Wednesday 12 March 2008

Tips for ESL Teachers.

Today I was with another teacher - a Canadian fellow who has been here for several years with his wife. He's really good to have around as he knows so much about the college and China. He has an electric motor scooter and in his spare times travels around on his own to explore and his Chinese language skills are very good too.

We were in the canteen and one of the students came up behind me and said "Hello Lady Di" which is a name that the students are using more and more with me and started talking with us. He was very quick to ask her name. She replied with her English name.

When the young lady had gone, he explained that he and his wife have this arrangement, which could, he said, work when any two or more teachers are together and one or more students approaches them to talk. One of them always asks for the Chinese student's "English name" - it is impossible to remember every student's name - so having someone ask all the time is very helpful. Then it is possible to have a conversation referring to them by name - which is of course more polite, and does help one remember the student's name anyway.

I thought it was a good tip for newer ESL teachers.

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