ESL Teaching...some observations

[David E]

Ming has been taking English lessons now for 6 weeks. I have helped her financially to get a "quality" Private Tutor.

She gets 2X2 hour sessions each week, and as you would imagine, in our nightly QQ chat we go over what she has learned and develop the structure and the Grammar.

Her Tutor is a Native Chinese Lady who has a Degree in English Literature (not from and English University though, it is from a Chinese University).

We speak a lot on the Forum about English teaching Positions for Bros who want to settle in China and I suppose that they would be in competition with the type of Tutor that Ming is using.

So I thought I would share some of the "quality" of the Language Teaching, so that any Bro contemplating this move, can see what the competition is !!!

Some English learnings that we have talked about and which I have needed to quickly "unlearn" her ..........

" Future tense............are you gonna eat that cake ?"
"Past tense............... We was with our Parents
"Present tense..........   I am love you"
" Verbs ...................   I  running to catch the bus
"Adjectives ..............  The rose was perfumy !!!!!!!!!!
"Past perfect tense.......We had been run for 2 hours

I could go on for a couple of pages...but the point I make is that it seems on this small sample that the quality of Native speakers as ESL Teachers is marginal when it comes to anything more than simple vocabulary or Grammar and Structure.

DavidE

ps..She is now looking for a Teacher who is a native English speaker !!!!!
    "He who pays the Piper, always calls the tune " :icon_cheesygrin::icon_cheesygrin:
"

[ttwjr32]

david  what city does she live in? i noticed the same thing at the schools i went
to observe their classes  its no wonder when they learn english they still dont
understand or get confused

[David E]

Ted

She lives in Chengdu and she tells me it is an almost impossible job to find an English Teacher. She is telling me that I should think about it....but I dont really want to do this !!!

Maybe a few years down the track, when I get tired of what I am doing now, I will think again.

I realise that the level of English they get taught is enough to get by in normal conversation, but with some of the Grammar and Structure they learn, they will have a devil of a job unlearning it all when they /if they ever get to an English speaking Country with their future hubby !

It strikes me that the "Authorities"...whoever they might be...do not really understand how poor the Chinese pool of ESL Teachers is...and the obvious negative effects this will bring as a Nation, as they attempt to become more and more International in their outlook and behaviour.
Quite apart from the immediate issue we face with our wives and fiances, there is a bigger game in Town, which is the integration of the Business , Political, Economic and Academic people from PRC into the Global Community

David

[ttwjr32]

even in a relatively normal conversation they get lost
in the words. i have 6 kids here i teach and my approach
is a lot different and the kids like my approach and are doing well
for only 2 months. the parents keep refering more kids to me but
i just enjoy the 10 hours i work and a few hours planning our class.
i do charge them 200 an hour but i give them 300 an hour worth of
teaching as i want them to do well and to talk and understand well.
of course they are younger and you know what they say they absorb
it like a sponge at that age.

[shaun]

Sometimes talking with Peggy is difficult at best even though she does really well.  Every time we chat she says, "Happy to meet you" when I turn the web cam on.  I have corrected her several times.  The other day I think I finally got through.  When you start a friendship or a relationship you can only meet them one time, the first time. From that point forward you say I am happy to see you.  So far so good.

I play a little game with her in pronouncing words.  She will say "kiss to me" (It is so cute I hate to correct her on this one.) and I kiss my finger and point to an item on my face.  Eye, eyebrow, ear...  She will mis-pronounce the word, I say it correctly and point to that feature again.   I will not give another kiss until she pronounces it correctly.  When she gets it right I say very good and kiss my finger again and point somewhere else. (I can almost hear some of you laughing in the background, you dirty minded individuals.)  We won't mention any names will we Don...  Oops.

Guys Peggy really likes this and takes great delight that I am kissing her counting each time I kiss her.

The only drawback I can potentially see is when and if we marry that while making love she will call out the parts of the body. :dodgy:  As long as she does not laugh I guess I will be OK.

