ESL Daily

Drugs in Japan

2009-07-01T15:49:00Z

As reported by Dave on his blog “Big in Japan” and later by national papers in Japan - two JET Program English teachers were arrested on June 19th, 2009 in Okinawa on suspicion of importing illegal substances. The two teachers (Ashley Lawrence, 22, and Kristin Zodrow, 23) claimed they had bought the substance online and were unaware it was illegal in Japan. Some reports allege the substance in question to be “party pills,” containing benzylpierazine - a banned substance in many countries, including Japan and the USA. 44 pills were purchased from an online British company in April and seized in Tokyo upon their arrival to Japan.

This incident will no doubt have an ill effect on the reputation of foreign educators in Japan.
If you are going to teach in a foreign country, know and obey their laws. Check the government websites of the country you are teaching in before you travel. It is immature and often risky to remain ignorant of laws that govern your rights as a foreign national in another country. This is one of the many responsibilities an ESL teacher has to themselves and to others while working abroad. Very often the damage done from drug and/or sex offences perpetrated by ESL teachers, other than the risk and damage to themselves, in foreign countries has an ill effect on the whole community of foreign educators in that country. This isn’t to sound ‘preachy,’ but using the excuse of “I didn’t know,” isn’t simply ignorant, it’s aggravating. It’s aggravating that these teachers couldn’t stay home to get the ‘rave’ out of their system or simply go down to the Lawson’s and enjoy a bottle or can of a delicious Kirin beer, instead of ordering an illegal drug over the Internet from England.

Japanese society places a premium on reputation and unfortunately a case like this will only sully the reputation of the foreign teacher there. Japan is one of the few countries left in Asia that does not require a criminal background check or a series of drug and medical tests to be eligible to receive a teaching visa. Hopefully, the ministry of education and the Tokyo government will not overreact and introduce new visa regulations, but they would not be alone in such a reaction to a drug case, and one could say they would even be justified.

By Sean McCall

Sources:
Foreign Teacher Arrest Update

Foreign Teachers Arrested in Okinawa for Importing Illegal Substances

Spare the Rod and Spoil the Hagwon

2009-07-01T15:31:00Z

There was recently a discussion in ESL DAILY about disciplinary issues in hagwons. One blogger commented we are not allowed to lay a finger on troublesome students while the Korean teachers whack them frequently. I instantly connected to that cynical remark.

Hagwons usually practice extraordinary renditions of miscreant students. The ESL teacher is ordered to send them to a senior Korean teacher who will whack them sensitively. That previous sentence is meant to be funny.

I once mildly administered my own hand to a hagwon disciplinary rod. Boy it hurt! The Korean teacher will lay it on multiple times.

Many a time my fingers have itched to seize a brat, almost always a boy, and drub him. But in my heart of heart I have never meant to administer what is routine almost a past time with most Korean teachers.

As hagwons become more cut throat, this environment will get worse. Hagwons must all the time appeal to their students first and then their parents who get the feedback. That might seem to contradict the above. But Korean children are macho for physical punishment. They think it normal.

These days hagwons are increasingly videotaping classroom instruction. When I attended Teachers College in New Zealand, I was instructed in the psychology of positive and negative reinforcement. I tried to sensibly practice it. Under a videotape camera that is ill advised. You never know who is watching you. I was told the moment a student showed any kind of distress regardless of his shocking preceding behavior; I must cuddle and soothe that child. Sometimes I suppressed my own feelings, by whispering in the child's ears that he was a rat while I cuddled him.

Some Korean parents are absolutely dreadful in their demands on ESL teachers and indulgence of their children. They are the minority but they have all the power. We are for them just a bar of soap.

I could handle it better when the physical punishments were for actual extreme misbehavior. Children especially boys do try on the teachers until they have reached the limits of bad behavior. When I first came to South Korea in 2001, the boys of my hagwon had got into the habit of tossing their school footwear into the air. They had already broken one pair of my glasses and came close to breaking another. I could see this wasn't going to stop under gentle admonishments. So I informed the female Korean teachers. I tried to restrict the misdeed to one boy. But immediately of course the students named all the delinquents. Modern children unlike my generation are unfailing narks. They were lined up in front of the school and the awful deed, two sharp blows with a hard object, were administered to a brief whimper on the hands. That misbehavior instantly stopped.

Regretfully, many hagwons physically punish for routine school lesson errors. One of my hagwons came to increasingly distress and revolt me by this practice. The Korean teachers take their cues from the hagwon directors. This school director was a lovely kind man except for this perverse weakness. He would give back marked papers and then lay it on hard to every child in the classroom. Then at the end of the class period, he would lay it on again to half a dozen boys. One big boy would nonchalantly chat to his mates while his hand was being swiped. A young female teacher at the hagwon, Miss Lim, used to really get into the swing of it. She would come into class with her long stick and marked papers. Then while the rest of the class quailed she would deliver the blows to the luckless ones. I once watched her play with the senior boys a popular Korean school game. The boys struck her wrists with their finger nails to draw as many blood marks as possible while she moaned.

Physical punishment was not usually practiced on the senior students. They would refuse to put out their hands and would complain bitterly if it was tried on them.

Hagwons confirmed my suspicion that South Korea skipped the twentieth century while Japan never left it. A hundred years ago, physical punishment for classroom mistakes was standard in western schools, at least in the English speaking ones.

Hagwons are generally unruly and difficult places to learn or teach. The high hopes of South Korean Presidents of an English speaking student population within a decade have not been and are unlikely to be achieved. Instead I am hearing that English is being supplanted with various exotic Asian forms. I suppose in South Korea it is called Kinglish. I personally call that a cop out. I.E. a cover up for a global failure in achieving a universal global language.

I have heard that the ESL teaching results are higher in North Korea! That does not really surprise me. Communist countries have historically excelled in advancing education standards. They after all profess belief in elevating their children not just indulging them and making money out of them. I know that is an old fashioned way of thinking.

The western Communist countries were able to achieve these results while banning corporal punishment. I may be stupidly naïve. But I would love to find out that corporal punishment is banned in schools in North Korea.

Goethe

Japan: Lindsay Ann Hawker Killer Reward Increases

2009-06-30T18:57:00Z

Just over two years have past since Lindsay Ann Hawker was brutally murdered in her apartment in Chiba prefecture, Tokyo. The EFL teacher (Lindsay) was found dead in her bathtub in March 2007; since then the police have continued the investigation while her family have made numerous visits to the country from Britain posting wanted signs for her killer and pushing for further support.

Now, in hopes to find the killer, the local police have upped the reward to 10 000 000 Yen (just over 100 000 dollars US). Previously the reward was at 1 000 000 Yen. Currently Tatsuya Ichihashi, “the cross dressing killer,” remains to be the number one suspect and to this day eludes the police. New reward signs have been posted and wanted flyers have been distributed at railway stations near the crime.

These changes have come about shortly after the detective in charge was replaced. The family fears that the changes made might be too late.

Source:

Police up reward for Lindsay killer

Related Articles:

Japan: Detective on Hawker Case Replaced, Killer Still on Loose

Canada: EFL Teachers on the Rise

2009-06-30T17:53:00Z

As the economy seems to go deeper into recession and jobs become scarce, a ‘new breed’ of English teachers is immerging. With what might be considered has highly educated and employable, recent graduates from good named universities are packing their bags and signing contracts to foreign lands to teach English.

