ESL Daily

Introducing ESL Play

ESL Daily — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:42:52 GMT

This groundbreaking adventure game will be the first of its kind. Students around the world are in love with computer games. However, they don’t share the same sentiments about learning English. This is why we have created and developed an addictive computer game that is geared toward students between the ages of 4-12. Nevertheless, it has been said that students above the ages of twelve have enjoyed playing the game as well. The initial version of the game will be for Korean students. Thereafter, it will be translated into other languages. At the end of this month, schools and parents everywhere in Korea will have access to this game via download or compact disc at http://www.eslplay.com. We have tested the game by allowing students between the ages of 4-16 have a whirl. This is what they had to say while playing the game.

"I like the going through the hoops and getting more petrol”

"can we play again, that is great fun" was another comment?”

"the plane starts going down when you don't have enough fuel, that is really exciting, then you need to go through the hoops to get more fuel, I liked that!"

"It is cool that you can land and then go off and fly about when you have still got petrol left and you have won"

"CAN I HAVE A TURN, CAN I HAVE A TURN"

Kids are really into the game - Learning has never been so much fun : ) The kids could not wait until the game was finished to play more! LEARNING IS FUN with ESL PLAY.

For further details about the game visit http://www.eslplay.com or contact Christoph Jenkins: eslplay@gmail.com

Best of the Blogs and Forums, August 12 to 19: The Beginner EFL Teacher

ESL Daily — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:56:05 GMT

The forums this week focused more around tips for the beginner EFL teacher. ESL Teachers board goes through an excellent thread on ‘Tips for Newbie Teachers’. Tips include not revealing too much personal information in your resume, having emergency backup funds, advice on saving money and general items to bring while teaching. Also this week many forums have been talking about warnings for teachers.

ESL Teachers board started a topic of ‘Avoiding Cultural Pitfalls when Teaching Abroad’. This thread gets into certain issues that are considered taboo in some cultures and goes through some basic etiquettes while teaching. ESL Jobs Forum posted the warning ‘Beware! UAE Ministry of labor scam.’ A Nigerian passport scam that targeting EFL teachers that are searching for overseas employment. A must read for those that are questioning the legitimacy of some jobs.

The Blogs too this week got into some helpful tips for the beginning EFL teacher. Ezine Articles got into 'How to Teach Overseas Without a Degree', a constant question that quietly spins around the teachers community. Dave’s English Teaching World wrote an article entitled: ‘Classic Articles: Secrets of those that do the TEFL Hiring’ a great read for those that are preparing for a job interview. Teach Abroad China gave a really good article: What To Do When Teaching English in China Stops Being Fun, a situation that most teachers encounter but may find it difficult to ask for help while overseas.

Korea Overseas Education Falls

ESL Daily — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:49:37 GMT

Blame it on the economy or blame it on the Korean increase in homeland English education, the facts are in, Korea is spending less on foreign education. The English Chosun newspaper reports:

In the first half of 2008, Korean expenditures on education and language training abroad fell by the biggest margin since the 1997 financial crisis. According to a Bank of Korea report on the balance of international payments released Sunday, Koreans spent US$2.256 billion on overseas training in the first half of 2008, down 5.8 percent, or $138 million year on year. This is the biggest drop since the first half of 1998, when comparable spending posted a 35 percent fall.

Spending on overseas training has risen by 30 to 40 percent on average, every year since 2002, when the Korean economy began recovering from the crisis. But the upward trend slowed for the first time, hovering at 16.3 percent during the first half of 2007. The rate then turned downward in the first half of this year. - Chosun

This year Korea has implemented many new educational features that may play in the decrease in the educational migration: more foreign teachers in the public schools through programs like TaLK, and promises of increased English education time. Other educational promises include foreign teachers in every public school, and the opening of an English education complex on Jeju Island.

However, if you examine the Korean Won with the Euro over the past year and a half, you can see that there is over a 20% drop in the Won’s value. This drop makes tuition and living expenses that much more difficult in foreign countries. Further, like most Asian countries the past year, has been hard hit by inflation. BBC News reports in May:

Consumer prices in May were up 4.9% from a year earlier - the strongest growth since June 2001.
Economists had expected the annual rate of inflation to hit 4.3% in May, up from April's level of 4.1%. - BBC News

The combination of inflation and the decrease in the Korean Won’s value has had serious impact on the Korean households. The Korean education reform may be the preferred alternative for most middle class homes.

Big Trouble in Little Bahrain: Foreign English Teacher Colors the Wrong Page

ESL Daily — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 09:32:52 GMT

Situation: You, the foreign teacher flip open a standard English text book an hour before class begins and notice that today’s English topic is ‘Where are you from?’ Being a well prepared and creative teacher, you zip over to your computer and do a Google Image search for “coloring flags” or “coloring book flags” and make a printout of 15 or 20 flags for students to color and practice “I’m from China,” with. You hand out the photo copies to students and practice the activity for five to ten minutes and have the young students complete the coloring activity for homework.

Perfect day of teaching you think, students are responsive and lean a bit about the world outside of the country… you go home and feel confident that nothing could have gone wrong.

Problem: The following day you return to school and see a parent is in office. Nothing but bad looks from your co-workers… Perhaps even an officer in the hallway staring you down. One of your close work mates walk by and whispers in your ear… “what did you do…”

August 16, 2008, one of your flags was from Israel, and your are in Bahrain (small island country just off the coast of Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf), a place that does not take lightly such an activity. Islamist deputy, Ebrahim Al Hadi, explains:

"The issue is not about colouring a flag, but rather about engaging in an activity that would make students respect a country that persistently refuses to respect our nation" – Gulf News

Little is known about the situation but the Bahrain embassy in Washington USA stated:

The ministry has declared addressing a written warning to the foreign teacher who is working at that private school mainly that investigation showed that her act was not intended and did not have any political goals according to the school. – Bahrain News Agency

If the situation is compared to the seemingly innocent action of last year’s Sudan Teddy Bear incident, who knows the possible outcome. (Gillian Gibbons was arrested in Sudan last November, given lashes and deported for her misconduct…for letting her students name her stuffed animal Muhammad. However, many Muslim extremists protested that she be put to death for her actions. <More>

A word of advice for readers in sensitive countries: You should always double check your homework prior to giving it to students, ask a co-worker if the material is suitable. Further, prior to teaching, do some research into the customs and morals of the people, if possible, take a culture course to prepare for possible tensions. What maybe encouraged in one country, may cause you a serious problem in another.

Cost of Living: Teachers in Seoul

ESL Daily — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 09:31:17 GMT

According to a 2008 cost of living survey - Seoul has been listed as the 5th most
expensive city. But it was only a year ago, when Seoul was ranked 3rd.

