English may not be the most spoken language in the world, but it is the Lingua Franca – the common language – of business, science, technology, engineering, research, trade and commerce. If you want to improve your salary and international working opportunities, it is important to know how to speak English well. If you want to learn how to speak English well, you will need a good teacher and good teaching. So I have written this 10-point guide to help you find out how to choose the best English teaching for you.
Miscommunication and misunderstandings can be fatal in business. They can lead to lost sales, bad client relations, and even the complete failure of projects. At best, miscommunication wastes time – and of course, time is money. This is why it is essential that all parties in business meetings, discussions and negotiations are on the same page. To ensure this, it is important that what everyone is saying is mutually understood.
Learning English online in a ‘virtual classroom’ was largely on the fringes of educational practice prior to the COVID pandemic. However, since the COVID lockdowns, the virtual classroom has become a more familiar part of our post-pandemic culture. Schools, colleges and some of the best universities in the world are now delivering English courses online. That’s because learning English online has proven to be very effective, especially for company employees. Here are eight of the best reasons why learning English in a virtual classroom is so convenient and effective.
When English language teachers do a CELTA, Trinity or PGCE course to learn how to teach, we are generally taught to plan our lessons using the 3P’s method – presentation, production and practice. This works very well within a formal academy or school setting with a curriculum, syllabus and groups of students who have to attend regularly, and on time. But for those of us who deliver private lessons or business English training and find ourselves being asked to deliver ‘conversation classes’, the 3P’s aren’t so helpful. In fact, insisting on the strictures of this format can often drive clients away. So how can English teachers ensure that their students are engaged and entertained in conversation whilst still studying and learning? What is the art of delivering a good conversation class?
Since COVID19 disrupted the world as we knew it, we have all had to adapt to what is being called ‘the new normal’. But man has proven time and time again that he is nothing if not resourceful. Shakespeare wrote ‘All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players’; and so despite this real life tragedy, as they say in theatre: ‘The show must go on’. And so it has; sort of.
For most people, learning a new language is not easy. Whether you’re starting from scratch or trying to break through a barrier to a higher level of speaking and comprehension, there will be times when you may just want to give up. Don’t! Learning a new language is a highly rewarding achievement that is well worth the effort. So whatever stage of your language learning that you may be, to help you get past your barriers, here are ten great strategies for learning a new language.
First of all, let me start off by saying that despite the significant shortcomings I will highlight here, there was much to enjoy during my first summer school experience. This was mainly due to the infectious enthusiasm of the young post-graduates who were responsible for activities, but also largely due to the fact that, at between £600 and £800 per-week per-head, we were dealing with predominantly sweet, respectful and polite adolescents from wealthy European, South America and Saudi Arabian families, rather than the borderline psychopathic, lunatics that inhabit a lot of British secondary schools.
Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) has long been seen as a great way to work and travel. In Spain and other countries around the world, it is the go to job for English speaking immigrants from the UK and US looking for a bit of sunshine and a more laid back al fresco lifestyle. (more…)
Teaching ESL students how to speak fluently and accurately is an often neglected part of English language lessons. TEFL courses and exercise books don’t provide teachers with many teaching tools to help their students improve their fluency. Yet anyone who has taught or tried to learn a foreign language knows that one of the obstacles to speaking is the fear of sounding stupid. If you can speak fluently, you feel more confident speaking so you speak more, practice more and improve. So how can ESL teachers use fluency exercises in the classroom?
One of the great things about English language teaching is the opportunities you have as an English language teacher to travel the world and embrace different cultures in different countries. However, teaching English in Spain or any other country will always have its challenges. One of those challenges can be adapting to the teaching methods and learning culture that your students have become used to.