The 11 year high unemployment rate in Canada has given rise to an abundance of individuals seeking employment through Canadian recruiters. The National Post reports that one major recruiter

which places most of its applicants in South Korean schools, says more teachers working overseas are staying put rather than coming back because jobs at home are scarce.

Applicants to teach English overseas need a four-year university degree rather than formal teaching experience. But agencies say more people with post-graduate degrees and stronger qualifications are applying for the jobs. - National Post

Though South Korea and other major EFL destinations have been hit by the current recession, the demand for English education has yet to be seriously damaged. Yes, many private schools are feeling the economic crunch and many may have even folded. However, with new education reforms in Korea, public schools are demanding an ever growing number of foreign teachers. China and other Asian nations too are experiencing a growth in the EFL industry due to a growing demand for teachers and those seeking employment.

ESL Korea: Jeju Global English City Unveiled

2009-06-28T05:47:00Z

It is reported that 27,000 South Korean students studied English abroadin 2007. Now instead of the great distance and greater expenseinvolved with sending a child abroad, Korean families will be able tosend their children to the southern Korean island of Jeju to the attendelementary, middle or high school in a full-immersion environment. The tuition for Jeju Global Education City will cost between US$3,100to US$4,700 - a far cry from the amount doled out to study overseas. Of course, there is an economic downside - with the poor economy andthe competition with 21 “English villages” already in existence (withmore on the way) it may prove difficult for investors to recoup theirinitial investment. With an official opening set for 2011, officialshope an economic turnaround with additional enrollment from other Asiancountries will make Jeju the new Mecca for ESL in the Asia Pacificregion and a profitable venture to boot.

By Sean McCall

See link:

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/06/24/skorea.english/

ESL Korea: Teachers Avoid Returning Home to Bad Economy

2009-06-22T05:26:00Z

An interesting report recently posted by JoongAng Daily shows that despite the weakened Korean Won and threats of war from the North, ESL teachers in South Korea are not only renewing contracts at schools, but recruitment is on the rise.

All of this is due to the slim prospects of work awaiting teachers in their respective home countries. Those teachers who have student loan debts or mortgages have had to subsist on little in order to send home most, if not all, of their paychecks. In the past, this would have meant teachers seeking out jobs in countries with better exchange rates (usually Japan or Taiwan) - and this is still happening to a lesser degree - but the trend seems to indicate a reluctance to risk a move anywhere right now.

The official data from Seoul’s Ministry of Justice indicates the number of E-2 visa holders is up 2,000 from last year; it would seem Korea is once again many teacher’s first choice. This is not all that surprising. Japan has a higher cost of living than Korea and a surplus of unemployed English teachers. The best ESL jobs in Taiwan require a teacher to be in the country. And with airfare, an apartment and the visa costs, Taiwan requires more startup cash. China’s ESL industry is still growing and as a result schools there generally offer only half of the wages of a Korean hogwan, even with a weakened currency. And when all is said and done, despite the horror stories and the often ranted about negativity, a free apartment and round trip ticket are extremely strong selling points and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future.

By Sean McCall

See links:

Bad times at home keep English teachers here

Korean English Lecturer Applicants Drop

2009-06-21T16:48:00Z

The ministry of Education has admitted, according to an article on June 15th in the Korea Times, the Lee Myung-bak administration’s “Practical English Lecturers” project has failed to meet applicant targets in nine regional education offices due to a lack of the program’s promotion.

The new program, an election promise kept in an otherwise unpopular presidency, is designed to improve the practical English skills of prospective Korean teachers, but it’s chief aim is to further reduce the burdening cost of private English language education and in time replace foreign teachers altogether. The administration of the late president Roh, Lee’s predecessor, took the first step in the slow process of reducing the country’s dependence on foreign teachers when in 2006 he introduced an extra hour of English language classes at the end of the regular school day in an effort to reduce private education tuition increases, driving many smaller companies out of business.

The Lee government is hoping to attract 10,000 special lecturers in the next two years to the program. Of the 4,228 available jobs for 2009, 4,543 applied. Which sounds good until you look at the rural school boards, for example North Gyeongbuk province, which received only 204 applicants for its 274 posts. Eight other regional education offices also fell short of their targets.

Aside from the program’s lack of marketing and promotion, “Practical English Lecturers” are at a disadvantage in several respects from their “regular” teacher colleagues. First, instructors under the program receive only 26 million won annually, generally lower than English teachers at cram schools or private academies. Second, Practical English Lecturers can only renew their contracts up to a maximum of four years at one school, unlike regular, career teachers at public schools and universities who can negotiate much longer contracts.

The idea of immersion is not new to Korean English language classrooms, but the policy is rarely enforced in either private language academies or at public institutions and as such is limited in its success. The instructors under this program will be trained to conduct classes in English immersion. But this “new” immersion policy of the Lee government begs the question: will the policy be strictly enforced this time, under this program? And who is responsible if the students fail to meet expectations? If Korean students are generally incapable of improving their English conversational skills with the immersion already offered by native-English speaking foreign teachers, how will this program change the outcome of a student’s ability to become fluent in English? The program may have more hidden flaws then the Ministry of Education is willing to admit. Or perhaps changing the country’s English language industry over to ethnic Koreans is a suitable compensation.

Spencer McCall

ESL Korea: Media Dictates Regulations... and a Healthy Dose of Hatred

2009-06-20T07:25:00Z

It seems that South Korea is being overrun with “unfit, foulmouthed, drunken English Teachers”. Recently reported by Yonhap News, English teachers have once again been singled out as an evil that must be purged from the sanctified halls of “hogwans” through yet stricter regulations. If passed, these new restrictions would only make South Korea a less appealing destination for qualified teachers. In the vain of reverse psychology, this may turn out to be the only humane thing to do in order to spare an unsuspecting new generation of teachers an undesirable post-graduate experience. The article in question is full of angry quotes regarding foreigners, which are hardly worth repeating here (the masochist in you can click the link below for all the juicy details). The quotes are, of course, from less than reliable sources. There is unfortunately no attempt in objective journalistic integrity to quote foreign teachers or reference the foreign teacher’s point of view, lending the article an air of unadulterated hatred similar to a documentary aired on Korean news networks in 2005 that dealt with foreign teachers as sexual predators. This short documentary incited its own string of regulatory reforms in regards to University degree verifications, as well as, a general wrath of public loathing toward foreign teachers throughout the peninsula.

The double standards and xenophobia that exist within Korea have been well documented and extrapolated upon ad nauseam. However, the media is a viable culprit in this malaise of foreign teacher bashing. A little responsibility could reasonably be called for with a media that has made an unapologetic habit of publicizing descriptions of foreign teachers that other countries would consider a dissemination of racist opinions. Consider the opposite point of view, from an American media standpoint. American newspapers didn’t write hate articles towards Koreans or about Korean students in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech shooting of April 16th, 2007, the deadliest peacetime shooting by a single gunman in American history. This didn’t happen because the media and the government understood and were responsible enough not to condemn or defame an entire people based on the terrible actions of one disturbed individual.

A cult of personality may not exist in the South as it does in the North, but a population may be defined not only on what it is for, but also on what it is against. One can argue that the word ‘cult’ should not apply to the kind of xenophobic indoctrination the youth in South Korea receive from their textbooks, media reports and parental encouragement. But there are many recent examples that would seem to fit to sway any argument regarding education and indoctrination towards a definition, if not short a label, of ‘cult.’

