Is TEFL for you
The qualities the job needs and whether it suits you.
Are You An EFL Expert?
Can your relative “green-ness” as an English language teacher ever be an advantage? According to a recent article in the New York Times – yes.
These Are A Few (More) Of My Favorite Things
It's that time of year again, and before I get too caught up in the nitty gritty details of it all, I'd like to wish my readers and fellow bloggers a happy holiday season.
No More Under The Table Jobs
Writing about the recent visa changes in Korea , I brought up the topic of “illegal teachers” working under the table jobs .
Foreign Language Schizophrenia
Do you and your students feel “different” when you speak a foreign language ? In a practical sense, it could make for an interesting class discussion not only about language, but also about how your…
A TEFL Documentary, Courtesy Of TEFL.net
British filmmaker Daniel Emmerson is currently filming a 60-minute documentary film about EFL – to be released on DVD in Spring 2008 to coincide with the ten-year anniversary of sponsor Tefl.net (hat…
Top 5 Ways To Turn Your TEFL Experience Into Travel Writing Success
Bootsnall Travel Network has a few new “logues” in the works – and if you’ve been looking for an opportunity to shine by sharing your inside info of the location you’re in, check out LogueIt.com to…
You're Invited to the BootsnAll Holiday Party
Learning to teach English as a second language is, for many people, about more than just teaching - it's about having a ticket to live and support yourself all over the world.
Ideal EFL Teacher: Cast Your Vote (...And See What Others Say)
Randall’s ESL Blog held a vote for the most important quality in the ideal language teacher – head on over there for the results . I decided to come up with my own “alternative list”. Do you agree?
Avoiding Reality By Means Of TEFL
My excitement stemmed from anticipation. I knew that in a few short days I would engage in an act capable of producing the ultimate traveler’s high: I’d be leaving India.
From TEFLtastic: How The Future Of Textbooks Has To Be
If you’re into predicting the future, and you’ve already digested my five TEFL trend predictions , have a go at Alex Case’s how the future of textbooks has to be .
Accent Reduction, Or: Intriguing Post-TEFL Job Opportunity
Having lived about four years now in different Eastern European countries, I bet I could trick 9 out of 10 Americans into thinking I’m from there by speaking English with an appropriate accent.
Which Five TEFL Trends Will Still Be Around In Five Years' Time?
The TEFL Logue is nearing its one year anniversary, which means over three hundred days of posting and nearly 850 posts full of my own unique variety of TEFL Logue cheer.
Alternative English Teaching Jargon From TEFLtastic
Alex Case of TEFLtastic has come up with not one , two , or three , but four separate lists of alternative EFL jargon.
Is The TEFL Logue Part Of The Dark Side?
I'll come clean: sometimes I wonder if the TEFL Logue plays a role in the “dark side” of TEFL. What dark side, you may ask (or perhaps “which dark side")? Let me explain.
Assumptions About Native Speaker Teachers
A recent blog post on “unqualified” native speaker teachers in China got me thinking more about expectations on both sides when a native speaker teacher is involved.
Are EFL Teachers Expats?
While most sources define an expat simply as someone living outside their own country, a discussion arose on Dave’s ESL Café about this very topic, and most teachers seem to agree that they, at…
Differences Between British And American English
I’ve recently made my point that the differences between British and American (and generally among all variants of English) matter little ; here is a rundown of some of the basic grammar/vocab…
British Or American English: Does It Matter?
And don’t think I’m saying these are the only two: what about Canadian, Australia, New Zealand (does everyone agree on Kiwi?), South African, Irish and other Englishes?
Mistaken Assumptions
Yes, I’m still a virtual tag along on Jeff’s journey through China and/or Tibet via Pigs In the Toilet.
Ways In Which EFL Is Like "Lost"
I admitted my latest addiction here and it’s to Lost. I’m just finishing up the first season, but it has already struck me that teaching EFL has a few things in common with Lost.
Another TEFL Change: Possibilities
Aside from my TEFL accent , one of the main changes I’ve noticed in myself – or in my outlook – is in the range of things I now see as within the realm of possibility.
These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things...About TEFL
Learning about interesting cultural tidbits , like local legends , superstitions or customs. In Bosnia, it’s not good for your health to have two opposite windows open. It’s also great to see Mr.
How To Fight Stereotypes In EFL
I recently got a substantial comment from a teacher who came up against some serious stereotypes in Vietnam – which was in fact the country he was born in.
"How Can You Teach Someone English If You Don't Speak Their Language?"
