Tag: EFL

How to Grade Your Younger ESL students.

Testing your younger ESL students.

ESL students’ English-speaking ability can be assessed in a variety of ways. The two most common are speaking tests and speaking exams.

IELTS and TOEFL are tests are normally used for older and more proficient students and you can find out more information about this at ielts.org.

But first you need to look at the age of your new student and their proficiency in all the 4 learning skills. Especially as today we are concentrating on the younger student.

What are the 4 skills for learning a language?

Listening

When you were a kid, the first thing you did to learn how to speak was just listen to what everyone else said However, to improve listening skills, you must listen, listen and listen again.

It is not enough to take a lesson with your teacher; your student should also make an effort to watch cartoons or listen to music in their spare time, always keeping in mind that the content they select is appropriate to their level.

Subtitles in movies can also be used to learn new words.

This is where you need to involve the parents in the learning process.

Find out more about “Helping Your Children to Learn English at Home“

Speaking

As a child, the second skill is to reproduce the sounds you had previously heard. Simply try to say the words. Talking is the key to progressing in speaking abilities.

Get your students to talk to other students and native speakers to get a sense of the language’s cadence and rhythm. The students must build up a belief in themselves and strive to communicate as much as possible.

It does not matter if they make mistakes because they will learn from them. The objective is to get them to talk as much as possible.

Do not over correct them as it may inhibit their desire to speak.

Reading

Learning the alphabet and repeating the vowels and letters was the third thing you did in school. And it is the same with ESL. This is the 3rd skill.

There are certain actions you can take to improve reading efficiency. First teach words and short phrases. Then build to teaching the reading of paragraphs.

Then use the skim reading approach, which is reading quickly in order to get a rough impression of the information. A silent reading is also recommended internalizing the pronunciation of each word as well as the punctuation pauses.

However, you should make a list of the words your students don’t understand so you can look them and translate if necessary.

I was always told not to translate, but with some of the more prosaic words it is easier to do a translation than waste 30 minutes trying to get your students to understand a difficult word.

Writing

Writing is the fourth skill. However, before you begin writing, you must consider potential topics in order to arrange your thoughts. That means do a lesson plan, please. This skill is ranked last not because it is less important, but because it is the most difficult to master.

When practicing this skill, keep in mind the three main elements of the text: introduction, body, and conclusion, as well as studying punctuation, which will aid in text cohesiveness (how to utilize punctuation).

On the other hand, if you want your younger students to write right now, it’s best to start with short sentences, then tiny paragraphs, and finally whole text.

At this level do not expect too much. I concentrate on things like; ” I like chicken” ” I do not like fish” And I do not teach contractions at this level. The students have enough to think about already.

So what is the easiest way to test your new student without spending a long time going through everything, well this is how I do it.

Speaking Examinations

The first and most straightforward technique is to ask questions in a comfortable in-class or exam atmosphere.

For younger and lower-level students, or for those who do not have access to a formal testing location, a spoken test is preferable.

Before you ask questions you need to know the basics understanding the steps in learning English, or any language.

Understanding the first steps in learning English.

Starters.

Pre A1 Starters can assist your child in taking their initial steps toward: comprehending basic English information on the internet; enjoying English-language books, songs, television, and films; and making worldwide friends.

Movers

A1 Movers can assist your child with comprehending basic directions and engaging in simple discussions.

comprehend basic notices, instructions, or data

Fill out basic forms and make notes on times, dates, and locations.

Flyers.

A1 Movers can assist and develop your childs comprehension with basic directions and participating in simple discussions. As well as understanding basic notices, instructions, or data. And filling out basic forms and scribbling down notes, including times, dates, and locations.

It’s also better to focus on the English fluency level than the complexity of the question while administering a speaking test.

Questions that are age relevant.

To find out which level of learning your new student is on, you should mix up the questions, but always start with some easy ones first. And try to make it fun, they will be nervous and for some it may be the first time they have ever talked to a “foreigner”

Questions that can be used.

  • What is your name?
  • How old are you?
  • How many people in your family?
  • Who are they?
  • Where do you live?
  • When were you born?
  • Do you have any pets?
  • What is your favorite color?
  • What’s your favorite food?
  • Can you say the “ABC.”
  • Can you say the days of the week?
  • Can you say the months of the year?
  • Can you swim, cook etc?
  • Do you have brothers and sisters?
  • Are they older or younger than you?
  • Do you live in a house or an apartment?
  • What school do you go to?
  • What class are you in?
  • What is your favorite subject?
  • How long have you been studying English?
  • What country are you from?
  • What time is it?
  • What hobbies do you have?
  • What’s your favorite food?
  • What is your mothers name?
  • What is your fathers name?
  • Are you crazy? ( Remember have fun)

And I can list so many more, but for this age group keep it simple and short and evaluate the students answer. Then look at their age and social skills and choose a class accordingly

You should also use flashcards and other resources to fully develop an understanding of your students skill level.

