Teaching English without Knowing the Local Language
What if I can’t speak Chinese, or Korean or ?
What if I don’t speak the local language?
Can I still get hired to teach English?
** You won’t be required to know the local language **
What!? That’s right – and most EFL teachers don’t know the local language when they first arrive. Typically, native speaker EFL teachers are not given students that are true beginners. Usually, your students will have some English basics. Often not much, but enough for you to take them to higher levels and for you to be able to do some basic instruction in English.
How can I do that?
Your students will usually know enough of the English language – often about that of a two- or three-year-old native speaker. Really quite a lot, though they don’t usually feel very confident about their skills.
Your Native Speaker Language Skills . . .
are exactly why you are hired: Your accent, Your native ability to know what grammar is wrong or right, your ability know what sounds right or wrong in common usage.
Time and experience (or a good TEFL certification course) will give you the ability to explain these things – but in the beginning, even if you can’t explain it – you will still know what is wrong and what is right.
Should I use the local language when I teach English?
No! Your native ability with English is why you are hired. If you start teaching in the local language, you will not be much different from the local teachers of English, who are often paid much less than you will be. It is your native talent with English that makes you valuable.
Realize that learning a foreign language is a lot like learning to ride a bicycle. You have to do it. You can’t just talk about it and your students, before you get them, have usually “talked about it” for years and still only obtained minimal skills. That is exactly why they need YOU.
But, how will I find my way around and/or buy the things I need?
Not a problem. Most schools will assign another teacher or assistant to you, to help you do the things you need to do until you learn the basics. After all, you will most likely not be their first foreign teacher. Your school will likely be familiar with most of your wants and needs, from finding food you are familiar with, to cold remedies, Internet cafes, or even good restaurants.
After you live and work in a few countries, you will find yourself quite skilled at finding what you need, using either very basic language or even just gestures.
TED’s Tips™ #1: Learn a few basics before you go to any country, even if just on vacation. Please, thank you, excuse me and I am sorry – can go a long way in getting a foreigner to help you solve a problem or find what you need.
TED’s Tips™ #2: Learning to count and to ask how much and understand the answer are the second things to learn. Those skills can minimize misunderstandings and help you get out and about more.
What’s up in China? Learn what kind of jobs are on offer if would like to Teach English in China
How to Teach English Overseas and Secrets to Success Abroad
TEFL eBooks is offering a free download of their new publication Seven Secrets of Success Abroad - and along with it comes a bi-weekly installment and revision of their eBook called How to Teach English Overseas.
Great reviews for the Secrets of Success eBook – in spite of the hokey name – and the How to Teach English eBook is being updated and rewritten and sent out in installments as it is ready.
Here they are – click on the eBooks to get your FREE copies! Great information and the price is right, from our friends at TEFLeBooks.
Please let me know what you think of the ebooks – use the comments section below.
I confess both eBooks are written by yours truly – hoping to inspire others to head overseas and live life BIG out in the real world. I would value your feedback!
Tags: how to teach english, Teach English using local language, teaching English abroad
Uncategorized | Ted | 
November 17, 2009 4:38 AM
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