Living and teaching in China

Here is an interesting site. Lots of expats working in China.

http://middlekingdomlife.com/guide/our-china-efl-adventure-part-1.htm

Blog from China

Hi

One of our Tefl Lab trainees has blogged his experience of living and working in China. It is a very insightful and well-written blog and will give any prospective trainee, thinking of working in China, an interesting perspective on life there.

http://willphilipps.wordpress.com/

Field Guide to working and living in China

One of our Tefl Lab trainees' has written a short piece on life in China.

Taiyuan, Shanxi province, is a Chinese city like any other. Ancient, yet utterly and essentially modern. The modern entity is the product of a coal boom, and thus although there are some much-touted yet initially unapparent ancient dimensions, the place is in the main a glorified farming settlement. There are the rich coal baron types, for whom shopping malls have sprung up filled with imported luxury goods. Then there is the rest of the population, for whom such goods start at around a month's wages. There is little in the way of what might be described as a middle class, although it is growing, tending to congregate in pricey but tasteful cafes. Though some of the international fast food chains, namely McDonald's and KFC, have multiplied in the last few years, there is still no H&M or similar outside of the bigger population centres like Beijing. However, for the shopping-minded there are arcades filled with Chinese clothing boutiques and electronics (usually very reasonable, but the electronics may not be durable, and many of the clothes are pretty wacky. Cotton and leather shirt anyone?).

It may read as if I dislike the place, but after living here for the best part of a year it's grown on me. And I have received help along the way. As with most ESL teachers here, I received help with accommodation, a bank account and practically anything else I could want. Buses are around 10p at the time of writing, although taxis or bikes are perfectly viable. Overall China is more foreign-friendly than, so I've been told, parts of South America. Despite this, there is a slight tendency among a number of the fairly tiny expat community to get 'China rage,' which might be explained by culture shock if it weren't most apparent among people who have been here longer. I have no idea if this is common in other provincial cities, but there are some understandable sparks such as public spitting, defecation (nappies aren't really used here) and sometimes obnoxious behaviour from people who aren't used to a foreign face.

There are some advantages to living outside the large international cities. One is forced to pick up some Chinese fairly rapidly, and the lack of decent nightlife means at least it can be easier to save. Not that there aren't ways to abuse one's wallet. Around Taiyuan there are reservoirs, ski slopes, an enormous seated Buddha on a mountain and a famous ancient town called Pingyao; all of which are viable day trips. Getting further away is not too much trouble by train, bus, or plane – the amazing tourist destinations of China are quite accessible. In the city there are ice rinks, karaoke TV places, bowling places, pool places, massage parlours and more. Parks are something of a highlight – though my local park may be an extreme example with a gaudy in-built funfair, a video game arcade, motor and pedal boats, a small museum and even an aquarium – it still has the staples of public aerobics, elderly people kicking trees repeatedly, practicing tai chi, playing cards, playing instruments, singing songs, playing 'jianzi' (a sort of hackey-sack with feathers), flying kites or simply walking and sipping hot water. As a second-tier city, Taiyuan has its fair share of temples for those who enjoy calligraphy and other old stuff (there are churches and a mosque too). And as eating out on an ESL teacher's salary is affordable, like me many who work here have some of the best and worst gastronomic experiences of their lives. Much of this applies to any Chinese city of this size it seems; the main differences being climactic, linguistic and culinary.

Not that teachers have all that much time off to do these things. The private language schools such as the one I work for will offer around 10 days leave per year plus public holidays, which adds another 2 or 3 weeks. Universities allow more, though the pay is often lower. But, whereas university teachers work in the week, private classes are mostly during weekends and evenings, which means days off are during the week. Another difference is the students. The majority of students in private language schools are between 3 and 10 years old, with some teenagers and a smattering of adults. This seems to be broadly the case across East Asia. In a place like Taiyuan, the average ability is fairly low – though demand is high many parents don't have an excellent grasp of the language. Depending on whether one likes kids, or playing active language games that change every five minutes, this can be a positive or negative aspect. Aside from regular classes, there are marketing activities, Halloween and Christmas parties and more that teachers are expected to participate in. This past year I have also had public school classes (imagine being locked in a small room with 40 odd kids) and corporate language classes (think a similar number of office workers) put into my schedule, both a result of contracts made with the school. The school itself is equipped with electronic white-boards, as are many today, and all the other office equipment one might expect plus more. I have had little training or observation, though this can vary.