Conclusion.

Whatever method you use to grade your students, please be gentle and kind. The best approach is to engage the students with humor so they want to learn and not forced to learn. Be the teacher you always looked up to.

Article by;

Stephen

Stephen is an English Teacher with more than 15 years of experience in online and face-to-face classes. Stephen also places ESL teachers throughout South East Asia and finds that this and tutoring match perfectly.

Book a class with Stephen to explore his teaching methodology, and improve your English level.

You can check me out on Facebook and leave a message if you wish. Stephen.

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.

Vietnams ESL Sector | A Series of disappointments.

The education sector in Vietnam has its genuine actors but generally the entire industry is saturated, swamped if you will, in a quagmire of distasteful players.

Editorial feature about ESL in Vietnam.

The comments below were written by Marty Hoare who is a moderator of the Facebook group FETV 

( Foreign English Teachers in Vietnam)

The opinions stated are not necessarily the opinions of Vietnam ESL.

However, it is good to look at the perspectives of those that have been involved in the Vietnamese Education sector for a considerable time.

For the sake of speed of readability some small parts have been edited, all with the OK of the Author. 

With no further ado, let’s jump in.

A Quagmire of Disappointment |Marty Hoare, Vietnam, April 2021.

FETV Facebook picture

It is a sector inhabited by unprincipled operators ravenous with an appetite for effortless financial gain. Expectant students (funded mostly by ill-informed parents) are more often than not the casualty of this habitually disreputable industry.

Although the sector also has its genuine actors, the entire industry is saturated, swamped if you will, in a quagmire of distasteful players.

Background

With a growing population of approximately 100 million people, Vietnam is often referred to as the next Tiger Economy. This Tiger Economy mantra has been harmonized since the mid-1980s and continues to be vocalized through to the present day. Even with the arrival of Covid-19 early in 2020,

Vietnam’s songs of advancement continue to be heard loudly across the globe. Yet, due to the flood of questionable press, sponsored economic reports, and expensive consultancy hyperbole, the realities of Vietnam’s rapid expansion into the 21st century make the reality of the exact state of affairs in Vietnam anyone’s guess.

The ESL Industry

Much like the ESL industry in Vietnam, authenticity in this part of the world is often masked behind a veil of duplicity.

In spite of this, there is no arguing that Vietnam has seemingly progressed from a mostly agrarian insular society to one of a developing nation rhetorically unified under one flag.

Of its 100 million people and after 4 decades of growth, it is understood that 70% are rural dwellers with the remaining 30% spread across 2 major cities.

These now mega-cities heaving under the pressure of inadequate infrastructure, mass overcrowding, increasing pollution, and ever-present corruption include Ho Chi Minh City and its capital Hanoi, with the central coastal city of Danang rapidly becoming a significant regional entity.

It is also understood that in the order of 30% of Vietnam’s 100 million people are under the age of 24, often referred to as the next generation. With these numbers is it any wonder that the ESL industry in this part of the world is thriving?

English Language Education in Vietnam.

English is a compulsory subject from 3rd grade onwards. Students in Government schools are mostly taught by under-qualified Vietnamese English teachers with little English proficiency skills.

The external English language center business (also flooded with unqualified and ill experienced teachers), accounts for a large number of foreign teachers.

But literally hundreds of thousands of poorly equipped Vietnamese teachers using archaic methods of grammar exercises, often reproduced from outdated and poorly photocopied texts, and vocabulary cramming, present to scores of disenchanted students.

Public classrooms across Vietnam are stretched to breaking point under the weight of 40, 50, and even 60 or more students in each classroom.

After Class Teaching

Due to the lack of quality education delivered in classrooms across Vietnam, many parents send their children to after-school classes, commonly referred to in Vietnam as Extra Classes.

These are little more than an opportunity for Vietnamese teachers to earn additional lucrative cash income, these extra classes have little to no impact on student outcomes as many of those delivering the content are less than qualified to do so.

It is a vicious cycle and one that appears not to be slowing down. In Vietnam’s latest national high school exam results the average English score was lowest among nine subjects.

