#teaching English

[wenclair-more-like-whenclair]

Ugghh student teaching in a red state is the worstttt. I had a 12th grade AP English teacher tell me today that she doesn't "do pronouns." Bitch the fuck you MEAN you don't "do pronouns" you're an ENGLISH TEACHER???

[rollsoffthetongue]

WAITING IN THE WINGS

Idiomatic Meaning: Someone or something is ready and waiting for an opportunity to take action or step in, possibly replacing someone or something; prepared to assume a role or responsibility when the current holder is unable or steps aside.

Literal Meaning: “Wings” can have multiple meanings, such as limbs that birds use to fly, or a side section of a building, or the extended parts of an airplane, enabling it to fly. If you are at any of these locations for a specific event which has not happened yet, you can be said to be “waiting in the wings.”

Usage: Informal and formal, spoken and written, general British and American English. The phrase conveys readiness and preparedness, often highlighting someone's patience and anticipation for their moment to shine.

Origin: 17th Century – British English. This expression has its roots in the theater. In traditional stage setups, the "wings" are the areas just offstage where actors stand by, ready to make their entrances. Stage “wings” refer to the areas on either side of a stage that are hidden. The term originates from the moveable scenery panels called "wing flats" which were traditionally stored in those spaces, This literal sense of being prepared to step onto the stage has evolved into the figurative meaning we use today. The term “winging it” has the same origin.

Why is this funny?  In the photo we see two escaped convicts sitting on one part of the wings of an old style biplane, which has two sets of wings, one above and one below the chassis, or body of the plane. There is snow on the ground and on the plane, indicating that it is very cold. They are freezing and are waiting for the plane to start to fly and then jump off and try to further their escape. Since there are wigs above and below them, they could be said to be “waiting in the wings” for their chance to escape while they are waiting in the (frozen) wings.

Sample sentence:  JD Vance is “waiting in the wings” for his chance at the American presidency.

[torpublishinggroup]

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Ssrin Character Illustration by Julie Dillon

WHAT’S IT ABOUT

Meet Anna Sinjari, a refugee and disaffected office worker eking an existence in New York City. Her life is about to be upended by Ssrin, an alien with eight serpent heads, no qualms with cold-blooded murder, and an appetite for turtles (yum).

The universe is governed by seven passions, seven patterns which appear again and again, across species and across time. Anna and Ssrin are bound by the last and the greatest. The cosmos itself ships their very souls. Specifically for them, that means they’ll have to outmaneuver spies, armies, and government agencies to save humanity from a diabolical alien entity, hellbent on pinioning the souls of every creature on earth.

Exordia is expansive adventure science fiction that reads like a race-against-the-clock thriller in the vein of Michael Crichton, but steeped in the irony, humor, and pain of the Internet age. An alien-human epic for those who've always rooted for the monster.

[languageboutique]

[amaliathereader]

Our job as EDUCATORS is not limited to the teaching of a language. Our first duty is to place a tiny portion of influence on how they view the world as they develop their own personality. To become confident, to stand up for what they believe, to respond to bullies, to resist when others try to intimidate them, to broaden their horizons through books. To BE THERE for them.

And guys, we just HAVE TO learn those participles, okay?

[god-made-it]

How much should I charge for teaching English to my pig farm coworkers? 

And what other tips and advice might you guys have for a new ESL teacher

The (possibly) helpful details.

I taught English classes at my workplace. My students are coworkers and mostly collage graduates from Central America usually from Mexico. This past fall I had about 10-17 people show up. About half of the students are just beginning in English and the others are more or less at a conversational level. When I start teaching again I plan to meet once a week for so many weeks and then take couple of weeks break and repeat. When I started last it was a trial run for me and the students and the company. The classes are free for the students and I was paid my salary for an hour of my time. But now that I passed the trial run I am submitting an invoice like a independent contractor and would like to change for my prep time. Most information I see online is for people working in institutions which doesn't seem helpful to me.

Any help will be appreciated thanks in advance future friends and strangers

[torpublishinggroup]

Love. Magic. Betrayal.

Januaries—a stunning new short story and novella collection from bestselling author Olivie Blake!

Dive into stories of twisted fairytales, contemporary heists, absurdist poetry, and at least one set of actual wedding vows.

[hallowpurplebloodevol]

Teaching English Abroad

So, I have been meaning to post this for some time. I guess hence the reason why I have created this account. Now, just to put this out there, this is my OWN personal intake on my experience living and teaching abroad. This is for those who do have an inkling to teach abroad, or want to gain some information on what it is like teaching abroad. Take this as you will, but I am laying out what I have been through teaching in a different country. This post will be put into two sections. This will be my first post. The second will be posted in a later post.