This is a wide question of course, and may show a lack of familiarity on the asker’s part with what’s involved in learning a language.
Are Volunteer Teachers A Threat?
An interesting topic came up on the boards at Dave’s ESL Café a while back: the role of volunteer teachers – do they pose a threat to teachers who work for pay?
Missing TEFL Teachers
One of the regularly updated teaching sites I follow is Tesall.com , where there are regular posts providing information about a couple of missing EFL teachers and details on how you can help.
Know Your Limits
Advice will vary from country to country and based on personality, but maybe the best advice is to know your limits and decide or at least give some thought to - in advance - how much you’d like to…
Six EFL Teachers Arrested; Lots Of Opinions Aired
Six EFL teachers from a certain chain in Japan were recently arrested on charges of drug possession. Clearly, using illegal drugs is … illegal.
Top 10: Slightly Tacky TEFL Encouragement
1. The decision to do it is probably the hardest one to make. 2. Teaching EFL abroad gives you an opportunity to interact with locals – without having to speak the local language – that very very few…
Top 10: Clues That You Might Just Work In TEFL
1. The last four days of the month (the ones prior to you getting paid) are known in your flat as “Ramen days”. 2. You know when to shake a board pen and when to retire it. 3.
Trust In TEFL
Trust, faith and taking risks all play a good-sized role in teaching (and not to mention traveling) abroad. Many situations literally just comes down to trust and negotiation.
Are You A "Real" Teacher?
At a school Christmas party, I was recently asked if I was a teacher. By a local teacher of English who knew I was employed by the school and taught classes for them.
Is TEFL Worth It?
If you’ve investigated even a bit in the TEFL field, you’ve probably come across plenty of not-so-great realities: you may have try to sort out which employers are honest and which aren’t, you may…
Technology In The EFL Classroom
ESL Pundit expresses dismay that the language classroom seems slow to catch on to technological advances, notably as they relate to using realia such as podcasts in class.
What Are The "Right" Reasons To Teach? Part 1
“If you aren’t in TEFL because you really want to teach, it’s better to do something else. Your students deserve more.” I’ve come across this view, or views like it, more than a couple of times.
What Are The "Right" Reasons To Teach EFL? Part 2
One of the biggest realizations I’ve come to as a result of living abroad and seeing how other people look at life and work and other things is that this idea that there is one perfect job waiting…
The Development Of Language
I can’t be the only one who has wondered, as I’m teaching something like the intricacies of separable phrasal verbs (pick up the pen, pick the pen up, and pick it up, but not pick up it) or present…
Top 5: Destinations For Adventure TEFL
Looking for a little adventure? While your first instinct might be to turn to the Adventure Travel Logue , take a moment to consider the kind of adventure you can have in TEFL.
Gifts I've Received
I’ll be honest: I like it when people give me things. I’ve received a handful of thoughtful gifts – such as a handmade scarf my Iranian student gave to me because I complimented her on it when she…
Emerging Trend: English Immersion Villages
As students, teachers and other educators realize that there is much more to speaking a language than learning grammar rules and translating (or memorizing lists of) vocabulary words, a new learning…
TEFL Or Business Travel?
For many of us bitten by the travel bug, teaching English as a foreign language represents one of the best routes to living and working overseas.
Why TEFL? (Part 2)
If Why TEFL? (Part 1) didn't convince you, read on... Teaching English as a foreign language may well provide the greatest opportunity to meet and interact with local people without being fluent in…
Alphabet Soup: Terminology of the TEFL Trade
Teachers tend to be long-winded, and had to come up with ways to abridge all the clever-but-lengthy titles and exams they'd come up with before, hence, the hodgepodge of letters.
It Looks Good On A Resume: Part 2
Does it really? Much depends on how you sell yourself and your experience. My personal experience is that while employers (in fields other than teaching) may initially express some interest in or…
Don't Leave Home Without It
Documents You’ll need to bring along your university diploma, birth certificate and TEFL certificate – if you have it when you leave home – for you work permit.
Is TEFL for you?
Sure, teaching English abroad for a year sounds interesting, but how can you find out if it is for you before committing yourself to a full year?
It Looks Good On A Resume
Not only is teaching English for a year abroad a worthwhile experience in its own right, it also allows you to develop a number of skills that are relevant in other field as well: People…
Important Qualities For a Career In TEFL
Persistence Learning to teach and teaching itself can be fun, but it’s not always easy.
Why TEFL?
For the place You may not visit all the museums or tourist attractions in the place you’re teaching, but you will experience things that travelers miss.