Core Results

Recognizing that English language proficiency is a crucial component to the advancement of a Tiger Economy, the National Foreign Language 2020 Project was launched back in 2008

The project attracted considerable negative public attention and feedback from those concerned; no more so than from the then and recently re-elected Minister of Education and Training, Mr. Phung Xuan Nha who in November 2016 admitted that “the National Foreign Language Project 2020 had failed”.

Lack of Qualified Teachers.

In Vietnam, there are around 8 million elementary students, 5 million lower-secondary students, and 2 million upper-secondary students enrolled in little over 15,000 primary schools, 10,000 lower-secondary schools, 2,400 upper-secondary schools, and almost 1000 mixed schools.

It’s unclear how many Vietnamese teachers there are to attend to such a large number of students. In Vietnam, however, it is estimated that there are about 260,000 instructors at the tertiary level.

In 2008 Harvard researchers Valley and Wilkinson described the Vietnamese education system as “being in a state of crisis. As we end the first half of 2021, and after many millions of dollars have been gobbled up by the system, this state of crisis remains.

A Corrupt Sector.

It is all about Money.

Vietnams corruption is well-known. In their Global Corruption Perceptions Index released in 2020, Transparency International classified Vietnam as the 36th most corrupt country out of 179 countries.

After the police, Transparency International ranked education as the second most corrupt industry in Vietnam.

If you want to see how Vietnam or your country is ranked click on the link above.

Bribery is frequent in order to gain university admission or improve grades. Bribing teachers and school administrators is also a frequent practice among parents.

A top government employee was recently proven to be a prominent culprit in the altering and falsification of exam candidates’ answer sheets in national high school examinations in a highly publicized case.

An example of this can be read about in The Vietnamese online Newspaper, Vietnam Insider.

Plagiarism in higher education, the fraudulent acquisition of academic degrees, distorted budget estimates, and the leakage of cash from public procurement initiatives, such as the National Foreign Language Project 2020, are all issues that have been widely highlighted.

Two Sides to a Story

Here we are faced with a dichotomy of judgment. On the one avaricious hand, we have Vietnamese English teachers arguing that it is their system that has failed them and their students, while on the other equally cash adoring hand we have the authorities who would have us believe that it is their teachers who are contributing to the cesspit of sludge that is Vietnam’s education sector.

As the authorities clearly stated in their Vietnam Education and Training Development Strategy, “all levels have not caught up with the reality of education and training development as people are influenced by their own personal benefits”.

Failing Proficiency levels.

Entering an IELTS exam prepared in surreptitious harmony by the Hanoi University and the British Council at the IELTS examination center exposed the inadequacies of the system.

The course students (teachers) were streamed into levels 1 to 3 depending on their band score and were introduced to the formalities of sitting, what instructors understood to be, an authentic IELTS exam.

On completion of the course. It quickly became apparent that the Vietnamese teachers’ English proficiency across the board was far below not only the official IELTS assessment criterion. It became apparent that the English Proficiency Index 2020 report entrance scores were extremely liberal.

Putting aside the blatantly obvious overzealous entrance results, over the first 7 weeks of the course instructors worked painstakingly to prepare their underprepared students for round 1 of their first of two-practice simulated IELTS exams. The outcome of the initial exam proved to be disturbing.

Students that entered the course with a certain IELTS band level were found to be at a considerably lower level. Listening and reading skills were distressingly low with writing skills taking a close second.

Although most students could navigate an English-speaking country as a tourist, engage in small talk with colleagues, and understand simple emails, they could not indulge in an in-depth discussion with native English speakers.

The scene was set for a catastrophic outcome, not to mention a tremendous challenge for instructors that continue to this day.

Candidate Feedback

The majority of the candidates indicated unequivocally that the academic aspect of the IELTS preparation course and the exam was not needed to practice their profession.

The majority of students stated that they would have preferred to be taught modern pedagogical practice with an emphasis on vocabulary and speaking skills.

It’s debatable whether or not their allegations are justified. However, it was painfully evident, based on previous experience, that the course was beyond their skills.

The unpleasant realities of a general lack of competence were exposed but ignored. The awareness that their system had failed them once more, combined with the unpleasant truth about the waste of vital financial resources, resulted in an even more negative attitude.

Vietnamese English teachers who finished the IELTS preparation course went to the Hanoi University IELTS training center to take the official IELTS exam. What the result of that was, is anybody’s guess.


The Cost of Education

Piggies in the trough.

In Vietnam, basic schooling is quite expensive. There are simply too many forms of school fees and contributions.

Additional school fees include enrollment and tuition, construction and repair, purchasing equipment, class fund, textbooks and stationery, uniforms, canteen, parking fees, supplementary classes at school, extra classes outside of school, insurance, parents’ association funds, and gifts and “envelopes” for teachers.

