Category Archives: Teaching Guides
Characteristics of a Sought-After Teacher – What Schools Look For
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When a school searches for a new teacher for an open teaching position, they already have an image of the teacher they want. Every school has certain qualities they feel a teacher must have to be successful. Those qualities can be many things depending on the needs and location of the school. While the qualities that each school considers important may vary, there are usually shared qualities that all schools would consider important to the job.
The experience or background of a teacher is the most important quality a school looks for so your resume should highlight the qualities they are looking for. If they are looking for an ESL TEFL TESOL teacher for kindergarten students, it may be best to highlight lessons that contain activities that you have initiated and prepared at your previous schools with regards to language acquisition. In addition, if you are looking at a position for a content subject such as science or math, highlight your knowledge and education (i.e. degree) in that area. This is especially important if you are a new teacher with little or no experience. Regardless, you should also have all academic qualifications available for the school to preview before you go for an interview. Most schools want to review the qualifications prior to hiring or considering applicants for a teaching position and will sometimes pass on teachers who don’t submit these items for review when applying. This is especially true of TESL TEFL TESOL training which is a requirement for obtaining a visa and work permit in most countries, regardless of the subject taught. Each school is unique so the best thing would be to have a cover letter that speaks to that school and the teaching job they are looking to fill. Don’t just have a blanket letter and teacher resume that you mass mail to any potential school looking for a teacher in the hopes of gaining employment. It may be beneficial to have a list of professional highlights that you can copy and paste into a cover letter based on the requirements of the position.
Another important consideration for schools is the personal qualities of a teacher. Most schools are looking for a long term commitment from a teacher so they want to make sure that teacher will fit within their school. The obvious qualities that come to mind are personable, positive and flexible/patient because these qualities will carry over into the classroom and interaction with your future students. In addition, the school will look at a teacher’s qualities with regards to their professionalism because there is much that is required outside of the classroom such as preparing lessons, creating worksheets and tests and the always popular grading of assignments. In other words, they will want a teacher that is organized and committed. If they feel that the teacher can’t be depended on, they may not consider them a viable candidate. One of the things that may highlight a teacher’s lack of commitment is a resume that shows numerous teaching positions over a short period of time. Remember that you will not be judged strictly by your qualifications but on the sum of who you are as an individual.
The factors that go into a school’s decision to accept a teacher are varied and many so it is impossible to cover them all. Regardless, cover the basics looked for in any teacher for any teaching job and then identify the unique characteristics or qualifications of particular teaching jobs. Remember that looking for a teaching job, like many other employment searches, is about selling yourself and the best way to do this is by identifying what the employer (i.e the school) wants.
The following is an abbreviated list of characteristics posted by a teacher in response to a UNICEF request to “What makes a Good Teacher?”:
Positive – Thinks positively and enthusiastically about people and what they are capable of becoming. Sees the good in any situation and can move forward to make the most of difficult situations when confronted with obstacles. Encourages others to also be positive.
Dependable – Honest and authentic in working with others. Consistently lives up to commitments to students and others. Works with them in an open, honest, and forthright manner.
Organized – Makes efficient use of time and moves in a planned and systematic direction. Knows where he or she is heading and is able to help students in their own organization and planning. Can think in terms of how organization can be beneficial to those served.
Committed – Demonstrates commitment to students and the profession and is self-confident, poised and personally in control of situations. Has a healthy self-image. Encourages students to look at themselves in a positive manner, careful to honor the self-respect of the students, while encouraging them to develop a positive self-concept.
Motivational – Enthusiastic with standards and expectations for students and self. Understands the intrinsic motivations of individuals, and knows what it is that motivates students. Takes action in constructive ways.
Compassionate – Caring, empathetic and able to respond to people at a feeling level. Open with personal thoughts and feelings, encouraging others to do likewise. Knows and understands the feelings of students.
Flexible – Willing to alter plans and directions in a manner which assists people in moving toward their goals. Seeks to reason out situations with students and staff in a manner that allows all people to move forward in a positive direction.
Knowledgeable – Is in a constant quest for knowledge. Keeps up in his or her specialty areas, and has the insight to integrate new knowledge. Takes knowledge and translates it to students in a way which is comprehensible to them, yet retains its originality.
