I read an interesting article a few days ago concerning teaching English abroad and thought I’d I share it with the readers of this blog. It is from the website edgewaterchamber.com and is entitled “Is Teaching English Abroad for You.” This article states a fact according to the U.S. Senate’s Year of Foreign Language Study from 2005 that said “only nine percent of Americans can speak their native language and another language fluently.”
The article suggested that you could become part of that 9% by teaching English abroad. Although my training in TESOL tells me that I don’t need to know a foreign language to teach abroad I notice many of the TESOL teachers have picked up at least a small amount of the native language in the country they teach. The article enforces the immersion type of learning a language where put yourself in a place where the native language is all you are exposed to. Also in this type of learning you try to read newspapers and magazines and listen to music in the native language. I have found this technique very effective and a fun way to learn a new language.
I’ve come across a very interesting video concerning the skill of listening in the process of TESOL. Listening is one of the most important language skills and is used in conjunction with the other skills of speaking, reading, and writing. It has gained more importance in recent years with the focus on language learning using modern technology. Check out this video put out by Steven from MadridTeacher.com which explains the skill of listening very well.
Music is a good way to teach English to children and adults. In fact, it is one of the most effective ways for people to learn English or any other language. Why? It is believed that the English music scene reaches worldwide and many children and adults alike have their first introduction to English through songs. This short video shows a somewhat silly song that is very effective.
When teaching English to children it is best to find fun things that will keep their attention while they are learning. One method for teaching English to children involves using puppets. The video below goes over some methods and rule that should be followed when introducing puppets into a English learning class.
There are many learning materials/teaching aids that can be utilized in the TESOL Classroom just as in any language classroom. Since I have chosen to teach younger children I believe that learning material and teaching aids will include things that are fun but keep the student’s attention. Since they are younger and full of energy things like songs and dancing, will give them a chance to learn while keeping their short attention span activated. After all, who can pass up the chance to do the chicken dance?
If I happen to have assistance I think group projects that are monitored will also work fine. The reason assistance is needed is that this age group usually needs a lot of hands-on help and depending on class size one teacher may not be enough. Another favorite of my selected age group is story-telling, and flash cards. Flash cards can sometimes add competitiveness to a lesson. There is software available, especially for younger children, that provides good learning tools but computer access is not always available.
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In an article written by AP reporter Lauran Neergauard we find that the best time to learn a new language is between birth and age 7. Of course if you are reading this you probably are way past that windown but as the article states there is still hope for you. New research on learning languages is focusing on how children’s brains can become bilingual so easily and that research will be used towards adult learning of languages. This a very informative and interesting article and I recommend all adults thinking about learning and teaching other languages read it. To read the rest of the article click here….
Many educators believe that younger students, fearing that they will be unable to perform, limit their ability to learn by setting up psychological barriers. Adults, especially ones who are learning a new language also feel embarrassed and this causes a barrier also. The barriers that these learners create in their minds are many times due to the conventional methods of teaching. One method that claims to overcome these barriers is suggestopedia.
Suggestopedia which derives its name from the words “suggestion” and “pedagogy” is a method developed by Bulgarian psychotherapist Georgi Lozanov. In this method students are put in what proponents call an ideal learning environment where soothing casual music such as Baroque, combined with comfortable chairs, soft lighting, and a relaxed atmosphere are introduced to the students. The teacher then assumes the role of suggestionist and creates a type of teaching sometimes referred to as hypnotic. Lozanov claimed that his method could teach language three to five times quicker than the conventional methods.
Although this method in writing would seem to work and is used in some home study language courses I don’t see it as possible in a classroom setting. First, I couldn’t see a classroom full of anyone under eighteen being calmed long enough to teach, especially much younger children, who strive on interacting in the learning environment. Secondly, if the students did settle down and relax I‘d bet many of them would just fall asleep. After all, many drift off when there is not soothing music and they are sitting at a hard wooden desk. I believe suggestopedia would work in some instances but I can’t see it being effective in a normal room full of children. To learn more about suggestopedia I will refer you to YouTube because there are many videos and series on this subject posted there.
This book which is part of the 500 tips series is a valuable and much needed tool in the tool belt of the TESOL teacher. In the words of the authors “we have written this book for people who teach English to speakers of other languages, for people who are training to do so, and for people who work with trainee teachers. “
It is written for the teacher who is beginning their career, but it has many valuable tips for the more experienced teacher also. My favorite chapters in the book are Chapter 1 Planning for Teaching and Learning and Chapter 5 Using Information and Communications Technologies. In Chapter 1 I especially liked the section on designing your own materials. I feel that the teacher with a little help can design material that they are comfortable with and this will make them more efficient. In Chapter 5 computers and computer learning is covered quite well even though a little outdated.
The book is 166 pages in length and was authored by Phil Race and Sue Wharton who seem to understand what the TESOL classroom is all about. My suggestion is you head over to Amazon and pick your copy now. Just click on the provided link here: 500 TIPS FOR TESOL TEACHERS (The 500 Tips Series)
Let’s face it, many people from other cultures whether they be children or adult are exposed to the culture of the United States through our music and movies. A good recent example of that is the recent death of Michael Jackson. People from all over the world know about Beat it and the Moonwalk and could sing Billy Jean but can’t speak enough English to order a meal or catch a taxi in the States. Music and movies are basically what the world knows about the United States so implementing them into a TESOL classroom is an amazing teaching tool. But with all the movies and different types of music that have been produced over the years, there are some types that are more appropriate for teaching English.
In one of my TESOL assignments I was asked to tell what type of music and movies I would introduce to children of other cultures. The type of music I choose was American pop because pop music is what seems to represent much of America in the eyes of people from other cultures. When you talk to young people from other countries many times they will show off their speaking abilities by singing a few lines of a popular American song. In the classroom if you can get a student to sing one of these songs you can evaluate their pronunciation plus understanding of the words they sing. Not all students are willing to just break out in song but if the song is played at the beginning of class most will join right in especially if the teacher starts singing.
The movies I really think appeal to children of other cultures are the recent computer animated movies like Toy Story or Shrek. These movies are absent of the violence and vulgarity you find in other types of movies. Children watching the animated movies learn what the characters are saying and repeat those words.
Vocabulary software can be a great help to the TESOL student as well as the teacher. Difficult words can become easier to pronounce and the sounds associated with the letters can be recognized at a later date. Finding good vocabulary software is often another hard job but I’ve come across a piece of software I think many will like. It is called Vocaboly and it can be found at their website vocaboly.com.
This innovative software is made for SAT, TESOL, TOEFL, GRE, GMAT and any time you would need to build your vocabulary. Some of the highlights include a spelling section where you spell words by meaning, a listening test where you spell words by pronunciation, and other good teaching tools.
They have a free offer on their website and various screenshots where you can look and see if this is something you would want. Please visit and evaluate if this is something you could use. I’ll bet you will find that it can be a valuable tool for any teacher or student. To visit the Vocaboly website click on this: Vocabulary Software.
