You can find a lot of free worksheets on line , I have been searching the net for them for weeks , as I take them with me on a memorystick to Panama , where I teach english in a primary school ... they re great fun and kids just love them
http://www.tlsbooks.com/englishworksheets.htm
You can print those worksheets off and give them as homework ..and yes do by all means give them points or a well done , good and recommencez remark if needed
Thanks Emily; I'll put some feelers out and see what happens.
Ali.x
Hi Emily
Am not a teacher in whatever capacity, but have kids who are in school and who have English courses. So I try to help them in an "educationally responsible" way. Have noticed that the way the English courses are given has evolved a lot; from the bone-dry lists of words and some grammar into a more appealing style that connects to the world of kids. I know it's not perfect, but have you checked lately the French courses in English schools ;-)
I have found this site from the CNED, containing all the details for the English program in all school levels. Not only gives it the objectives for a school-period, but also the way to achieve that. I found it to be a great help to structure my own little contribution to my kids development.
Hi Teachers!
I did a TEFL course about 10 years ago and did some teaching in London for a while, but haven't used it since then. I am thinking of getting back into teaching again, does anyone have any advice?
I am in the Perpignan area and a friend says she knows of 3 TEFL teachers who can't find work down here. I can imagine it might be difficult to be a school teacher with only a TEFL course, but I was thinking more private lessons at home.
I'm hoping to be able to juggle this with our 1st baby, due in March.
Does anyone have any advise as to how to go about this? (Teaching, not baby!)
Thanks
Ali.x
Hi Emily.
The problem here in France for progressive "style" teaching is that it is totally out of their comfort zone. I am a qualified teacher but I do like to use similar teaching aids such as yourself.
The children here spend 8 years doing literal translation and this is just NOT English that is of ANY use to them when they are suddenly thrust into their preparation for the BAC which seems to be so much higher in level than anything they've been doing for the last 6-7 years!
The French do seem to like a more rigid approach and , yes, I've experienced similar things to you on occasion.
You could try setting out some kind of curriculum for them with your aims and content, even if you don't stick to it as time moves along. You could give them periodical progress reports with notes of new material that has been added on the way. That MAY be enough for them.
There is a very good book called English Grammar in Use that you may find useful. Set exercises from it as you go along finding problems and holes in their knowledge.
As for helping them with their homework. There is a fine line between guiding them through the right approach and simply DOING it for them! They always appear to hope that you'll do the latter. Be VERY clear that you won't spend valuable time dictating the answers be that you will teach them how to ask themselves the right questions in order to do it themselves effectively. You could also list the grammar points risen by each piece of homework that you've needed to work on with them.
It's very hard and you are fighting a system that clearly doesn't encourage the teachers in schools to check that each student has understood and absorbed that which has been taught to them each week.
Above all, don't change your wonderful creative approach to teaching. Maybe just add a little paperwork to the equation to keep the conformists happy and you'll be fine. Have you thought about doing a TEFL course for a month? You could even do it online.
Good luck in the future
Teena