Insight, Advice and Commentary for the ESL / EFL Employer, Administrator and Hiring Manager

Non-native speaker to Non-native speaker

In thinking about the ways English is evolving, we have to recognize that it is frequently a lingua franca between non-native speakers. This has strange implications for teaching. I have been told that it is not worth learning any standard form of pronunciation because “the people I talk to wouldn’t understand” and I’ve been asked...read more

 

Culture Shock, Korea, and the ESL Teacher

I was talking recently to a young woman who had just returned from a teaching post in Korea. She said her first months in her job were a nightmare because of the unfamiliarity of everything. It made me wonder how teachers can prepare themselves to cope with culture shock...read more

Romance and the Classroom

We've all met them. They're young, handsome, newly qualified and out to see the world. John is just one more young man using his English teaching certificate to help him travel before he settles down. He's done a stint in Mexico, in China and now he's in Eastern Europe. Of course all his female students adore him. But John is too professional to become entangled with a student. But he's just discovered that situations can get very nasty despite his good intentions...read more

ESL Professional Development Begins at Home

Do you wonder about how to help your teachers develop professionally but feel unsure where to start? It can be tricky, I know. I had few ideas about how you might begin by looking at your own home-grown talent...read more

Industry Trends - The Future of English Language Teaching...

The future of English language teaching: more students, taking more exams and using more technology

English Teaching Professional magazine has published results of a survey of teachers in over 110 countries on their opinions on the future of English language teaching. Sixty-six percent of teachers thought there would be an increase in the importance of English as a global language over the next ten years and over 80 percent thought that the numbers of students would increase accordingly...read more

Professional Development - Teachers Can Do it For Themselves...

Some employers fear that by investing in teacher development they are merely grooming a teacher to move on to a better job elsewhere. Well yes, the profession is pretty fluid and, frankly, teacher movement will happen anyway. What's far more important is that your school gains a reputation for professional, up-to-date teaching, so you can't afford to let your staff stagnate. But it doesn't have to cost the earth. You can start by looking at the talent under your nose...read more

Recruitment Matters - The Teacher as Stakeholder...

How do you think of teachers? As employees? Subordinates? Shop-floor workers? Good teachers keep students happy and happy students recommend your school to their friends. It's a virtuous cycle. If you want to keep the good staff that enhance your school's reputation, then start thinking of teachers as stakeholders in your school...read more

Ten Top Tips For Summer Young Learner Course Directors

1. When hiring teachers, look for personality as much as qualifications. Teenagers need teachers who can teach, entertain and be firm when necessary.

2. Remember to create a team who will take care of the pastoral side as well as teaching. You need responsible adults on the entertainment team...read more

Effective Interviewing

The single most effective tool for finding the right teacher is the interview. But the art of interviewing is a subtle one. You need to prepare the ground first. Only if you sow the right seeds will your interview bear fruit.

It starts with the job ad. Be clear in your own mind what teacher profile you are seeking. If you are offering an...read more

What is the single most effective technique for hiring a qualified ESL teacher?

A language school in Taiwan recently faced a typical problem. A teacher had been hired from the UK on the strength of his faxed CV. He held the Cert TEFLA and had a few months' experience of teaching in London. On paper, he looked fine. Soon after his arrival, however, the situation looked...read more

The ESL / EFL Job Interview

If you were ever fortunate enough to travel to the coast of Slovenia in the summer time, and if you happened to be in the port town of Koper one afternoon in August of 2003, you might have found yourself enjoying a pizza at a seaside joint called “La Trattoria.” In addition to enjoying...read more

The ESL Industry --> Fast Forward 10 Years

New research, based on a computer model and conducted by the British Council, shows that half of the world’s population will speak English by the year 2015. That’s in ten years! That means that at least two billion people will begin to learn the...read more

Certification for current ESL Teaching staff?

A primary reason that teachers often leave a teaching environment is a lack of confidence in their skills. Combat this problem by making sure that your teachers stay current with their skills and training. A teacher should at least be certified with a TEFL certificate. If you’ve got teachers on your staff with no certification, why not...read more

Mentoring for New ESL Hires