Month: November 2021

Why I love Vietnam | My funny stories

 

Vietnam is funny and frustrating at the same time.

But I love Vietnam for the challenges it gives and the lessons you learn. In my 15 years here I have had a lot of funny things happen. There are a lot of sad things too, but the highs and lows of living in a different culture will give you memories for life.

Sometimes these stories are mixed with tinges of sadness and pain but on reflection, they can be as funny as anything you have ever laughed about in hindsight. Challenges and tribulations go hand in hand in Vietnam.

Vietnamese are like bamboo, strong and resilient, and can bend to politics, invasions, and wars as the bamboo bends in the wind. A truly remarkable and amazing people and culture.

And then I came along.

Teaching in Vietnam can be a lot of fun and very rewarding if you put in the time to actually help the students. But sometimes it is what happens outside the classroom that makes the teacher experience here so much fun. Here are a few stories I have never shared before.

Story No. 1

I thought I knew my way around after living in Vietnam for close to 4 years. I had traveled pretty extensively and had a smattering of the “lingo” I was street smart and I knew my stuff. No one was going to make a fool of me, except me.

I had been working hard. When I first came there was this big male macho thing about how many hours you could punch out in a month. I could do between 150 to 200 a month. I knew 1 person who was doing 240 hours. Not possible you say.

Different times. Going from class to class starting in public schools at 7 am and finishing up in private schools at 11 pm. Saturday and Sunday classes back-to-back from 7.30 am to 11 pm again. Then do it all again after partying all night on the weekends.

Anyway now you know why I was tired. I was about 2 years into this cycle of teaching long hours and had just finished an early shift in Go Vap in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The students were great and I was on a high. But so tired I couldn’t ride a motorbike.

So I called my future wife to be and asked her to pick me up. I didn’t want to fall asleep driving a 2 wheel murdering machine. She was working and could not pick me up. But said she would call me a “Xe-Om”, a motorbike taxi. Cool I thought, I am back in the afternoon, will pick up my bike then after a couple of hours of sleep.

Stepping outside into the glare of the 11.30 am sunshine and surrounded by talkative students, I eyeballed my “Xe-Om” driver and waved. He waved back. Wow, he’s wearing a suit, the first time I have ever seen a “Xe-Om” wearing a suit. Very posh I thought. Must be a new service I thought smiling as I jumped on the back of his bike.

“Di Di” I said. Go, go in English. He turned around and looked at me bemusedly as one of my students came up to me and asked.” Teacher, why are you on the back of my Dads motorbike.” Cringe.

I looked around and saw MY “Xe-Om” doubled up in fits of laughter waving me over to his motorcycle. He wasn’t wearing a suit. What was I thinking?

Story No.2.

This story happened about 8 years ago. This is a hindsight story. Built out of adversity and a fair amount of personal pain. I was unfortunate enough to have cancer of the bowel and had to have a colostomy bag for about 4 months while everything got working again.

Luckily it was benign and the operation was a huge success. I will tell my funny hospital story after this. So after sitting around the home for about 3 months feeling sorry for myself, I decided to go back to work. Colostomy bag, no problems.

Perhaps I should have limited my teaching activities to private schools. But no, jump in the deep end. Back to the public schools, 50 plus students to a classroom. Morning breaks and lunchtimes kids buzzing around and seeking out the foreign teachers to tease and have fun with them.

One of the younger students, bless her heart, came up and gave me a big hug. Hope you are feeling better teacher. All students had been warned, please do not hug or bump Mr. Stephen or it might be ugly. All in Vietnamese of course, it sounded more like pooh Volcano.

And that is pretty much what happened, but not immediately. I knew something had gone wrong straight away. I could smell it, I sniffed out the problem and went directly to the men’s toilets. Phew, no one there.

Very very slowly I tried to detach the colostomy bag. My god, a supernova brown volcano. It went everywhere, the walls, the roof, my shirt. What could I do? Phone the wife. Yes, we were married now. Quick, I need a new shirt. ( I always carried a spare colostomy bag in those days).

Dutifully she said I will be there in 10 minutes. Great I thought, just in time for class. Well, mistake number 2 was about to happen. I will wait outside the toilets. So I walked outside just as the female cleaner walked in to clean up after the “foreigner’

I have never seen anyone before or after look at me in that way as she walked back out. It was 50% shock, 50% awe, and 100% scared of all foreigners for the rest of her life.

Blame me why Asians buy so much toilet paper. It is just in case I walk into their house.

Story No. 3.