When a veteran instructor was asked about the differences of then and now - he simply shrugged,

"It's seems all the same, just as expensive...or just as cheap."

Although Seoul has been de-ranked - this still does not mean that Korea is immune from the current
economic and resource crisis.

Just this week, National Public Radio (NPR), has just reported the continuing increase of
cost of Beef in the U.S. Despite the massive protests against U.S Beef imports,
the Korean Government is still accepting cheap U.S Beef products - for the consumer market.

It's possible that the economic effects wont be on such a large scale.

Eating out in downtown Seoul, is still relatively cheap. But one has to remember, back in The U.S, many would never have foreseen these unsuspecting rise of costs, only a year ago.

Perhaps some teachers may start budgeting more carefully - going extra lengths to a cheaper markets
and buying in Costco-Bulk quantities to save.

But considering the effort and time required to save - one might also start to consider an alternative diet.
The most efficient solution to the problem. A diet without meat.

Jyu Young Lee

References:

Cost of Living Survey (2008)
http://www.mercer.com/costoflivingpr

Rise in cost of U.S Beef
htp://www.npr.org

Christopher Paul Neil, Finally Sentenced

ESL Daily — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:54:38 GMT

Last fall alleged pedophile (paedophile) Christopher Paul Neil was arrested in Bangkok Thailand after fleeing his job in Korea <Full Story>. Now after 10 months Neil has been sentenced for kidnapping and sexual abusing an underage 13 year old boy.

The now convicted Christopher will be imprisoned for 3 years and 3 months in Thai prison with a 60 000 Baht fine (almost $2000 US). His sentence was reduced from a previous 6 years and 6 months due to his cooperation and eventual confession.

For teachers who believe that Mr. Neil’s jail time does not match the crime, the pedophile still awaits a ruling for similar charges with the victims 9 year old brother! Further, there is good chance that Christopher will be extradited to face similar convictions in nearby Cambodia and Vietnam.

Get ESL and EFL related news twice a month right to your in-box!!

Source: Canadian paedophile jailed The Times

NEW!! Photo Contest – Something Fun and Free!

ESL Daily — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:16:37 GMT

Yes, that’s right ESL Daily is hosing a FREE photo contest. Beginning September 1st (August 25 Deadline for photo submissions), you the readers will be able to submit and rate photos. You the viewers will be able to rate the photos once a day, so tell your friends and family to come and rate your photo. It’s simple to operate, select the photo at the bottom of the viewer, and at the top select the number of stars you believe that the picture is worth. Winner will be selected on September 25th. Come and see for yourself!

Contest: http://esldaily.org/contest.htm
Contest details and Submission form: http://esldaily.org/contest_form.htm

This month’s prize is an ESL Daily Survival Pack! Going without deodorant? How about some ‘Tim Hortons’ coffee? We got a gift pack for our viewers that wish to have some Western supplies delivered right to you.

Full Survival Pack includes:

6 ‘Tim Hortons' 2oz Home Coffee Packs (for all you Canadians)
4 'Lipton' Chicken Noodle Soup packs
1 'Jello' Chocolate Instant Pudding Pack (170g)
1 'Jello' Chocolate Instant Pudding Pack (113g)
1 'Jello' Chocolate Fudge Instant Pudding Pack (113g)
5 'Kool-Aid' Cherry packs (makes 2 L each)
5 'Kool-Aid' Grape packs (makes 2 L each)
1 'Colgate Maxfresh Whitening Burst' Toothpaste - Spearment (125mL)
1 'Crest Expressions' Toothpaste - Citron (125mL)
6 'Kraft Dinner' with Cheese Original (just cheese mix - noodles are easy to find)
1 'Speed Stick' Deodorant Original (70g)
1 'Speed Stick' Deodorant Original Plus (70g)
1 'Speed Stick' Deodorant Unscented (70g)
Ladies - This can be changed to a more suitable brand

Delivery: ESL Daily Will pay up to $50 US for delivery costs. If delivery costs run over $50 US contestant may choose to have equivalent money value wired to a bank account.

Not only will the winner of the photo contest get an Daily Survival Pack, but also front page coverage (great idea for you bloggers that wish to get your name out)! Photos should include a teaching related theme or an experience that you had during your teaching experience.

To see the contest: http://esldaily.org/contest.htm
To find out more details or to submit: http://esldaily.org/contest_form.htm

Terms and conditions for submission:
I herby grant ESL Daily the right to use, reproduce, adopt, distribute, publish and publicly display the photograph that are the subject of this Agreement for any advertising, commercial or non-commercial purposes (Winner will be displayed on front page, contestants will be published on upcoming photo blog). ESL Daily reserves the right to remove or edit any inappropriate material that is entered into this contest (resizing of photo).

I warrant and represent that the Photograph which is the subject matter of this agreement is original with me in all respects. I am the sole and exclusive owner of the Photograph. No part of them is taken from or based on any other work; no part infringes the copyright or any other right of any person; and the reproduction, publication, exhibition, or any other use by the RELEASED PARTIES of the Photograph in any form whatever will not in any way, directly or indirectly, infringe on the rights of any person.

I am 18 years old or older.

The Best of ESL Blogs and Forums For August 4 to 14, 2008: The Summer Games

ESL Daily — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 05:57:44 GMT

Summer holidays are in full swing and most blogs and forums have turned to a crawling pace when it comes to lesson plans, teaching strategies, and tips. However, the Chinese forums are booming with entries related to the Chinese Olympics. Other than general chatting about where they are going to watch the summer games, teachers and websites alike are talking about the hysteria of English in China.

The ‘Foreign Language Blog’ posted a very interesting short ‘You Tube’ video about English in China. The film exhibits several Olympic tourists traveling and visiting some of Beijing’s sites and being greeted by over zealous Chinese. One thing for sure the video expresses is the Chinese eagerness and desire to express themselves in English. The video shows an energetic taxi driver, a restaurant greeter, and a police officer. - Foreign Language Blog

ABC News also put out an article entitled ‘Learning English for the Olympics,’ which also gets into the Olympic English spirit. The article gets into the huge increase in English language learning and the Chinese attitude with language learning while preparing for volunteer jobs for the Summer games.

In a country that has left nothing to chance during its two weeks in the international spotlight, the language instruction is part of a larger national campaign to spread English to the masses. That way, authorities say, Beijing's residents can properly welcome -- and impress -- the half a million tourists who have descended on the city for the Olympic Games… - ABC News

Taking the Language learning a step further, KSL News Radio put out an article entitled: ‘Olympic language learning a two-way street.’ The Broadcast gets into the future potential of Chinese language learning in Utah schools and universities. The article primarily talks about Utah, however with the Olympic influence and the ever growing economy of China, there may be more and more programs for Chinese language learning though out the world. - KSL News Radio

1980’s EFL Teacher in China Returns for Summer Games and Shares Experiences and Differences

ESL Daily — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 07:01:18 GMT

The 'MetroWest Daily News' reports a teacher’s life in China from 1980 to 1987. The teacher recalls his experiences and compares it to his current encounters while returning to China for the Summer Olympics.