I first moved to Korea to teach English in February of 2023. Now, I always wanted to come to this country since my high school days. Yes, I am one of those who started off listening to K-Pop. I have lived in Korea for almost two years now, and I will move back to the States sometime in the early weeks of March. Shocking? Maybe to some, but not to others.

Now people will ask, why the sudden change of heart? Well, lets go back in February 2023. I moved to Korea for the first time, not knowing what to fully expect. Keep in mind, NEVER EVER have any high expectations on your English teaching job or the country itself. Witnessed a friend who had that type of mindset, and she did a midnight run back to the States in the middle of her contract. I did an interview with EPIK, and was able pass that. Paper works, visa, background check, all of that took soo much time. Also took majority of my paycheck. Anyways, you can choose where you want to be placed in Korea; but, it is their decision on where they will place you. *Keep in mind, you would need a TEFL certificate to send as well.*

I was placed in Busan, at least the 2nd biggest city in South Korea. Loved every minute of it. Met wonderful friends who I was able to get connected to, and gained wonderful co-teachers who have taught me so much on how to be a teacher. Now, I was lucky enough to be placed in a school with teachers who were so welcoming and helpful. That however, was just my first year here.

I have read and heard many stories of co-teachers who are just crazy to work with, and their dynamic relationship of co-teaching with them just did not work out. The following year, 2024, I decided to renew my contract and thinking it will be a good year; new co-teachers, since three of my old co-teachers left, kids moving up grades, and just my work dynamic will be either similar or different (thinking as a GOOD different). Well, oh how wrong I was.

*Part 2 will be put up*

[sharp-n-flat]

Here are some things that I’ve learned while teaching:

1. Background matters. Not because it’s not possible to learn for some people. I actually believe the opposite, that everyone can learn. But some people start their learning journey believing what the world has told them, that it’s impossible for them, and that is a huge obstacle, it’s important to bring that barrier down to help them open up and let the learning process begin.

2. Poor Vocabulary is the Great Wall! If you don’t enrich your vocabulary by reading, watching movies or series or paying attention to music lyrics, you just won’t be able to communicate things that matter; you’ll get stuck with the script you learned from your teacher but won’t be able to go further, and probably would not be able to understand a native speaker either, because colloquial speech is not how you learn it on any book.

3. Use of Native Language. It’s important to learn phrases and the different uses and meaning of the words, so learning about the culture and the dialect of the place you’re dreaming to visit or to move to is a must! Like I said before, perfect grammar is not the whole language.

4. Outdated Core Curriculum is a No! I think as teachers is important to have a list of topics that the students most learn, but we need to get creative on how we teach it, and be flexible with our ways, not every group will respond the same way to the material and not every person has the same learning style, so we have to observe how they respond to it and try to improve our plan in ways we know will work for them.

5. Lack of Speaking Skills is the pebble in the shoe. One dear teacher of mine used to say that being able to put something into words was what could materialize things, or even change our reality. And I think it has some true to it. If we can put it into words, then we are putting it into our minds, we start making it our own, and that’s how you learn. So I always try to make my students speak: to me, to their peers, to them selves, to their microwave if necessary! But it’s so very important for them to talk!

6. Lack of Confidence can be your worst enemy. So it’s important for us to celebrate even the smallest of things! Every step is a challenge that’s been conquered! So if you were able to read until this point 🔵 congratulations 👏🏻

[lieutenant-teach]

‘You are the best teacher I’ve ever had, I even attended all your classes’, ‘I want to be a kind of a teacher like you’, ‘Can we take a picture with you?’, ‘May I hug you, please?’, ‘We’ll miss you’, ‘We’ll write you’, ‘We wrote a small book in English with all active vocabulary about ‘adventures of the hamster’ running gag of our classes’ and want to present it to you’ – these moments are worth time spent on making lesson plans, creating pretty presentations, looking for interesting and educational videos, checking tests and holding exams. A very pleasant feeling that you made a difference to somebody who learned more, got invested in some topics they’d never do without you and who valued your input and made input themselves.

[ramblinggaijin]

Staff transfers here have been amazing so far! Mainly cuz at my JHS an awesome JTE I worked with at another school came in. And at my ES it’s mostly folks from the smaller ES that closed and a few folks that I had worked with or met prior!

Just a shame this is happening a few months before I finish JET. Gonna enjoy it while I can.

[torpublishinggroup]

This advertisement is for Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne, a cozy fantasy steeped in sapphic romance about one of the Queen’s private guards and a powerful mage who want to open a bookshop and live happily ever after…if only the world would let them. Cover art by Irene Huang.

WHAT IT’S ABOUT

All Reyna and Kianthe want is to open a bookshop that serves tea. Worn wooden floors, plants on every table, firelight drifting between the rafters…all complemented by love and good company. Thing is, Reyna works as one of the Queen’s private guards, and Kianthe is the most powerful mage in existence. Leaving their lives isn’t so easy.