Creative – Versatile, innovative, and open to new ideas. Strives to incorporate techniques and activities that enable students to have unique and meaningful new growth experiences.
Patient – Is deliberate in coming to conclusions. Strives to look at all aspects of the situation and remains highly fair and objective under most difficult circumstances. Believes that problems can be resolved if enough input and attention is given by people who are affected.
You can also practice answers to typical teacher interview questions like the ones on the following sites:
Virginia Polytechnic Institute: career.vt.edu/JOBSEARC/interview/TEACHER.htm
Resumes for Teachers: resumes-for-teachers.com/interview-questions.htm
Michael G. Hines is founder of Icon Group Thailand: http://www.TotalESL.com – ESL TEFL TESOL Jobs + http://ESLarticle.com – ESL TEFL TESOL Information + ESLcontentfeed.com – ESL TEFL TESOL RSS Feeds
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Hines
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/83097
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Ways to Improve Adult ESL Learners’ Pronunciation Skills
By Dorit Sasson
One of the most difficult and trickiest areas for language educators to teach and ESL (English as a second language) learners to acquire is that of pronunciation. ESL students new to the States, know the importance of speaking communication yet often their accents get in the way of correct pronunciation and as a result, have an even more difficult time being understood.
Today’s current focus on communicative approaches to ESL instruction and the increasing emphasis on oral communication skills and teamwork are renewing interest in the role that pronunciation plays in adults’ overall communicative competence.
Incorporating Pronunciation in Instruction
Celce-Murcia, Brinton, & Goodwin (1996) introduced a curriculum that supports a communicative and cognitive approach to teaching pronunciation. It takes into account features of North American pronunciation and the sound system and builds effective pronunciation lessons and activities.
Teachers who teach pronunciation need to build their lessons on targeted instructional pronunciation goals which include the following:
- Teach the pronunciation feature which help raises learner awareness
- Listeners practice and listen for recognizing the targeted feature
- Provide guided practice and feedback based on structured communication exercises
- Provide communicative practice and feedback on specific pronunciation instruction
A lesson on word stress, based on these instructional goals, could include the following information:
1. The teacher presents a list of targeted vocabulary items from the current lesson, employing both correct and incorrect word stress. In order for English learners living outside English speaking countries to listen to a native speaker’s speech, teachers can run Panopreter text to speech software ( http://www.panopreter.com ) on their Windows 7 or Vista desktops or laptops, then Microsoft Anna will read out any English text clearly at various speed This is a good opportunity to introduce the concept of word stress and model it again and again. modeled.
2. Microsoft Anna can help learners listen for and identify stressed syllables, using sequences of nonsense syllables of varying lengths (e.g., da-DA,da-da-DA-da).
3. Learners go back to the list of vocabulary items from step one and, together, they show the right stress pattern by tapping out the stressed syllabus with a pen or on their laps. They can also clap the stress patterns. Teachers can also add new words to sustain continued practice, if relevant.
4. Pair work – Learners take turns reading a scripted dialogue where most of the words are understood in terms of meaning. As one learner speaks, the other indicates the stress arrangement on a printed copy. This is a good opportunity to provide feedback on the discrimination of sounds.
Teaching pronunciation is probably one of the areas that language teachers least enjoy addressing in the language classroom. But with up to date software for teaching pronunciation and guided interactive practice, learners can acquire pronunciation in a more user-friendly and communicative way.
Works Cited
Celce-Murcia. M., Brinton, D., & Goodwin, J. (1996). Teaching pronunciation: Reference for teachers of English to speakers of other languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Teaching ESL teachers the basics of accuracy and fluency in ESL instruction is only part of a presentation regularly offered by Dorit Sasson as part of her in-service training programs for teachers of English language learners. For more information about speaking engagements and in-service, contact Dorit Sasson at sassondorit@gmail.com or visit the Teachers’ Diversity Coach, at http://www.DoritSasson.com and click on the “speaking” page.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dorit_Sasson
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Instructional Video of the Week: A Superhero Work out to Teach Comparatives
Image by KierDuros via Flickr
After going out trick or treating this Halloween in your Superman costume don’t just consign it to your closet for another year. Release that inner superhero in your class with the superhero workout.
The superhero workout is a great way for your students to learn comparatives and burn off some of that extra energy gained form eating all that Halloween candy. These activities get students involved in the class and gives them visual cues to reinforce their language learning.