"Returning now for the first time since I left in 1987 to watch the Olympic Games and see old friends, I realize the China I knew has transformed itself into an emerging superpower with a blast furnace economy that's revolutionized the way people live…" - MetroWest Daily News

Chris Bergeron, a pioneer ESL teacher in China, shares his stories of what it was like teaching prior to the current reforms and his reunion with old students.

"Instead of picturesque temples and distinctive art, I found rundown Soviet-era cement buildings, Buddhist shrines vandalized by Red Guards and an entire population clothed in identical drab blue cotton trousers and jackets that made me think of an army of maintenance workers.

When the college held its first-ever Christmas party for me, a crew cut People's Liberation Army soldier named Niu Xiao waltzed with me most of the night because the leaders feared a foreigner might ``corrupt'' Chinese girls." - MetroWest Daily News

Great story for those teachers who wonder what it was like in China years ago.

For full story: MetroWest Daily News

‘English as a Life Skill’ Sri Lanka Plan to Model India’s English Education System

ESL Daily — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 08:34:16 GMT

Sri Lanka currently holds more than 20000 ESL teachers and over 2100 private English education facilities though out the country. However, English is far from being a communication tool. The English instructors are simply not fluent enough and students are not properly immersed in English.

English was taught so extensively in all parts of the country, the sad experience of the private sector was that they could not find persons with adequate spoken English skills for employment. – The Island Business Online

In an effort to battle this non-productive cycle of education, the government is pushing businesses to adopt the ‘English as a Life Skill’ program. English will be taught as a tool that can be used in the business world rather than previous education methods. Private English schools will be granted government assistance while switching over to the new model of education:

Addressing the private sector at the Sri Lanka Economic Summit said that the government would grant tax concessions to private tutorials who set up English training centres using the Indian model and will raise Rs. 200 million to fund and support private tutorials in this venture. – The Island Business Online

Additionally, those who desire to instruct teachers on the English education system will be granted government scholarships to study in India and later sent to ‘SLICELT at Peradeniya for advanced training’. With English improvements in the country, the government believes employment opportunities will in turn grow, for example:

In North America or Western Europe, the entry salary for a software developer is around Rs. 300,000/- a month. In Sri Lanka it is around Rs. 50,000/-. Therefore, Sri Lanka is a good location for outsourcing software development. The software we develop are merely what the clients of wealthy nations want. Therefore software firms in Sri Lanka seek people proficient in English because it is usually the language of the finished product. - Lanka Web News

The end result of this new system of English education is employability of Sri Lanka’s people; teachers who can teach, and students who can work in an English environment.
Further Reading:
Language, Education, and Software
Success in English skills will depend on private sector support

Google's new contribution to the EFL & ESL Classrooms (help or hinder)

ESL Daily — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 07:42:48 GMT

Google recently added ‘Google Translation Center’ to its growing list of online tools. The Translation center allows users to “upload your document and request translations into over 40 languages.” - Translation Center The new service, unlike its predecessor ‘Google Translate,’ is a human translation:

"we can see this is meant to be a translation service which offers both volunteers and professional translators... and I suppose at least the professionals will want to get paid. In that regards, the service is in the field of sites like Click2Translate.com (a service by the company which Tony works for, incidentally, and which I’m often using for some of my sites)." - Blogoscoped

Though the website is still experimental and not open to the public, one can see the future implications that it may have in the classroom. Advantages for a foreign teacher include having documents translated for administration, writing notes to parents, translating homework instructions or simple communicating while living abroad.

Teachers with English as a second language will be able to use the system while double checking their work or checking students work. However, teachers may see serious negative impact in the classroom if students begin using the system to write English projects or papers and not developing English skills themselves.

More screen shots of the new service is available at BLOGOSCOPED

UK: To Accredit or to be non-Accredited, is that a Question?

ESL Daily — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 09:55:10 GMT

In an attempt to crack down on university and college fraud and scams, the United Kingdom is instituting stricter visas for international students. In spring 2009, students will be granted student visas only while attending accredited language institutions.

The UK Border Agency States:

All colleges and universities that want to recruit foreign students will now need a licence to do so and will have to take greater responsibility for their international students, helping Government crack down on bogus colleges who abuse the system. For the first time education providers face a ban on bringing over international students if they fail to follow strict new rules - including alerting the UK Border Agency (UKBA) if students fail to enrol. - UK Border Agency

According to the Border Agency students must:

Be sponsored by a UKBA-licensed education institution;
Prove that they have the means to support themselves and their families while studying here;
Supply their fingerprints.

The implications of this new visa policy may push many private ‘English as a Second Language’ institutions into difficulties. The EL Digital Gazette reports:

The costs are now clear – to be on the Register of Sponsors will cost £400 for four years, and £10 each time you issue a ‘confirmation of acceptance for studies’, the unique identification number prospective students will need to apply for visas. Accreditation costs vary widely, but the British Council website gives examples…
The signs are that the new system will provoke a mighty shake-out in the UK ELT sector. On the current Register of Education and Training Providers there are about 560 non-accredited language centres. By the end of May this year, only about 60 of those had approached Accreditation UK… - EL Gazette

The demand for foreign ESL (English as a Second Language) education in the UK will not decline. However, with the changes months away from implementation, international students may find it difficult to enroll. Many students maybe forced to search for new educational facilities or even countries for adequate education.

Book Review: Teaching modern languages to young children

ESL Daily — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:25:54 GMT

The book was published in 2007 by the Council of Europe and was edited by Marianne Nikolov, Jelena Mihaljevic Djigulovic, Marina Mattheoudakis, Gun Lundberg, and Tanya Flanagan.

It consists of ten chapters, each chapter is about 12-18 pages long and the papers are written by 13 authors.
Although the publisher is the Council of Europe, the cover page reveals the idea of broader internationality: there is a Chinese boy, reading a (probably English) book with another pupil (probably from Europe).

The papers were presented at theTeMoLaYole conference research into teaching modern languages to young learners”, held in Pécs in February 2007, organized by the European Centre for Modern Languages of the Council of Europe and the University of Pécs.

Book Review By:
Dr. Magocsa László
József Eötvös College, Baja, Hungary

Chapter 1 was written by Mateja Dagarin (Croatia) and Marija Andraka (Slovenija). The title is: Evaluation of teacher training programs for primary teachers of English – A comparative study.

