Category Archives: Dave Sperling’s ESL Cafe

Why you don’t know where I work

Posted on 08/09/2009 by alexcase

…unless you (like Jason Renshaw and possibly Darrrren Ellllliotttt) have worked it out from the clues, in which case I would very much appreciate you not making guesses online. The reason for that radio silence and having to ask ELTJ … Continue reading →

Posted in Dave Sperling's ESL Cafe, Teacher forums, TEFL blogs, TEFL celebs/ TEFL heroes and villains, TEFL villains- Paul Lowe | 7 Comments

An interview with Bruce V of TEFL International Part 5

Posted on 14/04/2009 by alexcase

This is pretty old now as it was part of the same interview that eventually became Parts One, Two, Three and Four. Unlike them, I couldn’t be bothered updating or sending the third set of follow up questions this time, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bruce Veldhuisen, Cambridge ESOL, CELTA, Dave Sperling's ESL Cafe, Dodgy TEFL courses, Dodgy TEFL school owners, Teacher forums, Teacher training, Teaching English Abroad, Teaching English in Thailand, TEFL, TEFL celebs/ TEFL heroes and villains, TEFL certificate, TEFL chains, TEFL forums, TEFL International, TEFL qualifications, TEFL scams, TEFL School Reviews, TEFLwatch, Trinity, Trinity CertTESOL | Tagged | 9 Comments

It’s all down to us, guys

Posted on 07/03/2009 by alexcase

If I heard correctly, last week’s edition of Law in Action included the statistic that 43 of 44 police authorities in the UK do not investigate or prosecute fraud. There are other bodies that do, but they focus very much … Continue reading →

Posted in Dave Sperling's ESL Cafe, EL Gazette, Guardian TEFL, links, Teacher forums, Teaching English Abroad, TEFL, TEFL blacklist, TEFL blogs, TEFL in the UK, TEFL scams, TEFL School Reviews, Windsor Schools | 2 Comments

The disadvantages of teaching in Japan

Posted on 18/05/2008 by alexcase

“My first two years in Japan were spent teaching English… The students… studied English- or should I say, English was taught in their presence. Nothing ever seemed to sink in. Years of classes and endless tests and still they couldn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in becoming a teacher trainer, British Council, Business English and ESP, Cambridge Delta, CELTA, Cultural differences/ cultural training, Dave Sperling's ESL Cafe, Eikaiwa, English Teachers in Japan, Functional language, JALT, Materials, Mixed ability classes, Pairwork and groupwork, Problem students, Teacher forums, Teaching English in Japan, Teaching low levels, TEFL, TEFL career planning, TEFL working conditions, TOEIC | 22 Comments

MA= My A*se! Super CELTA is it, man!

Posted on 27/08/2007 by alexcase

Hope that headline got your attention, but actually I have nothing to say about the MA today at all… Right, now to talk about the CELTA. I have decided to trust a whole lot of people I have never met … Continue reading →

Posted in Cambridge Delta, Cambridge ESOL, CELTA, Dave Sperling's ESL Cafe, Linguistics, applied linguistics and SLA, MA TESOL, PGCE in TEFL, Teacher forums, Teacher training, TEFL, TEFL qualifications | Leave a comment

Weekly speech from the TEFL President Part One-New rules for the ESL Au Lait forum

Posted on 27/08/2007 by alexcase

As much as I hate to say anything positive about the British Upper classes, I think we could borrow something from them to make online debate about teaching a bit more civilised. When I am TEFL President, people will only … Continue reading →

Posted in Dave Sperling's ESL Cafe, Teacher forums, TEFL, TESOL | 3 Comments

Time management for teachers 2- Time management for teacher forums

Posted on 26/08/2007 by alexcase

I must say, I really think I am onto something here. Since I decided that one particular person’s comments here and elsewhere were about as worth reading as Reader’s Digest and decided to not even glance at them anymore, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Dave Sperling's ESL Cafe, Teacher forums, TESOL | Leave a comment

Academic feud au lait

Posted on 23/08/2007 by alexcase

So, my last thread (of five?) on the Rave’s ESL Au Lait Japan forum has been locked and that is that. There was lots of raging passion, some (but much less) civilised debate, a lot of chest beating and territorial pissing, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Dave Sperling's ESL Cafe, Linguistics, applied linguistics and SLA, MA TESOL, Teacher training, Teaching in Japanese universities, TEFL, TEFL qualifications, TESOL | 1 Comment