This is short and not sweet at all. This is about when I was in the hospital and had just got out of surgery. As I said before I had bowel cancer. My stomach had swollen up like a balloon and there were no elevators going downstairs to take the rubbish out.

Once I got to the hospital they very quickly put me under and had me under the knife. It seems I died on the operating table but was too stubborn to give up. The doctors had my insides on the outside and did a marvelous job putting everything back in place.

Obviously, I knew nothing about this until I woke up. and wasn’t that fun. They gave me morphine to kill the pain because it was so bad. So after all that, feeling light-headed and just awake after surgery the Doctor came in.

I didn’t smell great and the Doctor noticed too. He asked the nurses when the last time my bandages had been changed. They shuffled their feet and looked like wayward schoolchildren. So the Doctor, poor guy, ripped off my bandage to change it and got covered in the contents of my bowel.

The very first supernova brown volcano. I hurt, I laughed, I hurt, I laughed.

Who am I?

I am a survivor and my name is Stephen and I love my life. I love walking, swimming and barbecues, and dogs. Life is amazing, live it to the full.

If you like this, please check out some of my other posts at vietnamesl.

I live in Vietnam still and you can check out my house below on YouTube.

I hope you enjoyed my stories about my life in Vietnam. Do you have any stories you want to share?



Any or all links on this site may be affiliate links, and if you purchase something through those links I will make a small commission on them.

There will be no extra cost to you and at times due to my affiliation, you could actually save money.

You can read our full affiliate disclosure here.

What is Technology in the Online Classroom?

Technology can help in the classroom.

Technology in the Classroom.

When the Covid-19 pandemic spread throughout the globe in early 2020, it wreaked havoc on practically every aspect of daily life, including education.

Teachers made do with the resources and methods they were given as they made the fast transition to online instruction. Many teachers established the framework for long-term success while they prepared their online courses.

Technology is a powerful tool when used in conjunction with excellent teaching methods and can completely revolutionize classrooms.

Giving kids the tools to direct their own learning by setting objectives, keeping track of their progress, and finding areas for improvement is an excellent method to help them become lifelong learners.

How can we use Tech in the classroom?

The new order is digital competency. With so many new resources in the ever-growing technology area, it is critical for teachers to be able to educate themselves on this information and apply it to assist students in achieving their objectives.

It’s crucial to recognize that most instructors haven’t had much experience with learning technologies as part of their professional development.

Training

A sensible and hands-on training program is required to make this shift in such a short period of time and to acquire the proper combination of abilities afterwards

The capacity to move between virtual and physical instruction is a critical milestone in a teacher’s journey to properly embrace technology. Traditional learning cannot be replaced by digital learning; the future will be a mix of the two.

Let the Students be teachers

Teachers are likely to feel overwhelmed by the prospect of learning a variety of apps, devices, and programs in addition to their regular lesson plans. Give a student a new tool and ask them to learn how to use it before showing you.

Ongoing and updating your skills are ever ongoing. Udemy is a great source of learning about technology in the classroom.

Don’t ban the phone

Many schools ban students from using cell phones or watching YouTube in the classroom. However, one of the most common ways for students to contact is through the telephone. And YouTube is one of the most widely used social media platforms.

So make use of social networking platforms, think outside the box, and allow your pupils to learn while having fun.

When we deny our pupils access to materials, we lose a lot of learning opportunities.

Children are technologically sophisticated, and if you use these tools, they will be able to relate to and focus on the lesson.

Teachers should champion technology.

Not only is it the future of learning and business it can be an opportunity to become an advocate of online etiquette. If the teacher does it correctly children can learn how to behave appropriately on the Internet.

You can teach online etiquette to your students. To make it more human, state that you should never tweet something you wouldn’t say to someone’s face or in front of their grandparents.

And never go to an inappropriate website and tell an adult if you’ve been cyberstalked or bullied.

What free tools are available?

Google Classroom.

Google Classroom is a free online service used by about 30 million teachers and students worldwide. It is designed to help teachers make, distribute, and mark homework and class work more efficiently.

increasing cooperation and providing immediate feedback, and nurturing communication are great features of this tool. One of the best tools in this portfolio is Google Meet.
I am currently teaching online for 4 hours a day and find this to be an intuitive and adaptable tool to use. For me it is a life saver.

Canva

Do you want to create exciting and easy to make visuals for the classroom. Canva will then be the answer for you. It is easy to use and you get professional results every time.
Canva is a simple design tool that allows you to create any design online and share it with the world. And “Learn” is your one-stop shop for the latest design for educational inspiration. Canva will provide you with tools and ideas for the classroom.

