BECOMING A GREAT ESL HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER

Any teacher who has spent some time teaching in schools soon realizes that small class sizes are somewhat of a distant mirage - a myth that only a fortunate few who work at international schools have the opportunity to experience. Many government schools in Indonesia often have class sizes that regularly exceed up to 40 students! Imagine teaching 50 fifteen year-old who have no interest in English. What would you do to capture their attention and get them interested in English?

Teachers should draw on their own experience as a learner and recall the teachers who had an impact on them when they were the age of their students.  It is the teacher who is a little eccentric, unpredictable and, ultimately, inspiring who manages to capture the attention of the students.

In this article, I will try to cover some useful tips on how to inspire senior high school students and their toes, while providing them English skills that they can use in real life.

Give them what they want

If you want the best result from stubborn high school students, the most effective technique is to give them exactly what they want. If they want games, then give them games! The great part about giving students what they want is this can be used as a bargaining tool in order for you to get them to complete work. Senior high school students can be difficult to enforce discipline, so one fantastic way is to negotiate with them. If they complete the required exercises, then they can play a game at the end of class! When it comes to exercises that can be a little ‘dry’, edit them so they can talk about things that your students are interested in. Find out about some of their favourite pop stars, movie stars and base the exercises on that.

If possible, stay away from the grammar!

In many cases, it is the task of a local English teacher to teach the grammar. Your task as a native speaker should be encouraging students to use the language.  Don’t focus on grammar, keep the emphasis on communication. Of course, if a student makes a grammatical error on a regular basis, do correct them. However, provide usable examples of the grammar within context that the student could use, not out of a textbook.

Don’t be predictable

Predictable teaching means that students very quickly switch off and continue with their own thing. Keep them focused on what is happening in the classroom by being a little unpredictable. Try asking ‘trick’ questions or saying ‘Good Afternoon’ in the morning. This tests their English and checks that they are tuned in. Speak loudly, speak softly, just don’t be boring and monotonous.

What is Reading Skill??

"Reading" is the process of looking at a series of written symbols and getting meaning from them. When we read, we use our eyes to receive written symbols (letters, punctuation marks and spaces) and we use our brain to convert them into words, sentences and paragraphs that communicate something to us. 

Reading can be silent (in our head) or aloud (so that other people can hear). Reading is a receptive skill - through it we receive information. But the complex process of reading also requires the skill of speaking, so that we can pronounce the words that we read. In this sense, reading is also a productive skill in that we are both receiving information and transmitting it (even if only to ourselves). 

Reading is the third of the four language skills, which are:

1. Listening
2. Speaking
3. Reading
4. Writing

Do we need to read in order to speak English? The short answer is no. Some native speakers cannot read or write but they speak English fluently. On the other hand, reading is something that you can do on your own and that greatly broadens your vocabulary, thus helping you in speaking (and in listening and writing). Reading is therefore a highly valuable skill and activity, and it is recommended that English learners try to read as much as possible in English.

EDUCATION SYSTEM IN FINLAND AND INDONESIA

The government says it wants to learn from Finland, known to have one of the best educational systems in the world, to improve education. It has been widely known that Finland is the country with the best education system in the world. It is proven from the result of Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) test which shows that Finland students achieve either the first or the second place, beating other students from many countries. Indonesia, however, is in the 57^th place. This discrepancy must have something to do with the education system in both countries. What makes Finland students perform better than Indonesian students? What makes Finland education system become the best in the world? Let's check the answer here.

Compared with other systems, they rarely take exams or do homework until they are well into their teens.

This is the first aspect which really different compared to Indonesia education system. In Indonesia, students from Elementary school have a lot of homework to do. 

The children are not measured at all for the first six years of their education.

In Indonesia, since the children attended school in the beginner level, all the things about them has been measured, including their achievement. Students has been measured whether they smart or not.

There is only one mandatory standardized test in Finland, taken when children are 16.

It is really different with Indonesia, right? National Exam, that is claimed as Standardized test, is taken in all phase of school, from Elementary until Senior High School.

All children, clever or not, are taught in the same classrooms. 

It is different with Indonesia which has piloting class and regular class.

Elementary school students get 75 minutes of recess a day in Finnish versus an average of 30 minutes in Indonesia.

So much time was used to study in classroom, that is what experienced by elementary students in Indonesia.

Teachers only spend 4 hours a day in the classroom, and take 2 hours a week for "professional development".

This is really good way that Indonesia's government must learn from. With an highly educated and developed teacher, the result of education for our young gen in Indonesia will be much better. 

Finland has the same amount of teachers as New York City, but far fewer students.

