Tips for teaching English—we've got them. Keep on reading for all the details you need to know about some fun warm-up activities to try out in your classes. Warmer Activities for Adults Are you looking to get your ESL classes with teenagers or adults started off on the right foot? Well, you've … [Read more...]
ESL Activities for Advanced Students: The Top 11 | ESL Games
If you teach students who are fluent, or close to it, then you'll need very different ESL activities than if you were teaching beginner or intermediate students. ESL activities for advanced students need to: Be challenging. Too easy or simple and the students will feel like they're being … [Read more...]
Top 15 ESL Activities for University Students and Adults
Get ready for some fun ESL activities for adults! The key to happy students and great classes is a wide variety of activities. Read more to find out our top picks to help you get creative in the classroom. Top 15 ESL Activities for University Students and Adults If you're looking for some ideas … [Read more...]
An ESL Listening Lesson Plan Template | Teaching English Listening
If you're serious about helping students improve their English listening skills, you've come to the right place! I'm going to share the steps that you need to know to plan a successful ESL listening lesson. Keep on reading for everything you need to know. ESL Lesson Plan Template for Listening I'm … [Read more...]
Presentation Project Ideas | ESL Presentation Topics
Over the years teaching in a Korean university, I've had students do plenty of solo and group presentations. I love to do them at least once a semester because they're great for the teacher to take a break from being at the front of class, and designed well, students really enjoy them as well. Top … [Read more...]
103 Things to Do to Get a University Job in South Korea
Let's be real here. University jobs in Korea teaching English are some of the best in the world, which means competition is fierce. That's why you'll want to check out these 103 tips to get your leg up on the competition. Keep on reading! University Jobs in South Korea: Want One? How does 5 months … [Read more...]
How to Teach Relative Clauses: Games, Activities + More
You can usually find relative clauses in almost all high-beginner to advanced level textbooks. So, if you're looking for some help with teaching relative clauses, then you're certainly in the right place. Keep on reading for all the games and activities you'll need when teaching this grammatical … [Read more...]
ESL Halloween Activities: Top 5 to Try With your Classes
When you teach a language, you're usually teaching a lot of vocabulary and grammar. Vocabulary are the words we use and grammar is how we organize them in a way so that people understand what we're saying. However, native English teachers, especially those teaching ESL abroad are often expected … [Read more...]
Korean Universities: No Supervision at Work Whatsoever!
Okay, so you're teaching in Korea at a university and are left entirely to your own devices as far as what to actually teach. Is this a good thing, or bad thing? It depends on you and your outlook on things, but find out all the details about this reader question here, along with tips and tricks for … [Read more...]
What’s the Average Monthly Salary Teaching in a Korean University? Find out Here!
Let's talk money, and how much of it you can make when teaching in a Korean university. A quick hint: It's not all about the base money in your contract because your average salary each month can actually be quite a bit more due to overtime opportunities. Keep on reading for all the details you need … [Read more...]
Rote Memorization of Vocabulary | Teaching ESL Vocab
Think about your experiences with learning words in a new language? How did you do it? Many people just white knuckle it and straight up memorize them with flashcards or something similar. Is it the best way? Keep on reading to find out more details about rote memorization. Rote Memorization: … [Read more...]
Odd One Out | ESL Warm-Up Game | English Grammar
Are you the teacher who likes to jump right into the lesson and not waste time? That may work for you, but it might not be working for the students! Think about it this way. Students may not have spoken a word of English since your class last week. Ease them back into it with a quick warm-up like … [Read more...]
ESL Writing Grading Rubric | Evaluating English Writing
Do you teach writing to intermediate or advanced level English students, particularly in a university where you have to give grades? You've come to the right place! Keep on reading for all the details about my ESL rubric for writing that you can use to evaluate your students fairly. Grade Fairly … [Read more...]
Life After ESL Teaching: Interview with Rachel Yoo
Do you want to find out what English teachers end up doing when they move back to their home countries? Then you're certainly in the right place! Keep on readings for all the details about Rachel Yoo, a former ESL teacher in Busan, South Korea. Life After ESL: Interview with Rachel Yoo Hi … [Read more...]
Angie Jones: Life After ESL
It's Jackie here. What follows is an interview with one of my old coworkers in Korea, Angie Jones. We worked together at a university in Busan. Thanks for letting us know how life in the USA is, post teaching English in Korea. Interview about Life, After Teaching English in South Korea Here's the … [Read more...]