These are among the 15 major groups of fees identified by the HIDE Survey 2013.

School Problems

Schools are under-resourced, and instructors are underpaid. Parents pay construction and maintenance fees to fund school capital expenditures that are frequently diverted to other purposes.

Teachers collect a variety of donations that are far from little, with collection tactics that frequently border on harassment.

Furthermore, it is typical for instructors to make their talents and time accessible to families in exchange for monetary compensation.

As a result, these additional classes are rapidly expanding, allowing an increasing number of students to believe they have achieved higher academic levels.

Supplementary classes.

Supplementary lessons appear to be a mechanism for families to compensate for what they perceive to be instructional flaws and poor educational quality. Extra classes are frequently little more than a way for hungry teachers in collusion with even more rapacious school officials to request additional funds.

A Lucrative Business

The education market in Vietnam is tremendously lucrative. This trend is consistent with education being regarded as the second-most attractive sector in Vietnam, with two main factors driving this growth.

  • The first is the growing number of middle-income earners in Vietnam.
  • And the second is the failure of public school enrollment to keep pace with population growth.

Furthermore, parents want to provide their children with more soft skills that are not available in public institutions, and the private sector is filling the gap.

Martins Opinion

“This sludge pit will only become worse, with students being the hardest hit by these shady practices

Pigs get fat and Hogs get slaughtered is a well-known phrase that can only be used to describe this industry.

The pigs have been fattened by the cesspool of muck that is the Vietnamese school system, and if allowed unchecked, the hogs will continue to be slaughtered.”

Author: Martin P Hoare B.A., B. Teach

I speak from the position of a mature-age professional educator having had many years of involvement in the global English language sector of which 13 have been spent in South East Asia.

To read the full version of the edited article please go to the FETV Facebook group and read Martins article.

Click below for privacy Policy

Privacy Policy and Affiliate Disclosure

What are the stereotypes of English teachers in Vietnam?

Teaching English in Vietnam.

People have predicted that things will change in Vietnam in terms of ex-pats for years But, it is evident that very little has changed in the last 15 years.

The majority of foreign workers work as teachers in schools (whether ESL, Japanese, Korean, International Schools, or universities).

However, in school management, administration, and other fields, there are extremely few foreigners. It’s all about teachers, teachers, and more teachers. So, why hasn’t it altered all that much?

Click here to find out more on Teaching in Vietnam.

The Asian model.

People have tossed out estimates like 70% of foreign employees are teachers and the remainder are anything else.

From small business entrepreneurs, freelancers, corporation ex-pats, or on the low end – Chinese and Korean laborers working in Chinese and Korean companies.

Expats’ evolution in business in East and Southeast Asia has been uneven. While some countries want you to stay in their country for the rest of your life, not all of them are made equal.

Two Models

There are two models to choose from in Asia. You have the Korea and Singapore models, where foreigners began as instructors and trainers and progressed to leading universities, businesses, and advising non-governmental organizations.

Then there’s the Chinese approach, which entails simply being a teacher. This has occurred in China, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Thailand and Malaysia were the exceptions, but it is apparent that Thailand has returned to the China model.

More progress needs to be made.

It’s disappointing that more experienced foreign personnel are unable to assist in the administration of some of the universities.

They could implement more efficient policies and assist in the modernization of some of the curriculum (which happened in the case of Singapore).

It would be excellent if more progress was made in this area, even if foreign workers are only noticed or valued in the education sector. At the very least, both Vietnamese students and foreign workers may have additional possibilities.

The school stereotypes

In Vietnam, female teachers outnumber their male counterparts by a large margin. Many Vietnamese regard the imbalance as unimportant, but educational specialists believe that the lack of male role models in education has a negative impact on the development of well-rounded students.

“Children are constantly exposed to pictures of men as pilots or engineers, while women are depicted as teachers or tailors,” she explained.

More women than men are thought to have chosen this profession because it allows them to balance work and family life.

Many Vietnamese believe that teaching is not a difficult profession and that as a result, women have more time to spend with their families.

So it can often be seen as a foreign English teacher in Vietnam, that the preference for males is somewhat sexist.

More foreign teacher stereotypes.

The level of English language instruction in Vietnam has been widely criticized, owing to a variety of ‘traditional’ reasons such as huge class sizes and inefficient and poor teacher training.

The ‘difficult’ learner, in particular, is frequently singled out for blame: The most common learning methods are described as ‘passive,’ ‘traditional, mechanical, and occasionally reluctant. S

Students are reported to be insecure, reliant on memorization and prone to blunders, and lacking in communicative and critical thinking skills. This supposed “learning culture” is thought to be “tough to change.”