Here I have tried to give an honest impression of China as I have experienced it. Some of the better aspects include the general safety of the streets, relative freedom as a consumer, beautiful countryside, and the possibilities for Chinese acquisition (there are plenty of books and courses), whilst the worse aspects include the lack of safety standards in, say, electrical wiring, a government that makes using the Internet fully a real hassle (without a VPN there are no blogs, no foreign social networking sites, no Youtube), and a broad lack of professionalism in many areas from plumbing to medicine. It is not a hard place to live in, and can be quite an experience for those who seek it whilst here.

Getting it Right in the Interview

It's such a pity, when you've worked so hard to get through the TESOL course, that you, so to speak, fall at the last hurdle, by under-performing in the interview with the Trinity Moderator.

Nerves often play a part, but they don't have to. If you start to get the jitters, shift in your seat, or move your hands while speaking, so as not to clam up.

The most important thing, though, is in the discussion of your materials to use as much of the metalanguage you've learned on the course. That seems to be key.

So, when practising, ask yourself, 'How can I show the moderator what I've learned in this answer?'

It will prove invaluable to do so.

Mike

Here we go again!

It's hard to believe that we've just said goodbye to a full course of teacher-trainees and now we're saying hello to a new bunch. But we are. Hello!

This course is going to be tough, but it's also going to be interesting, rewarding and life-changing.

Remember, read your assignment guides carefully, try to stay on top of the course work and if you 'hit the wall' come and talk to any of our tutors. That's what we're they're for, you'll never be rebuffed because we want you to finish this course proudly holding your certificate, with a worl of possibilities spread before you. Good luck!

Mike

Accommodation Solutions Summer 2011

FANTASTIC ROOMS AVAILABLE !

Available short term rooms to rent in beautiful university residences throughout the summer.

We have rooms available in the following two residences Liberty Fields (zone 2 nearest tube oval) and Liberty Court (zone 1 nearest tube Barbican)

You can choose stays from one week up to 8 weeks depending on availability in the months of July and August.

Prices start at £17.5 per person per night.

Contact evaldo dutra evaldo@englishstudio.com

Accent

I recently corrected a fascinating extended essay from a TEFL Lab online trainee who, in the course of outlining the different sound systems of Hebbrew and English pointed out that certain phonemes exist in different dialects of English and not in others.
It set me thinking about how fascinating the whole area of accent is. For example, while aware of the fact that I'm laying myself wide open to charges of pretentiousness and inauthenticity, I would freely admit that I have modified my accent for the purposes of teaching.
Why? Well, it's certainly not born of any desire to 'Come over all posh, like.' I think there are two reasons: the need to provide a clear model for my students and the fact that the accent of my home city is one of the language's ugliest accents.

'They grate on their scrannel pipes of wretched straw.'

Milton - Lycidas.

If you want a full flavour of just how vile the Limerick accent is, google The Rubberbandits and you'll see what I mean...

I am, however, a proud son of the Treaty City, just hate the accent..
The funny thing is that this weekend I'll be home for my dad's 70th birthday and boy, will I 'Limerick up' for that one! I will be posting more on this subject in the coming weeks and would welcome your thoughts....
Mike

Spare the Rods?

Though developed initially to aid in the teaching of mathematics, the Cuisenaire Rods are one of the greatest teaching aids available to the EFL teacher.