Insert Learning

This application allows teachers to simply add instructional information, questions, videos, and interactive conversations to any web page on the internet in order to engage students and increase their grasp of the issues in question.

It was created by two high school teachers who sought to provide their pupils with a more engaging learning experience by transforming the internet into “an interactive learning experience.”

Quizizz

Quizizz allows teachers to simply make engaging quizzes or select from millions of quizzes created by teachers all around the world.

Quizizz’s multiplayer quizzes are enhanced by games such as avatars, leader boards, amusing memes, and other features aimed at increasing student involvement.

Twinkl
Twinkl creates educational tools for children at all stages of their schooling. They include everything from comprehensive lesson plans, class resources to online educational games, augmented reality, and much more with their teacher-generated content.

If you want to download instructional resources from the Twinkl website first create a free account. Have a good look around and you can upgrade if you wish or stay as a free paying customer.

If you upgrade to a premium subscription you get full access to all of Twinkl’s teaching materials.

Kahoot!

Kahoot! is a question-and-answer-based game-based learning tool. Teachers can use this tool to create quizzes, discussions, and surveys to supplement their classroom instruction.

The material is shown in the classroom, and students respond to questions while playing and learning at the same time.

Students learn through games with Kahoot!, which increases student engagement and creates a dynamic, friendly, and engaging learning environment.

Look and Learn.

There are many online tools out there that can help in the class room and these are but a few of our favorites. If you want to increase your knowledge, go online and hunt around. you will find tools that will make your students happier and your life easier.

As technology continues to shape the future of education, today’s teachers must be aware of not only the specific tools and technologies being developed to improve student learning. But also the reasons why they should be used. As well as understanding the importance of balancing technology with traditional teaching skills.

Even the most experienced and gifted instructors will have a steep learning curve in developing the ability to use high-tech innovations to generate real value for real pupils.

Conclusion.

We’d love to hear about your opinions and experiences with this. What are some of the most intriguing educational technologies or breakthroughs that you’ve utilized in the classroom, or that you’d like to try?

Stephen Hey

CEO

Vietnam ESL

Any or all links on this site maybe affiliate links, and if you purchase something through those links I will make a small commission on them.

There will be no extra cost to you and at times due to my affiliation you could actually save money.

You can read our full affiliate disclosure here.

What Teachers day is like in Vietnam with Covid.

This year Vietnam Teachers day is very sad.



Yesterday was just Teachers day.

Like the song, “yesterday seems so far away” this years Teachers day was a bit sad. This years Teachers day coincided with Childrens day. A time normally spent celebrating both Teachers in Vietnam and Children around the world.

Childrens Day.

Saturday, November 20, 2021, is World Children’s Day. Children’s Day is a worldwide celebration usually filled with love and laughter. On their designated dates, all UN member countries commemorate Children’s Day.

Children’s Day is usually a lighthearted occasion with a serious message. International Children’s Day provides an opportunity to promote and celebrate children’s rights, which will help them to live in a better world.

It seems to be appropriate that it falls on the same day as Teachers’ day in Vietnam.

Vietnam Teachers day.

The same day as Teachers day in Vietnam. This is when students express their gratitude and admiration for their teachers. During the Vietnamese Teachers’ Day holiday schools have concerts, recitals, and exhibitions, which are commonplace.

Students prepare food and flowers for the events. On a regular basis, classes are canceled for the day. Students, on the other hand, frequently attend school in the morning and some even spend the entire day participating in these activities.

Find out more about a normal “Teachers day” ==> HERE <==

This occasion is marked by a wide range of events.

Students have typically been practicing and planning for several weeks prior to the performance. Traditional costumes and dances will be displayed alongside the pupils’ renditions of K-pop or V-pop.

Everything is normally a lot of fun and highly entertaining. Unfortunately this year it was a bit sad.

A Sad Year

Most Vietnamese schools celebrated Vietnamese Teachers’ Day with flowers, balloons, gifts, and greetings, however, there were no pupils because of Covid-19. Without the participation of some Teachers and all the students, this year’s celebrations have become less exciting than normal.

You can read more in the ==> HANOI TIMES <==

The Hurdles of Teaching with Covid

Covid-19 has posed unprecedented hurdles to the education sector, posing significant obstacles for both instructors and students.

In Vietnam’s largest cities, the majority of schools teach online. Online lessons, on the other hand, mean a lot more effort on the part of both teachers and students.

