There are few things more draining to ESL teachers than always feeling like you are pulling teeth to get students speaking. And for your students, speaking up in any class can be intimidating enough – when it’s in a completely new language and they are afraid of mispronunciation or grammar mistakes, it’s an even trickier situation.
We caught up with Ryan, one of our latest writing interns, to talk to him about his move from the depths of the jungle in Borneo to the more concrete jungle of Taipei, Taiwan. Read his interview below to find out more about his experiences.
Packing up your bags and moving to an entirely new country half-way across the world can be terrifying – trust me, I know. It’s difficult to fathom what kind of life awaits you in a distant place which you are hardly familiar with, but that’s what is most exciting about making the leap.
Our latest teacher to agree to interview with us is Michaela Gray, a teacher who made the brave leap from her farm in Iowa to the bustling city of Taipei. Read on to discover her tips and advice about moving abroad and some of the great things that she has experienced so far.
My second year in Asia, I was much better about being selective when I picked out trinkets and treasures to take home with me. Here are some of my favorite things to pick up during adventures. Maybe you might find a collection you like!
While trying to manage a classroom, most teachers’ first instinct will be to simply punish students for disruptive behaviors. There is definitely a space and a need for that – some behaviors are simply too disruptive or even dangerous to not address immediately and decisively. However, there are a lot of compelling reasons why rewarding and reinforcing good behavior is a far better long-term strategy than just using negative consequences.
During your time abroad, you may want to start up a blog. Whether for fame and fortune or just to keep your friends and family updated on all of your new adventures, your new travel blog needs to have a name. As travel blogging has become more popular, you’ll need to choose a name that stands out to compete with the hundreds of blogs that are created on a daily basis. (After all, your friends, family, and future fans need to be able to remember the name of your awesome blog!)
In the west, the sky is a brilliant orange fading to blue above. The sun has just slipped below the peaks of the low mountains of this southern Korean town. The color reflects in the ripples of the slow-moving river. Along the river, figurines of all shapes and sizes dot the water’s surface. As the blue sky above deepens with the fast-approaching night, the power goes on for the lights inside the lanterns, and the river takes on its own glow.
Click here to complete your application to teach abroad with Reach To Teach.
