Excerpted from Teaching English Abroad by Susan Griffith. Copyright © 2000. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO TEACH?Anyone who can speak English fluently and has a lively positive personality has a fighting chance of finding an opening as a teacher somewhere. Geordies, Tasmanians and Alabamans have all been known to be hired as English teachers (not to mention Norwegians and North Africans), though most employers favour native speakers of English without a heavy regional accent. MOTIVES FOR TEACHING ENGLISHThere are perhaps five main types of individual to be found teaching English from Tarragona to Taipei: the serious career teacher, the student of the prevailing language and culture who teaches in order to fund a longer stay, the long-term traveller who wants to prolong and fund his or her travels, the philanthropic or religious person sponsored by an aid organisation, charity or mission society, and finally the misfit or oddball, perhaps fleeing unhappiness at home.DIRECTORY OF TRAINING COURSESCambridge Certificate (CELTA) Courses All courses last four weeks full-time unless otherwise stated. The fees quoted (which should be taken merely as a guide) include the CELTA examination fee of £74.70 (þSD120) unless otherwise stated.ANGLIA POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, East Road, Cambridge CB1 1PT. Tel: 01223 363271. Fax: 01223 352933. E-mail: [email protected]. Full-time in July and August only. 9.30am-5pm. Includes 6 hours of teaching practice and 8 hours of observation of experienced teachers. £970 (including examination fee). Accommodation can be arranged in APU halls of residence. Information is supplied about jobs.ANGLO-CONTINENTAL TEACHER TRAINING CENTRE, 29-35 Wimborne Road, Bournemouth BH2 6NA. Tel: 01202 557414, ext 282. Fax: 01202 556156. E-mail: [email protected] (125 hours) 3 courses per year. £900. Part-time courses over 6 months proposed. Accommodation can be arranged.ANGLOSCHOOL, 146 Church Road, Upper Norwood, London SE19 2NT. Tel: 020-8653 7285. Fax: 020-8653 9667. E-mail: [email protected]. 4-week courses 4 times a year. £900. Video and booklet on basic teaching techniques available. 8 trainees maximum on course.PROBLEMS WITH PUPILSA very common problem is to find yourself in front of a class of mixed ability and incompatible aims. How do you plan a lesson that will satisfy a sophisticated business executive whose English is fairly advanced, a delinquent teenager and a housewife crippled by lack of confidence? Marta Eleniak, who taught in Spain, recommends taking a hard line:"Be a bitch at the start. The kids can be very wicked and take advantage of any good nature shown. Squash anyone who is late, shouts, gossips, etc. the first time or it'll never stop. The good classes make you love teaching. The bad make you feel as if you want to go back to filing."Each level and age group brings its own difficulties. Anyone who has no experience of dealing with young children may find it impossible to grab and hold their attention, let alone teach them any English. A lack of inhibition is very useful for teaching young children who will enjoy sing-songs, nursery rhymes, simple puzzles and games, etc. A firm hand may also be necessary if Aine Fligg's experience in Hong Kong is anything to go by. She was bitten on the ankle by one of her less receptive students. When the headmaster came in and remonstrated (with Aine!) the child bit him on the nose. The brat was then incarcerated in a cupboard, and emerged somewhat subdued. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition. Excerpted from Teaching English Abroad: A Fresh and Fully up-to-Date Guide to Teaching English Around the World by Susan Griffith All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.