Consider this: In the sparkling nation of South Korea it’s a beautiful, candle lit night in April 2008. In reaction to less than factual media reports about American beef, a rather gullible gathering of young and old rise as a mob against their government. They hold candle lit vigils across the country for weeks, protesting an unpopular move by their newly elected president, Lee Myung Bak, to import cheaper, higher quality beef from America. By the end of the summer, department stores across the country can’t keep up with demand; American beef is flying off their shelves. Than what were the protests about? Just for the briefest of moments it seems the DMZ had vanished and a people separated for over half a century stood united in their obstinate ability to believe in fiction.

By Sean McCall

See links for source articles:

Yonhap: Unfit, Foulmouthed, Drunken English Teachers Running Rampant

More %$#@ing garbage in the papers about native speaker English teachers

Bills Seek Tighter Screening of Foreign Teachers

The Nikon Digital Camera Companion to the ESL Classroom

2009-06-15T12:51:00Z

If you’re looking to add some “spice” to your classroom activities, consider using a digital camera. You can bring in your own, or borrow the school’s camera (if you ask, your school most certainly has a compact digital camera it uses to photograph field trips or activity days.) It’s true that many children have a natural aversion to their picture being taken, at least by their teacher they do. I usually witnessed this during the first day of a new semester when my director would go around and take a snap shot of all the new and returning students for the school’s online database and administrative system. The kids knew it wasn’t for even anything as flashy and embarrassing as a yearbook, yet they would still throw hands over their face, run around corners and even hide under desks to escape the flash of the camera.

That isn’t to say these children didn’t like having their picture taken in general, but if you plan to take their picture in school, their acceptance of it will all depend upon the circumstance and how you explain to them the reason why their picture is being taken. If you look at their cell phone, or their friend’s cell phone, you will undoubtedly find dozens of the students’ portraits, usually in goofy, silly poses, which would suggest far more embarrassment then would a simple school portrait. The trick to overcoming this obstacle is to thoroughly explain your activity before hand, perhaps even a class or two ahead of time. If there is still reluctance by a student to participate in having their photo taken, then hand the camera to one of their classmates, preferably a friend, and have them take the photo. In my experience this is the best solution and don’t worry about instruction regarding the camera – although you might not be proficient at using the digital technology, guaranteed the student will be a whiz.

These are the top 5 ways you can use a digital camera (my choice is Nikon, but any camera will do) in the ESL classroom:

1) Vocabulary exercises: [You will notice younger children, ages 6 to 10, are less self-conscious than more senior students and will more likely enjoy this exercise] Assign simple action or descriptive vocabulary to each student, two or three words at most – words like ‘smile,’ jump,’ ‘happy, ’ ‘sad’ – then have each student stand at the front of the class and “act out” their given words. Take a portrait of each student. Any photo editing software will allow you to do a quick collage of all the photos. Next class, bring in the photos (two or three 8x10s at most) and tape them to the board. Then have each student match the vocabulary word – printed on a small white piece of paper – to the appropriate picture. Just make sure you get the approval of your director so you don’t have to spend any of your own money, but most schools have these materials on hand, i.e. photo paper and simple image editing software. Kids love acting out these words and will spend a lot of time laughing at their portraits, especially when posting the vocabulary to each photo.

2) Descriptive Exercises: The small graphics and animations in textbooks can often leave students, especially older elementary and middle school students, bored and feeling superior to the material presented to them. A stunning landscape or portrait that either you have taken on your travels, or perhaps have come across surfing popular photo sites such as Fotoblur.com or Flickr.com, is a great way to engage the students. This usually works with a photo 8x10 or larger. Have each student a) describe the photo in as many ways as possible for 30 seconds, i.e., what’s going on, what’s the subject, what are the colours, etc. b) use 10 adjectives to describe the photo c) guess where the photo was taken d) ask each student why or why they do not like the photo.

3) Photo Sharing: Works best with older students, 12-16+, and either a small or large class. Everyone today is an amateur photographer. It’s just a natural progression the ease digital technology has brought to photography. You don’t have to know about film speed, shutter speed or apertures – although you really should- to produce a properly exposed photograph on any compact digital camera set to automatic. You will be surprised at how many of your students are actually quite good amateur photographers. I was also surprised at how good one class of mine was at stop-motion filmmaking on their just cell phones! Bring in some of your travel photographs for discussion. Encourage your students to do the same. They will welcome the opportunity to change the boring Friday lesson to a forty-minute discussion of their hobbies. This is best done on a laptop set in front of the class to save on the cost of photo printing. If the students don’t have large digital files or in a common file format like .jpeg – meaning they have photos they want to share on their cell phone, which will definitely happen – then ask if they wouldn’t mind passing around the phone so each student can view it. My students had no problem with this activity, but again it’s up to the discretion of the teacher to judge whether their particular group of 14 year olds are mature enough to handle this.

4) Short Friday Films: Works with older students 12-16+, small or large classes. Most compact digital cameras, and some new Nikon DSLRs, come with the ability to shoot small file sized digital movies. Choose a short activity or game on a Friday afternoon and capture it in a movie. Because of their relatively small file size, these movies are easy to email. Collect your student’s emails and use your school’s email, or if you feel comfortable giving out your personal email to your students, to send out the videos after each class. These movies serve several purposes. First, the students feel a sense of community because they have a record of their class activity they can look back upon and share with friends. Second, that sense of community helps reinforce the positive aspects of class participation, which in turn helps them remember their Friday afternoon classes instead of them just counting down the seconds to run out of class. Third, the student’s parents will enjoy seeing their son or daughter use the English they pay so much money for a year. Keep those mothers happy!

5) Photo assignments: This also works better with older students. After showing the class some examples of your own photography and leading them in a discussion about photography, their hobbies and what they like to photograph, hand out weekly assignments. These should not be strenuous exercises, but should emphasize the locale where they live. Assignment examples:

- Famous spots around town (hiking trails, favorite shopping spots, tourist spots)

- English signs (ask the students to take five pictures of anything written in English they see around town, i.e. shop signs, food menus, t-shirt logos)

Discuss these photos in the next class. These assignments are twofold: first, they are often valuable to the teacher in giving them a greater knowledge of the town or city where they live – many things only a citizen or native would know about; second, it gets the students to talk about and discuss their town or city in English instead of talking about a New York or London they have no experience of except through their Macmillan textbooks.

This is only a small selection of things you can do with a digital camera in the classroom taken from successful activities I have myself done with several classes over the years. Please feel free to comment on any of these activities, make any suggestions for improvement or even suggest your own. Teachers only get better through sharing with other teachers.

Spencer McCall

Foreigners and Dogs are not Allowed

2009-06-15T12:17:00Z

One of the most beautiful sounds in the world is the whirl of an automatic bank teller machine in the ears of an expat.

Many times in my years of ESL I have waited white knuckled for that sound. If it comes, the local currency issues out and life is once again a rose garden. If the machine stays silent, life can be hell.

