rotz http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2007/12/20/what-makes-a-great-teacher/#comment-635 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:32:24 +0000 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2007/12/20/what-makes-a-great-teacher/#comment-635 Thank you for expressing what has been my biggest disappointment since I started in the field of education. I received my teaching certification in 2003 and still I have unsuccessful in landing a permanent position. The ratio of available positions to applicants where I live is about 100:1. What is so frustrating is that I know I have so much to offer yet I am not even getting interviews due to the number of applicants who have a higher level of education. As I am finishing up my third year of substitute teaching, I cannot tell you how many times I have seen teachers getting the jobs lack heart, a commitment to the community, and the desire to think outside of the prepackaged programs that they are provided. I do think we as educators do need to seek out life-long learning however, it is but one of the ingredients that make for a great teacher. Thank you for expressing what has been my biggest disappointment since I started in the field of education. I received my teaching certification in 2003 and still I have unsuccessful in landing a permanent position. The ratio of available positions to applicants where I live is about 100:1. What is so frustrating is that I know I have so much to offer yet I am not even getting interviews due to the number of applicants who have a higher level of education. As I am finishing up my third year of substitute teaching, I cannot tell you how many times I have seen teachers getting the jobs lack heart, a commitment to the community, and the desire to think outside of the prepackaged programs that they are provided. I do think we as educators do need to seek out life-long learning however, it is but one of the ingredients that make for a great teacher.

]]> by: Donielle Brown http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2007/12/20/what-makes-a-great-teacher/#comment-634 Sun, 23 Mar 2008 15:37:41 +0000 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2007/12/20/what-makes-a-great-teacher/#comment-634 I totally agree. The heart is what makes a teacher great, not the grades they received in their subject matter. Of course you want a teacher to have knowledge of their content, but that knowledge without a love for the art is useless. I totally agree. The heart is what makes a teacher great, not the grades they received in their subject matter. Of course you want a teacher to have knowledge of their content, but that knowledge without a love for the art is useless.

]]> by: English http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2007/12/20/what-makes-a-great-teacher/#comment-632 Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:10:12 +0000 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2007/12/20/what-makes-a-great-teacher/#comment-632 Being smart doesn't make you a good teacher. You should have certain personality traits and characteristics other than brains to teach. My history teacher from college was a genius, she published books and exposed around the world, but I learned squat from her classes. Being smart doesn’t make you a good teacher. You should have certain personality traits and characteristics other than brains to teach. My history teacher from college was a genius, she published books and exposed around the world, but I learned squat from her classes.

]]> by: English http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2008/03/04/how-a-simple-quote-became-a-powerful-classroom-experience/#comment-630 Fri, 14 Mar 2008 12:02:18 +0000 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2008/03/04/how-a-simple-quote-became-a-powerful-classroom-experience/#comment-630 It's a good quote... it left me thinking about it for a while. Thanks :) It’s a good quote… it left me thinking about it for a while. Thanks :)

]]> by: Alex Case http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2008/03/07/grammar-and-your-classroom/#comment-629 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:54:43 +0000 http://teacherindevelopment.blogsome.com/2008/03/07/grammar-and-your-classroom/#comment-629 I feel a bit guilty about following up a thank you for one mention with a request for another, but that's life I guess- the more you give the more people take. Anyhow, any help in spreading the word on my adventures with a certain UK-based TEFL course provider would be worth several Brownie points in the TEFL afterlife Thanks Alex I feel a bit guilty about following up a thank you for one mention with a request for another, but that’s life I guess- the more you give the more people take. Anyhow, any help in spreading the word on my adventures with a certain UK-based TEFL course provider would be worth several Brownie points in the TEFL afterlife

Thanks

Alex

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