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Watch and read about more ways to improve your ESL classes by clicking here.Using Pre-Assessment Techniques to Plan Instruction
By Dorit Sasson
Image by Jixar via Flickr
Assessment that is custom designed to fit a particular classroom situation gives an accurate picture of struggling ELLs and their reading abilities. Pre-assessment and post-assessment techniques help teachers identify a starting point and steps in the process of adapting the curriculum for ELLs in a general education framework. Informal assessment, such as observation and documentation allows teachers to modify lesson plans as needed to make sure ELLs grasp key concepts.
Assessment provides teachers with concrete evidence as they consider what they can do to improve students’ learning. Pre-assessment results can guide teachers as they plan and implement steps to meet instructional goals, including goals to deepen reading comprehension and increase fluency. Informal assessment conducted alongside instruction helps teachers refine learning goals and objectives.
An Overview of Assessment Procedures in an ELL Classroom
Research shows that a system of accountability is necessary for supporting ELLs in general education classes as well as ESLs who receive language support in small instructional groups. “The research on the development of English literacy strongly suggests that adequate assessments are essential for gauging the individual strengths and weaknesses of language-minority students, making placement decisions, and tailoring instruction to meet student needs” (Shanahan and August, Executive summary, page 6). Ideally, a system of accountability should be supported by a wide variety of assessment measures, which have been carefully aligned with the program’s content standards, curriculum, and actual classroom instructional practices (Espinosa and Lopez, 2007).
Assessment Techniques
Teachers evaluate their students prior to, during, and after instruction using a variety of procedures and techniques. In the context of ELLs in a general education classroom, teachers will want to begin pre-assessment procedures with various forms of diagnostic testing to determine what their students can and cannot do. This information will also help the teacher modify and differentiate classroom instruction. During instruction, teachers use informal observations, samples of student work, and other forms of documentation to provide them with current information about student achievement. Reflective learning logs may play a role as educators reflect on instructional goals and what they learn from collaboration about various assessment techniques.
Questions for consideration include:
o What assessment type did you use? Did it contain all elements for the “struggling ELL” definition?
o When do ESL and general education teachers collaborate on joint assessments?
o When and how was your first assessment completed to determine eligibility of students in a general education class?
o How and when do you continue to update assessment to determine progress?
Student performance should be determined by a variety of factors including that of assessment. Struggling learners should be evaluated based upon their progress in general education and ESL classes based on material that is designed for their level. Schools and districts in general, have their own state standard test for intake and placement of entering ELLs as well as exit exams for determining placement of ESL students. However schools do not provide guidelines for determining struggling ELLs’ progress according to standards designed for general education classes or ESL learning groups. This is where ESL and general education teachers can jointly plan assessment procedures in order to ensure that their students are progressing.
One way teachers can effectively do this is to evaluate assessment results in order to successfully engage their struggling ELLs. One major question teachers should ask when planning assessments jointly is: “Do all students fit the definition of struggling ELLs” or more specifically, can all struggling ELL perform all assessment based task?
Make Your Teaching Sparkle. Teach for Success. Make a difference in the classroom.
Subscribe to receive your FREE e-zine and e-book, “Taking Charge in the Classroom” when you visit the New Teacher Resource Center at http://www.newteachersignup.com.
Purchase your ebook of classroom tested tips – “Tips and Tricks for Surviving and Thriving in the Classroom,” at: http://www.MakeYourTeachingSparkle.com and you’ll receive a FREE ebooklet, “Yes! You Can Teach K-12 English language learners Successfully!”
Dorit Sasson is a freelance writer, speaker, educator and founder of the New Teacher Resource Center.
Article Source: Dorit_Sasson
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ESL Teaching Jobs – 10 Important Things to Consider When Deciding on an ESL Job
Picture by Rex Pe http://www.flickr.com/photos/goldendragon613/
ESL teaching jobs are a dime a dozen but there are 3 very important questions you should be asking yourself before and while you are performing your search for the perfect ESL job. There are also 7 crucial questions to ask the institution that is considering you (or that YOU are considering) before or after you have made contact with them. What you will learn here are those exact questions. Let us read on and explore these questions and the reasons why I recommend that you ask them.