But after an assassin takes Reyna hostage, she decides she’s thoroughly done risking her life for a self-centered queen. What follows is a cozy tale of mishaps, mysteries, and a murderous queen throwing the realm’s biggest temper tantrum.

[tefllemon-blog]

1. 'Looking for love' (Karen Ramirez)

2. 'Don't you want me, baby?' (Human League)

3. 'Champagne Supernova' (Oasis)

4. 'Closer' (The Chainsmokers)

5. 'Wide Awake' (Katy Perry)

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[fanartandfanfiction]

Not fandom related, but I just remembered this story and thought you all would get a laugh.

I used to teach English as a second language online and my kids always cracked me up. I asked a little boy what his favorite food was and he said “rice and penis!” Naturally, I was confused and asked him to repeat himself. “Rice and penis!” I asked him to describe it to me and it was “rice and beans” but he was pronouncing it “bean-es” 🤦‍♀️

[tatis9]

Speaking a second language

Speaking a second language is worrying/apologizing for any minimal gramatical mistake, the total opposite from a native speaker. 

Speaking a second language is having favorite words in each language (because they are more complete/precise or for an emotional connection).

Speaking a second language is having a mind switch when you're talking, your attitude change and even your voice (and I swear is not faking, just happens naturally).

Speaking a second language is getting so excited when you have the chance to talk in the language you don't use frequently (your target language or your mother tongue).

Speaking a second language is understanding more than others the beauty and grace of your own language.

[rollsoffthetongue]

ON THE LAM

Idiomatic Meaning: To be on the run or trying to escape, or go into hiding, usually from law enforcement.

Literal Meaning: “Lam” and “lamb” are homophones. Thus, if one only hears the word without seeing the spelling, one could conclude that what is being said refers to something or someone being on a baby sheep.

Usage: Informal, spoken general American and British English. Though not as popular as in the early part of the last century, it's still in use today, often in a humorous or dramatic context, evoking images of old gangster movies or crime novels.

Origin: Late 19thCentury – American English. The exact origins of the expression are a bit murky, but it's believed to have originated in American criminal slang in the late 19th century. The word "lam" itself might come from the Scandinavian and British word "lam," meaning to hit or to beat (as in "I'll lam you one"), which evolved to mean "to beat it" or "to run away." The earlier derivation was “lame” in the sense of beating someone until they were lame. The phrase started appearing in print around the late 19th to early 20th centuries. One of the earliest known uses is in a 1904 issue of the "Boston Globe."

Why is this funny?  In the photo we see a policeman questioning a sheep farmer asking if he’d seen the big bad wolf anywhere. The farmer replies that he’d seen the wolf in his barn among the newborn sheep but had since run off. The wolf had possible been on a lamb, but then got scared away and went “on the lamb”

Sample sentence:  The staff of the cable news channel, MSNBC, might all have to go “on the lam” when the new “justice” department goes after them for their political views.

[torpublishinggroup]

Love. Magic. Betrayal.

Januaries—a stunning new short story and novella collection from bestselling author Olivie Blake!

Dive into stories of twisted fairytales, contemporary heists, absurdist poetry, and at least one set of actual wedding vows.

[languageboutique]

[lowreyglobalconsultants]

Dragon Stew Teaching

When I was younger I really thought the story of Dragon Stew was quite clever, and the solution to the problem was so simple that it was genius!

If you don't know the story (and I may get a fact or two wrong as it has been years), the basic idea is that a King declared that he wanted to eat Dragon Stew and he tasked his people with catching a dragon. The dragon was caught and was getting prepped to be cooked in the stew. When it came down to the crucial moment, the dragon was desperate for his life and he talked the king into allowing him to cook a meal for him. He asked the king what he liked and he listened carefully and he used the information he had learned to make an absolutely delicious meal. The dragon managed to secure the job as the king's personal chef and he did so by listening every day and making exactly what the king wanted. Win/win. The dragon lived and the king got his 'dragon stew', though in the end that meant it was a stew made by a dragon. Apologies if I have mixed up some details of the story (let me know in the comments!).

Subconsciously, this has bled through into my philosophy as a teacher. There are, of course, non-negotiable staples that need to be in the classes I teach but beyond that, we need to know how we are going to please our students. How are we going to make our lesson time productive and useful for them? The answer is in their words, in their mannerisms in their consistent mistakes. Pay attention, take note and adapt your curriculum to those needs. Put aside your ego or the sense of entitlement your years of teaching affords you. We should always be developing and growing as teachers, this is how we keep our job and our lessons fresh.

On top of that, you can avoid being eaten. :-)