Sadly, they're also one of the most under-utilised, as they sit forlornly gathering dust on staffroom shelves from Holborn to Honduras. In wondering why this might be, I suppose one of the biggest reasons is our association with them as sort of childish flashback to a time when our education consisted of paint, plasticine and happy animal noises!

Another reason they are eschewed may well be that teachers aren't quite sure how to use them: they perhaps feel there is a, 'Correct,' way to employ them in the classroom and perhaps don't feel like doing the training, also fearing that their students may not be enthused by them.

Well, the good news is that there is NO 'Correct' way to use the rods. The only limit to their use is your imagination.

Of course they can be used to visually parse sentences, but they can also be used to teach lexis in a more interesting way. Take , for example, one of our students' most common social outings: the nightclub.

how much more interesting it would be to actually 'construct' the night club with the rods and elicit the relevant lexis that way?

I've found this to be a far more effective method in the classroom than mere elicitation.

So, dust off those rods, bring them into class one day - and see what happens!!

Mike

The Writing on the Wall

The other night, I was lucky enough to be invited, as a VIP no less(!) to Roger Water's The Wall extravaganza at London's O2. Apart from the free food and drink and the magical door-opening power of a VIP laminate, we also had, quite literally, the best seats in the house.

What struck me very forcefully during the gig - and rather incongruously so, given the pyrotechnics, inflatable monsters and everything else on display, was the power of the written word.

The Wall is multimedia in the truest sense of the word, with projections, models and explosions complementing the music with sometimes stunning poignancy.

Amid all of this, there was a picture of, if memory serves, Messrs Cameron and Osborne, with the message 'Trust us,' emblazoned above them. Then streaking across the Wall in that crazy red Gerald Scarfe font came the message 'No f***ing way.' (No asterisks were actually used.)

Predictably, this drew a few partisan cheers, but what struck me was the visceral power of seeing those words appear, as opposed to simply hearing them.

Indeed, sitting in the VIP reception after the show and finding myself seated at the same table as the very man himself, it occurred to me that had he actually said those words, it would have been a bit crass: sort of trite adolescent posturing. I wondered if he had realised this in the planning of the show and if he knew that saying the words would be a bit lame.

I didn't ask him though. I didn't say anything. Despite the fact that there was a free bar, I left early, got in a taxi and I suppose felt relieved that I hadn't made an ass of myself...

As teachers, maybe, if we've something really important to say, I wonder how effective it might be to suddenly STOP talking and ONLY write it on the board.

I guess I'll find out in class tomorrow..

Mike

ESL conference in Mexico!! Ariba!!!!

Dear colleagues,

The National Association of University English Teachers (ANUPI, A.C), an
Affiliate of TESOL and an Associate of IATEFL, invites you once again to
participate at our 9th International Conference
“Connecting Research and Performance in the EFL/ESL Classroom”
(October 13-16, 2011) in San José los Cabos, Baja California, México.
Our three-day conference offers an exciting opportunity to learn from one
another in the field of foreign/second language education. ANUPI is
well-known for having created a forum for presenting research, establishing
academic networks, and exchanging best practices in foreign language education.
This forum allows language educators to share and exchange ideas across
diverse language learning and teaching contexts. Our conference will also
have an exhibitors’ area.
We encourage you to submit a proposal before May 31st, 2011.
For more detailed information please visit our conference website at:
_http://www.anupi.org.mx_ (http://www.anupi.org.mx/)
We’re looking forward to welcoming you in San José los Cabos.
Sincerely,
The ANUPI Organizing Committee

Cristina Seguí R.
ANUPI, A.C.
(222) 130 77 50
2223 909 621
_www.anupi.org.mx_ (http://www.anupi.org.mx/)
Good teachers are costly, but bad teachers cost more ~Bob Talbert~

disfluencies in speech and the patterns they form

This is the link I have been looking for. The psychologist Richard Aslin has been studying disfluency and the regular patterns that ums and ers play in language development.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21028095.800-baby-brain-expert-ums-and-ers-help-children-learn.html

I wonder if disfluency plays a role in learning a second language too. Do language teachers give unconscious cues to new vocabulary or information in class? Intonation plays a very important role in this regard but perhaps disfluency may play a role too.

