Post: #376

(12-25-2014 09:02 AM)LeightonBlackstock Wrote:  Hedonistic Traveler:

I am the laziest fucking planner on this planet, I plan NOTHING.

If these things work with midde-aged, staunch Thai yellow shirts then they'll work easily with kids. It helps to have 101% energy (which I do when I teach)

1) The serious recommendation: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/ : Print of the 'two-page mini lessons'. Easily eat up an hour. Do this with your class of Middle schoolers who sleep at the table and have already had ten hours of education before their lesson with big-nose.

2) Ask everyone five questions. Get everyone to stand up, walk around the room and ask each other 5 questions. It can be as easy as 'What's your name? What's your job?' or more difficult (This has eaten up 30 minutes before. You can then ask everyone "What did you find out about Kim-Jong-Lee? and it'll eat up another 30 damn minutes. Demo it on yourself first to get the juices flowing. Usually my students ask me "How many girlfriends do you have?" and we all laugh and pat our knees and occasionally someone throws up with all the excitement.

3) The gossip game. You tell one person in the class to keep their mouth shut. Then everyone else shouts out things they know/think they know about that person. Easily kills 30 minutes with my students. After you ask the person if its true. I play this game nearly every class, they fucking love it.

4) Compliments. Tell everyone to walk around and give each other two compliments "you're hair looks lovely!", "I love your bag". They find this hilarious for some reason. Maybe add some crap in about replying to compliments if you can be bothered.

5) Find someone who....... This takes 2 minutes to prepare. Print of a table on some paper with things like "has a girlfriend", "cannot swim", "hates cats, "thinks their civil liberties are being forever curtailed in the name of counter-terrorism". They walk around and ask questions. It eats up 30 minutes. Then feedback eats up another 30.

6) Debates. Start of the class with 'What do you usually debate about?' to extract the language/emotion from THEM. Never GIVE them the crap, get it out from them and throw it back. Then when you've got them to write down things such as "I think kimchi should be eaten on the hour, every hour rather than just three meals a day" you ask the groups to discuss

7) Selling shit. I got my Thai students to try and sell things they would never buy in a million years, such as 'Indian food', 'Tanning lotion' and 'Independent thought'. They had to prepare presentations. and convince people to buy their product.

8) Drama. Role-plays. Group one, you're at an airport. Group two, you're a couple arguing. Group three you're giving birth. You have twenty minutes. After you'll show everyone

9) A love story. I get them to answer ten questions. e.g 'Where is a good place for a date?', 'Name a nationality', 'Describe a beautiful woman' Where is a good place to meet someone?". Ok, now write a story about Teacher Leighton, I'm on a date with a gir. After you're gonna read it out to us

10) Make a movie. I elicit ten words. e.g. "What is a smelly fruit?" "What is something you tell a girlfriend?" "Name a place?" then I give them a line like "Wait a minute, that's my hat". They have to make a play, then show it to the class after

11) ASK ME ANYTHING These can get good questions. Get them to write questions for you first. I've had "How many girlfriends have you had?" "Have you ever been to a ladyboy pub?" "What do you think of the Thai prime minister". You then answer. Then say "Ok, now you can ask each other, stand up and ask everyone"

Do some of these and you're kids will laugh, it'll look like you're doing a good job, you'll never have to plan and you'l be able to teach when hung over as piss

+1 from me, an overdue +1. Informative. Also funny. Reminded me why I like your posts.

Post: #377

(12-26-2014 09:54 AM)VolandoVengoVolandoVoy Wrote:  I recently did a ton of research, as I was going to move to China or Taiwan to teach.
I decided against it, as I can make good money if I stay where I am, and because I don't want to move anywhere new until I've finished my project of getting back into an elite level of physical fitness.
That said, the single resource I found that was best for teaching in China is the China Foreign Teacher's Union (http://www.chinaforeignteachersunion.org/). They have master lists of blacklisted and whitelisted employers in China, and much more. They can help you avoid disaster and getting cheated. If you are polite and email them directly and they aren't busy, they can even help you in the job search process.
* Apparently Chinese employers hate them, and have tried multiple times to hack their website, so they must be doing something right.

Man, reading that source has made me hesitant of going there. They even added echinacities.com as a scam site. Damn.

Post: #378

Interesting article in the Economist this week about a predicted boom in International Schools. Good news for TEFL guys who want to make the switch someday.

Apparently the boom is being caused by a growing upper-class in developing countries, and will be centered in the Middle East and East Asia.

Here's a chart for the literally-impaired.

