subject: The Art of TEFL [print this page] The Art of TEFL The Art of TEFL
Teaching English abroad isn't something you can just master overnight, it takes TEFL training, practice and determination. You can either create a TEFL mess or a TEFL masterpiece. To make sure it's the latter, check out these tips:
The art of patience
I'm going to use the good old saying Patience is a virtue' here, because it really is when it comes to teaching abroad. A good teacher should be able to stay patient at all times, but that doesn't mean you have to be a push over and let your students run riot!
Teaching English abroad, can be frustrating at times, especially if you're teaching children. Kids will be kids and they can lose interest quickly and start playing up. It's easier said than done to stay calm and collected when you're stressed out, but if you shout at them you'll more often than not be making the situation worse. Count to 5 (or 500!), take a deep breath, imagine yourself on a beach with a cocktail or whatever else it takes for you to remain calm! If you're patient, your students will be too!
The art of negotiation
I don't mean negotiating with your students to get them to behave! More along the lines of negotiating with employers to make sure you're fully happy with the terms in your contract. It's easy to get carried away with the excitement of moving abroad and being offered a job but just before you start packing your suitcase, make sure you're happy with all the conditions. There are lots of crucial things to check, like working hours, holidays and training they can all really make or break your experience of teaching abroad.
If you've been offered a job, the school is obviously impressed with you and will do all they can to keep you happy, so you are in a position to negotiate for the terms you want. If you don't get what you're after remember there are plenty more TEFL jobs in the sea!
The art of shutting up
One of the biggest mistakes teachers make is not knowing when to shut up! Teachers talk away with good intentions, but the more time you spend talking, the less time your students get to practice. Just imagine a driving lesson where your instructor doesn't let you even touch the steering wheel and instead just describes how to drive a car. It's not going to teach you how to drive, is it? Well, that's exactly how your students will feel if you spend the entire lesson stood at the front wittering away!
The art of having a go
When you've travelled miles away from home to go to explore a new country, challenge yourself in a new job and adapt to a new culture, what have you got to lose by having a go at everything?! I'm guessing not a lot! By throwing yourself into everything, you'll be sure to enjoy your TEFL experience so much more! It's important to accept that when you're teaching English, sometimes you're going to look a little bit silly, especially if you're teaching young kids. Don't shy away from things because you think it will make you look silly, just let yourself go. You'll soon find that you'll enjoy your time in the classroom even more, and so will your students!
The art of cross-cultural communication
For some people the concept of teaching English to people who don't speak your language and they don't speak yours can be a little baffling, but it is easily possible! You'll learn how easy it actually is on a TEFL course. There are loads of different methods you can use to make this possible, realia, flash cards and miming are just a few.
So have you created a TEFL mess or a TEFL masterpiece? Let us know below!