In 2001 I on an impulse took the hovercraft to Japan from South Korea. This was my first expat year. I went complacently looking for a money exchange at the Japanese port. I was stunned to discover no place in Japan outside Tokyo would exchange the Korean won. Korea lay just across the horizon. Yet now their national currency in my wallet might as well have been straw. I had not thought of bringing any other currency. A port official gave me some coins and I took the bus to the nearest hotel. The hotel management would not accept the won under any terms.

The hotel receptionist rang up the Korean Consulate. She got instant short shift. She checked my visa card. She told me there was only one ATM in the city that would accept the card. That was at the international airport.

I walked in a state of growing anxiety through the gathering dusk back to the port. I couldn’t even afford to use the internet and had no cell phone. There were hobos drinking around a small fire at a street corner and I actually considered I might have to join them.

I found a taxi driver who agreed without a fee to take me to the international airport. He tested my card in his cab and glumly predicted it was not going to work even at the airport. I crept into the international airport and found the ATM. A telecom officer gave me directions over the phone. People gathered around. It didn’t work. I tried again under a completely wrong code and I heard that beautiful sound. I would sleep in a bed that night.

Japan a year or two later opened its money exchanges to the won. The Korean complaint that the Japanese practice bad neighborliness is not always without foundation. However expats might take note never cross into another country without its national currency. If that is not practical, at least always take with you a substantial number of American dollars. The American dollar can be exchanged in every country in the world at least for the rest of this year.

The ATM is a marvelous invention. But unfortunately it is owned by the worst kind of people. A dry economist recently on the BBC called all trading banks wolves. Like all wolves, ATMs have voracious appetites for swallowing what comes into their mouths. A horror for the expat is when the bank card is ‘detained’. That is always a headache to retrieve it. The supreme horror is when the ATM chews it up and the card’s
bank has no offices in the country. That act seems incomprehensible but it happened to me in Thailand. Many weird things happen in Thailand.

I had been desperately looking for an ATM in Thailand that had sufficient money to draw from my New Zealand account. The fourth ATM machine swallowed the card. The end consequence of this vandalism was a week of semi starvation and I had to return to New Zealand.

That brings me to my final ATM sorry story. This is what my father has just today called the fiasco with K.B. bank. Before I left Korea to Iraq, I consulted the K.B. teller. She assured me my K.B. Debit Card would work in all countries with ATM machines. She even rang up to check the card would work in Kurdistan Iraq.

I found out that was not the case in Turkey and in Iraq. In Kurdistan Iraq every bank assured me my cards would work in another bank not theirs. I found out it was all a mirage like almost everything else to do with Kurdistan Iraq. The bank officials explained they had the ATM machines but no one had taught them how to make them work. I had to sleep under the stars that night.

My fellow ESL teacher had been caught out the same way. Our University employer advanced us our salaries. I rang up the K.B. branch but could not understand their officers. The K.B. internet site did not reveal its email address. I found it out from a helpful K.B. official in London. I faxed bank and identification documents to my K.B bank branch in Korea. They sent me a dear customer email and refused in their tortured English to wire me my money. I googled South Korea bank ombudsman. But it seems no such office exists. I searched for K.B.head office. But the K.B branches appeared to be franchises. My ESL colleague was luckier. The Bank of Palestine in Nablus wired him his money.

I took the card to a Post Office to post it to New Zealand where my father could try to use it. While I was waiting, I read in microscopic letters a message at the bottom of the card.

Foreigners and non-residents are not allowed to use this card overseas.

That’s right guys. Not content with testing our blood and our police records in Korea, Korean racism now blocks our money entitlements in any place outside Korea. K.B can now play with my one million won until at some remote time in the future I return to their benighted country.

I will do it in ten years time to collect my one million won with its interest if KB bank or its successor still exists. The lesson there for expats is always wire all your money out when you leave a country. Never rely on what a bank teller tells you. And always read the small print even if you need a microscope.

Goethe

ESL Daily Photo Contest Resumes

2009-06-14T07:18:00Z

As you may have already known, ESL Daily has been making some changes and doing some new things (http://koreamovietimes.com) the past few months and the photo contest was put on hold. Now that Korea Movie Times is up and running it is time to begin the photo contest once again.

For those interested in participating please visit: http://esldaily.org/contest.htm for further details or http://esldaily.org/contest_form.htm to submit a photo.

The contest will begin on 15th of July and run a month and a half (August 30th). The following contest will then begin September 15th. Please have any photos you wish to have placed sent 5 days prior to the contest start date.

Contest Prize currently includes $100 from Amazon. Other prizes may be included pending on sponsorship.

Thanks your your time

ESL Daily Team

http://esldaily.org

Refugee ESL classes in Canada

2009-06-12T09:50:00Z

This school year has seen 10,000 new ESL students enter the Edmonton school system, bringing the total of ESL students to 80,000. These students, some of whom arrive from refugee camps and have no English language ability, often suffer from isolation, emotional issues and poor grades in the normal system. That is why a task force has been created to deal with the situation. The panel is proposing a year-round school, staffed by experienced ESL teachers, as a “transition centre” for students. This is not a unique problem facing the Edmonton school system (link UK article). With a rise in the number of ESL students joining regular school systems throughout the English speaking world the need to adapt will be an ongoing concern.

By Sean McCall

Source: Edmonton Journal

US Supported English Teacher Training Program in Sri Lanka

2009-06-12T03:18:00Z

English continues to invade all corners of the globe. This spring the US Embassy trained 30 new teachers in a pilot program associated with Sri Lanka’s government initiative “Cities of Excellence Initiative”. With the recent defeat of the Tamil Tigers , Dr. Sunimal Fernando, Presidential Advisor and Coordinator, addressed the need to follow this project with teacher exchanges between the North and South. Stressing the importance of language as a bridge between the Sinhalese and Tamil communities and also its role in helping Sri Lanka as a whole relate to the outside world. The US Embassy will continue to fully support the growth of the burgeoning English program.

By Sean McCall

Source: Sri Lanka Guardian

Korea: Human Rights Lawyers Taking Teacher’s Visa to Court

2009-06-04T02:04:00Z

Earlier this year ATEK (Association for Teachers of English in Korea) filed a report to the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) that the new E2 visa policies were discriminatory. The now required visa checkup “violate my right to medical privacy, and are inconsistent with Korean law and international treaties to which Korea is a party.” - http://atek.or.kr.

With the ball now in motion the foreign teacher’s voice could be heard as early as the end of June.

The human right agency plans to hold a public hearing on the issue late this month in order to finalize an official position as early as July.

``A subcommittee consisting of three members will rule on the complaint. If there are conflicts among the panel members, the petition will be forwarded to a larger committee consisting of 11 members,'' said Lee Sung-taek, an official of the state agency...

The Association for Teachers of English in Korea have contended the government should apply the same regulations to foreign English teachers as it does to Korean English teachers.

In response, the ministry says that a visa policy is a country's own right and foreign nationals are not entitled to complain about it. ``We believe the human rights agency is well aware of this fact and will take sides with us,'' said Ahn Kyu-seok, a ministry official. Korea Times

In March of this year a foreign instructor was granted the E-2 teacher’s visa though she refused to submit the required medical health check. The teacher’s refusal has still gone without question from the Korean authorities. Since then other teachers have considered refusing the medical check or omitting the drug check and HIV/AIDS check from the required medical. Read ‘The Dancing Bear in Korea’ report: Dirty foreigner?