Different to New York, and really different to Indonesia. A lot of students, fewer teachers.

All teachers in Finland must have a masters degree, which is fully subsidized.

From this aspect, in Finland, we can see that teacher is the most important thing in establishing a good education for their young generations and resulted at the best education system in the world.

GETTING SUCCESS IN TOEFL TEST

The TOEFL is one of the most difficult tests you will ever take in your life! Here is a list of ten things that will help you get the highest score possible on the TOEFL iBT, and fulfill your dream of studying at an English-speaking university.

Familiarize yourself with the TOEFL format

Most countries now offer the Internet based TOEFL (iBT). A few offer only the paper-based test (PBT). Make sure you find out which test you will be taking before you start studying for the TOEFL. You cannot choose to take the paper based test if your country offers the iBT. One reason people experience exam stress is because they don't know what to expect before a test. Prevent stress on exam day by studying the format of the test in detail. ETS has very clear standards about the format of their test. This is why it is called a "standardized" test.

Research TOEFL score requirements

The TOEFL is required for any non-native English student who wants to go to a post-secondary school in the United States. Most people take the TOEFL in order to apply to a specific school or program. Before you begin studying, find out what the requirements are for the schools you are interested in going to. Remember that the scores for the paper based test are different than the scores for the iBT. Some schools will look at your scores from different sections. Each iBT section is scored out of 30. Many universities expect you to achieve higher writing skills than speaking skills. TOEFL scores are only valid for two years.

Learn academic English

TOEFL is used for a different purpose than other ESL tests. The TOEFL measures your

ability to succeed in an American university or college. Other English-speaking countries also require TOEFL scores as a prerequisite for admission. You don't have to know about the business world as you do in the TOEIC test. Instead, you should concentrate on studying language that you would hear and see on campus and in the classroom. In other words, you should read textbooks, encyclopaedias, journals and research articles rather than advertisements and resumes. You won't need to know any background information about certain subjects, but it will help you to become familiar with the presentation and language used in academic material. You should also watch modern television and movies. If you have a friend who goes to an English university, go to class with him as often as you can. Borrow his books and hang out with his friends.

Use practice tests

The best way to prepare for the TOEFL is to practise doing the tests. If you are taking a TOEFL class, your teacher will provide you with plenty of material. If you are studying for the TOEFL on your own, you will have to purchase a few key resources. Find a textbook that has exercises, vocabulary, practice tests, CDs, and explanatory answers. You might not want to work through a book from front to back. Work on the sections that you find most challenging. Don't just rely on one book. You might have a book that is much easier than the official TOEFL. Look for free samples on the Internet to supplement your textbook. Make sure the question types are up to date.

Find a mentor

A reliable native English teacher who knows a lot about the TOEFL is one of the best

resources a student can have. You will have many questions that your textbook can't answer for you. Frustrated students often give up. It is important that you have someone who will answer your questions and encourage you when you feel down. If you cannot afford a teacher or a tutor, find a student who has studied for the test before. Sometimes other students can give you excellent hints and help you with grammar questions. You might be able to help other students with their questions too. Teaching another person is a great way to learn. If you use Twitter, search for "TOEFL". You will find teachers and students to follow and network with.

Build up your stamina

The TOEFL test takes a long time to write. If you are taking the paper based test it will take you about 2.5 hours. The iBT is much longer. You can expect to be at the computer for 4 hours. Many students have an attention span of about two hours. This is the maximum length of most classes. After this amount of time performance starts to weaken. If you keep your study sessions to one or two hours, your brain will not be prepared to work for four. Start off with short study sessions, and work up to longer ones. It is absolutely necessary that you get a good night's sleep before this test. You cannot afford to be tired.

BRITISH DIALECTS

Have you ever tried to put on a British accent? The chances are the accent you’re trying to copy is ‘Received Pronunciation’, or standard English – also known as the Queen’s English. Received Pronunciation, or RP, is what most non-Brits are used to hearing as a British accent, often when you switch on the BBC or World Service.

But it’s called the Queen’s English for a reason – hardly anyone in the UK apart from the Queen speaks this way. Here’s a little taster from Her Majesty.

The truth is, although it may be called Standard English, it is anything but standard. The British Isles is made up many, many different accents and dialects – more than 37 dialects at the last count. A dialect is a variety of a language that differs from the standard language, in this case RP. Dialects can vary regionally – depending on where in the country a person is from, as well as socially.

Here’s a guide to just a few of these British dialects, which you’re sure to encounter on any trip to the UK. London especially, drawing people from all over the UK to live and work, is a melting pot of all of these different dialects.

