Month: June 2015

As an ESL teacher, there is a good chance that you’ll find yourself teaching a class of total beginners. This doesn’t just mean that they will struggle with basic sentence patterns or pronunciation – it means that when you step into the classroom and say “Hello, what’s your name?” you’ll be greeted by blank stares and the sound of crickets chirping.

Here’s a quick little mini-lesson on the gorgeous natural hot springs in Taiwan. Readers beware: if you’ve never visited Taiwan before, this list will make you want to jump on the next plane out. You’ve been warned.

It’s funny thinking back on all the little social faux pas I made on a daily basis during my first few weeks in Taipei, and I certainly wish someone had been able to spot me in a crowd and lend a helping hand, especially when I was lost in the city.

Do your students greet the words “Take out your journals” with a collective, resounding groan? For most students, expressing their ideas on paper is a challenge even in their native language, let alone doing so with creativity, style, and decent grammar. Throw a foreign language into the mix, and writing can seem utterly daunting.

The learning curve for a new ESL teacher can be pretty steep. But don’t get discouraged. Here are five things that every new ESL teacher should know. Master these basic concepts and ideas, and you’ll be well on your way to teaching like a pro and feeling totally comfortable every time you step into the classroom.

In 16 days, I will join the numbers of brave men and women who plugged their noses and dove face first into a bowl of stinky tofu. Wish me luck, friends.

It’s difficult to take control back from a class that is used to acting out and behaving badly, but it’s not impossible. What it takes is patience, persistence, commitment, and a long-term strategy. Follow these guidelines for taking back control from a difficult class, and you’ll find things starting to turn around before you know it.

After an entire year of daily practices, it’s going to be arduous to simply drop the habits I’ve picked up – these 10 listed especially.