I recently visited the city where I first taught English in China. I was suprised to find the photo of a foreign teacher, who had worked at the school three years earlier, still featured on colorful advertisements which were plastered on billboards and bus stops throughout the city. When I stopped in to visit the school, my [...]
Posts Tagged ‘esl teachers’
Should Foreign Teachers in China Appear in School Advertisements?
Posted by Robert Vance on June 12th, 2008
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ESL Conversation Class — Presidential Election
Posted by Robert Vance on June 5th, 2008
Level: Intermediate – Advanced
If you have the right students, holding a Presidential Election in ESL Conversation Class can be a great activity! Plus, it is a good learning experience since most of your Chinese students have probably never voted before.
Warmup: Explain to your students that they will be participating in a presidential election. Choose three people [...]
ESL Conversation Topics — Bosses and Employees
Posted by Robert Vance on May 30th, 2008
Level: Intermediate to Advanced
I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun teaching an ESL social talk then when I did this activity about bosses and employees. There was controversy and humor and all of my students left class laughing.
Warmup: Ask your students if they have recently been looking for a job. Make sure they [...]
ESL Conversation Topic — Mothers in China
Posted by Robert Vance on May 15th, 2008
Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Even if you are not teaching in China, you should be able to modify this ESL Conversation on mothers slightly to make it work for your particular country.
Warmup: Print off a copy of the article Why Mother’s Day is Extra Special in China and ask your student to take turns reading paragraphs. It is [...]
Money Tips for Expats Living in China
Posted by Robert Vance on May 8th, 2008
“How much money should I take with me to China?” is a common question that I receive when I am working with prospective teachers. Of course, the answer to this question really depends on the person. People who are high maintenance, like to party, and go on buying sprees are naturally going to spend the most money in [...]
ESL Conversation Topic — Tell about a Time When…
Posted by Robert Vance on April 29th, 2008
Level: Beginner – Advanced
The ESL conversation topic of “tell about a time when…” is a good way to get all of your students talking. I have used this topic in both beginner and intermediate conversation classes.
Warmup: Give each student a copy of the questions below. Run through each question to make sure that everyone understands [...]
ESL Conversation Topics — Hypothetical Situations
Posted by Robert Vance on April 26th, 2008
Level: Beginner to Advanced
Everyone likes hypotheticals, right? I wrote some fun hypotheticals for your ESL Chinese students but of course you should change them as you see fit.
Warmup: Teach your students the word ‘hypothetical’ and then divide them up into groups. Give each group (or each person) a copy of the ESL hypothetical questions below [...]
Tips for a Successful ESL Social Talk Class
Posted by Robert Vance on April 24th, 2008
Most foreign teachers in China have to participate in some form of an ESL social talking class at least once a week. Some schools may refer to this class as an ‘English Corner’,’English Salon’, ‘Free Topic Discussion Time’, or ‘conversation class.’ In my experience, this class can be exhilirating, exhausting, and downright frustrating at times. As [...]
