Bachillerato teaching?
 

Hi. In spite of not being an expert in grammar. (that is to say I can use it, but can't name it :D) I seem to be getting a good reputation as an English teacher in our village. And I do really need the money. I do always say that I'm not a grammar teacher BTW. Now I have a bachillerato student coming, Today actually, and I want to know if there are any free resources (past papers etc) that anyone recommends. I want to be prepared!

Re: Bachillerato teaching?
 

I also teach bachillerato students at the local semi-private school. I will try and look out some material.

Re: Bachillerato teaching?
 

Thanks very much. I did find a really excellent resource in the end and I also have another student who's doing a higher grade adult 'thingy' and just explained to me exactly what his exam entails. Though I didn't get the name of the exam. The students turned up last night. Five of them! Two of them have their written exam on friday and they wanted me to teach them everything they needed to know in one and a half hours. They also expected me to be a grammar expert ...because grammar is all they're used to learning. I had to explain that although I could give them a few exam passing tricks, and revise the passive voice and reported speech, that was about all I could do for them in such a short time. In the end they'd misunderstood my 3 times explained scale of charges and I got underpaid. But I let it pass this time. Next time they'll get one hour if they come back. Actually I think one might pass anyway. But the other student stands very little chance of passing it yet. But I did find myself hopelessly underprepared, even though I had explained I wasn't a grammar teacher I'm going to 'bone up' on it so I don't get caught out again. In my defence............I was 'learned' in Hull! ;)

Re: Bachillerato teaching?
 

I have another question on the same subject. According to my accountant. Education is VAT free. That is to say teaching is VAT free, But you have to have some qualification recognised in Spain to claim it as such. What do people do when they haven't got a recognised qualification? And what english teaching qualifications would be recognised? Not just guesswork please, I really need to hear from someone who is righteously treading this path! ;-)

I also teach crafts. Abroad usually, but I want to be able to teach at home. I can't have a recognised qualification in what I teach because they are my own techniques, that is to say my own innovation devised by me mostly about 20 years ago and since. Many people around the world now teach the same things. But if there was a 'school' of this craft...well, I would be it. But I can't give myself my own degree or diploma or whatever. So, what if I want to pay all due taxes like a good little Englishwoman? Do I have to charge and pay VAT? This would, very unfairly, make me uncompetitive in the extreme, with people who teach *my* methods but who are from countries where the VAT starting levels are different. Can anyone clarify these situations for me?

Re: Bachillerato teaching?
 

I am sticking my neck out but I can't believe you are charging students when you have little experience of grammar:thumbdown:

Re: Bachillerato teaching?
 

The OP seems to have told them she is not a grammar teacher as such, so I guess they know what they are getting. My Spanish, Spanish teacher here in UK is university educated, a really intelligent girl, but she is not a qualified teacher, and I have to say I find her excellent, she's never failed to answer a grammar question yet. I think as long as people are honest up front, I don't see a problem. I'd sooner have someone that has studied at the University of Life than someone that has done a weekend TEFL! ;-)

Re: Bachillerato teaching?
 

So what's new Jacky? I am providing a service which is value for money. And I believe I am a good and motivational teacher. Which is why I care about the quality of the service I give. I ask questions in order to receive helpful responses which will enable me to be better at what I do. In other words, I realise I don't know it all. Oh, and by the way. I have plenty of "experience of grammar". Would you believe, I use it and listen to it every day! What I have no experience of is the language used to of teach it.

Re: Bachillerato teaching?
 

Richard Vaughan, who started up perhaps the biggest and most successful English teaching company in Spain, based his entire teaching system around "not teaching grammar". OK he was teaching business English in companies rather than teaching students to pass exams, but he realised that in practice the Spanish don't need to learn grammar - they're all experts at it anyway - instead they need to practice and practice actually speaking English.

And on top of that, don't forget most English people never learnt English grammar at school either, and they manage to survive. In practice, English grammar is a waste of time.

Re: Bachillerato teaching?
 

I have to agree with this. The Spanish system is so hung up on grammar that they forget to teach the students actually to speak the language! Most of those that come to me turn up hardly able to speak a word although they know their way round grammar terminology. What they need is real world language and the confidence to use it. How many of us know what a a 'conditional perfect progressive' is?. But what use is that knowledge to us anyway. And how many of us have been frustrated by phone calls with so-called English speakers who really don't? But our opinions don't actually help the students pass their exams. What really does is confidence in speaking the language as well because that makes sense of the grammar points that they also need to know. And, as importantly, when they apply for that job which needs English, they really can use it. Which is more than I can say for some of the examiners, who must have gained their 'qualifications' by bunging someone a thick wad of notes, judging by the mistakes on the papers. What a huge waste of learning time to have years of English lessons, gain some kind of qualification and still barely have the confidence to squeak "my nayng ees Juan" And along the way have hated it so much that you never touch it after you leave school. I try to find out what interests my students enough to get them excited enough to be desperate to start blurting it out. It's amazing sometimes. Like uncorking a pressurised bottle!

Re: Bachillerato teaching?
 

I think that applies to the UK too. Most seem ok. On paper but hopeless at speaking another language.

Bit off topic but has anyone noticed the poor level of Translators on Sky and BBC. They are rubbish!

Re: Bachillerato teaching?
 

It is very rare that someone who is not a trained linguist and teacher can make a big difference to somebody's language learning

There are 100,000s of Spanish people looking to learn English and they will go to untrained English speakers because they are naive and looking to save money. Here is Oviedo, I saw somebody hire an African woman who was singing a song in English in the park to teach their children English!

Many years ago, I went to an individual Spanish class with a girl on the Costa Del Sol after I had had a 1 month Spanish intensive course. She said that I was at a higher level than all of her other students, some of which had been going twice a week for 10 years. That was a very poor indication of her teaching skills, so I didnt go back!

Re: Bachillerato teaching?
 

Just because you can speak a language doesn't mean you can teach it. I tried it when I was at Uni during the break. I was rubbish...at least I knew and gave up:lol:

Re: Bachillerato teaching?
 

Well, It's a good job that I'm not 'rubbish' then isn't it.:frown: I must be the exception that proves the rule then because I have never advertised, as I already have a job. And people keep knocking on my door because their friends either because they've passed their exam, or because they are studying for fun keep recommending me. I've been teaching for years in my 'other job' where I get paid 100 per person per 6 hours teaching, and teach classes of between 6 and 18, depending on the language I'm teaching in.
OK I have to travel across Europe to do it so..... it's good money, just not often enough!:D. As for being a 'trained linguist', does speaking three languages, plus a foundation in Latin count? I know my limitations and hold my hands up to them. But it doesn't stop me being a lifelong improver. That's why I asked the questions...of people who know. Not of people who just want to disparage for the sake of it. Although I will agree that there are too many bad teachers out there that's no reason to troll on a thread when you really have nothing to add.

Re: Bachillerato teaching?
 

Don't take it personally. I was refering to Cricketmans post above not you.

Re: Bachillerato teaching?
 

A lot of learning can be done from books by most pupils, as a back up to the teaching methods used by the teacher.

Even teachers that dont know everything they are asked about, can find out quickly enough with internet, books etc.



One of the biggest problems of learning is the teachers lack of skill, or whatever you want to call it, in holding onto the pupils attention, and making them want to come back for more.

Crack that and everyone benefits.