Shaun

[Rhonald]

I still chuckle thinking back last February's trip with my son. We were eating shelled peanuts and Yan told my son that she liked eating peanuts. Later that night, when Yan and I were behind closed doors, she asked me the English name for certain body parts. She suddenly burst out laughing when she finally understood why my soon was giggling when she said that she liked eating peanuts. :icon_cheesygrin:

[Neil]

My first trip we played that game too.  We had been exchanging words for face parts for a while, and I pointed a tad lower.  She wouldn't tell me.  Now, it's not like I can't just look it up.  It was awful cute to see her blush though.

[shaun]

Neil,

I am a sucker for the blushing, embarrassed, and pouting look.  Problem is, Peggy already knows it.

Shaun

[ttwjr32]

your in trouble now Shaun  haha

[Bee964]

Sometimes talking with Peggy is difficult at best even though she does really well.  Every time we chat she says, "Happy to meet you" when I turn the web cam on.  I have corrected her several times.  The other day I think I finally got through.  When you start a friendship or a relationship you can only meet them one time, the first time. From that point forward you say I am happy to see you.  So far so good.

I play a little game with her in pronouncing words.  She will say "kiss to me" (It is so cute I hate to correct her on this one.) and I kiss my finger and point to an item on my face.  Eye, eyebrow, ear...  She will mis-pronounce the word, I say it correctly and point to that feature again.   I will not give another kiss until she pronounces it correctly.  When she gets it right I say very good and kiss my finger again and point somewhere else. (I can almost hear some of you laughing in the background, you dirty minded individuals.)  We won't mention any names will we Don...  Oops.

Guys Peggy really likes this and takes great delight that I am kissing her counting each time I kiss her.

The only drawback I can potentially see is when and if we marry that while making love she will call out the parts of the body. :dodgy:  As long as she does not laugh I guess I will be OK.

Shaun

I think this is a great idea!! It is putting a lot of ideas into my head right now too!!

Ok, ok, I have to admit it. I am laughing pretty good now after reading all these posts!!!I came to this thread because it was something that I had thought about doing after retiring. Is it really that easy to get a job teaching ESL classes?

[ttwjr32]

Bee-- it depends on what your looking for. teaching in a school is quite different than
        tutoring. it will take up more of your time each week as you are always in the
        teaching or preparing. the hours seem to be few but consider these facts:

        SCHOOL TEACHING----- 18 classes a week at 50 minutes each
                                         =  900 minutes which equals 15 hrs a week
                                         avg wage---- 5000 rmb a month
                                         per hour average---  83 rmb for that

       PRIVATE TUTORING----- 200 rmb hour
                                         5 students 2x a week= 10 hours
                                         2000 rmb a week which is 8000 rmb for the month

        not to mention at the schools you also have time at the school for the meetings
        and prep time which lowers your per hour earnings.

        this is what i do and i only teach 3 days a week i prepare at home and download from
        the net some school lessons for the kids and i also buy the text books which the kids
        parents pay me for since their child is using it. i have enough money to allow me to keep
        mine in the bank and enough freedom to do many other things like -- shopping,eating sightseeing
        and it is quite easy to find the kids and after you do and if you do teach them well they
        will refer you to others the parents i mean. right ow i have a whole hospital of doctors
        wating me to teach their kids but i tell them when i have more time i will add more classes.
        also another option  with 2 of my students i am adding 2 more kids to the class so i will
        have 3 kids in each class but i dropped the price to 125 rmb an hour which means i will now
        make 375 rmb for that hour. the parents enjoy the price reduction i enjoy the 175 hr increase
        and everyone is happy.

        and i also want to mention the freindships you gain as we go out and also have dinner all together
        or go to places to see things. and not to mention the free medical i get in the form of medicine
        for what ails you. the parents are happy that i am stable and will teach the kids for a few years
        and they dont have to change teachers all the time. just get some cards made up go to functions
        and meet and mingle and the business comes to you from that. it has worked well for me and i enjoy
        it and it will keep me busy enough until my wife retires in about 3 years. then it will be travel all the
        time for us. being in executive management all those years it is nice to work a few hours make enough
        money to take care of daily life and have the free time to do whatever and make some valuable freinds in
        the process. only in china:icon_biggrin:  lets see i was in the office all the time in the USA or flying somewere
        so my work week was a whopping 60 to 70 hours a week  couldnt do what i am doing here in the USA

       anyway just my opinion and examples of what i am doing here  gives you some food for thought

       Ted

[Neil]

Hey Ted.  Do you have a teaching background?  I read somewhere it's good to get some type of certification, if not required in order to teach in some schools.