1. Is the position in the country you would like to visit?
If you are interested in China, be sure to just check out the ESL teaching jobs in China. Checking out other positions in other countries will only confuse you.
2. Do you want to teach in the country or the city?
As I said before, there are millions of positions out there. Are you considering an ESL teaching job for the money or for the chance to immerse yourself in a different culture and have it funded by a teaching job?
If you are looking at an ESL job for the money, then I recommend you hit the bigger cities. For instance if you are considering China, then I would only look at positions in the bigger cities of GuangZhou or Beijing. Shanghai’s cost of living makes it impossible to save anything. The reason I say this is because cities tend to pay double, sometimes triple that of their country counterpart because the cost of living is so much higher than in the country.
If you are looking to immerse yourself in the culture and your income should be just enough to support you, then I would recommend trying to find a position in the country. The money won’t be anywhere near what it would be in the cities but you will be FULLY IMMERSED into the culture of the country. You might even be fortunate enough to land a room with a family of nationals. Then you will TOTALLY experience the culture first hand!
3. What qualifications do you need and do you have them? (IE: TESOL, TEFL, CELTA, etc…)
Each country has their own requirements and regulations and they are quite different from each other. Some countries are VERY strict about you having your Bachelors Degree in any major (such as Thailand, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan) and some like China just look at your ability to teach and the fact that you would be a “Native Born English Speaker” as they put it. Also, many countries will choose you over others if you have some ESL training such as TESOL, TEFL, CELTA, etc.. These courses can be had at home easily and very inexpensively. I have seen signs that advertise that you could have your TESOL certification over the course of a weekend. Those ones I would be leery of. But generally speaking, you can have your TESOL certification over the course of a couple weeks and the cost varies from school to school. It usually is below one thousand dollars at the time of this printing. I highly recommend you start with this as soon as you have made your mind up about teaching esl.
4. Does the institution cover your flight or reimburse your flight costs before or after your contract is finished?
Some institutions will pay for your flight to get to the position. Most Korean jobs are like this. Others will cover the cost of your flight (to a certain dollar value) AFTER you have finished the contract. But beware of this one. Sometimes they will try to find reasons to keep the money, similar to your landlord trying to find reasons to not reimburse your damage deposit. But don’t let that deter you from your dream of teaching overseas. Most institutions are honorable.
5. How many hours per week will you be expected to teach?
Be very, VERY clear on this one. Make sure you KNOW exactly how many hours you are required to work each week. I know of MANY teachers that have been USED by the administration where their contract said 25 hour work week and they ended up working 50. Your time is YOUR TIME! If it is not something that YOU decided to do, then that time just became THEIR time and your pay won’t go up any higher than what the contract said. Make sure you know HOW MANY HOURS and What the hours are.
6. Are you living on or off campus?
Living on campus can be convenience or a nightmare for you and/or the school. By living on campus you usually have a 5 or 10 minute walk to or from class BUT this could also make it too convenient for your students to come knocking on your door. You will get no privacy and are totally bound by their rules. On the other hand living on campus usually will consist of covering the cost of the accommodations, electricity, water and food. That could be a big savings in itself.
7. Are your accommodations shared or private?
As you can probably guess, living with a strange person could turn ugly or you could become best of friends. But if you prefer to live alone, then do not even consider the postings for ESL teaching jobs that only house you with someone else. They are now OFF your short list.
8. What is your compensation for overtime?
Make sure that your overtime rate of pay is WRITTEN DOWN! Don’t just go on what the ad says or what the administrator you talked to said.
9. Does the institution cover the cost of your housing/food/transportation?
This one is self explanitory. If they cover it, you save money.
10. MOST OF ALL…What is your pay?
With ALL these things, make sure they are on the contract you get sent to you from the school. Then when you get there, make sure that the contract on their end is the same as the one YOU have. There have been stories that after something has gone wrong and they check the contracts, it turns out that they are different. Something has been changed without the teacher noticing it.
All in all, its just a case of common sense and using your head. Most teachers, after finishing one contract, end up going on and signing another contract. If not with their existing boss, then with another one.
If you are REALLY interested in teaching ESL overseas then you owe it to yourself to check out ESL For All. There is VERY IMPORTANT information there to help make your decision one you won’t regret. Check out ESL For All today!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kelvin_Nikkel
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