Post: #379

(12-26-2014 06:41 PM)MidWest Wrote:  

(12-26-2014 09:54 AM)VolandoVengoVolandoVoy Wrote:  I recently did a ton of research, as I was going to move to China or Taiwan to teach.
I decided against it, as I can make good money if I stay where I am, and because I don't want to move anywhere new until I've finished my project of getting back into an elite level of physical fitness.
That said, the single resource I found that was best for teaching in China is the China Foreign Teacher's Union (http://www.chinaforeignteachersunion.org/). They have master lists of blacklisted and whitelisted employers in China, and much more. They can help you avoid disaster and getting cheated. If you are polite and email them directly and they aren't busy, they can even help you in the job search process.
* Apparently Chinese employers hate them, and have tried multiple times to hack their website, so they must be doing something right.

Man, reading that source has made me hesitant of going there. They even added echinacities.com as a scam site. Damn.

I've worked with one of the people on the list and while she genuinely has a profit motive and in no way always follows the letter of the law, I haven't had a problem, in fact, she's been very professional and helpful.

Post: #380

I really want to do this but Im wondering if people with experience can recommend what spanish speaking country would be best for a college drop out. I am 24 white and I am not yet fluent in spanish but I am getting there. THANKS by the way I signed up to the forum for this thread really great advice here.

Post: #381

(12-31-2014 02:01 PM)awaywedoyou Wrote:  I really want to do this but Im wondering if people with experience can recommend what spanish speaking country would be best for a college drop out. I am 24 white and I am not yet fluent in spanish but I am getting there. THANKS by the way I signed up to the forum for this thread really great advice here.

We don't text speak here.

Post: #382

(12-31-2014 02:01 PM)awaywedoyou Wrote:  I really want to do this but Im wondering if people with experience can recommend what spanish speaking country would be best for a college drop out. I am 24 white and I am not yet fluent in spanish but I am getting there. THANKS by the way I signed up to the forum for this thread really great advice here.

You need a degree for Spain, but you can teach in Peru, Costa Rica, and Mexico with just a TEFL certificate. I'm sure you can find jobs in other Latin American countries too, but those are the big three.

I've met people who have done all three and it seems like you can only get subsistence level wages. Latin America isn't Asia, you won't be saving money and you won't be flush with cash. Not that you can't have fun, but it'd be wise to go into it with savings or the ability to supplement your income online. Being too broke to go out really limits your options when abroad.

Good luck though, checking out Dave ESL's International Job board might give you some ideas on what your options are.

Post: #383

Hey there, new to the forum. Love the loads of info. I've some experience teaching in China.

I'm wanting to apply to some new schools or centers now that hiring season is starting up again soon. I'm thinking of bailing on my current employer because I am not satisfied with them, but I already have a work visa tied with them. Based on my research, if I leave them without notifying in advance, they can't really do anything or cancel my visa and I'll be good as long as I find new employment, then my visa can be switched over to my new employer. Is this correct?

Does anyone also know how long Chinese employers generally keep applications on file?

Post: #384

(01-07-2015 01:36 AM)ShanghaiPlayer Wrote:  Hey there, new to the forum. Love the loads of info. I've some experience teaching in China.

I'm wanting to apply to some new schools or centers now that hiring season is starting up again soon. I'm thinking of bailing on my current employer because I am not satisfied with them, but I already have a work visa tied with them. Based on my research, if I leave them without notifying in advance, they can't really do anything or cancel my visa and I'll be good as long as I find new employment, then my visa can be switched over to my new employer. Is this correct?

If you have a Z-visa with one employer, you'll need a letter of release to switch to a different employer legally.

Post: #385

Hey guys I've been looking for a job in Korea for just under 2 months now and i'm not really having much luck (i've had a few interviews for jobs) but no formal job offers. Also I have all my documents ready.

I'm just wondering is it worth getting an online TEFL certificate? As I don't have any teaching experience and this might help me to secure a job

Post: #386

Not only is it worth it, it's necessary. Teaching spots in Korea have gotten really competitive, especially in the Seoul area.

A tefl is now a requirement for public school jobs, most of which have been cut altogether. This sent a flood of applicants with two of the most important things for finding work here (experience, and boots currently on the ground) out on the hunt. The hagwons know this and many have decided to follow suit and up their standards. The days of finding a good gig with just a B.A. are long gone~

Post: #387

Thursday morning in fifth grade English class, I write the word "fake" on the board and ask my students: "how to say this word?"

Boy in the third row: "Fuck!"

Post: #388

@ Suits That has "Little Johnny" written all over it.....

