Oxford Seminars Blog 
What is the difference between a student that learns and a student that does not? The more that I teach, the clearer it is to me that motivation is almost always the answer. Defining motivation is a little more difficult than identifying it as a problem, as there are many different kinds that come from many different places. To ...
Those of you who are interested in teaching English in Chile have probably heard of Santiago, and possibly Valparaíso, but I am sure that you have not heard of Angol, Chile. Neither had I until a few days before I pulled into the bus station. It was just before dawn in the middle of winter, and a grayish sky hung ...
I stared at my new teacher incredulously. It was my very first Spanish class, and she was speaking in Spanish, only in Spanish. After the first class I was pretty irritated, but after a week or so it started to make sense. If I was going to learn Spanish, then I needed to be in a Spanish-speaking environment. The same principle ...
If you are wondering whether or not you need teaching experience to succeed as an ESL teacher; here’s a quick answer: you don’t. Just speaking English, however, is normally not enough. English schools won’t just hire the first English speaker they come across. If you’re interested in teaching English abroad, you must demonstrate to them that you will be ...
Your very first ESL class is likely to be one of the most anticipated experiences of your ESL journey. Having some ideas for ESL classroom activities on your first day up your sleeve will help you to get started. Here are some of my favorites: 1. Find someone who… In this activity students are given a number of sentences ...
In July 2015 we published a blog post about 20 Common English Grammar Mistakes Not to Pass on to Your Students. The post provoked substantial discussion about the correct usage of many of the terms that it highlighted. Here are 20 more common errors to avoid passing on to your students: 1. Yet/already In colloquial American English using yet and ...
Imagine starting work as a mechanic with only a toolbox and the internet to help you. You would do a poor job, your customers would be dissatisfied, and your stress levels would soar. The same applies to teaching English abroad. It is, of course, possible to go abroad and find a job without a certificate, but starting a new ...
Adding variety and fun into the ESL classroom is one of the keys to being a great ESL teacher. Nevertheless, even the best teachers sometimes get stuck in a rut using textbooks and worksheets too much and allowing their energy and enthusiasm to slip. Using some simple props in the classroom will add extra dimension to your classes, as ...
Reactions are split when I tell people that my first ESL job was in Mexico. There are those that gasp and ask how I survived, and there are those that express desire to experience a little Latin culture themselves. Even for me, Mexico conjures up ...
Mistakes are unavoidable in the classroom. The truth is, making them will make you a better teacher, as long as you are aware of them. Here are ten very common mistakes to watch out for as you start your ESL career: 1. Don’t talk too much This, I believe, is the most frequent mistake new ESL teachers make. To ...
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