Category Archives: Teaching English in Spain

The dream dictionary for TEFL teachers

Posted on 15/09/2008 by alexcase

What elements of your dreams tell you about your TEFLing future: Suddenly realising you have no clothes on – you will realise halfway through your next improvised grammar explanation that it doesn’t make any sense   Water – You will … Continue reading →

Posted in Grammar, Teaching English Abroad, Teaching English in Spain, TEFL working conditions, Warmers | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

An alternative A to Z of ELT Part 15

Posted on 14/09/2008 by alexcase

Innateness hypothesis- The theory that studying English is inherently boring, so why bother with games. See also “Inaneness hypothesis”* Input- The theory that the language we expose students to should be as carefully chosen as when programming a computer or … Continue reading →

Posted in Cambridge Delta, Linguistics, applied linguistics and SLA, Teaching English in Spain, TEFL heroes- Scott Thornbury | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The conundrums of being an ETP Part One

Posted on 22/06/2008 by alexcase

With all the problems I have had with TEFL teaching dossers (especially dossing DoSes) over the years, I have to admit that their philosophical position does at least have logic going for it- if they are going to be treated … Continue reading →

Posted in English Teaching Professional, finding good TEFL jobs, Guardian TEFL, links, Opening, TEFL career planning, TEFL CV/ TESOL resume, Wall Street | 1 Comment

The benefits of teaching in Japan

Posted on 12/05/2008 by alexcase

Number one is that the status of English teachers is not so obviously low that when I met the love of my life and asked her to marry me she actually agreed! You won’t hear a lot about it on … Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming a Director of Studies, Cross cultural training in EFL, Cultural differences/ cultural training, Discipline in the classroom, Eikaiwa, ELT management, English Teachers in Japan, IELTS, Job security, Teaching English Abroad, Teaching English in Asia, Teaching English in Japan, Teaching English in Spain, Teaching Japanese primary school children, Teaching older students, Teaching shy students, TEFL, TEFL working conditions, TESOL, TOEIC | 7 Comments

Question from a reader- Legal English

Posted on 04/03/2008 by alexcase

“Hi Alex Just been looking at the worksheets and lesson plans you´ve reproduced.  You´ve certainly been busy, great work I will be using quite a lot of them.  I was checking through to see if you had any specific to … Continue reading →

Posted in Business English and ESP, Legal English, Materials, Photocopiable worksheets, Teaching English in Spain, TEFL | 2 Comments

Question from a reader

Posted on 11/02/2008 by alexcase

 Well, more a vague cry for help or reassurance than a question, but as this is not Dave’s TEFL Forum of Death, we’ll just use that freedom to let our creative juices flow… “Hi Alex,   My name is Katie. … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching English Abroad, Teaching English in Spain, TEFL certificate, TEFL interview questions, TEFL qualifications | 3 Comments

Questions from a reader- Mexico to Spain?

Posted on 26/09/2007 by alexcase

Quite interesting even for people who haven’t taught in these countries. If you can help, even better! “Hi, my name is Jason. I´m writing you to ask you about teaching English in Spain. I read the article that you wrote … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching English in Europe, Teaching English in Mexico, Teaching English in Spain, Teaching English in Western Europe, TEFL, TEFL working conditions, TESOL | 3 Comments

TEFL Scooby Doo, where are you?

Posted on 25/06/2007 by alexcase

Missing- One Subash Melwani and Two Advanced Institutes Talking of Spain (see below), whatever happened to Advanced Institute in Fernandez de los Rios in Madrid? More important, what happened to the lovely filing system I set up there? Has my life’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching English Abroad, Teaching English in Spain, TEFL scams | 18 Comments

Teaching in Madrid- A Summary

Posted on 24/06/2007 by alexcase

This is a little out of date, but think things were getting a bit too Japan-otaku on this blog recently, so here’s a bit of Europe to clear the palette. Anyhow, if it’s good enough to be sticky on Dave’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching English Abroad, Teaching English in Spain | 6 Comments

The Meaning of Scotland

Posted on 18/06/2007 by alexcase

Great question in my senmongakko (private college) class today: “Teacher, I still don’t understand what Scotland means” I chose to take that as a geographical and political question rather than a philosophical one (Does anyone really, deep down, understand what Scotland … Continue reading →

Posted in English for study abroad, Teaching English in Spain, Teaching teenagers, TEFL, TESOL | 4 Comments