Related Stories:

Brian in Jeollanam-do: Taking E-2 visa regs to court

Korea Times: Teachers to Go to Court Over Visa Rule

The Dancing Bear in Korea: Dirty foreigner?

Korea: A Teacher’s Visa Granted With Out Health Check

Korea: Teachers are Talking; Discrimination Issues Hit the LA Times

Korea: Foreign Teachers Demand Equality

New and Upcoming on ESL Daily

2009-06-01T23:56:00Z

Though it might seem that ESL Daily has been just keeping up or even slipping behind in some matters, I am please to announce that we have had great leaps forward.

1. Korea movie times is up and running at 100%. Those that visited before and encountered some problems, you should see the changes now. The new URL is

http://koreamovietimes.com

2. Japan movie times is well on its way!!! By the end of summer teachers and other English speakers will be able to view movie times for the whole country.

3. ESL Daily photo contest is returning!!! For those that already submitted their photos, don't worry, I still have them no file. For those that wish to submit a photo please view here: http://esldaily.org/contest.htm
The contest is not yet set in stone, however, plans are to begin July 15th. Their will be some slight changes, stay tuned for further details.

The ESL Web

2009-06-01T23:15:00Z

As I continue to write about the ESL industry, I am amazed at how fast and how much the Internet has grown in the brief few years I have been a teacher. In particular, I am shocked, mostly in a good way, at how popular and successful blogs and websites dedicated to English as a Second Language have become. Gone are the days where prospective teachers were forced to rely on one or two websites or forums for “inside” information into the living and working conditions of foreign countries. Now there are literally hundreds of websites where new and experienced ESL teachers alike can voice their opinions, share experiences and learn vital knowledge that is at most times inaccessible elsewhere except on the Internet.

Although the following list is by no means comprehensive or in any particular order, it does include some of the websites and blogs that the team at ESL Daily enjoy reading on a regular basis. The only criterion that was used in the choosing of these sites was simply “quality over quantity.” If you don’t believe us, check them out for yourself. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. Also, please feel free to add any sites or blogs you feel passionate about make a difference to the greater ESL Web. If we get a long enough list we will amend the one following this article at a later date: Enjoy reading!

1)   Ajarn (Thailand) This is one of my favorite ESL sites. Although the ads on the front page are a little distracting, this really is your one-stop-shopping for your information needs on ESL in Thailand. The articles are well written and informative and it’s worth reading through their forums too.

2)   Middle Kingdom Life.com (China) If you want to get the inside scoop on teaching and living in China (a feat not easily accomplished) then definitely spend some time here. Again, the articles are well written and very informative – I would venture to say eye opening.

3)    Brian in Jeollanam-do(Korea) Websites don’t have the monopoly on good stories. There is a community of bloggers certainly worth checking out, and one of the best, in my opinion, is Brian in Jeollanam-do. Humorous, informative and news worthy articles about the goings-on in the ESL world in the Hermit Kingdom.

4)    ELT News (Japan) There do not seem to be as many blogs and websites for Japan as I have generally found for Korea, Thailand of even Taiwan, that don’t strictly advertise jobs (Please correct me by all means if you know of some). Regardless, I find this site a good ESL news source.

5)   Becoming a Better EFL Teacher Prof. Larry M. Lynch gives some great practical advice everyday to help you become the best EFL teacher.

6) ESL HQ a well organized website format with many teaching resources, jobs, articles, forums, teaching tips and more.

By Spencer McCall

Watch Out H.R. 1966 is Stalking You

2009-06-01T23:02:00Z

Do you know a United States House of Representatives bill H.R. 1966 would make your internet activities a felony if ‘the intent is to coerce, intimidate, harass or cause substantial emotional distress to a person’. The words of the act refer to ‘the use of popular electronic communications’. That covers everything from SMS text messages and instant messaging, to blogs and Web site comments.

Personally, you wouldn’t hurt a fly. But if the feds are after you, you could find yourself in a federal penitentiary for two years for that angry cross fire of emails or a blog that upset someone. Maybe you will be whisked away by the Feds as you pass through an American international airport.

Your alleged victim will not be required to produce a medical certificate demonstrating substantial emotional distress.

H.R. 1966 has a long way to go before it can be turned into Federal Law. However the present political mood in America whether supporters of President Barack Obama or torturer Dick Cheney does not favor the traditional unbridled freedom of the internet. The present nominee for the United States Supreme Court indicates internet freedom won’t be protected there either.

H.R. 1966 is a part of a raft of Federal laws that seem to be aimed at turning the land of the free into the thought crime environment of Canada and the E.U.

Also now wriggling its way through the U.S. Congress is the Hate Crimes Prevention Bill. That would drasticly increase sentences for aggravated crimes where the intention is to injure any favored minority group. You might ask what has that to do with me. Maybe a great deal if for example you are for religious reason not really in favor of single sex marriages and an ambitious D.A. convinces a jury your eloquent words incited a complete stranger to commit an aggravated assault.

Retired ESL teacher Doctor Fredrick Toben has already done prison time in two democratic countries, Germany and United Kingdom for thought crimes. He expects to be sentenced for three months imprisonment on June 2nd for thought crimes in a third, Australia. He is to be sentenced for gross contempt of court. Under the Australian Federal Racial Discrimination Act it is an offence ‘to communicate words, sounds, images or writing to the public if they are reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate another person or group and is done because of the race, color or national or ethnic origin of the other person or people’. Under the terms of that act he was ordered by a Federal Court in 2007 to remove material from his website. He promised to do so but failed to comply.

His gripe is he was ordered to remove material that challenges official history of World War Two. He argues he is now a martyr to freedom of speech in the western world. He says the international human rights organizations demand absolute compliance with freedom of speech issues for every people in the world except Europeans. He might argue that is racial discrimination. Europeans can’t get off the hook by claiming they are prohibiting hate speech.

Goethe

Swine Flu a Foreigner Disease in Korea?

2009-05-31T05:36:00Z

Last year many South Koreans believed it was the “evil American beef” that would kill their children and this year it’s the “evil foreign teacher.” Lets examine the scattered facts shall we: There are a reported 50 or more foreign teachers being held in quarantine at present and rising on a daily basis, depending on what news source you favor. The supposedly infected teachers, some of whom have been blogging about their experiences, have been given junk food to eat and placed as groups in remote locations. This is very interesting, considering the definition of a quarantine embraced by other countries contending with the same symptoms is as follows: a place of isolation. It seems the South Korean government has mistaken the herding aspect of ranchers with sound medical practices. The only measure the government has taken to alter these conditions is an attempt to stop the blogging. Another interesting fact; the Koreans who show symptoms of Swine Flu have been asked to remain at home and monitor themselves. They are not being taken into a “group” quarantine. For those not aware, a quick history lesson: Scientists and researchers now believe that the 1919 Spanish Flu pandemic was primarily caused by patients being in close proximity to one another.

More exciting news for the foreign teachers that have not yet been caught - all rights have been revoked! The good people that run some hogwans have issued threats of dismissal if teachers are found in certain “foreign” areas of cities, while one school actually issued guidelines for their staff that revoke all freedoms and end with, “FOREIGN TEACHERS AND STAFF MEMBERS MUST SUBMIT THEIR PASSPORT TO THEIR DIRECTOR UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE”. This was quickly followed by a disclaimer to not leak the said guidelines.

