My wishes:
– That publishers will stop producing books that are supposed to be suitable for both class and self-study
– That all self-study books will have a proper answer key that explains WHY it’s the right answer (and the others aren’t)
– That Murphy’s will become at least a bit more progressive
– That all this ELT blogging will reach some of the millions of English teachers who have no idea that ELT blogs exist or have no interest in the fact
– That people who comment on blogs and/ or get outraged by them will read the whole thing and all the other comments carefully first (all other readers being free to skim and scan as much as they like)
– For a TEFL Legal Fund
– That TEFL course providers at least stop lying, and try to stick to just twisting the truth
– For due punishment for all spammers
– For a few prison sentences for the very worst TEFL course providers, recruiters and employers, as a lesson to the others
– For much worse for actual TEFL scammers
– That some of those people sort themselves out and just stop it before they get caught
– That the worst TEFL trolls find themselves something better to do
– That the TEFL world will give us as many laughs and as much good advice as in 2010
– That someone else comes into the TEFL blogosphere to fill the gaps left by TEFL Blacklist and Six Things
– That machine translation will forever be crap
– That the many people who started TEFL blogs in 2010 will continue to find them worthwhile (in their various ways)
– For peace on earth and good will to all TEFLers
And yours?
I’ll second your hope that TEFL course providers will stop outright lying/scamming in 2011.
There surely is a gap left by the exit of sites like The TEFL Blacklist and the old TEFLWatch. FYI, the old TEFLWatch forum has been resurrected and resides out there on the internets. It’s not a true muckraker site though and that’s needed in 2011.
I suppose a 100% pay rise for all EFL teachers would be too much to hope for…
With politicians seemingly still intent on destroying the British TEFL market, it probably is.
Hi Alex,
Love your long list! There seems to be so much to wish for this year, I wonder whether if we all got together, all of us TEFLers couldn’t actually make a few of them come true, eh?
Thanks for inviting more wishes. Here’s one (little one) from me:
I wish that publishers would design coursebooks – self-study or otherwise – with a small but dedicated space of ‘nothing’ on every page in which students can write, instead of cramming in too many pictures or activities to make the coursebooks look “lovely at first sight”!
There. I’ve said it! I feel better now :-)
Thanks Alex and fingers crossed!
Chris
I agree with Michael that a 100% pay rise would be nice in 2011, both for the teachers and the school owner!
Another thing I’d wish for would be that clients who are learning English because they have to for their job, or whatever, would try to be a bit less grumpy about it!
I wish for happiness and job satisfaction for TEFL teachers around the world. And students who understand the 3rd, 4th or 5th time you explain something, instead of waiting for the 7th, 8th or 9th.
Mine is just that you keep going, Alex. Love this site.