Cultural Bias.

Quite often this is just an example of foreign teachers bringing their own cultural bias to the classroom.

It’s important to note that traditional Vietnamese teaching methods are teacher-centered, book-centered, and grammar-focused rather than pronunciation-focused. There is also a strong emphasis on rote memorization.

English, which is taught using Western cultural methods, is the polar opposite of this form of instruction.

Right or wrong this is not our country, and we are guests in a foreign land and should accept cultural differences.

Things are changing and we must wait for the change to happen before we judge or try to force change.

You can find out more about etiquette in Vietnam here

There are some annoying things in English schools.

English teachers are employed in both government and private schools in Vietnam to teach English to youngsters. Teachers are not employed by the government school.

Instead, Vietnamese language schools hire teachers and send them to different schools to conduct lessons.

The benefits of this include that language schools give the syllabus and teaching materials, as well as professional development opportunities.

The downsides.

Schools prefer white faces and younger teachers. Whether you are qualified or not, it is much easier to get a job if you are young and white. Even this is slowly changing.

Here is a Reddit post regarding this subject.

Q. I am a British graduate of Indian origin with a TEFL. Though I don’t look British, my English is perfect. How difficult would it be to find work as a brown-skinned dude in Vietnam?

A. You’ll be fine, just not as easy as attractive white men.

I think Vietnam is the least racist of Asian countries I’ve been to. But they ARE very forward.

Overweight a few pounds? You got fat!

Black? You’re the first black person they’ve seen not in the movies! Let me touch your skin!

Locks for hair? Omg, they’re gonna touch that. 

Arm hair? Yeah, that too.

Don’t worry they’re very nice, they just have no filter and don’t realize other cultures find it rude.

I think this explains it all, while not trying to be racist there are no laws in place to stop explicit requests for young white foreign males.

Conclusion

if you leave your cultural biases at home, you will be fine. If you can’t, it is probably better that you do not come.

There are some teachers who have been here for only a short time and think they know everything about the country. They will try to get discounts on everything and get angry if they are charged $1.00 more than the locals. This is petty, in my opinion.

And you will also lose face with the locals, so grin and bear it. Remember you are making a lot more than the local population and they know it.

Who am
I?

My name is Stephen and I have been teaching in Vietnam for 15 years. I have taught in both state schools and private schools and now have my own English school.

You can check out my school below on my YouTube channel.

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 help your child learn English at home.

Why you should teach your child English at home.

Helping your child learn English at home.

With schools closed due to the Corona virus, parents all over the world are wondering how they can help their children learn English at home. Sure, teachers are teaching online, but as parents, we can do a lot more.

When instructors and parents collaborate, children have a better chance of succeeding in school. Every interaction you have with your child during the day can be used to help them develop their English skills.

Here are some ideas to help home study.

Have fun.

We have a lot of duties as busy parents. It’s all about finding the appropriate balance when it comes to teaching or leading the learning process at home.

Teachers in schools must plan timetables and lessons for the entire class. You have more freedom to focus on your child’s preferred interests and activities when you learn at home. You can consider what will be most beneficial to your child.

Learners of all ages achieve more when they enjoy and find their work engaging and meaningful. Don’t be frightened to have a good time!

Try new things.

There are a lot of online resources to help, so do not be scared to try different things. You have English learning apps, websites, English rhymes, and songs to name a few. To find out how your child likes to learn and what things do they enjoy.

Children’s picture books

For young children learning English, this method can open them to a whole new realm of learning. It can be difficult to select the correct books, but it is critical to recognize the advantages of having this one-on-one relationship with your child.

Picture books give parents and children a compelling incentive to change from their native language to English. The predefined text of a picture book is a very valuable prop for parents who perform poorly in English.

Flashcards.

Flashcards can be a very useful tool. Especially for the beginner or younger learner. Teaching individual worlds is an important part of the learning process and flashcards provide pictures along with the words and pictures.

Rather than a boring home lesson you can make it fun by turning learning into a game. For example, You can buy 2 sets of the same flashcards and play a memory-based game.

Place the flashcards face down and your child has to remember where the 2 that are the same were placed. Laugh and learn will also instill a desire from your child to learn.

==> Using flashcards to teach English <==

Rhymes and songs

Repeating rhymes and songs is a fun method of learning new vocabulary in English. You can create a collection of songs that your child can listen to over and over to become comfortable with keywords.

==> Rhymes and songs to learn English <==

Apps that help your child learn English

Improve your child’s English skills with these entertaining and educational applications! These games, podcasts, videos, and quizzes are designed for kids of all ages and will help them learn English at home or on the go. You can learn more about them by clicking here.

