Teaching Staff Room

A friendly place where we all huddle up around the photocopier and help each other out with teaching issues, as well as just share some of the wonders of our respective subjects. A good teacher never stops learning, right?

Hi Annie - I hope the site is helpful, she has lots & lots of things (& ideas for how to use them) which save you time hunting! 1st of Nov - we'll still be on holiday so yes I should be there. Where are you teaching? What's it like? xx

thanks Vero! I'll check it out when I can sit down for 5 minutes! How are you? WIll you be able to make the 1/11? X

Hi Annie, THIS may be useful for that age-group -( 4ème, I'm guessing...) www.michellehenry.fr/‎ I hope it helps!

Hi guys,I am just about to start out with an group I haven't had for ages, 13 year olds. Any one got any good download resources sites to recommend? I have a ton of stuff for adults and for primary and younger but this is new......!All ideas most gratefully received!

I work for a private language training company but thanks for the information Véronique.

Oh I'm sorry - I forgot to say that this applies only f you are working for the Education Nationale.

Hello, Vacataire work is limited to 200 hours per year - after that you become contractuel if they keep you on - and if you are taken on, on an ad hoc basis, in subsequent years you will still be contractuel and not vacataire.It makes a difference to your salary and sickness/holiday entitlement.

You can do the concours externe at any stage if you want to become a teacher all you need is a master's degree and to be from the EU. If you have at least 3 children you don't have to prove any academic qualifications to GO IN for the concours.

If you have been a contractuel for at least 3 years you can do the concours interne which since last year is dossier based and then a viva if they accept your dossier. I can't give you any stats or solid info on that option though as I did the old concours (written then viva if you got through) 2 years ago.

Of course the right to become titulaire will also be dependent on all sorts of things but I understand it is certainly an interesting option. I believe that legally vacataire status should be for a maximum of six years.

Thanks for your input, very helpful. Just one question about vacataire work - is there a limit to the amount you can do in a year? @Ann - I suppose by 'certain rights' you mean DIF, savings plans etc ?

I think essentially if you are a vacataire, have a CDD etc, over time you become entitled to certain rights. However as an autoentrepreneur you are entirely independent.

Hi Angela, I can only echo what Catharine said. In a company I worked for recently (as directeur pédagogique) we offered the same choice - either auto entrepreneur status, in which case the teacher would send us the 'bill' for what they had worked each month, or as a CDII - where the teacher was our employee and had a guaranteed minimun number of hours, although this could be pretty low as companies have gone bust in the past for guaranteeing too many hours when times got tough.

I think you should be able to align those options with what they are offering. The other option is the CDD where you have a contract but only for a certain number of hours, which could just be one client (i.e. student) and then it's over.

Hi Angela - this isn't going to be terribly helpful but I'm not sure there is any difference. I invoice the CCI as an independant (AE) but my bilingual colleague refers to me as a vacataire...! The only choices seem to be if you want to be AE and pay 20.5 % (at the moment!) tax or have a CDD and be paid less but them let your employer pay the tax. Which is best will depend on the rates of pay being offered.

One thing is though that had I had a CDD rather than being AE when the company I was working for went into liquidation back in the spring, I would have had far more chance of being paid so if it is a large amount of work, then CDD may be a safer option.

Hi -i posted this question in another discussion but i think it got buried in the conversation so: please could you tell me what is involved teaching as an 'Indépendant'? Is it the same as 'Autoentrepreneur'? I was recently contacted by a training company wanting me to work for them & asking if I'd like to be paid by 'facture' or as a 'vacataire' - which is best? Is there a limit to how many hours you can do as a vacataire?I already have a main employer. Thanks in advance for your explanations & advice! Angela

More Free English Teaching Stuff

Hi Again everyone, and especially English teachers!

Here are my latest free English lessons for you to try out with your students. They are based on videos, podcasts, articles and songs, so not traditional lessos at all really. Not so much teaching as testing, with lots of comprehension questions on real world materials, so quite fun and easy to do - easy to click anyway.

Saudi Arabia: http://bit.ly/Nx5Gvv

Federer & Oxfam: http://bit.ly/Nf5nom

Tom Cruise: http://bit.ly/N1EwKH

Let me know what you think, and feel free to share, thanks, Sab

Free Interactive English Lessons

Hi People, hope you’re all enjoying the rainy June weather (if you’re in the Ile de France area).

Just realised I don't think I've shared a couple (err, three) of recent lessons I created, so here are the links:

A football-themed lesson: http://bit.ly/L1wlwO

An election-themed lesson: http://bit.ly/IOgsMv

A driving-themed lesson: http://bit.ly/MsRq7R

There are funny videos from You Tube, articles with reading and listening exercises, songs and more. I'd love to know what you think, and if you've been able to use them with your students - English teachers, that is. Maybe others could use them too, I don't know but feel free to try, and spread the word (share the links) y'all.

Cheers, Sab

Help wanted with teaching ideas and possible teaching resources for teaching English to a lycée student preparing for her Bac this summer. I currently teach secondary Maths and Geography at an e-school, but this is my first time teaching EFL!

Hi Angela I am about to start my third year as an English Assistant in a Lycee. I would agree with Ann that the Lycee Pro is harder than generale as the students do not always have the same level of education. However saying that I worked with some BTS Batiment students last year who understood the importance of learning English. The students who were learning to be heavy machinery workers were another matter!

As you are not seen as a ‘teacher’ I found that in general they were willing to work as long as there was a fun element involved. Not sure how you will do that with aircraft construction workers though! Hope it goes well and you enjoy the experience.

Hi Angela

I have worked in a lycée pro - although I’m very rural. The biggest problem you’re likely to have is discipline, and a wide variety of levels of English. Of course I would hope this is not the case - but you should be prepared just in case. Bon courage. By the way I used to use a link with some good stuff on negotiation - hopefully it still works - http://www.go4english.com/eia/archive.php?cid=10011007 – Seal the Deal.

Does anybody here work in a Lycée Professionnel? I have 2 days work in one next month & would like some advice. I have to teach technical vocab to future aircraft construction workers, especially how to explain a process & to discuss a problem, so speaking & group work normally, however do you think this would go down ok in that sort of teaching environment? Apparently they are very mixed level too.