For some parents, this means their children will be unable to participate in online lessons. Because of the high cost of computers and the lack of government subsidies, many people are forced to forego studies.

Time will tell if this generation will be known as the under-educated Covid generation.

Teachers day for foreigners in Vietnam.

Foreign instructors who have lost their jobs because of school closures face additional humiliation and loneliness because of the stigma of foreigners supposedly having Covid.

Many foreign teachers are having a terrible time right now. The majority of the workers were hourly workers who are now out of work.

For many foreign teachers, it has been nearly six months since their last paycheck, and some are even begging on the streets. What can you do if you don’t have food and no income? It is not an option to be proud.

Some are lucky and have secured jobs teaching online. Some are not so lucky and are battling with paying rent and putting food on the table.

Teaching Online.

Although many language teachers have attempted to teach online, some parents are unwilling to pay the entire amount for online sessions.

For newer teachers, online lessons can be as low as a third to half of the standard rate. And for some, finding those students can be difficult. Especially if you have no knowledge of the Vietnamese language.

The parents want their children to learn but may themselves either have a basic grasp of the language, or no English skills at all.

However, if you have a large following, parents will be willing to pay extra. And if you’re known for being a terrific teacher, you won’t have to discount anything.

“Something is better than nothing,” some are saying. “Business as usual” for others.

A Glimmer of Hope. Maybe!

Schools are starting to advertise more for online teachers. However, a lot of the English centers have closed, and finding a well-paying job is more difficult.

The airlines are just starting to re-open along with some businesses. Covid rates have increased as one would expect. Lockdowns and continued pressure on the local populace though have forced the government into slowly opening things again.

An example of the confusion at the moment is the karaoke bars were allowed to re-open. So the owners went out and re-employed staff and got everything up and working again. Only to be told 2 days later they were closing them down again.

But This is About the Students.

So who are the ones who suffer the most? Yes, the children are hurting the most, both educationally and in some cases emotionally.

This has been one of the most difficult times in Vietnam’s history for teachers and pupils.

The pandemic’s aftermath threatens to undermine this generation’s chances and limit their options well into adulthood.

The long-term consequences may jeopardize their chances of attending college and, eventually, finding a satisfying profession that allows them to support their family.

It’s not just about the learning.

During the pandemic, students lost more than just academic knowledge. Some have lost family members; others have lost employment and sources of money for their parents and caretakers, and almost all have experienced some type of social isolation.

Mental health issues also raise a huge concern.

There has been a rise in the number of people who are depressed. Social disengagement, self-isolation, tiredness, and unreasonable worries have all been reported by the parents of my students. Some students have developed an obsession with cleanliness, which they demonstrate by constantly washing their hands.

What’s the Upshot?

Schools will very certainly need to address the pandemic’s broader consequences for pupils who have been traumatized.

The teachers will once again step up to the front line and assist and support your children.

Why? Because we are teachers.

I leave you with this.

Here are some simple thoughts about what my students want to do after this horrible pandemic is contained. I wish them all the best in their wishes.

Thuy.

“I want to go to Australia because there are kangaroos there. I want to go back to Nha Trang after the pandemic. I want to be an agricultural engineer in the future.”

Ngoc.

“When I grow up I wanna be a person that can pay my bill and taxes and manage all my time I don’t really care what job I will do in the future but I hope it will be a job with decent pay but if I have to choose one job it would be a baker because my dad is a baker and I hope to make great pastries like him and create my own cakes someday.”

Vy.

“In 2025, I will be 18 years old, of course, I will send money back to my parents and then because then I am old enough to work part-time course the rent we will also split in half and if after I turn 18 I still live with my parents for example when I am 30 then sure the whole rent and including electricity bill will be paid by me and when I’m 30 years old and still living with my parents, that means I don’t have a husband or you love something, my parents will kick me out of the house.”

Simple dreams and simple ambitions like everyone around the world. I hope next “Teachers day” will be a lot happier for everyone than this one has been.

Click ==> HERE <== if you want to find out what Vietnamese students are like.

Who am I?

My name is Stephen and I have been teaching in Vietnam for 15 years and own 2 schools. I love traveling and meeting new people and experiencing different cultures. You can check out my house in Vietnam below on YouTube.



Any or all links on this site may be affiliate links, and if you purchase something through those links I will make a small commission on them.

There will be no extra cost to you and at times due to my affiliation, you could actually save money.

You can read our full affiliate disclosure here.

 

What are Vietnamese Students really like?

This is a post about how Vietnamese students view themselves and the overall problems facing students and teachers alike.