==> Apps for children to learn English <==

Comics, TV, and video games.

Who doesn’t love cartoons, comics, and playing online games.? Okay, not everyone. But a lot of children do. And if you can get your child to read comics, watch cartoons and play games in English, they will learn faster.

Find what they enjoy doing and try to get them to do it in English. The cartoon network in English is a great tool for home learning.

Word searches and other games

Word searches can be a great tool as long as they are not overused. They can be used as a reward for a lesson well done.

However, as a stand-alone tool, it is questionable. It certainly helps with word recognition if used in the right way. Find a word search that relates to the topic you are teaching and the words you have taught.

There are online word search makers that you can use to specifically target the words taught in your childs lesson.

Things to think about.

What does your child like to do in his or her spare time? Drawing? going outside to play? comics? Do they enjoy reading stories? Dancing? indoor games or puzzles?

Make an effort to engage in some of their favorite activities in English.

Is your child more active at different times of the day? Do they like the mornings or the afternoons? What do they do after learning? Do they want something to eat? Choose the perfect moment to tackle the most difficult tasks!

What is your child’s preferred method of absorbing information? Is it possible to teach off-the-cuff during these times? Make a list of what works best for them.

Do you want your child to be able to make their own decisions about their education? Or do they prefer to make decisions with you? Always remember to ask them for their opinions and to encourage them as they build their own study skills.

Can I help if I don’t speak English?

Yes! Encouragement and praise are the finest ways to provide the best support for your child. This boosts your child’s self-esteem and belief in their own abilities.

Encourage children when they take charge of their own education and congratulate them on their efforts

You could even give your youngster the task of teaching English to a member of your family. Did you know that one of the most effective methods to learn is to teach someone else? You could even ask that they teach you.

Conclusion.

Whatever you do, make it fun. Your child will love you all the more for you taking the time out of your day to spend with them.

To develop the love of learning in your child will mean they will want to learn and they will increase any learning skill quicker.

Remember the first skill in learning any language is the listening skill, so the more they listen to English, the faster they will learn.

And be patient, learning anything takes time. And learning a language is one of the most difficult things to do. But small steps now will lead to big leaps in the future.

Who am I?

I am an EFL ( English as a Foreign Language ) teacher who owns a school in Vietnam. I have been here for 15 years and experienced most teaching situations.

From teaching in state schools with 50 plus students to a class to one on one private lessons. I have taught in English centers both good and bad, and the bad decided me to open my own school.

You can check out my school in Vietnam below by hitting on the YouTube button.

My school in Vietnam

 

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.

Educational Flashcards | ESL

Flashcards are an excellent resource to use in the ESL or EFL classroom with younger students.

Learning Styles and Flashcards

Flashcards are a very important tool in the classroom. They are a great visual aid that helps with visual style learners.

There are several different styles of learning. Visual, auditory, physical, verbal, logical, social and solitary. .

Learning styles focus on how a student is best able to learn or their preferred method of attaining knowledge. This is usually influenced by their unique brain and experiences, and has a direct impact on the way they get information and learn.

For teachers it’s extremely important to understand learning styles and how they impact the students in your classroom. Each student will have their own preferred learning style, and teachers can help create activities that cater to different learning styles to help more students learn effectively..

The visual style is very effective especially with younger students. And flashcards are an effective tool for visual learners.

What are Flashcards?

Flashcards are normally A4 or A5 size pieces of cardboard that have pictures of the subject you are teaching. For example if you are teaching body parts your flashcards will have pictures of the nose, ears, arms etc. If you are teaching numbers they may have numbers from one to ten on them. There are a wide range of flashcards. Quite often they are used to teach a beginner level student..

Using Flashcards in an ESL classroom.

How we use flashcards is very important. If you just stand up in front of your class and show the card and say the name on the flashcard the students will be bored.

The first thing to think about is the age group of the students. With flashcards I generally target the younger student. Mainly because they adapt to a visual style of learning (with the use of flashcards)  better than older students. From four to eleven year old.

The older students will think you are being condescending if you use flashcards and treating them like children. However if I find an older student is having trouble understanding a word , I have used them. But very sparingly. And more in a one on one teaching environment.

So, how do the younger students like to learn. They like to have FUN. So the best way to use flashcards with younger students is to pre-teach the vocabulary, then use the flashcards in a game.

Flashcard games.

Many different games can be played with flashcards. You can make up your own or use the internet to discover how many there are. Here are some that work well.

