As an Oxford Seminars instructor, one of the most common concerns I hear from teachers-in-training is that they might not know enough about English to become an effective teacher. Is such a fear justified? The short is answer is no. If you speak English comfortably, you can learn to teach it! But what if I don’t know much about grammar? ...
One of the best aspects of teaching English abroad is the number of interesting people you encounter. Since so many people worldwide study English, chances are, you’ll find yourself teaching someone as interesting as a world-class organist, a logistician from Doctors Without Borders, or any number of other folks who will let you in on the secrets of the ...
Teaching English abroad is always an adventure, but the adventure takes on a new meaning when teaching kindergarten. You may recall one of my colorful experiences from my previous blog post "Teaching English Abroad: The Evils of Spinsterhood (According to Kindergartners)." Here is another experience from my Korean adventure for your enjoyment: I think it was in November when ...
Are you on the fence about teaching English abroad? Here are several convincing reasons that serve as persuasive reminders about the perks of teaching abroad and how Oxford Seminars can help make it become a reality! 1. The ability to travel to exotic locations Teaching ESL abroad means you have the opportunity to see and do so many things: ...
As Peter Connell, an ESL Instructor with Oxford Seminars, explains, everyone remembers their first day of class teaching overseas. Whether it's a lesson that sticks with you for the rest of your time as a teacher or if it's a student that touches a chord inside, teaching English abroad is an unforgettable experience! There will, of course, be challenges, ...
When you were a child, did you have a teacher that made a difference in your life? Most people have a particular teacher that they looked up to or who served as a valuable mentor. When I started teaching ESL abroad, I never really gave any thought on how I would impact my students’ lives outside of the classroom ...
It's easy to use regional dialects or commonly misused language mistakes when speaking everyday English. However, when teaching a second language to new students, it's important that you're giving them the proper foundation from which to build their habits. This includes your own speaking and writing habits in the classroom. The following are 20 common English grammar mistakes you ...
One of the great things about teaching English abroad is discovering the hidden gems of a region. Sometimes it's food (Kimchi grows on you eventually!), sometimes it's the culture. Other times, it's a sound or a note that catches you, like when it comes to the music of Mexico. Music has always had a rhythm to it that makes ...
I was standing on the tarmac, waiting to board the plane that would take me further from home than I’d ever been, wondering what in the world I was doing. I was terrified. I was moving to the other side of the world to a place where I didn’t know a single person, couldn’t speak the language, and had ...
Kiara Wessling of Ohio taught high school English at Lycée Pierre Bourdan in Guéret, France for a school year. Here’s her story: (Note- Guéret is in the Limoges académie) Q: What made you want to become TESOL certified? A: There were many reasons I wanted to become an English teacher in France. I wanted to spend some time in ...