How do Vietnamese students see themselves?

When I ask my students what they think about the schools and teachers in Vietnam the main response is “Boring”. And the result is the students see themselves as lacking and describe themselves as lazy. But let us look behind the scenes a bit more.

The number of students in the school and classroom is huge. It is not uncommon for a class to have 50 students and if you get a class with only 30 students you should consider yourself lucky. This is not conducive to good teaching. There is not much individual teaching done in the classroom.

Very basic classroom tools.

Teachers tend to stand in front of the blackboard and write down the lesson of the day and then get the students to copy. While the students are copying the lesson into their notebooks the teacher will often just sit behind his or her desk and play with their phone.

There is also a distinct lack of technology in the classroom. Whatever technology is in the classroom is often paid for by the parents. Televisions, microphones, and DVD players are more common. But don’t expect a classroom full of computers.

And there are reasons for all of the above too. It is not an easy fix. Let us start with the problems the teachers face.

Teachers Problems

The native teachers of Vietnam have to deal with a lot of problems. And some of these only come to light after you have been teaching here for a while.

After teaching here for about 5 years, I got to talk to one of the teachers. She was worried because she was having another baby. Baby number 3. It seems the Ministry of Education frowns on more than 2 babies per family, so she was worried this would adversely affect her career. That blew me away as I thought this sort of thing only happened in China.

Another problem we can all relate to is that they are grossly underpaid. Their monthly income barely pays for rent and the cost of living. Only a few years ago they were getting the equivalent of $300 to $500 per month. Living in a big city makes it very difficult to make ends meet.

Extra activities

As a result of this, a lot of teachers take on extra teaching activities at home. Sometimes informing the parents that if their children don’t attend the extra classes they will get bad grades. This would seriously affect the students’ post-school ambitions.

Scheduling and timetables are a huge drain on the teachers of Vietnam. With classes starting at 7.00 to 7.30 am and going through to 4 or 5 pm, this is a seriously long day. As well as the long day the teachers are pushed into taking as many classes as possible while still having their own “home class” to look after.

As mentioned before class sizes are huge, with classes of 50 plus students not uncommon. In fact, they are more the norm rather than the exception. Pity the poor introvert teacher who has 55 talkative outgoing students in their class.

Lesson planning helps overcome this and you can find out more ==> HERE <==

Vietnamese English teachers.

When I first started teaching in the public schools I thought all the Vietnamese English teachers would come up to me and want to talk. No, it didn’t happen, and I started to think it must be me. But it wasn’t, they were scared that if they talked to me they would be found out that their English language skills were lacking.

Some of the faults of the Vietnamese English teachers are probably easy to understand. They focus more on Grammar than pronunciation. The outcome being the students know the grammatical aspects of the English language better than most native English speakers. However, they either can’t speak or are very limited in their speaking skills.

Native English speakers

And it is for this reason that native English speakers from the USA, England, Australia, and many other countries are employed to teach in the schools. Often this is also funded by the students’ parents.

Don’t get me wrong. There are some seriously good Vietnamese English teachers out there. But they are in the minority and are more progressive in their teaching approach. And even though I haven’t been told, I would think the “establishment” would consider their teaching methods too liberal.

Teaching English is both profitable and fun if you are a good teacher. But first, you have to learn before you earn. Udemy is a great resource for studying anywhere in the world. To check out their classes click the link below.

Now is a great time to get your English teaching license as the borders in Vietnam are just starting to open. You can find out more about International flights ==> HERE <==

The Vietnamese students | What are they like.

When it comes to learning English, Vietnamese students face many problems. It’s difficult in schools where class sizes are huge and English teachers are scarce in both quantity and quality.

One of the key issues is proper pronunciation. Students find it difficult to converse in English as a result of current teaching methods. English education should focus on helping students to speak and communicate effectively in the real world, not just on grammar.

Time-traveling.

When I started my journey as an EFL ( English as a foreign language) teacher, I envisioned spending 1 or 2 years in a lot of countries around the world. Time for “time-traveling”

I came to Vietnam first on holiday about 16 years ago after my first marriage fell apart, and I was desperately looking for something. But didn’t know what I was looking for.

I traveled from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh city and met some amazing people, both locals and fellow tourists. I stopped off at a lot of places and had a great time.

After returning to my home country I knew I had been bitten by the travel bug. So I sorted my affairs, lol. And did a course on Teaching English and hightailed it back to Vietnam.

Fast forward to today.