The authors work at the faculty of Education in Zagreb and Ljubljana Universities.
They present a questionnaire which was given top re-and in service students to be filled in. The results show that all of them need: more classroom practice, more interactive work, more practical work in general. The cross curricular activities also are of high importance according to those questioned.

It is interesting to mention that the Bologna Process has been implemented in both countries and there will be made changes in the curricula and teaching programs according to the answers given by the participants, And of course, the Bologna directives. All we know that according to the Bologna Process, training and learning languages from an early age are two central issues in language education in Europe. There rises the question: what is the explanation to the very bad state of this very young EFL acquisition in Hungary? Dow e consider the Bologna process seriously? Or maybe there are some misconceptions about the whole Process in this respect? The answer can be the following: as there are no significant developments in this area of language acquisition, it is probable, that a more centralized approach should be needed.

In 2002 it was stated, that it is important to teach at least two foreign languages, beginning from a very early age. /Euridice (2005)/ The same goal were expressed in the Action Plan, emphasizing the need for training teachers who will work on early acquisition (Commission of the European Communities, 2003).

In Slovenia a need for educating teachers for teaching foreign languages to children appeared in late 1990s. At first, as writes the author, the situation was the following: teachers had good English knowledge but the methodological skills were not appropriate.

In 1998 there was launched a new program for training pre-and in-service classroom teachers to teach English. It was carried out in two models: 1. as an additional elective, intended for full time students at the four-year university classroom educational program; 2. as a two-year in-service teacher training program for classroom teachers (primary school teachers) who had already finished the classroom education program. This program was finished in 2002 and it is open only to participating teachers.

It is facilitating to see what kind of knowledge are the teachers required. They are the following: psychology, pedagogy, didactics, etc., and of course, the focus is on developing their language competence.
Now follows some details about their program:
total – 750 hours.

525 hours are spent on developing teachers’ linguistic skill;
135 hours are spent on developing methodological knowledge;
90 hours deal with literature.

The language module consists of:

285 hours of practical English classes;
180 hours of grammar for teachers,
60 hours of phonetics and phonology (during the activities they record their own speech in various situations).

The methodological module consists of:

90 hours of methodology,
45 hours of non-verbal means of communication (art. Music, movements, puppetry.

The principles are important in this training: interdisciplinary, variety of content, reliance on results of research, coordination among the courses (to avoid overlaps and enable continuity), extra-curricular activities and projects, co-operation, tolerance and the right to a different opinion, a personal touch in teaching. Of course, creating a positive learning climate is a need. The students at the same time learned: developmental psychology, school psychology, pedagogy, didactics, the philosophy of education, special needs pedagogy, etc. Classroom practice was a part of the courses.

For us, EFL kindergarten teacher trainers all these data are to be considered profoundly, and to be integrated into the curriculum development and syllabus design as basic elements of them.

Chapter 2 was written by Gun Lunberg, and the title is: Developing teachers of young learners: in-service for educational change and improvement of all kinds.

According to the author, the action research acknowledges the importance of teachers’ experiences as a starting point for development.

The question is: have we got this starting point? If we have, at what level it is? Do our teachers of EFL for very young learners have at all the necessary for this very important job the necessary experiences? Where could they get it from? There are many more questions arise concerning this phenomenon. To answer them, we have to look into the matter more seriously, do researches and deal with our experiences at conferences and other forums.
Many teachers are insecure,-as the author goes on,- and lack the confidence to teach English effectively. One of the teachers describes this as „The English lessons are like black holes which you have to fill with something (p.25.)

All we know, that if you put something into the black hole, or if something falls into it, nobody can say for sure, what will happen to it.

According to the author, there seems to be lack of conscious log-term planning, which causes a weakness in continuity and progression sometimes resulting in parts of the same course being taught twice, when there is a change of teacher, usually between years 3 and 4.

How many time can we face such kind of repetition of the material covered by different teachers (e.g. in the case of students coming to the higher educational institutions and learning English for being able to pass an intermediate language examination.) In this situation the ’repetition’ is quite understandable and even desirable, because of the huge difference between the level of teaching the language at the secondary institutions and the colleges, universities.

Gun states, that the number of teachers with adequate education for teaching English is low and can be said to coincide with poor realization of the communicative language classroom.(p.25.)

Of course, there is needed a kind of improvement in classroom practice where the children can quickly pick up English and hear songs, rhymes, words and phrases with excellent pronunciation, says the author. We can only add: but how, and using what methods can all these be achieved?

The answer seems to be obvious: Sweden is one of the few countries where subtitles are used instead of dubbing (TV films) and this has long been seen as a reason for the good pronunciation skill among Swedish people.(26) Is dubbling not more expensive than subtitling? If we find a good answer to this question, probably we can find the answer to the problem we face: the people do not speak English (and any other languages) here in our country.

Chapter 3 was written by Malgorzata Szulc-Kurpaska, and the title is: Teaching and researching very young learners: „They are inpredictable”

The chapter gives an account of a project, which is special because it is dealing with pre-service trainees at a college in Poland. The teachers were placed in kindergartens to teach English as practice.

It is really a challenging situation, to teach English at a kindergarten, not receiving special training for the job. Of course, the action research, done in these circumstances can reveal much more than a simple teaching practice can give. Perhaps it can give an idea for specially creating such kind of unpredictable circumstances for the trainees, to see how they can deal with unpredictable cases, and how they attract and maintain very young learners’ attention, etc. Of course, without being physically involved in the activities, there is no language development, and no success in EFL acquisition. Such kind of playful activities, as writes the author, as e.g., „Doggy, boggy, who’s got the bone?” (p.40) can really facilitate the acquisition. Of course, in the case, that the teacher knows such kind of games, and is able to implement them in a playful way.

Chapter 4 was written by Mariola Bogucka, and its title is: The self-perception of early education teachers of English.

The author writes about, how early education teachers of English in Poland make sense of their profession. There were observed both young and old teachers of English, and in this way the results can be considered as valid data concerning the whole teaching profession.

As we can read in the paper, recently, choosing teaching career has gained new dimensions (47). The so called „liquid modernity” is the cause of the changes (Bauman, Z. (2000). The question is: What can we do with this liquid modernity? Can we really understand its impacts? What is the phenomenon called liquid? And where is the role of modernity in this situation? Probably a profound research could reveal a lot in this case.

As the author goes on, we can see, that good teaching does not involve just teaching a new language, but even more importantly giving children joy, happiness and satisfaction while learning. (51)

How many times should all these be repeated by those teachers who want to be successful in EFL acquisition by very young learners!

The teachers observed by the author feared of falling into a rout of routine behavior and monotonous. (52) What was very important is: mutual success which cannot be achieved without using emotionally loaded words and phrases, like fascinating, passionate, spiritual inspiring … and a lot more which are required right at the spot, when the activities are going on.