What can we garner from these scattered and dismal reports? Schools are obviously scared of going out of business, as parents phone daily to see if it’s okay to send their children to school with “disease-ridden native English teachers”. Where are they getting these xenophobic ideas? Well the Korean media did a swell job of getting the facts out about mad cow, maybe there’s a clue. And what will happen to these quarantined teachers, of whom many have not begun their contracts? Even after receiving a clean bill of health I’m sure their schools will be less than eager to honor their contracts. I’m afraid it’s yet another black mark against the ESL industry in South Korea. Of course, next year might be better...as long as those “evil foreign killer bees” don’t invade.

By Sean McCall

For more information check out the links below:

In the Blogs:

Avalon hagwon franchise to take away passports, have daily health exams, and other bullshit measures to fight swine flu.

Hagwon Owner Takes Special Action To Calm Hysterical Mothers' Swine Flu Fears

30+ EFL Teachers Quarantined

In the News:

4 more H1N1 infections confirmed

In the forums:

Hagwon swine flu freak-out and contract termination threat

Teachers in quarantine for swine flu?

A Blogger Reports from In the Quarantine:

http://underquarantine.tumblr.com/

Korea: Don’t Let your Right Hand know what Your Left Hand is Doing

2009-05-27T01:36:00Z

The problematic teaching visa for South Korea, known as the E2, may have some of its restrictions lifted due to a recent push by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission in South Korea. What does this mean? Teachers that were previously banned from teaching outside their primary place of employment would finally be allowed to work part-time at “non-educational public and private schools”. When will this happen? Korea Immigration Services has said the “complaint” (their choice of words) is now being reviewed, but there is no certain date for a decision. This is a rather interesting move for an industry that has only been creating more restrictions for teachers in the last two years.

In related news, it has been reported that the Korean government has designated 400 schools as special “anti-private” tuition institutions. It is said that the government is doing this to lower the high costs paid by students for private schooling. Korea’s estimated private education cost is 20.9 trillion won a year. The government is offering to lower the astronomical costs, but in so doing they are also cutting themselves into part of the profits. An interesting move by a government that has again faced allegations of corruption (resulting in the recent suicide of former South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun). One may legitimately question if the motives of the government in this situation are related to education or to obtaining the coveted hogwan profits.

by Sean McCall

Check out the articles below:

Commission Suggests Easing of E-2 Visa Rules

400 named 'anti-private' tuition schools

Korea: American Foreign English Teacher Quarantined with H1NI Flu - Updated - 8 more EFL Teachers Infected

2009-05-25T02:36:00Z

As it turns out, the young American teacher had not been detected in the Airport and had been living in the country prior to her flu confirmation. Further, 8 other English instructors as said to be confirmed infected with the H1N1 influenza.

The eight instructors had worked with an American English teacher who was confirmed to be infected with the virus Saturday morning, the fifth case in Korea. They are Americans and Canadians including one Korean-American and one Korean-Canadian.

Another teacher suspected of having type-A influenza has been quarantined. - Korea Times

Further updates: Kimchi Ice Cream (well known blogger in the EFL teacher community) contacted by letter one of the quarantined teachers and asked several questions. To see more visit:
Some info from one of the American English teachers qurantined for Swine Flu in South Korea
and
American English teachers blogging about the quarantine experience in South Korea--thanks Brian and Roboseyo!

And now a blogger reports while quarantined:
An English Teacher Under Quarantine in South Korea

Korea: American Foreign English Teacher Quarantined with H1NI Flu

2009-05-24T22:34:00Z

A 23-year-old (unnamed) English teacher, who arrived in Korea May 16th, was confirmed positive with the new flu virus Saturday. This will mark the fifth case in Korea since the original outbreak was reported in Mexico. It is unclear where the teacher was detected with the virus, at the actual airport or shortly after (generally confirmation of H1N1 takes between 1 to 5 days and an incubation of 1 to 5 days - CDC). Airports around the country are set up to detect body temperature for arriving persons in order to screen out those with potential infections. However, the virus can have an incubation period of up to five days, newly infected individuals will have no feverish symptoms.

The article is unclear where the newly arrived teacher is quarantined and for how long.

Source: Korea Herald

Authors Note: It will be interesting to find out if this teacher is permitted to remain in the country following the quarantine (and if she really wants to), and if her employer keeps her job open.

Korea: Busan to Offer Free Korean Classes to Foreign EFL Instructors

2009-05-22T01:42:00Z

Beginning this fall, the Northern Korea port city of Busan (Pusan) will be offering free Korean lessons to Foreign English teachers. The classes are expected to be held twice a week in elementary schools and education offices between the hours of 6:30 pm 8:00 pm. Though the source does not mention that the lessons are geared toward only those teaching in the public school system (EPIK - English Program In Korea) the evening hours suggest so. Most cram school teachers (Hakwan teachers) are required to teach during the evening hours.

Souse:
Busan to Provide Korean Classes for Foreign English Teachers

Korea: Just Who The Hell Is Jon Huer?

2009-05-16T05:18:00Z

Simply put, Jon Huer is a Korea Times writer you need not bother reading. That said, it is perhaps worthwhile being informed of what, for the lack of a better word, ‘trash’ he is writing about the Korean ESL industry, ESL teachers and foreigners in general from his haughty seat as a Korea Times columnist.

Normally when I read the newspaper, be it the Korea Times or the New York Times, I try to give a grain of salt to the opinions expressed by their reporters. I’m the discerning reader. I’ll make up my own mind. Every paper has its own political and social proclivity. And with the right set of eyes, meaning if you don’t take things at face value, papers are still thoroughly enjoyable to read. But Jon Huer’s slant on things needs to be addressed. Through his misguided and even downright ignorant opinions, not to mention his less than stellar grammar, which is rich considering his comments on an industry that teaches the subject, Huer is desperately trying to stir up a controversy. For what reason? It’s not exactly clear. And at whom it is directed? Again, his generalizations make answering this question just as difficult as the first.

More to the point. In an article on May 8th, 2009, Huer wrote a column entitled “Is English Teaching Here ‘Gold Rush’” [Korea Times]. It is an installment in an ongoing series called “Understanding Korea, Koreans,” a column clearly intended for foreigners in Korea, of which Huer is one, but more on his bio later. In this ‘Gold Rush’ piece, Huer begins in the first paragraph by setting up his generalization like a tennis player throwing up a ball before his serve: “Not having been an English teacher in Korea gives me the advantage of being an observer.” In this lofty perch, Huer admits “the perspective you gain . . . is quite rewarding.” So, what’s his big observation? Now here’s the serve. Huer claims the ESL industry in Korea is like “the wild frontier of a gold-rush shanty town where anything goes.” Ace. Wow, even Agassi in his prime would have trouble returning that serve. Although I’m not sure why he refers to Korea as a shantytown.

In his gold rush analogy, which he persists as a framework for his oversimplified birds eye view of the ESL industry, Huer goes on to state that despite teachers being required to hold a Bachelors degree to obtain employment, “this can be worked around because of Korea’s basic ignorance about the college system in America, Canada and other English-speaking countries.” Again, this is a brash, uniformed statement. Yes, Korea has had problems in the past, and to a small degree still has today, with a minority of teachers who obtain work and visas under the pretense of fake degrees. He does not mention a very publicized and discussed, both in Korea and internationally, change to the E2 visa in 2007 to address this issue. (See The New Korean E2 Visa: A Teacher's Story) And he does not mention that in 2007 there were several high-profile scandals involving fake degrees from Korean nationals, not English teachers alone that disgraced everyone from university professors to artistic and financial professionals in Seoul and around the country. Apparently Immigration and Language Academies aren’t the only ones that can be fooled by a piece of paper. It’s not even humorous how he ignored this very obvious fact.