I am still in Vietnam and one of the biggest reasons is the students. I find them fun and inquisitive, they are eager to learn and if you approach your class in the right way they will show you respect. it is not uncommon for students to bow to you outside the classroom. however, with the older students, I try to get them to just say “Hi” and introduce their parents.

Even though they describe themselves as lazy, they are some of the hardest working and enjoyable students I have ever had the pleasure to teach.

Students the world over.

Like students everywhere, they will test you and push your buttons. but once you have established the ground rules and talk to them at the same level and not down to them, you gain their respect and attention. 

I now have my own school in Vietnam. Lately because of Covid we have been teaching online. Yes, I still teach as I love it, it keeps me young. Teaching online produces its’ own problems. You can find out more ==> HERE <==

Once again the students have buckled down and worked exceptionally well. The online classes I do focus on pronunciation, talking, and vocabulary. Homework, yes I give homework, is written work. Below is one example of an assignment about work experience from one of my students. Jenny. An English nickname is chosen by her.

Jennys’ blog on work experience.

Written by one of my students.

“The work experience I had as a vet was one of the most difficult and rewarding experiences of my life. The first day was exciting but overwhelming. I had never seen so many animals at once and there were many different types of them.

I learned how to identify and diagnose the animal’s symptoms and what might be wrong with them. I had to make some tough decisions on whether we should euthanize the animal or not, especially when they were in pain and we couldn’t help them anymore. It made me feel really emotional because you could tell that they trusted me to help them have a better life.”

JENNY

I have not changed anything in this and am very proud to share it, with her blessing. She just asked, if you like it please share and leave a comment. She would be chuffed for a foreigner to reach out and say she is doing well. Jenny is only 14 years old, so pretty impressive.

Conclusion

Normally at the end of every post, I talk about myself, but as this post covers this, it could be better to show you my house in Vietnam. If you click on the YouTube button below it will take you to my YT account and you can check out my house with me.

Any or all links on this site may be affiliate links, and if you purchase something through those links I will make a small commission on them.

There will be no extra cost to you and at times due to my affiliation, you could actually save money.

You can read our full affiliate disclosure here.

How to teach Business English | Tips and Tricks

SWOT analysis for business

Teaching Business English is fun and rewarding

Teaching business English intimidates many EFL teachers. This is due to the misunderstanding that teaching business English is different than classroom teaching. But it’s more about helping students in honing their English skills for use in a professional setting. Here are some pointers to help you get started teaching business English.

Find out the Students Goals

You’ll be dealing with busy individuals who are used to achieving goals. As a result, you should talk about what they want to achieve realistically with them at the start of the course. This usually entails breaking down tasks into abilities such as telephoning more successfully, writing more logical emails, and chairing meetings, among other things.

Do a Needs Analysis

Teachers should assist in the development of these goals by analyzing the requirements of the students early on. This ‘needs analysis’ can then be shared with the students and referenced back to during the course to keep them engaged and motivated. Keep in mind that people’s occupations evolve and change over time, so you may need to agree on new goals in the future.

The learning Intent.

A discussion about the context in which the students intend to use the training should be a crucial element of the needs analysis process. What is their motivation for studying English? How and with whom do they communicate at work, and why?

Someone learning English for the purpose of brushing up on their proficiency will have different demands and expectations than someone learning English to lead a team working in another nation.

We must also keep in mind that business is performed on a worldwide scale, and your pupils will almost certainly be communicating with non-native languages. Researching cross-cultural communication and learning how people from other backgrounds conduct business is a smart idea.

Be Professional in your manner

Teach in a professional manner. Pay attention to what you say, how you act, and how you dress. If you’re going to work for a corporation, you’ll need to be punctual, professional, and knowledgeable.

Remember that business English students, like other students, require motivation. Businessmen and women rely on their trainers to keep their energy levels up, and like other classes, there must be some element of fun.

In a business English classroom, student talking time should be significantly higher, so make sure there are plenty of chances for group task work and speaking practice. Leave reading and writing for self-study or assignments as much as feasible.

Choosing Course Content

Students will want you to bring resources to class. There are several books and online resources accessible, but it is critical to select materials that generate ‘genuine’ classroom circumstances.

The students are probably the most valuable resource. They may be able to give you actual resources from their professional lives, such as what they need to read and comprehend, or even develop and deliver.

Leaflets, emails, PowerPoint presentations, and reports are examples of these types of materials. Learners will most likely anticipate you using some of these resources to construct your own worksheets.

Determine which resources are relevant and what your students hope to gain from the lesson. Then come to an agreement on how to address these needs.