Concentration: You need 2 sets of flashcards for this game.  Place both sets face down on the floor.  Students take turns in turning over 2 cards (saying the cards aloud).  If the cards match then the student keeps the cards.  If the cards are different the cards are turned back over again in their original places.  The student or team with the most pairs at the end of the game is the winner.

Charades: Have a student come to the front of the class and show a flashcard or whisper a word to that student.  The student then acts out that word to the rest of the class and the first student to guess what it is can be the next player.  This works very well with action verbs. Split the class up into teams – the first student to guess wins a point for his/her team..

Pictionary: Good for reviewing vocabulary. Choose a student and show them a flashcard picture or whisper a word into their ear.  The student then draws the picture on the board and the first student in the class to guess what the picture is gets to draw the next picture.  This can also be played in teams with a point system. Better in teams.

Trashball: Students take a shot at the trash can/box/etc. First show a flashcard to Student 1.  If he or she answers correctly then they can have a shot at the basket.  If the student gets the trash in the basket then they win 1 point. The person  who gets the most points is the winner.  This can also be played in teams. A good game at the end of class for cleaning up..

Fish: Before this game you need to have the students in pairs draw and cut out a picture of a fish for each pair.  While they are doing that put 2 parallel lines of tape on the floor a few meters apart.  Have students play in pairs – each student behind a different line, facing each other with the fish in the middle.  The teacher shows Student 1 a flashcard and asks what it is.  If the student answers it correctly they can blow once to move the fish forward.  Next, the teacher asks Student 2 who can blow the fish back towards Student 2.  The student who blows the fish over their opponents line is the winner.

Memory : Split your class into two teams. Boys verse girls always works well. Put your flashcards face down on the floor. Then say the name of one flashcard and choose a student to find that flashcard. They only have one turn each. No multiple pickups. Then choose another student, and another etc. It is surprisingly simple yet the students love it.

Over-under:  Line up your student in two teams. Give the two students at the front each a flash card. When you say go, the first in line says the word and passes the flashcard over their head, the next student says the word and passes the card under between their legs, the student kid over, then under, etc. The last student in the line races to the front to hand the flashcard to the teacher and says the word. The first team to finish gets a point.

Backs to the Board Game: This one is good for higher level kids.  Make two teams and stand one student from each team in front of the board, facing away from it.  Place a flashcard picture on the board (e.g. “hamburger”) and the students have to explain that word to their team member (e.g. It’s made of bread and has meat and lettuce and tomatoe in it, you can buy it at Lotteria , [ a Vietnamese  McDonalds ], it’s got cheese and tomatoe sauce on it).  The first student to guess the word wins a point for their team.

Back to back Game: This game is really good fun.  You need some  tape. Pair up students tape a card onto each student’s back.  Both students face each other with hands behind backs waiting for the teacher to shout “Go!”.  At this point they must try to discover his/her partner’s hidden flashcard without letting their partner see theirs.  When the student finally sees his/her partner’s card s/he has to shout it out to become the winner.  .

Chase the Flashcard: Put your flashcards in corners, then call out the name of one flashcard. The last student to the corner gets eliminated. Do this until you have one person left. Good for smaller class sizes as you do not want the eliminated students waiting too long.

Products.

Here are some Flashcards for toddlers and preschoolers that won’t break the bank and are professionally made. Buy from Amazon for less than $10.00 per set.

Conclusion.

There are many more games for flashcards that you can find online. Also talk to other teachers and ask what games they use. We are a helpful group of people

It is a good idea to have some reward for the student or team. It doesn’t have to be big. A sugar free lolly or an eraser or pencil works fine. I save the points until the end of the class and buy an iced lolly for each student on the team. Vietnam is hot.

Flashcards are a great tool but use them wisely. If you use them all the time the students will become bored and you have wasted a good resource. I use them for 20 minutes in a classroom at the most, and not everyday. There are lots of other resources for visual learners as well. And do not forget the other styles of learning.

If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to contact me. I always reply.

Steve

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.

 

Teaching English Abroad in Vietnam

There are certain ways that will make it easier for both the teacher to teach and the student to learn English as a second language. This will help you to understand more about teaching English in a foreign country.

How do students learn

Before we move into teaching styles and the methodology of teaching it is a good idea to reflect on how languages are learnt. If you can think when a baby is born it does not come forth into the world with a full range of vocabulary.

He or she spends the first years of life listening and absorbing the fundamentals of the language.

The first skill learnt is the Listening skill which is the foundation of all the other skills. ( I can quite often guess the nationality of the teacher because of the pronunciation of the student).

