Category Archives: TEFL working conditions

Do you want the temporary buzz of moving on and/ or up too?

Posted on 21/09/2008 by alexcase

Doesn’t last of course, especially the initial thrill of being in the chaos of a third world city or in the chaos left for you by the last person who had that DoS job, but if having some kind of … Continue reading →

Posted in Becoming a Director of Studies, becoming a teacher trainer, Business English and ESP, CPD, EFL exams, ELT management, ELT publishing, finding good TEFL jobs, getting into ELT publishing, Lesson observations, links, Materials, Peer observations, Teacher training, Teaching English in Asia, TEFL, TEFL career planning, TEFL CV/ TESOL resume, TEFL qualifications, TEFL reviews, TEFL working conditions, TEFL workshops, TESOL, Usingenglish | Tagged | 2 Comments

Another 25 quotes from advertising for schools with a quality disability

Posted on 21/09/2008 by alexcase

70. “If you want to chatter away in your own language, what the hell- you’re paying!” 71. “We’ve found the dead rat under classroom 7B” 72. “We will keep your teacher’s passport until you pass the FCE” 73. “You just never know what will … Continue reading →

Posted in Dodgy TEFL school owners, Teaching English Abroad, TEFL, TEFL chains, TEFL in the UK, TEFL working conditions | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

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

Another 25 extracts from the brochures of crappy English schools

Posted on 10/09/2008 by alexcase

45. “Our incompetent teachers will make you feel better about yourself” 46. “Certificate of achievement for all students who are actually still around at the end of the course” 47. “Guaranteed students who are a much higher level in each class to explain … Continue reading →

Posted in Job security, Teaching English Abroad, TEFL, TEFL chains, TEFL scams, TEFL working conditions, TESOL | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Slogans for crap English schools

Posted on 07/09/2008 by alexcase

1. “Officially the blondest teachers of any school in Japan/ China/ Taiwan etc” 2. “We’ve never changed because we are perfect” 3. “Come and see the new batch of teachers, fresh off the plane” 4. “The youth of our teachers … Continue reading →

Posted in Humanistic language teaching, Job security, Teaching English Abroad, Teaching English in Asia, Teaching English in Europe, TEFL, TEFL working conditions, TESOL | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Confucius's lessons for English teachers

Posted on 19/08/2008 by alexcase

…from the Analects’ very opening lines: “Isn’t it a pleasure when you can make practical use of the things you have studied? Isn’t it a pleasure to have an old friend visit from afar? Isn’t it the sure sign of … Continue reading →

Posted in Business English and ESP, Cultural differences/ cultural training, ELT management, IELTS, Teacher training, Teaching English in Asia, Technical English, TEFL, TEFL career planning, TEFL working conditions | Tagged | Leave a comment

Poor TEFL teachers (it’s official!)

Posted on 08/06/2008 by alexcase

Yup, according to the EL Gazette (which everyone now has the opportunity to sign up to read for free here), some TEFL teaching jobs in the UK are now under the official British poverty line. There is some hope, though- if … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching English in the Middle East, TEFL working conditions | Tagged | Leave a comment

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

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

The rebirth of TEFL dirt digging

Posted on 18/04/2008 by alexcase

Sandy MacManus is back to his offensive best on his new blog The TEFL Tradesman, with a battle of the mystery foul mouthed attackers with a grudge. And TEFL Watch forums have been reborn as TEFL School Reviews, where everyone … Continue reading →

Posted in TEFL heroes- Sandy McManus, TEFL scams, TEFL School Reviews, TEFL Tradesman, TEFL working conditions | 4 Comments