Chapter 5 was written by Marina Mattheoudakis, Katerina Dvorakova and Katalin Láng. The title is: Story base module in 3 European countries. Greece, the Czech Republic, Hungary.

As the authors say, the educational value of stories and their impact on children’s affective, cognitive and linguistic development is very important. (Brewster, J., Ellis, G and Girard, D.(2002).

Of course, all the impact depends on the storytelling ability of the teachers. There rises the question: should drama be involved into the curriculum of EFL teacher training? The answer is, that it should, but a t what extent? Yes, it is really a question to be answered.

Chapter 6 was written by Réka Lugossy. Its title is: Authentic picture books in the live of young EFL learners and their teachers.
The paper looks at how children between ages 7 and 10 and their teachers benefited from a reading project in 4 Hungarian primary schools where children have no access to the target language outside the classroom. The author emphasizes the role of narratives in cognitive, affective and social development of the children. These factors also influence the development of language skills and literacy.
As Elley, W. (1989) states narrative patterns facilitate understanding and remembering.
All these mean that the good EFL teacher should be a good narrator as well; narrator, who speaks excellent English!

Chapter 7 was written by Charis-Olga Papadopoulou, and the title is: German as a second foreign language in Greek compulsory education: curriculum and continuity.

The author says that there is concern in relation to continuity in language learning from primary to secondary education.(91) In Greece, there are two curricula exist for German language.

Reading the paper we get to know the importance of the influence of the specific educational context on second language learning. It also offers a basis for comparisons with other European projects.

Such kind of phrases that: bridging the gap, crossing the bridge or übergangsproblemtik (92) express the whole idea of language acquisition.

Chapter 8 was written by Gloria Vickov. The title is: Learners’ own cultural identity in early language learning.
The author writes about learner’s awareness of their cultural identity while learning any foreign language.
We say, that it perhaps should not be overemphasized, because it can cause sometimes negative effects on the L2 acquisition. Instead, there should be created such kind of atmosphere in the activities, which makes the learners forget about their own cultural awareness, for the time being, and they can instinctively be a part of another culture in this way.

Gloria goes on and says, that primary English teachers in Croatia mention learners’ difficulty in presenting their own culture and tradition in English, as learners are overwhelmed with information related to Anglo-Saxon culture.(105)

But there is a need of course in any curriculum for the cultural elements which are related to the target language and the people speaking it. Perhaps it would be a big mistake to neglect the emphasis put on the target culture.

Chapter 9 was written by Zeljka Zanchi. Its title is: English phonetics and phonology in the curriculum.
The author says that it is important to investigate the current situation in Croatia concerning primary schools and to see to what extent English phonology and phonetic transcription exist in the curriculum. Further, the age group is to be considered.

According to the author, the curriculum in Croatia should be redefined.
It can be justified by the number of students, whose opinion is that English spelling and pronunciation are problematic areas and they cannot be neglected.(129) They also say, that grammar is the most difficult part of English to master.

We can only add, that, yes, grammar can be very difficult if it is taught according to some traditional, grammar centered way. Perhaps there are methods, using which grammar can be acquired much-much more easily.

Chapter 10 was written byLuisa Pellicer. Its title is: Motivation pour l’apprentissage d’une langue étrangere dans deux régions frotalieres (Espagne-France) pour des éleves de 8-12 ans.

From the abstract we know that the aim was to find schools in the neighbouring French region and establish correspondence between French and Spanish pupils. There is described in the paper the correspondence project between the Spanish and French pupils.

It gives the idea of creating similar correspondence projects between English and Hungarian pupils in the hope that the result of the project will be beneficial concerning our children’s English language acquisition.

References

(Bauman, Z. (2000). Liquid modernity. Cambridge University Press).
(Brewster, J., Ellis, G and Girard, D.(2002) The primary English teacher’s guide, England, Penguin) have suggested that children tend to identify with story characters and thus become personally involved in the plot. 186-7)
(Commission of the European Communities, 2003), „Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Promoting language learning and linguistic diversity: An action plan 2004-2006”. Brussels, European Commission.
Elley, W. (1989) „Vocabulary acquisition from listening to stories”, Reading Research
Quarterly, 24(2) 174189)
/Euridice (2005) Key data on teaching languages at school in Europe, Brussels, European Commission).

Dr. Magocsa László
József Eötvös College, Baja, Hungary

The Best of ESL Blogs and Forums For the Week of August 4, 2008

ESL Daily — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 18:42:42 GMT

Teacher-Centered Versus Child-Centered Classrooms in Foreign Language Countries

A child-centered approach within TEFL classrooms may not be the norm for many eastern countries. A clear distinction is sometimes made between eastern and western approaches to education. According to one anonymous contributor from www.englishforums.com

(May 28, 2008, Looking for problems you come across while teaching in a foreign country), an eastern approach to TEFL education emphasizes teacher-directed, structured, and knowledge-based classrooms. ‘Correct’ instruction involves adherence to Chinese pedagogy which centers on content mastery and mechanical recall of information as opposed to a more child-centered, western model of education.

As a teacher and a parent of grade school children, I find that many western educational institutions are emphasizing more inquiry-based classrooms where children are given more choice and responsibility over their learning. Child-centered classrooms focus on the needs and concerns of the child and less on structured, rote learning. Teachers guide the students through the curriculum, giving students a variety of options regarding content, presentation, performance, and assessment. However, does this model of education fit an eastern approach to language learning? Is it true that English language learning in eastern countries should follow a structured, mechanized, teacher-directed approach?

Conversely, several forum and blog participants remain faithful to a more child-centered approach within TEFL classrooms. www.esl-lesson-plan.com/ (Teaching Tips - How to involve students in correcting mistakes, August 3, 2008) outlines how teachers can incorporate a more learner-centered approach into correcting mistakes while teaching English grammar. This lesson plan focuses on small, group-focused learning and open discussion. www.eslhq.com (New conversation class. Ideas pleeeeze, June 17, 2008) forum contributors give creative feedback regarding incorporating games, current event dialogues, debates, etc. during ESL conversation classes.

Is there an eastern versus western approach to foreign language learning? Do the majority of TEFL teachers use a structured, work-sheet based, rote-learning approach to teaching?

C. Brojon

ESL Daily neither agrees nor disagrees with the views in the Forums or Blogs represented in the above article.

Review: TalkTrain Uses Cutting Edge Learning Methodology

ESL Daily — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:10:03 GMT

TalkTrain is a web based language course which helps learners further their language proficiency of American English. Program developers have focused on finding the missing link between effective grammar usage and fluency.