This is, arguably, the most important skill. The second skill in learning order is the speaking skill. Once the child has heard enough sounds, he or she will start putting together words and then phrases and sentences. The third and fourth skills are reading and writing and are higher learning skills.

And similarly to a baby learning a language this can be an effective guide in teaching English to an ESL (English as a second language) student. however, we do not have years to teach in the same way and time frame that a baby has to learn its native language.

Integrating the four skills can develop communicative competence because it focuses on the realistic communication, which is the main pursuit of teaching and learning in modern society

Teaching styles.   

You will ultimately find your own teaching style and classroom techniques as you develop as a teacher. some recognized styles of teaching T.P.R (Total physical response), The communicative approach, meaningful learning, and the old-fashioned rote learning. Most teachers will cherry-pick from the below teaching techniques to suit themselves.

You can find out more about teaching styles at the ” Australian Christian College“

Total Physical Response.

T.P.R is a language acquisition method developed by psychology expert, Professor James Asher. TPR uses a combination of language and physical actions to engage students in the language learning process.

Total Physical Response has a lot of benefits, particularly for beginners and young learners.

  • The pairing of movement with language is innately associated with effective learning
  • Students actively use both the left and right sides of their brains
  • It works with both small and large groups
  • It sharpens students’ listening skills
  • Students are not required to speak until they are ready to, therefore creating a “safe zone” that greatly lowers inhibitions and stress
  • Students will appreciate the change of pace and potential for humor.
  • Kinaesthetic learners (who respond well to physical activities) and visual learners (who learn best with visual cues) will get a lot out of TPR.

The Communicative approach.

Teaching through language. A strong concentration on listening. It emphasizes interaction as both the means and ultimate goal of the study.

The communicative approach is based on the idea that learning a language successfully comes through having to communicate real meaning. When learners are involved in real communication, their natural strategies for language acquisition will be used, and this will allow them to learn to use the language.

Example

Practicing question forms by asking learners to find out personal information about their colleagues is an example of the communicative approach, as it involves meaningful communication.

In the classroom

Classroom activities guided by the communicative approach are characterized by trying to produce meaningful and real communication, at all levels. As a result, there may be more emphasis on skills than systems, lessons are more learner-centered, and there may be some use of authentic materials.

Meaningful Learning

The concept or theory of meaningful learning is that learned information is completely understood and can now be used to make connections with other previously known knowledge, aiding in further understanding. Meaningful learning is often contrasted with rote learning, a method in which information is memorized sometimes without elements of understanding our relation to other objects or situations. Meaningful learning is to feel that all the pieces of a concept, idea, theory, formulae, or argument fit together.

ADVANTAGES OF MEANINGFUL LEARNING

Meaningful learning helps students achieve success in the classroom by:

  • Encouraging understanding, not memorization
  • Encouraging active learning techniques
  • Focusing on the outcome of the learning process
  • Relating new information to prior knowledge

DISADVANTAGES OF MEANINGFUL LEARNING

The challenges associated with meaningful learning include:

  • Takes longer to achieve
  • Should be tailored for different types of learners

Some students may face challenges with meaningful learning, as it requires building off previous knowledge. This is where dedicated teachers and tutors can help ensure students understand concepts so that meaningful learning can continue to happen.

Rote Learning

Rote learning is a more traditional form of teaching. It is based on repetition until the students remember the words and phrases. Rote learning is defined as the memorization of information based on repetition.

ADVANTAGES OF ROTE LEARNING

There are some benefits of Rote Learning, including:

  • Ability to quickly recall basic facts
  • Helps develop foundational knowledge

DISADVANTAGES OF ROTE LEARNING

The drawbacks of learning by memorization include:

  • Can be repetitive
  • Easy to lose focus
  • Doesn’t allow for a deeper understanding of a subject
  • Doesn’t encourage the use of social skills
  • No connection between new and previous knowledge
  • May result in a wrong impression or understanding a concept

While being able to quickly recall pieces of information is helpful, to understand information on a deeper level students must use a different method of learning.

It’s your move.

Students have different levels of interest and ability and learn in different ways. Auditory, kinesthetic, visual, etc. But if students “laugh and learn” the subject matter is more easily absorbed and retained.

There are many different ways of teaching and you will find the way that is most suitable and effective for yourself. One of the best ways to test if you are being effective is the engagement of the students.

When you are doing your teacher training you should be introduced to these different styles and hopefully given the chance to practice them. Just like anything, your teaching style and techniques will be perfected with practice.

Teaching On-Line / Schools that want teachers

Look at this post about schools that are looking for online teachers. On-Line Schools.

I also do placement of ESL teachers across Vietnam.

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.