Challenges

One writer from Teaching English in Asia discusses her difficulties in teaching abroad so you can work around them for yourself.

1. Discipline
Every culture has a different standard of discipline and consequences for bad behavior. One of the challenges I faced teaching at English camps in Korea was how light the consequences of bad behavior was and how little follow through with the consequences there was. I found that though I could not control what disciplinary actions were or were not taken outside my classroom, in my classroom I could. Making it clear to my students right from the start what the rules of the classroom were and what the consequences for bad behavior were AND consistently following through with punishment as well as rewards, made the students' behavior in my classroom much better than it was outside of it.

2. Communication
The way that Koreans communicate and the way that Americans communicate is very different. As an American, it was very frustrating to be the last to know about something - change in schedule, course work, class time. I learned quickly that the best way to deal with the communication challenge was to accept it. I was not going to change the culture and so just rolling with the last minute changes, the confusion, made my teaching life much easier and allowed me to focus on my students and the rewarding feelings I had from teaching and spending time with them. It's not the end of the world to have to rearrange your class planning or find out two minutes before that there has been a change in plans. Just accept that this is the way things work here and go on with your day.

3. Language
The students were not supposed to speak Korean in English class and there was supposed to be a Korean teacher in the classroom to help with any needed translations and with the kids. This was not the way it worked out in one of the camps I taught at. The Korean teachers were often called out of class for meetings with the director and meetings with each other. This led my students to speak a lot of Korean in class which meant I didn't know what they were talking about, which meant it was, at times, difficult to keep the students in line that needed close watching.

It was challenging with 14 students in my class to teach, keep them engaged and to stay on top of those students who liked to speak Korean to each other during class. I found the best way to cut down on this was to be very clear, right from the start, that any student caught speaking Korean to another student would be moved to the other side of the classroom. If any student didn't understand what I was teaching and needed someone to clarify in Korean, they were to let me know and I would ask a student I trusted and knew to understand to explain it.

4. Teaching Styles
Teaching children of another culture created some challenges for me. As much research as I did beforehand on the way Korean students are taught and the psyche of Korean students, being in front of a class and being mindful of what they are used to was difficult. For example, students in Korea are taught to be very good memorizers. They pick up vocabulary very quickly in classroom games, activities and practice. But when it comes to truly knowing and holding on to what they've memorized, it's a different story. They ended up testing poorly on what they seemed to know so well in class. I learned it was important to create several kinds of classroom activities for the same vocabulary to ensure that the new words were really sinking in. Like most kids, Korean students love playing classroom games and finding fun and practical application games for vocabulary, grammar and verb tenses really made a difference in their retention.

5. Teaching Tools
In my situation teaching at the English camps, besides the textbook, teaching tools were not readily available. This made it challenging to make learning fun for the kids. I had to become very creative in making up games, teaching aids and classroom activities. I found a lot of resources from this site's database of English Games and also had the kids help create and make games like crosswords, memory and word searches.

Community support is a great way to face challenges while teaching English overseas! We would love to hear any about challenges you've faced teaching English in another country. How did you face these challenges and how did you respond to them?

Cultural Immersion

Traveling abroad can be wonderful and enriching. Want to make it even better? Immerse yourself in the culture, get out of the house, see the sights, meet the locals, and make memories! Here's 5 easy ways to do just that:

1. Learn the language
You don’t need to be fluent and if you’re only planning on staying for a year you probably won’t be. If one your goals is to experience the culture, knowing the basics will give you the confidence to get out there and explore. You have lots of options for learning, 1 – 3 week intensive courses are a great way to get the basics fast, a good school might cost you some money but you will come out of it with enough knowledge to continue learning on your own. Many private teachers are available and if you get 2 or 3 friends together you can split the cost. Some schools will provide free lessons and of course you can always use on-line language software.

2. Eat the food
Going by alone will probably involve some trial and error but that’s part of the fun. Better yet, go to lunch with the locals from your school, they’ll tell you all the best stuff to order. On top of this being of being a great way to really immerse yourself in the culture, it will probably save you a lot of money versus eating a western restaurants. This leads me to the next topic…

3. Save some money
This isn’t possible everywhere or with every job, but once you’ve figured out what your cost of living is, create a budget and stick to it. I found it easier to stick to a budget overseas than it was at home. Less temptations I suppose. Even if it’s only $200/month over a year, that’s $2,400 that you will have to travel or get set up back home. It will feel really good to have some extra coin in your pocket when you need it. Not to mention it’s a great habit for the rest of your life.

4. Travel
Got to get out of that comfort zone, once you’ve settle in to your job and neighborhood you may start to forget about all the exciting adventures that are waiting for you just hours away. Depending on your work schedule you may need to figure out how to make the most of your 2 and 3 day weekends, and trust me you can do a lot. A lot of you probably have your days off during the week which is all the better, you can go almost anywhere without having to fight the crowds. If you followed step 1, using your local language skills will save you a lot of money in transportation.

5. Spend time with the locals
Naturally we all want to buddy up with people that we can relate to, and this is a good thing. But don’t forget to spend time with the people that can teach you the most about what life is like in their country. Ask a lot of questions, most people love to talk about themselves so give them a chance. Find out what is important to them and why things are the way they are.

Source: Teach English in Asia

7 Tips for Better Communication

As native English speakers, it is easy to forget or not understand how difficult English is to learn as a foreign language. The following simple tips will help you communicate better with your students making your job easier, their studies easier and help you to teach more effectively and efficiently.

