The Survival Guide To Teaching EFL

The Survival Guide To Teaching EFL

By William Sillitoe

Connect with the author: willsillitoe.wordpress.com

Copyright 2014 William Sillitoe

Smashwords Edition

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite e-book retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Chapter One: Where Are You Now?

Chapter Two: Initial Hurdles

Chapter Three: Making Contact

Chapter Four: Examining Procedures

Chapter Five: Running on Empty

Chapter Six: Frameworks and Formats

Icebreakers

Hopes And Fears / Questionnaire

Dictation Games

includes, Running / Shouting / Whistling / Picture / Question / Stress Pattern Dictation

Runaround Games

includes, Ring The Word / Multiple Choice Runaround

Noughts and Crosses Games

Vocabulary Os & Xs / Regular Past Tense Os& Xs

Bingo Games

Vocabulary / Irregular Verb / Time / Picture / Name bingo

Bluffing Games

Call My Bluff / What's My Line

Dictionary Games

Stop It! / Beat The Clock

Describing Games

It's Got To Be You! / Sell Yourself!

Interview Games

Alibi / Spokesperson / Hotseat / Press Conference / Just The Job! / 20 Questions

Survival Games

includes, inclusive formats / exclusive formats / Dead Man's Bag

Word Games

Back To The Board / Eraser / Kim's Game

Chain Games

includes, Chain Story / Chain Talking / Chain Questions / Chain Sentence

Post-It Games

includes, Who Am I? / Anatomy Class / Hold That Pose / Statues

Direction Following Games

Find Your Way / Blindfold / Assault Course

Adverb Games

Adverb Mimes / Adverb Sliding Scales

Adjective Games

Adjective sliding scale / On Parade / Adjective Circle

Miscellaneous Fillers

Chapter Seven: In The Summertime

Chapter Eight: Moving On?

Final Word

Preface

The original idea behind this e-book was to present the condition of a new teacher as I was discovering it for myself in a strange central European city. There are many really excellent books written by seasoned professionals about teaching and grammar related matters, but I wanted to tackle the more practical and hands on difficulties new teachers face when working abroad for the first time. Chief among these were handling everyday classroom stresses such as difficult students and running out of steam in the classroom.

What were my qualifications for writing this e-book? Well, it has been a few years since I completed my first year of teaching abroad. Paradoxically, this means that I am probably less able to see it from a new teacher’s point of view now than when I was in that position myself. But purposefully, I wrote all but the final chapter of this book during and at the end of my first contract. I would come home from school and reflect on my day before sitting down to write about how it had gone and how it might have gone better. There were so many fresh experiences and thoughts to process back then. So in this sense, my lack of credentials at the time, my openness to experience, my freshness within teaching and my capacity to assimilate new information were real assets starting out. I realised early that if I waited until my second or third year as a teacher before writing this book these assets would be lost. I would no longer be interested in accounting for procedures with which I was all too familiar and I would also have lost the freshness those early impressions of standing in front of my first classes.

I should stress that this is not a grammar book or an academic discourse – there are plenty of those already. It is a guide to living, working and surviving in a profession that can be very rewarding, challenging and satisfying – but also very stressful, tiring and occasionally lonely. I have tried hard to avoid overlapping with other books which have also sought to cover the more practical aspects of teaching, but where content has coincided I have aimed to provide a new perspective by focusing on the explicit concerns of new teachers. This is reflected by the style of the e-book, which is formatted in question and answer fashion and focuses on specific issues that new teachers face. It follows a logical sequence that the reader may approach from start to finish, or dip in and out of as he or she chooses.

This e-book is based on my experience at a well-respected state run language school in Bratislava, Slovakia. By basing these chapters on what was (and hopefully remains) a good and conscientious language school I aim to provide a fair and realistic view of what an EFL teacher can expect. I believe that any reader will gain perspective on his or her own school by the extent to which it exceeds or falls short of the standards represented here. It was these standards that informed my first experience of working at an English language school when I eventually returned to the UK. Since then, I have gone onto to do numerous other jobs that have utilised to varying degrees those skills developed during weekday afternoons and evenings in a Bratislava classroom with those first classes.

I hope that all trainee or new (and even not so new) teachers reading this book will be given greater confidence to go forward and embrace their first year abroad. There is much to learn, plenty to enjoy and by grabbing the opportunities that teaching can present, a year abroad can truly be one to remember.

William Sillitoe, 2014

Acknowledgements

Even though my first year teaching abroad is well behind me I would like to thank some of my former colleagues at the Akadémia Vzdelávania, Gorkého 10, Bratislava, Slovakia who made it such an enjoyable time. Thanks to Liz, Rob, Bill and Chris – and all those who headed to the legendary (but sadly lost) Alligator - and not forgetting Charlie’s. Thanks too to Bill B. for being such a generous and inspiring teaching mentor back in the UK. A final thanks to Eija, Peter and Jonathan for offering their valued comments and suggestions.

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Chapter One: Where Are You Now?

Welcome to this book, which has been written for those who are about to take a leap into the world of teaching English abroad or are just starting out. Maybe you have just completed a course of studies or are only part of the way through. Maybe you have secured a teaching post or are about to. Or maybe you are just thinking about teaching English to foreign learners but are not sure if it is the right choice for you. Whatever your situation, this book is intended to give you useful and practical information which will assist you before, during and beyond a first year abroad.

Native English speaking teachers work in every continent on Earth. This is a reflection of a number of trends. Firstly, that English is the language of business and secondly it is the language of global culture. This means the market for people wanting to use it is vast. Another factor is the desire from people of all ages and walks of life to travel the world and earn a living as they go. Possessing a teaching qualification in English (and sometimes without one too) is a licence to do just this; to spend a meaningful period of time in a country getting to know the language and culture as well as making a living in the process. However, depending on which country you go to, you may not necessarily save very much!