If Huer were to comment on the global recession, perhaps a flippant statement like this would suffice: I know nothing about the American financial market, but as an outsider, which in some inexplicable way gives me more authority on the subject than those actually involved in financial practices in America, I can confidently say that it looks like they’re just goofing off and burning money lighting cigars in the White House.

Huer finds fault more with the English teacher than the business owner or their practices for the ‘gold rush’ state of the Korean ESL industry. I don’t think college graduates were phoning around the globe one day and asked Korea to create an industry for them.

Carts weren’t invented before the horse.

But his real rancor is saved until the end of what actually is a rather informative piece, not in gaining a better cultural understanding of Korea, as the column title purports, nor on the Korean ESL industry and its practices, as the article claims to discuss, but rather an insight into Huer’s own prejudices and opinions towards a class of people in Korea, foreigners, and an industry, English as a Second Language. After traipsing through his fictional ‘Klondike town’ like a customer of the local saloon who has imbibed too much of the local brew, he casts off his anger with a wipe of the hands with some parting words to the wise:

“You were in an untried adventure, with possibilities of great success and probabilities of great failure, and the odds were simply against you because it was a gamble. As in all gambling bets, odds naturally disfavor you. Because you got into the gamble with little of your own investment, the venture discarded you with little thought of sympathy.”

This last paragraph is in reference to earlier in the article where he criticized ESL teachers because of the inherent nature of their job, that, in his opinion, it’s transitory and does not take real teaching skills, as oppose to teaching English literature in a high school or elementary school in Western countries. In one paragraph he dismisses all the hard work that ESL teachers actually do in teaching children in a foreign country with little formal training to do so. Well, as an ESL teacher who has spent several years in Korea, I have nothing nice to say about Mr. Huer. And so, Mr. Huer, if you have nothing nice to say about foreigners in Korea or ESL teachers, stop hanging out in Itaewon on a Friday night.

You can read a witty and informed criticism of Jon Huer by his Korea Times colleague Hur Mi-young. It’s definitely worth a read. [Korea Times, 02/26/2009, “Misleading and Dismaying”]

Who is Jon Huer?

A Korea Times Columnist, Jon Huer is a professor with the University of Maryland. He lives and works in Yongsan Garrison in Seoul, which is the Headquarters of the United States Armed Forces in Korea.

Spencer McCall

Korea: ATEK’s Communications Director Steps Down

2009-05-15T21:45:00Z

Tony Hellmann resigned from his position as communications director for ATEK (Association for Teachers of English in Korea) in response to the abundance of ‘negativity’ towards his role in the association. Tony clarified “What we’re trying to accomplish shouldn’t be about me – it’s about English teachers and the community.”

Over the past year ATEK has accomplished much including voicing discrimination issues to the human rights commission, and publishing a free guide book for foreign teachers in the country. Tony has been one of the most active members in the organization during these projects. Unfortunately Mr. Hellmann believed he became the “focal point for negativity.” Attacks were made on popular forums such as ESL Café and plagiarism claims were made on the guide book for foreign teachers. It is unfortunate that Tony stepped down from the association, however we can only hope that ATEK will continue to grow and help teachers in Korea, despite the setbacks. Greg Dolezal, has been appointed to replace Mr Hellmann.

“Perhaps this change will reduce the conflict between ATEK and some of its more vocal critics, so we can share a common vision,” Hellmann said. “Expanding the leadership will serve to strengthen the core of the organization.” - The Hub of Sparkle!

Though Hellmann stepped down from his position, it is unclear whether he has resigned all together from the organization. For further information please visit:

ATEK's Official Homepage

Tony Hellmann and ATEK vs. The Trolls

Civil Thread Discussing ATEK(TOS Friendly)& moderated

ATEK Plagiarism.

ATEK Press Release: Tony Hellmann Resigns

Korea: Teachers are Talking; Discrimination Issues Hit the LA Times

ATEK Releases a Free Guidebook for Foreign EFL Teachers

An Invitation to Siberia

2009-05-15T19:56:00Z

In 2004 I took the trans-Siberian railway from Outer Mongolia into the Buryat Republic of the Russian Federation. Mongolian law required that I had to pick up a work visa from a foreign country to teach ESL at the National University of Mongolia .I could have gone to China. But with my usual light headedness I resolved to go north into the Russian badlands. I found out one could not drive into Kazakhstan because a Russian enclave blocked the road. That left me with the Buryat Republic.

I went to a Russian travel agency in Ulaanbaatar. There I first encountered that head ache for every visitor to Russia, the Russian official. The Russian official instinctively every time puts you into a maze of impossibilities. Nothing can be done. Then just when you are in a state of complete hopelessness, the official will suddenly pull out a piece of paper and hey presto everything can be arranged. I later wondered if the mystery was they were all trying to extract a bribe. However on matters of bribery I am a complete innocent.

The Russian bureaucracy officially calls the overthrow of Communism The Change. On official forms you are required to record your activities in Russia before the 1991 Change. I very quickly found out The Change had in no way changed the Russian mind set. To get a visitors permit into Russia I was required to receive an invitation from an organization in Russia. I got that by booking for one night in a hotel in Ulan Ude the capital of the Buryat Republic. The one concession to democracy was I could go into Russia on my own without an accompanying party. The bureaucracy everywhere asked me as their first question. “Why have you entered alone?” I always said, “That is the law.”

The trans-Siberian railway links Ulaanbaatur with Ulan Ude. The western image of Siberia is a vast, desolate and frozen land filled with slave labor camps. Siberia’s desolation is much exaggerated. Siberia is filled with thriving cities, villages and religious centers. Its dreariness just sometimes feels like death. After crossing the border, I had the magical feeling I always have when I enter a new country. My pen kept mysteriously going dry. The Russian guards were very patient with me. Russian officials are not bad fellows. They are just unbelievably obtuse.

When I stepped outside the train in Russia, I found the population transformed. The Buryats (Russian Mongolians) were the minority. The universal language was now Russian. Most of the people were blond Slavic Russians.

I found my way to my hotel in Ulan Ude. The Buryat receptionist was a lovely lady. But my shower shot water in all directions. Despite the Russians being the majority in Ulan Ude, I have hardly any memory of them except for their extortionist taxi drivers and surly shop keepers. I cannot recall a pleasantry or help from any Russian. All my encounters good and bad were with the Buryiats. Another odd phenomenon was there didn’t seem to be any old men. But the city was full of elderly hard bitten Russian women. Had vodka disposed off all the old Russian men? And where were the elderly Buryats?

