Tips from the trenches

Tips to help a new teacher get through that very first day of class

Worried about that first day of class? The following compilation of articles might offer some insight into how to approach your students for the first time, regardless of their age, numbers and gender.

Using a touch screen in class

Maintaining student interest with technology

I felt so overwhelmed by the results of using the touch screen computer for this was my first time in 9 years to use the most updated technology in my English classes. In fact, during my last observation, my inspector rated me excellent in my teaching.

5 Highlights from Thai TESOL 2014

The 34th Thai TESOL Conference was recently held in Chiang Mai

Thai TESOL is a non-profit organisation that works committedly towards raising the standards of English in schools and universities across Thailand. They do this by cooperating with like-minded organizations, providing professional development, conducting research and organizing conferences.

School open house

Not something you would expect to find in a Western school

For the past few weeks, all the students in our school have been preparing projects, posters, and games for the school's Open House Expo which is apparently held once every three years.

Teaching a six-hour Sunday class

A world of classroom activity and the odd jaded colleague

I've now taught two sessions of a Sunday 6-hour class at a language school near Ekkami here in Bangkok, and I think I have a pretty good feel for what it's all about.

A teacher's pet peeve

The unenviable task of having to plan lessons

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.

Farang ajarn cover letter

Postbox letter from Mel

I wasted my time and my life of quiet TEFL desperation at an all-girl’s government school off the Hua Lamphong BTS station sweating direly in dreary and dilapidated non-air-conditioned classrooms beneath depressing rows of old, broken-down fans babysitting on average 40 bored, clueless, and mediocre mathayom students

Short and sweet

How to get large classes talking

Over the last 7 years of working in Thailand, I’ve seen numerous teaching forum threads about how to get large classes talking.

Software for student tests

How to get the best from your students with on-line tests

The integration of internet and computers with education and English learning is something students find normal, and classrooms without some access to educational software may seem quaint. Some students may even feel they can get more ‘professional' teaching from the numerous online ELT sites if a school is behind in IT.