No person seeking an 'easy' life is advised to become a teacher of the English language abroad. It requires endurance, patience and the starting salaries can be low. But better paid opportunities do exist for those who have worked in the field for some time, usually at least two years and who have undertaken additional training (See chapter 8). However, this does not mean that you can’t expect a fair wage as someone beginning his or her apprenticeship in a new job. In the first year there is so much to learn - and a low salary will to some extent reflect your lack of knowledge. Another factor that keeps down earnings is that teaching abroad serves for many as a gap year activity. Employers can exploit this lack of longer-term commitment, safe in the knowledge that a flow of fresh recruits will soon replace the current crop. Perhaps one positive aspect of any initial low wage is that only those loyal to the job and its requirements progress further within it. In my view, no one whose career and/or travelling intentions are earnest should be put off by the salary issue. The rewards of teaching abroad for the first time are considerable and cannot be measured solely in terms of the short-term financial gain.

In a single year it is possible to teach different types of students demonstrating varying degrees of competence in English. You will come into contact with a vast library of material – both freely available online and traditionally published – to help you create your early lessons. In the process, do not be surprised if some of your first students seem to know more about the English language than you do! This often reflects their need and desire to learn English (and the fact that their school system may teach grammar more thoroughly than in the UK) and is something you should be ready to tap into rather than feel threatened by.

Another aspect of teaching abroad is that the further you travel, the more exotic you will seem to those learning your mother tongue. Undoubtedly, this is a perk of the job since it guarantees your acceptance at those levels of society where learning English is most highly prized. You can expect to receive invitations for drinks, meals and even weekend breaks on the strength of the contribution you can make by speaking English whilst bearing a pleasant personality. Socialising abroad can be very refreshing as it allows you to express your perceptions of the world (those of your own country and of your host’s) and in doing so speak more simply and frankly than may be possible with people of your own culture. Your hosts may be fascinated to hear your opinions of British life and your own impression of their country too – though diplomacy is always advisable! You should welcome all opportunities to develop further links with your students because teaching English extends beyond the spatial boundaries of the classroom of your school or academy. But more on this matter later. Finally, being a foreigner provides you with a natural licence to break with the conventions of your own society and in the process get to know a country, its people and their language. But perhaps most importantly, removed from your familiar surroundings, it offers a chance to better know yourself!

If you are unsure whether teaching abroad is right for you then I hope I have whetted your appetite!

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On the Job

What’s it all about?

Anyone who has worked as a teacher knows about the level of responsibility and self-discipline attached to the job. Everything depends on you: lesson preparation; presentation and delivery; marking homework and examinations. It’s the teacher who sets the standard that the class ultimately aspires to. For instance, interesting material presented without engagement or enthusiasm will produce disaffection and indifference. Conversely, mundane teaching materials presented with imagination and energy will facilitate class participation and learning. For a teacher, the class is like a mirror in which the passion and commitment he shows is reflected in the responses and attitudes of the students. The basic law of teaching is this: what you reap you sow! Warning: a lazy unmotivated teacher will produce this effect in his pupils!

What materials will I use?

Most language schools have a preferred set text or course book which provides the foundation for all teaching and testing. As a new teacher, the easiest and safest path is to stick to the well trodden teaching paths which these books provide. However, to do this exclusively is to ignore the great wealth of material which exists to be used at your discretion and which can supplement or even replace those text book activities that are less strong or of little interest to your class. So, it is a case of finding a balance. A myriad of English grammar games and activities exist on the market and all good schools should have a reasonable stock of these. The important thing is to use a good mix of materials. Failure to do so can lead to boredom – for you and your students. Where there is a lack of variety students may feel chained to their course book and over a term come to resent it and you. Others, finding a lesson predictably rooted in a single book, may stop attending lessons in preference to working from home. Either way this could mean falling class numbers and your boss calling you in to explain the absence of bums on seats. However, the other side of this coin is that failure to sufficiently utilise the course book may mean students complain about the ‘wasted’ money spent on it or the lack of continuity or sense of progress in their learning. As the teacher you are the one who sets the program, so make sure it is an engaging one that contains allows for a wide range of learning experiences.

What are some of the pitfalls?

Teaching English to foreign students is completely unlike the teaching of a subject to British students. Here you will have access to a certain level of equipment and materials and can count upon a common language to communicate your intentions to a (hopefully) comprehending class. However, in the world of EFL it can be dangerous to anything for granted because, in addition to the language barriers, your teaching circumstances may change from day to day. Factors can include the following aspects:

a. Student Numbers

Due to outside pressures that students face at work, home or their mainstream school, learning attendance levels can vary throughout the term. As a new teacher it is easy to perceive a falling register as criticism of your performance but it is quite common after a first week of classes for attendance to fluctuate. The point is to not take this personally. Follow up on students who are missing too many lessons and find out why. And, even if your class size does shrink a bit, be sure to arrive armed with the appropriate number of handouts in case the full compliment of bodies is present. One thing that never looks good is leaving half-way through a lesson because you don't have the materials you need.

b. Main Classroom Activity Failure

The way that different classes will respond to a particular activity cannot always be predicted. An exercise that lasted 30 minutes and was enjoyed by one class may last only 10 minutes with another. If this occurs, be ready to switch to plan B. For this reason it is always advisable to have a selection of warmers and fillers up your sleeve in case your lesson plan does not last the full distance (see Chapter 5). There are few things worse for a teacher’s morale than students packing away early because a lesson has stalled and they are bored. With experience you will become skilled in enriching or supplementing activities to stretch them as required. This involves tagging on additional tasks that are logical extensions of the main activity.

c. Photocopier Failure

Perhaps nothing strikes