The British Library has a fantastic online resource for anyone interest in Britain’s uniquely diverse range of accents and dialects. You can search by county, or by map, to find out how people speak all over the country.

Don’t be afraid to try out different dialects yourself. By copying them yourself you’ll get better at understanding them when you hear them – and with a little practice you’ll be able to guess where a person is from in the UK just from their accent. It’s actually a lot of fun, as these dialects vary so much. Good luck!

Cockney

This is one of the UK’s most famous dialects, and it goes hand in hand with London. It came about as the dialect of the London working classes, especially in the poorer East End of the city. The Cockney dialect also gave us Rhyming Slang, and you can still hear plenty of market traders round the East End shouting out in Cockney from their stalls. With the Cockney accent there are lots of ‘glottal stops’, and the ‘th’ sound frequently changes to an ‘f’ sound. There have also been some famously terrible attempts at the Cockney dialect – here’s Dick Van Dyke to show you how not to do it!

Estuary English

Here’s another dialect that is London-based. The ‘Estuary’ in question is the Thames

Estuary, and this dialect is spoken by people who live along its stretch. It’s now becoming one of the most widely spoken accents down south. It’s not as posh as RP, but it’s not as ‘common’ as Cockney. Here’s a little video guide to teach you more!

ENGLISH PHRASES IN OUR DAILY ROUTINES

English has a lot of phrases that is used in communication. This is a simple explanation about many English phrases that is used in our daily life if we are living in England. Helen Austen, a teacher from England gives some phrases in examples of sentences that describe her routines activities. 

"I wake up at 6 o’clock. I get up at 6.50. I make a cup of tea and iron my clothes. I have a shower and get dressed. I usually wear jeans, a blouse, a jumper or cardigan and boots in the winter, or a skirt and blouse in the summer. I brush my hair, put on my make-up. I pack my bag with all my teaching materials. I then put on my coat and leave the house. I walk to the bus stop. I catch the bus at 8.15, and then I pay my fare and sit down. It takes about 45 minutes to get to my destination three miles away. I get off the bus and walk to the school where I teach English. I have to sign in and get the key. Class starts at 9.25 and ends at 11.25.

I have lunch at 12. I eat a baguette or sandwich at the local café. I sometimes do some shopping before I walk back to school. I do some photocopying and go back to my classroom. I teach in the afternoon from 1 to 3pm. I then catch the bus back home and spend a couple of hours relaxing before I cook dinner.

My son goes to work shortly after I come home. Sometimes he cooks dinner before I get home, and sometimes I cook. I like to eat rice or pasta with a sauce. I chop the onions, fry them and then mix them with garlic, tomatoes, carrots, spinach and chilies. I boil the rice and then add the sauce. After dinner I wash up, sweep the floor, and tidy up a bit.

Then I make phone calls, mark my students’ work, do the laundry. Then I go on Facebook, or watch TV until about 10.30 when my son comes home. We catch up on our day, and at about 11 o’clock I go to bed.

Other days I get up early, go downstairs, put on my computer and teach on EF Englishtown for three hours. Then I have a break, eat dinner with my son, have a walk or go shopping before returning to work and teaching again for another three hours. Working at home can be very convenient and I love being able to talk to people around the world. It is also nice working in a school and seeing people on a regular basis and working in a team. So I feel I have the best of both worlds".

So there you have a typical day. There are lots of different types of English constructions used in describing a day, including many phrasal verbs like: ‘tidy up’, ‘wash up’, and ‘get up’. There are also lots of sentences with supporting verbs such as: “I have lunch”, or “I get dressed”, rather than “I lunch”. Notice the range of ways of saying the time too. See if you can describe your day using the same language forms.

- See more at: http://www.englishtown.com/blog/useful-english-phrases-describe-daily-routine/

SENTENCES AND THEIR CATEGORIES

The meaning of a sentence is not seen as a sum of the meaning of the words that make up the

sentence. A sentence meaning is a unit of meaning that is carried by the whole sentence. Based on their meanings, sentences can be classified into seven categories as follows:

1.      Analytic Sentence.

Analytic sentences are sentences that are necessarily true. They are true by definition, and are generally self-explanatory. It tells us about logic and about language use in which the meaning of the sentence is found to be true according to the facts.In additional, they often have little to no informative value. Examples of analytic sentences include:

o   Frozen water is ice.

o   Bachelors are unmarried men.

o   My mother is a female.

2.      Contradictory Sentence.

A contradictory sentence is any sentences that are necessarily false. It means that the meaning of the sentence is proved to be false according to the facts. For examples:

Ø  The river is bigger than the sea.

Ø  The boy is pregnant.

Ø  Water is heavier than iron.