Focus on Intonation (Wikipedia)

Intonation is variation of pitch while speaking which is not used to distinguish words.

All languages use pitch pragmatically, that is, as intonation, for instance for emphasis, to convey surprise or irony, or to pose a question. Tonal languages such as Chinese and Hausa use pitch to distinguish words in addition to intonation.

Generally speaking, we can identify the following intonations:

Rising Intonation means the pitch of the voice increases over time [↗];

Falling Intonation means that the pitch decreases with time [↘];

Dipping Intonation falls and then rises [↘↗];

Peaking Intonation rises and then falls [↗↘]

How to use the IPA Chart

How to use the IPA Chart

Pronunciation: Adrian Underhill Clip No.1

Clip 1- Teaching Pronunciation as a physical activity- not a mental activity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5RekixAMoM

In this 5 minute clip (of 4) Adrian Underhill (author of Sound Foundations) outlines the approach he takes in teaching pronunciation to second language learners.

His approach tries to give learners visible clues as to the pronunciation of sounds. One of the main problems with the teaching of pronunciation is that it often is a mental activity and not rooted in any physical experience. He highlights the use of the teacher model as one to raise awareness not to reinforce habit formation. Pay attention to his use of gestures throughout these instructional clips and his language in giving students feedback.

Adrian Underhill Clip No.2

Clip 2-The teacher listening to student output

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN6HgF37uwI&feature=related

In this clip Adrian introduces the IPA chart and discusses the production of sounds that can be made from it. This 3½ minute clip focuses on the small differences native speakers make in producing the same sounds and eludes to the idea that there isn’t any one ‘standard’. What are your thoughts about a ‘standard pronunciation’? Do you think there is a standard that we should be modelling with our learners?

Adrian Underhill Clip No.3

Clip 3- The teacher modelling different sounds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y57Dmcmr49I&feature=related

Listen carefully in this 4 minute clip to Adrian’s instructions. In this clip the student directs the teacher and then it is changed around. He outlines a way to help students articulate certain jaw movements and talks about taking snapshots of certain sounds. This approach seems to require the student to visualise certain processes and create a mental model of the place and manner of

articulation. The traditional view is the teacher in control, in this extract he hands over control to the student. What do you think of the idea of student directing the teacher?

Adrian Underhill Clip No.4

Clip 4- Introducing the consonant sounds, tongue position and voicing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eunyc1VdDHQ&feature=related

In this 3 ½ minute clip Adrian introduces consonant sound pro

duction. Watch how he makes use of gestures in this clip and how he differentiates two particular sounds /s/ and /z/. He introduces the idea of voice as a sort of switch that can be turned off and on and look carefully at the gesture that he uses. Look carefully at the way he demonstrates the Interdental fricative (/θ/ & /ð/) with his hands and models these sounds in the mouth. Listen out for the expression ‘somewhere in between’. How does he make use of gesture in this clip? When does he introduce this approach to the learners?

This link will take you to Adrian’s Interactive phonemic chart

http://www.onestopenglish.com/5411.file

This is a good site that transforms your text into phonetics

http://www.photransedit.com/Online/Text2Phonetics.aspx

Mr W, a receptive skills activity?

Mr W

Misunderstandings

Look at the handout (see link below)

http://sites.google.com/site/westminsterquestions/mr-w

5 Questions (below), asking why he feels the way he does.

http://sites.google.com/site/westminsterquestions/suuuf

Listen to the clip (below), but don’t watch it- everyone turn your chairs around!! (play clip-MrW)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mTLO2F_ERY

Write a story describing the man’s life. Describe it to everyone.

Watch video (link above). See if story and clip are close together.