I was only permitted a two day entry visa into Russia. But I was told I was allowed to extend it at the Ulan Ude Immigration Office. I went the next day to the Mongolian Consulate to collect my work visa. But the secretary at the Mongolian University had lazily delayed wiring the University work invitation. I had to hang around Ulan Ude for many days until she finally did it. So I went blithely to the Immigration Office to extend my entry visa. There I met the full blast of the Russian bureaucratic mind. Nothing could ever be done despite endless official papers and telephone calls. I sought refuge from my anguish in the time honored Russian way, alcohol. I was violently ill in a restaurant. I was very patiently taken away in a taxi as that night’s drunk to my great relief to my hostel. I had the second night in Russia moved to a local hostel. It was a dreadful place full of surly tramps and literally crawling with cockroaches. Finally the invitation from the University came through to the Consulate. I took the document from the Consulate official. He was oddly a Russian with a huge mural of Genghis Khan on the wall behind his chair. Genghis Khan is the second most hated man in Russia after A H. At the Consulate my inner turmoil was soothed by the sound of the Mongolian language! It sounded human.

The usual trick happened at the Immigration Office. At literally the last few minutes hey presto the visa extension appeared. I ironically thanked them.

The next day I crossed the border back into Mongolia. As exactly had been done in Soviet times by departing foreigners, I spontaneously applauded and vowed only a very high salary would ever tempt me back into Russia. I crossed the border on the strength of a tiny slip of paper that had been given me when I entered Russia. It ominously warned if you lose this document you will not be permitted to leave Russia.

Yet I continue to insist Russia is a well run country with a great deal of personal freedom.

I did some sight seeing in Russia. I visited the famous Ivolgav Tibetan Buddhist Monastery. Lonely Planet erroneously said I could spend the night there. I took shelter in a monk’s hut. He charged me I thought exorbitantly. But we became good friends. For a while I thought with alarm I would be sharing his bed. But he slept on the floor. My night at the monastery was the only night in Russia I did not have to fill in a huge document.

When I pointed to my intended purchase inside a kiosk, the female Russian shop keeper slapped my hand. I was banned from an internet café because I did not speak Russian. I don’t think the Russians will ever like the downside of capitalism, hard work.

I had some good conversations with Russian men in a hotel. They were celebrating a national day, Men’s Day. In practice on that day all Russian men only celebrate their enlisted time in the army.

I saw under the city bridge a Russian village. Except for TV aerials it looked exactly like a Russian village in Tolstoy’s time.

In the city center of Ulan Ude is the famous huge concrete head of Lenin. It is too big to remove. I pointedly asked officials for directions from Lenin’s head.

Goethe

The Xtranormal ESL Classroom

2009-05-15T02:34:00Z

I still remember the privilege of using a Commodore 64 when I was in elementary school. Well, it’s the 21st century and multimedia is almost an anachronistic phrase. With the plethora of hardware and software available for the classroom today it’s often a challenge for teachers to decide and coordinate just what to use. Although some schools still operate with flashcards and board games, it’s not presumptuous to say the majority of classrooms have, or at least have access to, computers. If your classroom is privileged enough to have several computers or your students have access to a computer room then there is a new program that teachers should be aware of that will offer a new, unique dimension to in-class activities and homework assignments.

It’s a program called Xtranormal, Text-to-Movie. It’s free to sign up at www.xtranormal.com. It’s a very intuitive and easy to use program that will be great to get shy students to practice their conversation homework and a useful activity to give noisy or disruptful students that have difficulty in constructively participating in class something to do. Simply by adding text in the appropriate boxes you create a dialogue with either one or two actors, just like in a movie, and the 3D set is fully customizable, allowing students the freedom for creativity. One movie takes as little as five minutes to put together, edit and play.

Here are 5 ways to use Xtranormal in the classroom:

Practice exercises (once the students orally practice the conversation from a textbook, get them to make a movie with the same dialogue. This will aid them in their memorization by giving them another opportunity to write and listen to the text, instead of just repeating it.)
Homework (Once each student has signed-up, you can give conversation homework through Xtranormal and check it daily while in the classroom.)
Sentence practice (Instead of just using the text from course books, get the students to create their own, unique conversations. This will help them with their grammar, comprehension and listening skills. You can assign each student, for example, a five line dialogue and increase or decrease it according to their skill level.)
Blog (Set up a blog on Gmail – Xtranormal can be embedded into Blogger. You can create a class-specific blog to track the students’ progress. This also gives them a sense of community in the class, which helps to positively reinforce their studies.
Weekly Competition (Once students become adept at Xtranormal, give them themed competitions on a weekly or monthly basis for special prizes. Examples of themes could movie genres, like comedy or tragedy, or simply a location, like city and country.)

Just to clear the air, ESL Daily has no vested interest in Xtranormal. We do not receive money from this company. So our excitement should not be construed otherwise. We’re just geeks. We can’t help it. We simply want to share with the ESL community at large a fun and easy to use program that we think will be great in the classroom. Teachers need all the help they can get staying exciting and relevant for their students and Xtranormal offers that. So sign up for yourself and see how fun it is.

Spencer McCall

Korea: Six Foreign English Teachers Arrested for Marijuana

2009-05-11T22:20:00Z

Seoul Korea, according to Korea Herald, six EFL teachers were detained under “suspicion of using marijuana.” According to the source, some of the instructors were conducting class at the time the police arrived (teachers assumed under the influence of the drug). Police claim that the three Canadian, two Americans and one New Zealander obtained the marijuana from a Nigerian dealer in Itaewon, who too was likewise detained by the police. It is unclear what will happen to the teachers, with possibilities of facing jail time and heavy fines. However, in most drug related incidences, most foreigners are deported back to their home country (after a short period of detention).

The Korea Herald continues to explain "The suspects are believed to have routinely used the drug from a young age," a police official said. "We have to tighten visa controls for foreign teachers with medical and criminal records." EFL teachers are expected to undergo an in depth medical exam (2008); however, the marijuana tests were removed from the test shortly after.

Source: Korea Herald

Related: Korean E2 Visa Drug Test Pot Free

Half a Million Primary School Pupils in Britain Don't Speak English

2009-05-10T15:36:00Z

The British Government’s census shows one in seven pupils speak English as a second language. This may be somewhat encouraging for teachers of ESL, but don’t get too excited because there aren’t any jobs being offered yet. In fact, the teacher’s union leaders are still desperately trying to get funds from the Government to equip schools that are having difficulty coping.

The number of different languages being spoken correlates to a rise in immigration, attributed to the outdated laws brought in by the Labour party in 1997. Conservatives are more concerned at present with curbing immigration with an annual limit.

Sean McCall

Korea: Shape Up or Ship Out

2009-05-10T15:25:00Z

The economic crunch has once again reared its ugly head in South Korea. Once the land of “you foreign, have degree, you teacher”, it has now joined the ranks of Japan as a country that is demanding more and offering less. The 17 native English speakers that, “made trouble as a teacher”, and were deemed unfit to be offered a contract renewal, in the Ulsan Public School system, where so judge because they “often yelled at students, argued with Korean teachers...wore indecent clothes...had weight problems...and refused to teach after school”. Anyone that has taught in Korea, and understands the dichotomy between the Korean teachers (who often beat children) and the demands or expectations placed on the foreign staff, can see where this is going. This rather disturbing trend was forecast last year when Hogwans began getting pushed out of the ESL market by the government run public school system. For anyone that doesn’t consider ESL teaching a career (read: puts 110% into their “work”) best start looking at flights to China - Korea don’t want you no more!

See the Korea times article:

12% of Native English Teachers Dismissed at Schools in Ulsan

Sean McCall