Author: rttglobal

If you are applying for the EPIK program you are probably terrified about how the EPIK interview will go. Here is some advice from Neysha Bauer, an EPIK teacher who has been through the process before!

When you have a wide range of ages and English abilities in your class, it can be tough to come up with activities and lessons that are interesting to everyone. Material tends to be much too easy for some students, while completely going over other students’ heads, making it difficult to tailor lessons so that everyone is engaged and learning.

Introducing our latest teacher interview. This week we interviewed Stefanus who took the plunge and made his first steps into a teaching career by moving all the way to China to begin a teaching position. Read on to see what experiences he has had as a first time teacher in China.

Having the ability to speak the language in Taiwan, or in any location, will open up your experience so much more. I have lost count of how many times I have felt on the outside of a conversation being had in mandarin by my friends or people I know here. Jokes will be told that I don’t get, plans will be made that I hear about afterwards, locations exist that I cannot find. Worse than all of this is feeling like a burden to a group who want to speak mandarin but they have to keep explaining everything to me in English. I hate being that guy.

Taiwan’s night markets can feel like a completely different world. Nowhere else in Taiwan is culture shock more likely to rear its head, and it’s easy to feel completely overwhelmed by these bustling streets. But once you learn a few things about what to expect and how to navigate the night market culture, you’ll quickly come to appreciate the zany, chaotic charm of Taiwan’s night markets, and realize why they’re such an essential piece of the country’s night life.

Last week, I wrote about the unique challenges of teaching large classes. This week, the focus is on the other end of the spectrum, teaching small classes. At first, it might sound like teaching small classes is easier. After all, you’ve got only a few students to keep track of, and classroom management ought to be a breeze. But teaching just a few students can be surprisingly tricky.

Back in August, precisely 17 days before my departure to become an EPIK teacher in South Korea. I was blinded by images of green tea fields, rice cakes and kimchi. I would read a new expat blog every day (or every hour, if I had the time!). I was ready; or so I thought… This article was written by Neysha Bauer, you can find more of her articles on her blog http://travelsuras.com/

Being in front of a classroom of ESL students can be intimidating under any circumstances. But when it’s a large class, and yourself facing twenty or more students, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.