Marcus Cicero, Roman statesman and orator

How do potential English teachers gain the experience and knowledge to become successful English teachers? The answer is both more complicated and simpler than many people believe.  The internet provides exceptional opportunities for potential English teachers to become autotelic (self-directed) learners. Following your own interest and creating your own educational program has never been easier.

The cult of paper continues to reign – especially in educational bureaucracies. Perhaps this remains the largest discrepancy between ESL and EFL faculties. In immigrant-friendly societies English as a Second Language (ESL) instructors usually have been formally trained in actually teaching ESL learners. Many English as a Foreign Language (EFL)  instructors, in contrast, are enticed to pursue teaching English while traveling abroad as a means of earning some extra cash. While some of these impromptu instructors are confident, worldly, intelligent, and often become outstanding educators in their own right, more often they are less-than-successful, holding to the assumption that teaching is easy, and teaching English even easier.

As the Bulgarian adage goes, “Many learn to walk by stumbling.” Over time and after several awkward classes, some instructors grow through experience, becoming better, more effective teachers. A key fact remains the ability to zoom out and reflect upon an English lesson; what worked, what didn’t work, what could be done differently, etc. By reading and reflecting, and then developing Personal Learning Networks, some “instant English teachers” can become stronger and smarter classroom guides.

Further, the reality remains that too  many education classes  bore students,  obsess  over  theory, and neglect teaching any practical instruction techniques. Plus, these formal certificates and advanced degrees can become rather costly and do not guarantee success in the actual EFL classroom. Combined with the reluctance of so many private English language schools to spend money on professional development and pay higher salaries for more credentialed teachers, many EFL teachers choose to find their own paths to becoming outstanding instructors. Teachers’ conferences, professional seminars, carefully observing successful English teachers, and finding a mentor are all beneficial for English teachers, both novice and experienced, trying to learn how to better instruct their students.

While it is obviously possible for EFL instructors to be hired in China, Vietnam, Thailand, and many other countries without a strong background in teaching, I still recommend that most EFL and ESL instructors get more training and share teaching experiences – for your students sake and your own pursuit of excellence.

Yet this professional development does not have to be sanctioned by any formal educational institution. As the great American historian Henry Adams observed, “”They know enough who know how to learn.”

The best thing that I can advise ESL instructors is to create a PLN, or Personal Learning Network, as it has become the fashionable rage among many English language and trainers around the world. Here are some links for insight into becoming a more learned and practical English teacher, all 100% free internet resources that I personally follow and have learned from over the years.

http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/ – Larry has become a living legend among American English language and social studies teachers for his ability to find, analyze, and describe the best sites for educators. I learn every time I allow myself the pleasure to explore his “best of” series of links.

http://teacherbootcamp.edublogs.org/ – Tech savvy, energetic English teacher trainer Shelly Terrell.

http://theedublogger.com/ – The Australian education blogger Sue Waters.

http://evridikidakos.edublogs.org/ – Teaching with technology creates new possibilities and Evridiki Dakos  has established herself as a leading expert, especially for teaching English to children. Check her creative blog out!

http://kalinago.blogspot.com/ The always informative ELT specialist and conversation enthusiast  Karenne Joy Sylvester.

Bottomline: Do yourself a favor, check out these outstanding EFL and ESL experts, and become an autotelic English teacher.

Ask more. Know more. Share more.

Create Compelling Conversations.

Visit wwww.CompellingConversations.com

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Here’s a quick checklist that ESL teachers that I created for a recent CATESOL workshop called “Techniques for a More Democratic Classroom”. My core assumption remains that giving students more opportunities to literally speak, write, and share their insights leads to a more engaging, dynamic, and valuable classroom experience.  I will write more on this topic in a few days, but here are some questions to consider.

1. Who do you currently teach? How would you describe the students?

1. What are some of their personal interests?

1. How can student interests be better incorporated into the curriculum?

1. Which assignments do students currently choose? Which seems most successful? Why?
2. What are some benefits of greater student participation?
3. What are some risks of greater student participation?
4. Do you want to increase the number of choices students make?
5. What critical language skills can be taught by tapping into their interests?
6. How can you tweak current material to better individualize instruction?
7. What internet resources can you use to augment the current curriculum?
8. Which exercises or activities do you find most successful in your classroom?
9. What decisions do you keep as your prerogative as the instructor?
10. Will your students become self-directed learners?
11. How can you encourage that possibility?
12. How can you create a more democratic classroom?
13. What are some obstacles to a more democratic classroom?
14. How does technology encourage a more democratic classroom?

“Education is a kind of continuing dialogue and a dialogue assumes, in the nature of the case, different points of view.”   Robert Hutchins (1899-1977), former President of University of Chicago and educational philosopher

Do you agree? Disagree? Why? Feel free to let me know.

I’ll post an article in a few days outlining some of my thoughts and sharing some materials.

Ask more. Know more. Share more.

Create Compelling Conversations.

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