ESL teachers on a2k?

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Is there anyone here on a2k that teaches English as a Second Language?

Today I was hired by a major language school here in Brazil. YaaaY! This is some very exciting news!

I must confess I'm a bit nervous. Me... a teeeeacher?? I have never really taught anything before (I've tutored ESL a few times before) but I feel pretty confident that I can do this despite the lack of experience. We all need a starting point at anything and everything, right?

Here's what I am afraid of... I get extremelly anxious when in front of a crowd (even if small). I have actually started a thread on this before (SOS- Speech anxiety). I get shaky, nervous, and my entire self starts to tremble... God help me! I have been working on this weakness of mine for a while now, so I'm positive I'll overcome it... eventually.

Training starts on monday... Wish me good luck, a2k.

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You'll be ok. Especially if you'll be speaking in front of the same group day after day. Just stay prepared...you'll speak much better when you know what you're talking about, rather than playing it by ear. And take it slooow.

And if you want, I can sit in the back of the class and make stupid faces while you teach.

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Thanks, Slappy.

I'll paste your avatar on my cheat sheets. I think that'll do.

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That is really cool. So do you have to be totally fluent in both languages to do ESL? Just wondering. Someday I might be interested in something like that in Italy.

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You don't necessarily need to be fluent in both languages, Kicky.
Some places actually give preference in hiring native speakers over the local candidates for the conversational classes.

It is something you could be doing in Italy or any other country. There are loads of info on the internet about this.

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I have a friend of a friend who was an ESL teacher in Japan, teaching English. I know he spoke Japanese some, but I don't think he was fluent.

I'd love to do that....all those Japanese girls in plaid skirts and pigtails....

SO THEY DON'T ALL WEAR PLAID SKIRTS AND HAVE PIGTAILS!!!! DON'T RUIN IT FOR ME!!!!

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July - that's great! I have always thought that would be a good way to travel. I think eastern european countries were looking for ESL teachers as I was getting out of college - and Japan too. Slappy, you should go for it. The Japanese program paid well even.

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Craven used to do ESL, but I believe it was on a one-on-one thing. By a remarkable coincidence, it was in Brazil.

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What school? I used to teach and train teachers for Cultura Inglesa, Wizard and most of the other chains of ESL schools.

What level? I'm guessing that they are after you for the more advanced levels given my estimation of your English and my recollection of the schools in Brazil but if you are specific about what kind of classes will you be teaching?

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Wonderful opportunity!!

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Did you teach at a Wizard here in Fortaleza, Craven? That's where I'll be teaching... it would be a remarkable coincidence, indeed.

They haven't told me how many classes I'll be teaching yet, but they did say they'll be mostly conversational classes in the evenings. Sooo... I'm changing my schedule at school (I currently take evening classes) in order to fit in with their availability request. Not a problem!

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No, I taught in Sao Paulo, when I lived in Fortaleza I just ran around half nekkid between the pool and the beach.

In Sao Paulo I taught at Wizard for a while and then launched my own school for a more corporate audience and ended up teaching the teachers for a couple of Wizard schools.

As I remember, Wizard has their own curriculum with their own books (as opposed to using Cambridge books that a lot of other teachers use) and the classes were around 10 students to the teacher (varies widely).

If you are going to be doing conversation classes you may be free to adhere to less structure than their basic classes which can be fun.

Teaching conversational English was the most fun I ever had in a job.

Did they tell you what curriculum to follow or are you able to make your own?

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See:

http://www.able2know.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=21346

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ESL teachers on a2k?

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