Teaching

Make It Your Business to Teach English

/ nancyrubin / 1 Comment

If you have an uncanny grasp of the English language or you have a desire to teach, then teaching English as a second language might just be the perfect job for you.

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Luckily, there are a number of countries across the world (many of which are in Europe) that are looking for passionate ESL (English as a second language) and TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) teachers.

With language studies in mind, here are 6 countries where teaching English could lead to a full-time job:

France

When you think of teaching English as a second language, France probably doesn’t immediately come to mind. Although a large percentage of Paris’s population speaks English, France is a huge country with many other non-English speaking regions.

Thanks to the country’s Ministry of Education and the American Assistants in France program, acquiring a work visa is a breeze. And, along with the culture, sights, sounds, and wonderful people, France is also one of the highest paying countries for ESL and TEFL instructors, but certification is required.

Spain

Not only does Spain have beautiful beaches, an exciting nightlife, and tons of great food, the second largest country in Western Europe is also filled with locals eager to learn English. In fact, ESL and TEFL instructors are in such high demand that the Spanish government recruits thousands of English-speaking teachers to the country each year.

Although a work visa is hard to come by, the pay is above average and the towns and cities are lush paradises. In addition, if you have trouble finding students in the private sector, there are a number of language institutes that are always hiring certified instructors.

Russia

Don’t let the blustery winter weather and seemingly hostile political environment deter you, because Russia and other opportunities as this article shows can be a great place to look at how to invest in your career.

Not only does the country have many major cities including Moscow and Saint Petersburg, but Russians are eager to learn and improve their language skills. Additionally, because language institutes are few and far between in the country, private lessons are very profitable.

Costa Rica

The Costa Rican coast has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, but there are also plenty of opportunities for ESL instructors looking to make a living. Thanks to the massive tourism sector, Costa Rica has a strong economy.

This means more locals are eager to learn English and have the extra income to do so. Although the pay rate for English language instructors in Costa Rica is lower than average, the country’s low cost of living means there’s plenty of potential to save money and maintain a healthy income.

South Korea

There are a number of reputable language institutions in South Korea that are always looking for quality ESL and TEFL instructors. In addition, the pay rate for certified instructors is high, especially when it comes to private schools around Seoul and other larger cities.

In addition to all of the advantages above, if you arrange your teaching position ahead of time, many institutions include airfare and free or reduced-cost housing. Just remember that South Korea has some pretty strict work visa requirements.

United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates includes locales such as Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and other Persian Gulf Countries. Because of the area’s dealings with the United States, citizens are eager to learn English as a second language.

The biggest draw of the United Arab Emirates is the earning potential. Many of the language institutions pay for airfare and living expenses. Because of this, there’s plenty of room for certified ESL and TEFL instructors to earn and save a substantial income.

If you’re ready to teach the English language abroad for a living, then keep in mind the ideal locations above. As many business owners worldwide will attest to, having people in their countries with English speaking abilities is good for business.

About the Author: Adam Groff is a freelance writer and creator of content. He writes on a variety of topics including travel and living abroad.

Course Design – Online Classes with Flexible Options

/ nancyrubin

What is HyFlex? According to Brian J. Beatty of SFSU, HyFlex combines both online and face-to-face teaching and learning activities in a setting where students may choose whether or not to attend face-to-face sessions … with no “learning deficit.”  HyFlex course design is built around four fundamental principles: Learner Choice, Equivalency, Reusability, and Accessibility.

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Learner Choice: Provide meaningful alternative participation modes and enable students to choose between participation modes weekly (or topically). The primary reason a HyFlex course design should be considered is to give students a choice in how they complete course activities in any given week (or topic). Without meaningful choice, there is no flexibility … and therefore no HyFlex.

Equivalency: Provide equivalent learning activities in all participation modes. All alternative participation modes should lead to equivalent learning. Providing an alternative approach to students which leads to inferior learning “by design” is poor instructional practice and is probably unethical.

Reusability: Utilize artifacts from learning activities in each participation mode as “learning objects” for all students. Many class activities which take place in classrooms can be captured and represented in an online- delivered form for online students.

Accessibility: Equip students with technology skills and access to all participation modes. Clearly, alternative participation modes are not valid alternatives if students cannot effectively participate in class activities in one or more modes.

7 Things You Should Know About the HyFlex Model – http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eli7066.pdf

Using the “HyFlex” Course and Design Process – http://sloanconsortium.org/effective_practices/using-hyflex-course-and-design-process

Interactive Course Design: Interactive Course Re-Design for Higher Education Instructors – http://www.itap.purdue.edu/learning/cdm/supporting/Interactive%20Course%20Design.pdf

Piazza: Social Question and Answer Tool

/ nancyrubin

Do you teach online? Do you hate the native discussion tools in your LMS? There are some interesting options emerging that could replace (or add another dimension) to online discussions. Enter Piazza, the social question and answer tool.

Piazza is a question-and-answer website for students to discuss topics about individual classes. Professors can set up a page for a class for their students to discuss with each other. Or students can set up a page without a professor being involved. The service reduces the number of repetitive questions that students ask professors, because they can check the site. Piazza can also show professors standing questions that they need to answer.

Piazza’s Q-And-A Website Goes Back To School  – http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomiogeron/2011/08/26/piazzas-q-and-a-website-goes-back-to-school/

 

Community Building 2.0: Using Piazza to Encourage Student Rapport Outside the Classroom

 

 

Transmedia Storytelling: Multiple Delivery Channels

/ nancyrubin

What is it?

Transmedia storytelling represents a process where integral elements of a fiction get dispersed systematically across multiple delivery channels for the purpose of creating a unified and coordinated entertainment experience. Ideally, each medium makes its own unique contribution to the unfolding of the story.

http://www.pbs.org/idealab/2013/03/transmedia-storytelling-comes-alive-with-secret-cinema067.html

Read this post, ” Transmedia Storytelling 101″ by Henry Jenkins – http://henryjenkins.org/2007/03/transmedia_storytelling_101.html

Future of Engagement #7: Transmedia Storytelling – Media organizations, changemakers, and brands create cross-platform storyworlds to drive participation, action and loyalty.

The rise of transmedia storytelling can be attributed to three dynamics around how people create, consume and share stories today. First, people are consuming news and entertainment in byte-sized pieces, on smart phones and tablets, often on-the-go, leading to new opportunities to create cross-platform, location-aware storyworlds. Second, people have access to so much content that they are filtering for out or skimming most of it, except for content they are most passionate about. Third, people are simultaneously acting as consumers, curators and creators of content, making it possible to create non-linear storyworlds that grow through their participation.

Read this article here – http://gauravonomics.com/transmedia-storytelling/

5 Tips for Transmedia Storytelling – http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2013/01/5-tips-for-transmedia-storytelling030

The Evolution of Transmedia Storytelling (Part 1 of 3)
A discussion between Frank Rose, Author of “The Art of Immersion” (and a contributing Editor at Wired) and Jeff Gomez, President and CEO of Starlight Runner Entertainment at Ad Age’s “Creativity and Technology” (CaT) Conference in NYC June 9th, 2011.

The Evolution of Transmedia Storytelling (Part 2 of 3)

The Evolution of Transmedia Storytelling (Part 3 of 3)