Employmentgreat free widgetsWidgetbox

Every language learner faces the problem of mastering grammar and vocabulary of the target language, putting incredible effort into the process of learning these domains. However, when students are put to the test during an actual conversation, language interaction is often unsuccessful due to a lack of understanding of the colloquial way in which the language is actually spoken. After ineffective conversations (i.e. job interviews), there usually follows unpleasant feedback: sorry we are looking for another person. The standard reason for this refusal: lack of necessary conversational skills.

Here comes TalkTrain which provides learners with various listening, speaking, reading and repeating exercises. The program consists of 90 hours of courseware, 3500 documented vocabulary words above and beyond the basic vocabulary a ESL learner already possesses, 2750 exercises and 125 authentic conversations. Students can expect an enhanced and well-ordered approach to the language while they acquire common expressions and idioms that constitute everyday American English. Students choose their pace and level, following step-by-step instructions while ‘Traveling’ on the ‘train of talks’.

The user friendly navigation tools are easy to handle. Only one click and the student can view different idioms with definitions and examples as they are used in everyday conversation. Learners can choose from answers provided and will get immediate feedback. The scores can be stored in their computers for comparing results at a later stage and checking rate of development.

If you want to sound more natural and confident in American English, try the TalkTrain program (www.talktrain.com).

- Review by Laszlo

Internet Problems: Solved

ESL Daily — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 06:34:32 GMT

ESL Daily experienced some website problems the past few days. Those who opened our website in Internet Explorer experienced an error. This problem has been resolved. However, we at ESL Daily highly recommend that users use 'Fire Fox,' it is faster, safer, and generally more successful while viewing websites.

Thank you for your support and patience.
Thank you readers who mailed in and made us aware of the problem.

ESL Daily Team

Important Notice: READ THIS IF YOU DESIRE FUTURE NEWSLETTERS

ESL Daily — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 05:00:36 GMT

ESL Daily will be discontinuing our current method of email newsletters in order to begin our new service.

The new and improved newsletter service uses opt-in permission based sign up. This insures our reader’s security and confidentiality.

You can find the registration form here: Newsletter Sign Up
https://app.expressemailmarketing.com/Survey.aspx?SFID=50829

Those wishing to discontinue with our service, simply delete this email.
ESL Daily Team

July: New to ESL Daily

ESL Daily — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:41:08 GMT

This month ESL Daily has introduced three new features.

1. High quality employment opportunities (Just look right). We at ESL Daily feel that it is important for job seekers to get to know and see their future place of work. Schools must submit detailed information with photos prior to posting.

Employment opportunities can be viewed on our main page at http://esldaily.org and on the side of our articles. If you wish to submit a job please send information using the following form:
http://esldaily.org/employment_form.htm

2. ESL Daily has begun ‘The Best of Forums and Blogs.’ Every week ESL Daily chooses the best Blog and Forum from our main page and composes a summary. If you feel that your Blog or Forum should be on our list, please submit your website to jim@esldaily.org and I will be happy to add your work.
The Best of ESL Blogs and Forums For the Week of July 22-28 (Part One)
The Best of ESL Blogs and Forums For the Week of July 22-28 (Part Two)
The Best of ESL Blogs and Forums For The Week Of July 14-21

3. ESL Daily Newsletter upgrade. We now require our readers to use our opt in the permission based sign up Newsletter. You can sign up here, you can also find the link on our front page. Those who do not sign up will no longer receive this newsletter.

If you have any comments or suggestions to our new features or to ESL Daily, feel free to write a comment after this message.

Employment Summary for July 22 to 31

ESL Daily — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:56:37 GMT

This is our second week of ESL Daily's employment section. We look forward to having your comments on how we can improve this service. If you or your school wishes to post an ad (don't worry, it's free), please visit: http://esldaily.org/advertise.htm

As you can see, on the right hand side of each article, we now have employment opportunities. Try them out, see what you think. We have even attempted to include maps for each school.

Here are the first five schools that have joined the program:

Korea: Don’t Miss this! Only 2 Minutes Walking to the Beach
Thursday, July 31, 2008 5:07 AM

Berlitz school, Mexico, San Luis Potosi
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 6:16 AM

EF Jakarta Invites you to Work in Indonesia
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 6:21 AM

Teach in Yanji City, China: as close to North Korea as you can get
Thursday, July 24, 2008 3:33 AM

ABC school Gdansk, Poland, needs you
Wednesday, July 23, 2008 1:00 PM

Seoul: Newly Elected superintendent of public schools vows: “I will make sure that all schools will have native English teachers”

ESL Daily — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:50:04 GMT

Over the past eight months Korea has undergone some serious changes in English education. Heightened visa regulations on foreign language teachers, the introduction of the TaLK Program,

Jeju Island to launch an English education complex, and now an official pledge to “make sure that all <Seoul> schools will have native English teachers.” Kong Jeong-taek, Seoul’s first citizen elected superintendent for the Office of Education, has been busy making plans for education reform. The Korea Times reports:

In line with the market-oriented education policy of the Lee Myung-bak administration, Kong has vowed to increase English-only classes and bring in more native English-speaking teachers during his presidency. Some schools have already started to use English in subjects such as math and science in what are called ``English immersion classes.'' - Korea Times

Thailand: Teacher Visa soon to be Teacher Nightmare

ESL Daily — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:50:41 GMT

Perhaps it is an effort to clean up the foreign teachers in Thailand or perhaps it is to generate money making machine, but one thing that all teachers agree upon: the new teacher visa process is going to be a mess. With already heightened visa regulations from earlier this year, immigration will (most likely) require teachers to:

A: Teachers with Bachelor of Education or higher to attend a ‘Foreign Teacher Thai Culture Training Program,’ on top of a Non-immigrant and work visa.

B: Teachers with Bachelors (not in Education)

are to complete a 30 credit, one year, ’Teachers Licensing Course’ with the 'Foreign Teacher Thai Culture Training Program.’ The 30 credit course is to cost 60000 Baht (about $1800 US) which for many is well over a month’s salary. Teachers do have the option to challenge the course by taking a four-part exam to receive.

C: Teachers without Bachelor degrees may receive permission if the principal at your school can vouch that your teaching abilities are ‘fantastic’ and your services are much needed.
<This summary is provided by www.ajarn.com, further details and how to obtain the visa may be found here: http://ajarn.com/Banter/rulesandregulations.htm>

Teachers in the Kingdom are frustrated and upset over the changes. Isaan Style, a well known Blogger in Thailand states:

There are teachers who have been in Thailand for many years and can speak Thai and probably know Thai culture better than most Thais who have lashed out at this course, some have said it is the most ridiculous and idiotic thing they have ever attended in Thailand. - Isaan Style

The Ajarn Forums (Thailand's biggest online forum for foreign English teachers) are littered with teachers concerns with the new visas http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/paperwork/. The fact of the matter, the instructors who wish to teach in Thailand must be dedicated and committed to teach. The effort that it will take to obtain the visa will not be a walk in the park, the visa will be reaching into the pockets for more money and consuming the teacher's valuable time. The new regulations are said to take place in the beginning of 2009.

