Know your audience!

Postbox letter from Knox

We all know the concept of working both inside and outside "the box". The typical EFL/ESL classroom is the box. The teacher is the colored dot trying to operate within. It seems to me, in order to create more room for learning opportunities, the smaller the dot is, the more space there is to move about within those parameters.


Banning failure

A no-fail student policy has its plus and minus points

Teachers argue that disallowing a failure grade undermines their ability to get on with the job of educating their students.


Bring back real discipline

Postbox letter from Dave

You simply cannot take a namby pamby approach as many so called educators have been writing about for years in their papers and getting praised and their works published.


Tales of Thai school discipline

When foreign teachers face the classroom troublemakers

I thought I'd tell you about a few of my memories of disciplining students from my (so far) 20-year teaching career.


Regaining control of your classroom

Some discipline tips for when things start to go pear-shaped

The famous yellow and red card system is often a winner. Get some coloured cards and every time a student is bad, present them with a yellow card, football-style. Two yellows equal a red and a punishment. Works especially well in all-boy schools.


Teachers that make me angry

Postbox letter from Peter

One thing that I find very annoying is listening to teachers who no matter what is expected of them, keep failing to use their common sense and preparing things in advance.


Learning difficulties

Dealing with students that have special needs

If you get the chance to talk to the teacher you’re replacing, ask them if there is anyone to look out for with Special Educational Needs (SEN) in the class. Otherwise, you could be in for a shock.


The importance of planning lessons

Planning lessons also includes seating arrangements don't forget.

Get a notebook and jot down how you see your lesson going in your head, from the warmer to the presentation to the summary. This doesn’t mean you’re teaching by numbers; it just gives you a basic framework.


Variation in the classroom

Problems with a mixed-ability classroom

Every one of my students is different. There are huge differences in what they know, what they can do, and what they are interested in. How am I supposed to teach them?


Ways of teaching

Do you know your TBL from your ESA and CLT?

Great debates rage as to whether PPP is outdated, if TPR works for everyone and if ESA is really PPP in disguise. The good news is that the basics remain simple – keep students entertained and give them a chance to use what they are learning.


Showing 10 tagged items out of 134 total Page 1 of 14



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Air your views

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Got something to say on the topic of teaching, working or living in Thailand? The Ajarn Postbox is the place. Send us your letters!


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