[David E]

Ted

Many thanks for this post...it has added a new dimension to my own thoughts for the future.

I was never very keen on the idea of working as an English Teacher in a school.....50 hours a week (?) for 5000 RMB per month seems a bit rugged at my advanced years  :-/ I dont want to work like a dog from here on, but without something interesting to do for part of my time, I think I would go nuts !!!

But as you describe it, it seems manageable, profitable...and has some "fringe benefits"

I am English by birth, I have my Uni entry level qualifications in English Language and English Literature, although my Uni qualification are in Chemical Engineering and Business Management.

I lecture part time at the Uni of Western Australia and I am comfortable in the Teaching/Learning environment.

My Daughter is Headmistress at a school here in Perth that specialises in ESL Students up to the age of 15 so she has given me masses of information and documentation as to how to properly teach ESL from a zero base, and she has a lot more info. available if I need it.

My Lady Ming tells me that I am a good teacher and I have made learning English interesting, useful and fun for her.....

Do you think I could follow a similar path as you ??....it sounds to me as if you have got it right :icon_cheesygrin::icon_cheesygrin:

David

[ttwjr32]

Neil--- no i dont have a teaching background  my background was business all those years
          as i was a division manager for the companies i worked for in charge of large divisions
          of the company so i just went around b#######   hahaha  some schools want a degree
          and or certificate and the colleges really make you work a lot of hours for your 10 or 12
          thousand rmb.
David-- its not 50 hours a week, the classes are usually 50 minutes long. and some schools want
           anywere from 18 to 25 classes a week taught so it is time consuming for you and of course
           the hourly average goes down. plus they abuse the hell out of you in many other ways. private
           tutoring is the way to go and i use a different approach and make it fun for them. it is a good
           feeling when you show up at the house and they are happy to see you they give you a hug and
           dad is making you a coffee because he kows you like coffee and mom is makig a plate of fruits and
           nuts to snack on while your teaching:icon_cheesygrin: but i think you can do it with no problem as
           can anyone with the right approach. i get them to talk with me and help them in that process i stay
           away from the showing pics and saying what is this. bad approach doesnt help them

           hope this was helpful

[Bee964]

Ted, very helpful. My niece taught at a school in Taiwan for a year. She gave me the Idea. I worked it out that I will get about 8100 or 8200 RMB with my pension and then what ever extra from tutoring. I figured that would give enough to see the country there once in a while. I have a card she gave me a while ago about getting classes from this, I think vocational college of some sort, to get a certificate to teach in a school. She had no teacher training. Hell, I have looked so seriously at this that I even have price quotes to ship my car there. $1670. Don't know why I did that though. For the Canadians that are watching this thread, there is also something about paying income tax too. Thats if you want to keep your Canadian citizenship. Unless of course there is no paper trail of income. (Hint hint) My sister works for the WTO. A UN post. She lives in France. She pays US income tax, French income tax, and Canadian income tax. When I asked her why the US income tax she said the UN and the WTO position is a US position so US tax. She makes a good dollar but pays a lot of income tax. It is all just federal taxes for the US and Canada, France I don't remember what she called the state or provincial tax but it is the federal, provincial or local taxes for France. She could give up her Canadian citizenship and in turn not have to pay the Canadian income tax, but she is not a US citizen or a French citizen, yet. She would be a person without a country. My step father is sort of in the same boat. Us citizen and Canadian citizen. He has to pay Income tax to both nations to keep both citizenships. He is 79, Still works part time, Psychiatry, and wants to keep both citizenships. So for you younger guys check this out. You don't want  to end up loosing your citizenship. I am not trying to scare anybody here either. Just check things out before hand.

Dave