Bringing the World Closer

FIRST ASSIGNMENT

Hello everyone!

Congratulations on completing your first task: successfully logging in to the MyTeachingHouse.com site!

We are presently developing Generation 2 of the MyTeachingHouse site. It’s a great resource both on the course and after the course (in finding work and keeping up with friends you’ve made during the course). As this site is under development, we’d appreciate any feedback or suggestions that you have.

I have a few more tasks for you to complete—it may take about an hour or two. Please read the instructions below and complete it before next Monday.

Directions: All written answers (except for #4 and #5) must be posted on this thread (First Assignment) within the discussion forum in your course group. Since there are many of you, it's important to post only on this thread (click "Reply to This" at the bottom) so that we can keep the forum from getting full and messy-looking. However, if you have any other comments or questions you are welcome to start a new thread.

1. If you haven’t already, edit your profile with your current location, status and photo.

2. Browse through our international directory of English language schools (hover over "RESOURCES" in the toolbar at the top of the page and click "SCHOOL DIRECTORY" ). Post the name of a school that you think you might be interested in applying to after the course, and (briefly) why you liked that school.

3. Go to Course Forms (the big blue arrow on your course page) and find a word from one of the glossaries that you do not know.

4. Check out the Forums section of the site and watch Bill Harris' demo lesson: (VIDEO) Demo Lesson: Elementary Level Speaking/Pronunciation/Vocabulary Focus. Make a comment about the lesson on the video's discussion thread.

5. Choose another topic on the Discussion Forum section of the site to read/watch and comment on. Or, you can create your own new discussion related to teaching ideas/questions or international jobs.

6. Post a personal goal related to taking our Teaching House CELTA course.

7. Post a comment about someone else’s comments, for example, “Lizzy, I agree with your comment about the job listings section…” or “Abby, I saw that you wanted to work in Paris. I was thinking about that myself—is it hard to find work in France?” If you're one of the first people to post, come back later with a comment after your peers have caught up.

Good luck and keep coming back to our site! You can email me at info@teachinghouse.com with any questions.

All the best,

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Emily Gant on July 12, 2011 at 10:47pm

Hi everyone! My name is Emily, and I'm really looking forward to this course. As for the questions...

2.) Dakar Academy in Dakar, Senegal seems interesting to me. I would really like to work in a French speaking country to solidify my ability to speak in another language. There will always be big dreams of working in Paris, but I've heard that getting a job in Western Europe is very difficult. Dakar Academy seems to be an independent school instead of a branch of a British Embassy or American International School which interests me. I would prefer to work in a school that isn't affiliated with a religion, but that seems to be harder to find in Africa.

3.) There were many words that I didn't know in the glossaries. (Scary!) Freer Practice definitely caught my eye. I like when students have the liberty to choose how to practice and learn.

6.) I would really like the opportunity to explore how other people in the course are going to approach teaching as well as gain perspective on all of the doors that the CELTA will open for me. I want to keep an open mind about trying things that might make me uncomfortable.

Looking forward to meeting everyone!

Permalink Reply by Seth Rosenman on July 13, 2011 at 10:13pm

Hi All.

2) I want to teach in a big city in a dynamic country. Beijing Normal University looks good (BNU!). It’s one of China’s oldest universities and is known for training teachers. Teachers make great students. Besides, they have a good website.

3) “Cuisenaire Rods.” I also can’t spell “math.” (Love that copy and paste.)

6) My personal goal is to leave the course with the tools necessary to be successful teaching ESL. I want to be prepared to course plan and lesson plan for classes and learners of all levels; to have knowledge of and experience with as many learning activities, strategies, exercises, and examples as possible; and to have information about peoples’ experiences teaching and living abroad. (And no, I didn't copy and paste that.) Oh, and I might as well enjoy NYC while I’m at it.

Permalink Reply by Emily Gant on July 16, 2011 at 11:11pm

I definitely agree about enjoying NYC. The only thing is not to enjoy it too much...
New York is intimidating me, and I can only imagine how much there would be to do in Beijing.

Permalink Reply by Patricia Baquero on July 16, 2011 at 5:55pm

Hi All,

My name is Patricia and I'm also excited to start this course!

2) Although there are close to 400+ schools listed for South Korea, I am open to applying to any accredited school(s) in the major cities, such as Daegu and Busan, that have positive reputations for providing ESL teaching positions. In the cities of Daegu and Busan, many of the schools listed did not appear in my 'google' search.

3) There are many vocabulary words and acronyms that I'm not familiar with, such as, metalanguage, M F P and P P P.

6) My purpose in taking the CELTA course is to learn the teaching fundamentals of ESL instruction for young and adult learners, learn how to create lesson plans and build my confidence in classroom/group teaching. Once I obtain my CELTA certificate, I plan to teach ESL in public/private schools in South Korea this Fall 2011.

7) I agree with Emily and Seth in re: to meeting my classmates and inquiring about their expectations in taking this course and keeping an open mind with what I'll be learning.

PB

Permalink Reply by Michael E. Martin on July 17, 2011 at 7:05pm

I'm with Seth. Patricia, your going to have to tell me what you've heard! I'd like to make it out there for the Spring semester (if not sooner). Do you have any idea on how you going to make it out in time for the Fall semester??

Permalink Reply by Seth Rosenman on July 16, 2011 at 9:02pm

7) Patricia, I've heard a lot of good things about teaching and living in Korea.

Permalink Reply by Michael E. Martin on July 17, 2011 at 7:02pm

2. I'm sort of on the fence about where i'd like to teach at the moment. I'm between S. Korea and Thailand. For me, it really depends on finding an accredited program that will offer the best pay/benefits. At the moment i'm leaning towards S. Korea, I have several friends who are working out there and they seem to love it. When at looked at the schools directory, I was suprised by South Korea's 391+. I've heard Seoul is incredible, so with little other information go on, i'd start my search there.

3. I've never heard of 'Back Chaining', however in the coming weeks i'm sure i'll be educated!

6. I want to get involved with this program, to latch on to teaching so that every day I learn something different from the day before. To be perfectly honest, for me, grammar (as I have learned it in the past) has never been an enjoyable practice, but I want to change that. I am determined. I want to find that angle where I can truly get in to it, and come out of this program a great educator!