http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/ Grammar to Games. Speaking and Listening, Reading and Writing. Teaching Experiences, Theory and Problems.Sponsored by International House Bangkok en Thu, 23 May 2013 03:53:04 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/images/misc/rss.png http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/ http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/the-classroom/73298-first-day-at-my-new-school.html Tue, 21 May 2013 14:02:35 GMT Today was my first day being a real English teacher at my new school in Bangkok. How did it go? It was a mixture of tragedy and triumph. Chaos... Today was my first day being a real English teacher at my new school in Bangkok. How did it go?

It was a mixture of tragedy and triumph. Chaos and things going to plan. Sickness and perseverance.

First off, last night was rough. I started to feel a gurgling in my stomach. Something I had eaten that day wasn't sitting right. It could have been the super-spicy soup I had for lunch. The meat-on-a-stick I had has a snack at about 4 or the pad thai I got from a street vendor for dinner. My money is on the meat-on-a-stick.

I knew I had to wake up at 5:45 AM to be sure to be at school at 7:30. My clock is adjusted to going to sleep around midnight, and due to how excited I was, I couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned. Worrying about this and that. So when the wake-up call came the next morning, it felt like I had barely slept.

There was a worse problem though. My stomach was on fire. I ran to the bathroom and well, I don’t know how to put this delicately, but “explosive” comes to mind. Maybe “brown river flash-flooding out my butt” (that isn’t so delicate), and again it was accompanied by major, severe stomach pain. I spent most of my 45 minutes before leaving to catch the bus sitting on the porcelain throne.

(This is a looong blog... See the rest here--- >Leaving Amerika: My First Day Teaching ]]> The Classroom Joko http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/the-classroom/73298-first-day-at-my-new-school.html http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/the-classroom/73294-fun-ideas-for-writing.html Tue, 21 May 2013 07:28:37 GMT Hi all Have a twice weekly one-to-one class with a 12 year-old Thai kid who studies in an international school. He overall English is pretty good... Hi all

Have a twice weekly one-to-one class with a 12 year-old Thai kid who studies in an international school. He overall English is pretty good (intermediate), however she is very reluctant to write. The school has provided me with no suitable materials, so each week I have to cook up some more ideas for her. Just wondering if anyone has any good suggestions as at the moment I forcing her to do mainly dull worksheets writing about what you did at the weekend etc along with plodding through a grammar from a book.

Cheers! ]]> The Classroom wildbill http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/the-classroom/73294-fun-ideas-for-writing.html http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/the-classroom/73269-insight-into-the-development-of-two-3-year-old-learners.html Sun, 19 May 2013 07:56:47 GMT I’ve been teaching two students separately in their houses now for two years. Since they started K3 to the end of G1. Both have younger sisters... I’ve been teaching two students separately in their houses now for two years. Since they started K3 to the end of G1. Both have younger sisters who I don’t think are even 3 yet. They are just starting K1 or Nursery this term. Both families have asked me to switch over to mainly teach the younger sister. When I say teach, it’s really just playing with them in their playroom with some teaching methods thrown in. Anyway, I’ll be teaching them for the next 3 years so it is going to be very interesting to watch and note how they develop. (Names changed) Dao will be taught for 1.5 hours p/w. Prim will be taught for 3-4 hours. I have agreed 3 and will possibly accept the request to make it 4. Unfortunately neither has English immersion at home, and the families only speak Thai to them. Prim's older sibling is highly proficient in English for a non-NES 6 year old and they will also be around in our 'lessons'. Dao will say ‘1,2,3,4,5’ without understanding that it is counting. Prim will not say anything in English, but is just starting to repeat ‘Blue’ and ‘Pink’ without understanding that they are the colour being held up. They both only speak baby-Thai at this stage. I will come back and note the development during different stages over the next three years. ---Update--- What happened to my paragraphs? Browser: Firefox. Is just a wall of text. ]]> The Classroom the truth http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/the-classroom/73269-insight-into-the-development-of-two-3-year-old-learners.html