PRO TIP: learn how to turn Powerpoint into Video ==> HERE <==

Adapt to your clients’ needs | Be flexible

Strong results and adaptability are expected by businesspeople. They may request classes before starting work, over lunch, or at the conclusion of the day.

As a result, trainers may find themselves working long days, starting the first class at 7.30 a.m. and ending the last class in the evening.

Students may cancel at the last minute due to unanticipated circumstances like an essential sales call or a critical meeting.

Include a cancellation policy in your contract.

We must understand that work is definitely the top priority for learners in the workplace. It’s a good idea to arrange a cancellation policy with the company ahead of time to lessen our work stress.

Request that they notify you 24 to 48 hours in advance. If a class is canceled inside that time you have every right to charge a cancellation fee.

Another issue could be the number of students in class. It can happen that you have prepared for a class of 10 people and only one person shows up. Try to come up with some one-on-one activities.

And prepare for different skill levels in the same class. You may have some advanced students sitting next to beginners. Use this as an opportunity to get the better students to coach the weaker learners.

How can I become a Business English Teacher?

Make sure you’re TEFL or TESOL certified before applying to online and face-to-face Business English teaching jobs since almost all employment in this niche will require you to have a professional English Teacher certificate of at least 120 hours.

It’s even better if you can do a Specialized Certification course in Teaching Business English, as this is a competitive sector, and having specialized training can help you earn more.

An easy go-to for getting qualified anywhere in the world is Udemy. They are recognized and professional and offer a full range of cost-effective courses. And they provide several options.

Conclusion

Teaching business English can be a fun and profitable experience. Although there are a range of skills and tactics required, it all boils down to adequate preparation and a professional attitude.

Who am I?

My name is Steve, and I have been teaching in Vietnam for 15 years. I have 2 schools and am currently teaching online because of Covid. I love traveling and experiencing different cultures and have a weakness for chocolate and beer. You can check out my house in Vietnam below.

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Any or all links on this site may be affiliate links, and if you purchase something through those links I will make a small commission on them.

There will be no extra cost to you and at times due to my affiliation, you could actually save money.

You can read our full affiliate disclosure here.

How to design a lesson plan | EFL

Lesson Planning.

The Importance of lesson Plans

A lesson plan is a tool that teachers use every day to establish what students will learn, how the lesson will be delivered, and how learning will be assessed. Lesson plans give teachers a clear structure to follow throughout each lesson, allowing them to be more effective in the classroom.

It allows teachers to debate over their lesson goals, the types of activities that will fulfill those aims, the order of those activities, the supplies required, the length of each exercise, and how students should be organized.

What should a good lesson plan include?

It should include the information and actions that must be completed within a certain amount of time. Teachers should be have a step-by-step road map to help them delve deeper into what they’re teaching. This should tell you how the instruction should proceed within the lesson’s framework.

The second thing to consider is whether or not the students are grasping what you’re teaching.

A lesson plan helps teachers in more ways than you may think. In addition to planning for factors that are critical for good in class learning, they can also help in the following.

A Twinkl resource:

Preparing for the 3 key areas of learning.

A coherent teaching structure should be followed by the teacher because it is critical to cover the three primary areas of teaching.

1 A lesson plan reveals the course’s primary goals, students should leave class with a full understanding of the topic covered.

2. The course’s main goals are followed

3. Teaching and learning goals are met and an assessment method is incorporated.

And even more, It helps;

Builds Students Confidence in Teachers.

Becoming a more confident teacher once you have an updated lesson plan in your hands. It will help you to be up to date on the most recent teaching techniques.

You will not be seen as adhering to the old school of thought, but will instead be seen as using fresh teaching methods. A lesson plan will assist you in adhering to the most successful teaching approaches.

Your reputation as a confident, well-informed, and knowledgeable teacher who introduces new and better teaching skills to the classroom will be enhanced.

Help students by neither repeating nor forgetting lessons.

Frequently teachers neglect or repeat subjects already taught. The lack of a lesson planning has resulted in this problem.

You’ll be able to avoid accidental omissions or repeats if you have a lesson plan. This will prevent your students from being advanced from one grade to the next with insufficient skills.

Helps with possible changes.

There are some points that can be checked and updated while preparing the lesson plan. It enables teachers to employ various tactics, methods, and technologies in order to make the teaching process more engaging and fun.

Lesson plans assist teachers prevent mistakes by clarifying what they are teaching and preparing for any questions that may arise.