1. Speak Slowly
Until you know exactly what their listening and comprehension skills are, speak slowly so that they have time to hear and process your words. Slowing you speech down to about half the normal speed is a good place to start.

2. Speak Clearly
This sounds like an easy one but most of us are unaware of how much we actually slur our words, run one word into another and change the sound and pronunciation slightly.

Here is a good exercise to see how clearly you are speaking. Speak this sentence out loud: I am going to the store to buy some bread.

Are you clearly pronouncing each word or do you run them together?

Practice tongue twisters to learn how to pronunciate clearer for your students. (Tongue twisters are also great activities for your classes!)

3. Project Your Voice
Projecting your voice is crucial to reaching all of your students. Projecting your voice is different than speaking loudly. Projecting you voice means always speaking to the people in the back row, not by shouting, but by focusing your voice on them, thus carrying your voice and attention to them.

4. Keep Your Mouth Clear
Don't chew gum or have candy in your mouth while you are teaching. You may not notice the difference in your speech, but it can make a big difference to your students.

5. Make Eye Contact
Make eye contact with each and every student while teaching. Walk around your class room while teaching as well as when students are working on activities.

6. Get on Their Level
If you are going over to a student to speak one on one with them, physically get on their level. Sit, squat or kneel. It can be very intimidating to students if you are looming over them. It's almost always easier to understand someone face to face, especially since you are speaking in a language they are learning.

7. Write It Down
For most people learning another language, reading comprehension is easier than listening comprehension. As much as you can, write important points, vocabulary, definitions, grammar rules, directions, etc. down on the board for students to read. Teaching by speaking and writing is much more effective way to communicate than just speaking.

Source: Teach English in Asia

The Advantage of Teaching Children a Foreign Language

Language acquisition, the ability to understand and use language, is a product of dynamic, repetitive and multifaceted learning. This key feature distinguishes humans from other organisms. Understand language isn’t in genetic code or nor acquired by magic, language is learned.

Learning a language affords wondrous opportunities for growth and development in young children, and it also provides an extraordinary way to communicate. Some evidence suggests multilingualism correlates with improved cognitive development and abilities as well as a greater sensitivity to other cultures, creeds and customs. Also, in a globalized economy, it is increasingly more imperative to know a second language for career success.

“It is not surprising that bilingual children go on to enjoy the personal and professional opportunities that accompany an expanded world view, a greater intercultural appreciation and sensitivity, the ability to learn additional languages more easily and a competitive edge in future markets and the global economy,” said Leslie Lancry, Language Stars CEO and founder.

“The benefits are typically categorized under linguistic, cognitive and social. Among the linguistic benefits is the relative ease with which fluency can be attained when exposure happens prior to puberty,” Bishop said. “On the cognitive side, there’s greater metalinguistic awareness that often leads to improved analytical thinking, greater ability to think abstractly about language, better writing skills in your own language, enhanced mental flexibility and divergent thinking. On the social side, kids get a broader world view.”

Source: Good to Know

Travel as a Teacher

Travel is a great teacher. Travelling as a teacher to be taught by travel is meta. Here's what some people said they learned from travel:

The Travelling Philosopher

Travel can be a vehicle for finding my true passions.
Technology has enhanced my travel experiences.
Traveling solo made me do things I wouldn't do when traveling with others.
The world is as beautiful as I let it be.

Everything - Everywhere


People are generally good.
People don't hate Americans.
You don't need a lot stuff.
Culture matters.
English is becoming universal.

The Conversationalist


Eat a bit of everything.
People want to share their stories, and hearing them is the best part of traveling.
Humor is one of my greatest tools to build trust.
It’s helpful to have a map.
When I trust, my trust will be returned.

Andean Drift


Good socks are important. And lots of them.
Slow down.
The language barrier isn’t that hard to overcome.
Pack light.

Chinese Travel Phrases

Before you leave for China, you might want to make note of some useful phrases. These are provided in the form of video so you can repeat and practice them, while hearing them spoken to you.

The first place you will encounter is the airport. Here are some useful phrases regarding transportation. Once at the airport, you will need to clear customs. This process is slightly different in every country. Knowing what to expect will help you have a smooth transition. Since you are going to an address, you may need assistance with directions.

We hope this helps you to ease into Chinese culture easily upon arrival.

A Perfect Candidate

What makes Valerie Smith a perfect candidate for teaching abroad and how do you compare?

“I always had an interest in China. It’s an up and coming country. Then I took a class in Chinese and found out I really loved it,” Smith said.

“I think if you’re going to learn about any culture you should learn their language. That reflects their culture in and of itself. If I do research on China I would certainly have to be in China or in Chinese-speaking countries. So it would definitely help to know Chinese,” the 22-year-old Smith said.

“She has a genuine love of learning, she’s curious about the world and curious about other cultures. She will make a wonderful geographer,” said Richard Hunter, one of Smith’s geography teachers. 

Smith is really flying outside of her comfort zone by winging to China. She has never lived off campus, doesn’t drive a car and has never traveled overseas. She acknowledged she is somewhat nervous about her trip. “I guess we’re all kind of watching the political situation over there. ... From what I’ve seen I don’t think there’s going to be any political upheaval, but who knows? I just have to expect the unexpected,” Smith said.