Failures in sarcasm

When a lesson plan can all go horribly wrong

20th April 2013

Even when I try to tone down my sarcasm, those rascally comments still slip from my lips! I know that my students are vaguely aware of sarcasm but they don't quite understand it and they certainly would never use it on their own.

A teacher’s pet peeve

The unenviable task of having to plan lessons

5th December 2012

Lesson planning is a routine task that has now got into my system, yet if I had my choice, I would get rid of it. But how? So several times I tried teaching without a lesson plan? Do you want to know how it turned out? I think they were better than my planned lessons.

Teacher mistakes

Avoid falling into any of these teacher traps

19th March 2012

Ajarn has put together a list of the most common mistakes that teachers make in Thailand - both new arrivals and those who have been here a while.

Classroom ice breakers

How to start your lesson off the right way

7th March 2011

Summer classes begin soon and many of us will be working during our vacation. One of the problems we face is how to maintain student interest

Death by worksheet

How worksheets can spice up any lesson

31st January 2010

My favourite kinds of worksheets are conversation worksheets, pair and group work, creative writing worksheets, vocabulary worksheets, and ESL board games. The right mix of these makes communication possible, keeps students' attention going and puts some fun into learning.

Notes on a semester

What lessons can a teacher learn from a difficult semester?

1st March 2008

When a number of students fail their course, what can a teacher do to make the next semester a better and more successful one? It's all about preparing well, observing other teachers and talking less in the classroom.

The dog and pony show

Demonstration lessons in the Korean public education system

1st April 2007

I like the principle of putting on a demonstration lesson and having teachers watch. In my time teaching, one thing I have been short of is the opportunity to see other teachers teach. And you can always learn from other teachers.

The basics of lesson planning

Something every teacher should know

1st November 2004

The first step in planning a lesson is to have an overview of exactly what will be learned in that lesson (or group of lessons). For example, if you are teaching verb use, you need to determine what you want students to learn.

The enigma of lesson plans

Why do teachers hate them?

2nd October 2004

The students are the ones that benefit most from a well prepared lesson plan. By the teacher preparing a lesson plan, the teacher is organizing their thoughts and ideas along with a coherent follow on from previous lessons.

More on lesson planning

Yes, we know it needs to be done

9th January 2002

How to keep the inspectors happy. With thoughts turning to end of semester inspections a 'cut out, memorise n' shred' Plan B for all you chalkies in Thai schools.

 1 2 >

View all Jobs »
TEFL and TESOL Training Courses
View all Resumes »
Schools that need Teachers
Ajarn Competitions

About Ajarn.com

Ajarn.com was started as a small hobby website in 1999 by Ian McNamara. It was a simple way for one Bangkok teacher to share his Thailand experiences and pass on advice. The website developed a loyal and enthusiastic following. In 2004, Ian handed over the reins to Phil Williams and 'Bangkok Phil' has run the ajarn website ever since.

Ajarn.com has grown enormously and is now the most popular TEFL site in Thailand - possibly even South East Asia. Although best-known for its vibrant jobs page, Ajarn has a wealth of articles, blogs, features and help and advice. But one principle has always remained at Ajarn's core - to tell things like they are and to do it with a sense of humor. Thailand can be Heaven or Hell for an English teacher. It's always been Ajarn.com's duty to present both sides of the equation. Thanks for stopping by.