Prior planning prevents text book Fatigue

There are numerous fantastic guidelines with decent resources that allow a teacher to build a successful lesson plan utilizing the syllabus. These manuals often include solved problems and notes, allowing teachers to save time.

As a result, they will have more time to concentrate and learn. As a result, a strong lesson plan keeps students from relying too heavily on textbooks.

Promotes purpose driven content.

You can design your lessons more purposefully using a lesson plan as a teaching tool. A methodical teaching pattern is the foundation of good classroom management.

You will be able to offer the subject matter straight and clean if you have a well-mapped out plan of learning activities and routines.

So in brief a lesson plan serves as a quick reference tool for all teachers. Teachers who are willing to present the material in a way that is both logical and well-informed.

So, let go and prepare our lesson plan. below are 5 steps to help you prepare your own lesson plan. And rather than using a generic lesson plan that does not reflect your personality.
I strongly advise to take the time and write your own.

You can always change your own material and make it relevant for different grades. This will save you time in planning and angst in the classroom. Let’s go….

5 steps for preparing your lesson plan.

1. What are the learning objectives.

The first thing is to find out what you want your pupils need to know and be able to do by the conclusion of class. Ask the following questions to help you define your student learning goals:

  • What is the lesson’s subject?
  • What do I want students to take away from this experience?
  • At the end of class, what do I want them to know and be able to do?
  • What do I want students to remember about this lesson in particular?

After you’ve written down the learning objectives for the class meeting, prioritize them. In the event that you are pressured for time, this phase will prepare you for managing class time and completing the most critical learning objectives.

2. Plan the specific learning activities

Create several alternative ways to explain the information to capture your students’ attention and appeal to various learning styles. Predict how much time you’ll spend on each of your examples and activities as you set them out.

Allow time for detailed explanations or discussions, but also be prepared to move rapidly to new applications or challenges, as well as to establish ways for ensuring understanding. These questions will assist you in creating the learning activities you’ll use:

3. Plan to test student understanding.

Consider asking specific questions you can ask students to check for understanding, write them down, and then paraphrase them so you may ask the questions in a variety of ways.

Try to foresee what kinds of responses your inquiries may provoke. Determine whether pupils should respond verbally or written.

4. Create a lesson time frame.

Estimate how much time each activity will take, then leave some extra time for each. When making your lesson plan, write how much time you estimate each activity to take next to it.

Plan to spend a few minutes at the end of class answering any outstanding questions and summarizing important concepts.

If you have time left over, plan an extra activity or a discussion question.

Be adaptable – rather than adhering to your initial plan, be willing to change your lesson plan to meet the needs of your students and focus on what appears to be more fruitful.

5. What am I going to do to explain the subject and get the students interested?

Some of the techniques and tools you can use are:

Interaction with the material

If students are asked to interact with the material in some way, they are more likely to remember the information offered in these methods.

Digital content

Students practice making decisions in virtual environments, visualizing the effects and or repercussions. i have more information on this ==> HERE <==

Collaboration with others

Peer relationships, informal support structures, and interactions and relationships between teachers and students.

Critical thinking and problem solving

Students are given a problem, setting, example, challenge, or creative issue to confront or deal with, and they are then required to think about or apply their knowledge and information in new and innovative ways.

Age and level Relevance.

Perhaps the one most overlooked in the classroom. You should have lesson plans for students of all ages and skill levels. Your lesson plan should cover these levels at least.

1) Kindergarten, quick and rapid with lots of variations to keep kids interested at the most basic level.

2) Children, lots of games and fun activities, yet some rigorous book-based learning. It is not necessary for it to be as fast-paced as kindergarten

3) Adolescents. (Secondary school) I like to perform one activity at the beginning and one at the end of the lesson. There will be a greater emphasis on book study.

4) Adults are the fourth group. With the comments, you can be a little more daring. More emphasis on acquiring and mastering all abilities.

You can check out more ==> HERE <== ESL lesson plans for beginners.

Conclusion.

Great lesson plans will help you in so many ways. It is vital that you get your head around creating a good lesson plan. If you can do this, your teaching life will be a lot easier. Canva also has some great resources for lesson planning.

Lesson plan resources

And who am I. My name is Stephen and I have been teaching in Vietnam for 15 years and own 2 schools. I love traveling and meeting new people and experiencing different cultures. You can check out my house in Vietnam below on YouTube.

You Tube logo

Any or all links on this site maybe affiliate links, and if you purchase something through those links I will make a small commission on them.

There will be no extra cost to you and at times due to my affiliation you could actually save money.

You can read our full affiliate disclosure here.