Post: #389

Hey guys, I'm really considering teaching abroad for 1-2 years to help pay off my student debt. I'm really considering going to teach in China, more specifically Shanghai. I'm a Chinese Canadian. How hard would it be to get hired there? I heard people in China are really racist and only mainly hire Europeans. Also on all of the job postings, I notice they ask for a picture, some of them ask for a casual picture. What type of picture should I use strategically if I wanted to increase my chances of getting hired? Dressed in business professional/ casual or some pic of me on vacation smiling and having fun?


thanks

Post: #390

Hello all,

I stumbled across this post and find it interesting. I am curious and read through 10 pages of it but didn't really see an answer to the question I want to ask. I have a comp sci degree and would love to teach in either Tokyo or EE. From reading this it seems like I would not be able to get hired since I am a 6' tall black American?? It seems like they only want white people to teach English. Am I wrong? If anyone is in either Tokyo or Romania drop me a pm it you wouldn't mind.

Post: #391

Both of you are fine and will be able to find jobs in the respected places you wish to go. Its just not as easy. Get a TEFL/TESOL certificate along with your respected degree and you will be find the teaching job that fits your needs. Especially in China.

Post: #392

(07-19-2015 11:58 PM)calwinston Wrote:  Both of you are fine and will be able to find jobs in the respected places you wish to go. Its just not as easy. Get a TEFL/TESOL certificate along with your respected degree and you will be find the teaching job that fits your needs. Especially in China.

Calwinston,

Thanks I will get one of those certs.

Post: #393

(01-28-2015 04:29 PM)tylerdurden1993 Wrote:  Hey guys I've been looking for a job in Korea for just under 2 months now and i'm not really having much luck (i've had a few interviews for jobs) but no formal job offers. Also I have all my documents ready.

I'm just wondering is it worth getting an online TEFL certificate? As I don't have any teaching experience and this might help me to secure a job

Fuck. Times change. I was there 5-6 years ago and foreigners on the ground were telling me all you needed was a pulse to teach in Seoul.

Post: #394

The challenge isn't always finding a job, it's finding a job that does suck and one that pays you a liveable income.

I'm white with lots of experience and here in Beijing and it isn't easy finding a decent job even with all that. There are very few jobs that pay much.

Generally a full time kindergarten job can be had that pays about $30K USD per year, but that's not much money if you think about, considering that Beijing is plenty expensive. That's like earning $30K in any decent sized city in the US or Canada.

Sure, you can survive on it if you only use public transport, have a small apartment (or share with roommates) and don't save for retirement, but it's definitely a lifestyle option for more than a year or two.

I earn more, but that's because I know what I'm doing, I work a lot of hours and I'm nominally self-employed.

Post: #395

Just curious if there is anyone here teaching in Prague?

Post: #396

I will be teaching in japan in a month and I dont have any experience or have I done a tefl course. All I have is a finance degree. Pays about $30k which is decent at its not in a capital city and also as a first job cannot complain. If I decide I want to keep teaching english after my contract there are definitely some attractive options in doing it privately.

Post: #397

(07-24-2015 05:19 PM)Grind Wrote:  I will be teaching in japan in a month and I dont have any experience or have I done a tefl course. All I have is a finance degree. Pays about $30k which is decent at its not in a capital city and also as a first job cannot complain. If I decide I want to keep teaching english after my contract there are definitely some attractive options in doing it privately.

I am interested to know if you used an agency or just looked around? I used this AEON company and they had me write an essay along with my resume. I am waiting to hear back from them. Where did you get placed?

Post: #398

@Suits - is it still possible to get a job without the Z visa and negotiate a higher pay since neither of you would need to pay taxes?

I had a friend in Guangzhou that did this since he could get more money and always renew his entries on his tourist visa easily in HK. He was qualified and fit the looks criteria but didn't like having the visa tied down to one employer.

Post: #399

What/Where would you guys suggest for someone with a teaching degree (primary school) but no TEFL certificate? I want to use my degree for travelling but I don't want to be stuck in low-paying English teaching jobs that people without a degree could easily get.

Post: #400

(07-24-2015 08:17 PM)Adrenaline Wrote:  What/Where would you guys suggest for someone with a teaching degree (primary school) but no TEFL certificate? I want to use my degree for travelling but I don't want to be stuck in low-paying English teaching jobs that people without a degree could easily get.

What is low paying for you?

I know from experience South Korea reimburses you for the flight, and pays housing. While the pay is far from amazing, between 2mil - 2.5mil won monthly. The cost of living is fairly cheap and I was able to easily save about 1mil+ per month when I wasn't partying hard.

Japan, if you are ok with living in the boonies, you probably won't be saving/earning much as starting pay there is between 220,000円-250,000円. You pay for housing, but they pay for transportation usually (which could be between 10,000 - 30,000 monthly depending).

If you are all about money, I forget which countries but the middle east pays bank from what some friends of mine have told me.