Nova's Charges Dropped for Foreign Teachers loss of Pay

ESL Daily — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:51:11 GMT

Over 400 foreign EFL teachers were left jobless last year, and for some even homeless, following the fall of Nova, (at that time) Japan’s largest English education chain. Sahashi, the 54 year old former President of Nova, still remains indicted for embezzlement, but all charges has been dropped regarding teachers loss of pay. The Mainichi reports:

The Osaka District Public Prosecutors Office has decided not to indict Sahashi, 56, who had been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of violating the Labor Standards Law.

Prosecutors judged that Nova's business situation was deteriorating at the time and it cannot be held responsible for failing to pay wages to its employees. - Mainishi Daily News

It was the talk of the time, hundreds of EFL teachers were searching for new work or booking flights home. With Japan’s high cost of living, it was difficult to remain in the country without work. Many English instructors migrated to neighboring South Korea or Taiwan to find work in a more inexpensive environment while new teachers were deterred from working in Japan for fear of loss of wages.

Related article:

Foreign instructors have not received their wages since autumn. Nova Corp has delayed paying wages to their 4,000 foreign employees since September, “and the company has notified the instructors that payments for October will also be delayed until Friday [Oct. 19th].” Japan Today, October 16th, 2007. Decreased student enrollment and canceled contracts have... ESL Daily

Seoul to England – By Car!

ESL Daily — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:51:53 GMT

This September, two young and energetic foreign English teachers will embark on a journey through 18 different countries and three continents to get home. Mission Name: Seoul 2 B.

Their mode of transportation: A Hyundai Galloper nicknamed ‘Park Min-G.’ There mission will begin by departing the country by ferry to Russia to avoid South Korea’s Northern neighbor. From there they will travel through Asia, Africa and Europe to reach Britain. The two young adventurers, Chris Barrett, 24, and Rob Sutcliffe, 27, are embarking on the journey to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support, UNICEF, and Dyslexia Action. Currently the two have successfully raised just under 2000 British Pounds and with a four month road trip ahead of them, who knows what funds they can raise.

Further information can be found on their website: http://www.seoul2b.com

The Best of ESL Blogs and Forums For the Week of July 22-28 (Part Two)

ESL Daily — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:01:58 GMT

Blog & Forum Review July 28, 2008: Debating the Merits of the Callan Method

I’m captivated by the lively, though frequently unfavorable discussion of the Callan Method as debated on http://englishforums.com (July 26-28, 2008). Opinions range from vigorous disapproval: “I found it incredibly rigid, artificial and often illogical” to sparse acceptance: “The Callan Method is a fantastic start for [the beginning teacher] who wants to get some classroom experience” (both cited in http://englishforums.com, July 26-28, 2008).

“What is the Callan Method?” I ask. According to commenters on englishforum.com (July 26-28, 2008), this English language tutorial focuses on repetitive conversational skills. Basically, teachers follow highly structured lessons aimed at asking prearranged and reoccurring questions. Students learn the language as they continuously repeat the same phrases over and over.

Sound interesting? Not according to many in the above mentioned forum discussion. For one, the method is obviously uncreative and unresponsive to the needs of students. Teachers are encouraged to follow a rigid and blindly prearranged question-answer format where students are constantly and tediously drilled. Others assert that the program is outdated and non-contextual as the question-answer format is not based on how the language is spoken in everyday usage.

A few writers bravely maintain that the Callan Method does have a few redeeming features. First, students acquire language skills through conversational dialogue in an intimate, small group setting (if the program is taught accurately). Learners do not have to spend a large amount of time studying outside of class. This may be ideal for the adult student. Second, teachers do not require specific qualifications to teach this method. The drill and practice format may be just the thing for the beginning ESL teacher who does not have loads of lesson plans.

Check out the discussion. It’s interesting.

The Callan Method
Teaching using Callan Method- what do you think?

This entry of the Best of Blogs and Forums is Based from:
http://www.englishforums.com (July 26-28, 2008). Retrieved July 29, 2008.

C Brojon

ESL Daily neither agrees nor disagrees with the views in the Forums or Blogs represented in the above article.

The Best of ESL Blogs and Forums For the Week of July 22-28 (Part One)

ESL Daily — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:59:02 GMT

July 28, 2008: New Teacher, New Conversation Class, New Ideas

What do you do if you are a new ESL teacher about to embark on an adult conversation class? Read the advice posted on eslhq.com - ESL Headquarters (June 17, 2008), of course. Better yet, read the review below.

Imagine this: You anxiously walk into your first adult ESL conversation class as a foreigner. You stand at the front of the class; all eyes are on you, the teacher, awaiting your fabulous, gripping, esteemed language lesson. Sound familiar? Listed below are some clever suggestions from eslhq.com contributors on how to get through your first few, tense classes.

Get to know one another by having an informal conversation. You can ask each other casual questions about their experiences, careers, talents, etc. (This might also be a good time to talk about their classroom learning expectations).

Write 10 statements about yourself on the board, a few true, others false. Students ask you a series of questions to determine if your statements are true or not. For instance, if your statement reads I can play 8 instruments, participants can ask questions about these instruments. If you cannot name/describe all 8 instruments, everyone will know that the statement is false. This is a great way for everyone to get to know you, the teacher. Try reversing the game after it’s been played through once. Students write their own true/false statements and you ask the class questions about their statements.

After everyone has learned a little bit about each other, try a conversation class based on current events. One eslHQ contributor encourages teachers to check out Breaking News English ESL Lesson Plans for Current Events. This website has various classroom resources, including beginner through to advanced lesson plans. <find link>

This entry of the Best of Blogs and Forums is Based from:
http://www.eslhq.com (June 17, 2008). Retrieved July 29, 2008.

Direct link to forum entry can be found here:
New conversation class. Ideas pleeeeze

C Brojon

ESL Daily neither agrees nor disagrees with the views in the Forums or Blogs represented in the above article.

TEFL teaching in Spain - dispelling myths

ESL Daily — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:30:57 GMT

I arrived to Valencia, Spain 15 years ago (I am 35) with a Diploma in Engineering and not a word of Spanish. The reason I chose Valencia was for the noblest of causes: Love! I had a met a girl in my home city of Dublin some time before and, faced with the possibility of living and working in Northern Europe with its terrible weather etc, I decided to give Spain a go.

Valencia has come a long way since I arrived: Formula 1, The America's cup, wonderful avant-garde buildings, great food and fantastic people.

I found it terribly hard to get a job in Valencia. Salaries were low, my qualifications weren't recognised and things were generally bleak. I stumbled across an ad. in a local newspaper. DHL, the urgent transport people, were looking for an in-house English teacher. I gave them a call and did the interview. I remember the girl (Gisela) who interviewed me encouraging me to up my hourly rates as I had initially quoted them 1,000 pesetas (€6). She pushed it up to 1.500 and I am eternally grateful to her as it was my base rate and any increases over the last 15 years have come from that figure.

At first, I wasn't quite sure how to go about things but most of my classes were 1-1 and the students were great. They forgave my lack of experience and we spent most of the time chatting and correcting errors etc. All very rudimentary but it worked. After about a year, I decided to go back to Dublin and get my International TEFL cert. I liked teaching and saw that I could make a living out of it. I continued with DHL but took on more work at a local consultancy, a hospital and some private classes. I found the job to very 'human': lots of contact with professionals who genuinely needed my help.

Life brought another series of changes with it and, after nine years in Valencia, I decided to move to Madrid and develop my career. I was a little tired of Valencia and I felt it had got too small for me. (These days, my opinion has changed. Valencia has a lot to offer as a consequence of all the developments there).

When I arrived to Madrid, I registered myself on a website that specialises in TEFL posts etc. I had a constant flow of calls and did an average of three interviews per day. The rates I was been offered were all very similar: €20 per hour minus 15% tax (or 7%, depending on your status). I eventually decided to work for Language Solutions, a largish language provider with big operations in the middle-east. The reason I chose them was the good impression I got from their director (Richard). It is important to establish a good working relationship with your DOS as they are there to support you, help you find more work, organise your sessions etc.

I established a good working relationship with the company and they made me Client Manager which involved looking after a few key clients as well as continuing with my classes (around 20 hours per week). The director decided to leave four years after I started working with them and London named me regional director. I had experience, the language and was a good salesman.

I have to admit, the first few months in the job were very disappointing. I couldn't get used to being in one place for so many hours. I became quite desperate when the interviewing started. All those back-packers who were just there for kicks, roamers who thought they could lump it just because English was their mother-tongue and clients screaming out for teachers. It was a catch-22 situation and quite frequently I had to send 'teachers' to companies just to keep them quiet. It was just postponing the inevitable complaints and general lack of satisfaction. Fortunately, most of our tutors had been with us a while and provided a professional service to their students. Business flourished and, as a result, so did the demand for tutors. Our rates of pay were more than competitive and we always helped out when we could with subs on wages, help finding housing etc. Our tutors seemed to be happy with us. That is key in our business.

After a few years, I decided I had had enough and went back to teaching. I now have a couple of my own clients (thereby doubling my hourly rate as I have eliminated the middle-man) and I enjoy my work. Gone are the days of just using text books and blackboards. I now use a laptop and a projector in my classes and I have remote access to the Internet for articles, resolving queries, exercises etc.

For anyone considering Spain (I base my numbers on Madrid but Valencia and Barcelona are similar) as a possible destination for TEFL work, here are some facts and figures that should help guide you:

There are 250 providers just in Madrid, some more serious than others. Most will not second you in order to get your legal working papers so be aware of that if you are not EU. Some of the larger multinationals may offer some help here but it is rare.
Hourly rates range from €12 to €21 for city-center work. The reason for such a large jump is that some places offer you a contract and pay your social security and deduct these 'perks' from your wage, Other schools just pay you per hour worked and you will get more cash this way. If you were planning on staying in the country and establishing yourself, I would recommend you look for a contract.

Another option is becoming self-employed (autónomo - you will need some professional help with this but it is relatively easy). That way YOU pay your social security and your IRPF (income tax) rate is just 7% for the first two years. It then goes up to 15%. Be careful with this as you will have to pay money back to the tax/IRS people the following year. The 7% rate is just designed to get you started. Social Security is €250 per month and will cover you in case of accident and dental extractions (only). The health service here is quite good and getting better. It is, at any rate, better than what I have experienced in the US or UK.

Accommodation: renting in Madrid is expensive and accommodation standards are generally low. I recommend organising this before you arrive as it is important to be able to give a home address and, for yourself, to be able to relax after work. Avoid student accommodation and look for a local who needs help with is mortgage (plenty of them around). Be close to a Metro stop as this will help you get to work on time and get more work. You can expect to pay up to €500 per month for a room in Madrid. Going it alone can cost you up to €1200 per month (you must sign a contract for one year minimum) but there are decent places for less.

Pay: if you are on an hourly rate of €20 and are doing 25 hours per week minus 15%, you come home with about €1700 (remember: if your employer is holding that 7% or 15% income tax, they MUST provide you with an official cert between January and May showing you that they have paid your taxes! If they don't, ask for it and report them to the tax office if they don't cough up.). You can increase your income with private classes at a rate of €20-€25 per hour. They are usually tax-free but get paid up-front and organise the calendar with your student as private classes can be fickle and cancel a lot. If you're serious, they will be too. If you are lucky enough to be offered company work and with no middle-men, you can charge up to €40 per hour. Again, be serious and demand the same. Companies have the habit of paying at 90 days. Or more.

Remember - you will lose income in December (Christmas holidays), March or April (Easter - dates change) and August is dead unless you are prepared to teach children. You can get up to €1800 a month on a residential camp.

If you are not EU and do not have working papers, all is not lost. Spain is slightly less rigorous than other countries and is a long way (thank heavens) from, for example, Italy in every sense. North Americans do have a bad reputation with language providers as they are considered unreliable. Two solid weeks of punctuality and serious application in your work will dispel fears. Such is the demand that you still have a good chance. Australians are well-considered as are Kiwis and there are more and more Swedes, Poles and other nationalities on the market and they are as good as or, on occasions, better that British or Irish etc. It all boils down to making your employer happy and relaxed. The less you see of each-other, the better for everyone. The providers offer support and material and are quite happy to leave teachers to their own devices if feedback is good from clients. That way they are free to look for more clients! A good teacher is generally one who appears at month-end to get paid and hands-in impeccable paperwork and gets his/her cheque or transfer in return.

The key to being a successful TEFL teacher in Spain:

Be serious. Remember that if you mess up in a company and the provider loses the client, other teachers working there will suffer too.
Be punctual. Forget the myths about Spain. Spaniards are very serious professionals and demand the same.
Dress accordingly. Jeans are fine but leave your socks and sandals at home. Suits are not necessary and not required.
Respect your schedule, class content etc.
Help your students improve! It may seem obvious but not everyone understands this key point.

A article published in El Pais yesterday (Sunday 27th) spoke about a 20% decrease in in-company training for next year. Fear not: there is still plenty of work in Spain!

- BR Spain