How Not to Get Ripped Off in Korea | Hagwon Job
This is a question from a reader who is considering coming to Korea to teach English. The only problem is that he's wondering about the stories he keeps reading about how many ESL teachers get ripped off in Korea. It's true, there are plenty of stories out there. An oldie, but a goodie is this one: … [Read more...]
Physical Activity in the Classroom | TPR
Picture the scene...it's Friday afternoon or Monday morning and your class is filled with sleepy, bored and tired students? What's your go-to move to get some life back into your classroom? Maybe you don't have one? Then you're definitely in the right place. Keep on reading to learn how to use … [Read more...]
How to Ask Questions | Help for Low Level ESL Students
Inability to Ask Questions: It's a Big Problem! One of the biggest problems my lower-level students have is knowing how to ask questions, especially of the follow-up variety. They're pretty decent at answering the basics, like: "What's your name?" "Where are you from?" "What's your … [Read more...]
Online Teaching: Self-Employment vs. Online Platforms
"Online Teaching: The Answer?" So you're teaching ESL abroad, and think to yourself, "I wish I made more money!" If you're going to be teaching for only a year or two, have fun, drink lots of beer, and travel to some amazing places during your vacation. However, if you're doing it for longer than … [Read more...]
Side Gigs for Teachers: Ways to Actually Make Money | Side Hustle
Side Gigs for Teachers: Ways to Actually Make Money is the book you'll need to check out if you want to make some money in your spare time. And let's face it, when you're teaching English in Korea, especially at a university (5 months vacation!), or public school (desk-warming), you have an … [Read more...]
Life After ESL: 2 Years in Canada, the Update from Jackie Bolen
Life After ESL: 2 Years in Canada, an Update As I scroll through my Facebook news feed while eating breakfast, there are more and more memories of the time I spent getting ready to leave Korea. I lived there for a bit over a decade. I left in February of 2016, so it's been almost 2 years in Canada … [Read more...]
How to Find a Language Partner | English Conversation Partner
Need a Language Partner? Here's How to Find One An equally motivated language partner is a great way to improve your English skills. The key is to find someone who is as motivated as you are! This probably is not your best friend or boyfriend, so cast your search wider for a language exchange … [Read more...]
Extensive Reading for ESL/EFL Students | English Reading Skills
According to Wikipedia, extensive reading is: "Extensive reading, free reading, book flood, or reading for pleasure is a way of language learning, including foreign language learning, through large amounts of reading. As well as facilitating acquisition of vocabulary, it is believed to increase … [Read more...]
Study Tips to Learn English Faster: Become Fluent Quickly and Easily
Do you want to improve your English skills? Then you're in the right place. Learn more about ways to improve your English reading, writing, speaking or listening quickly and easily. Study Tips to Help you Improve your English Skills There are many reasons why you might want to improve your English … [Read more...]
39 ESL Warm-Up Activities | Fun ESL Warm-Up Games
Exciting news! I've just released a new book on Amazon, 39 ESL Warm-Ups: For Teenagers and Adults. Warm-Up Activities are awesome, if you didn't know that already. They get your students active, engaged and speaking English right from the beginning of the class. In case you're the type of person … [Read more...]
How to Avoid the Hobby Unit Brain Rot | Teaching English Abroad
Hobby Unit = Die a Little on the Inside Let's be real. Teaching ESL certainly isn't rocket science and I would in fact argue that most of what I teach is not personally engaging to me. Almost every single textbooks has like the same 10 units: family, weather, hobbies, sports, TV, movies, around the … [Read more...]
Teaching Writing to ESL Beginners: How to do it Well
Teaching Writing to ESL Beginners: A Tough Job Teaching beginners to write in English can be a very difficult job. These students often struggle to put together a sentence, so teaching them to "write" can be quite overwhelming and many teachers instead find themselves just focusing on student's … [Read more...]
English Teachers Abroad: Get your Side-Gig or Side-Hustle On
Let's be real. It never hurts to have a side-gig going on if you're a teacher, right? A little bit of extra money coming in each month is nothing to sneeze at. So, keep on reading for all the details you need to know about starting a side hustle for teachers. You're not Going to Get Rich Teaching … [Read more...]
University Job Interviews in South Korea: Not Getting Any?
Maybe you've been searching for a long time for a university job in South Korea, but are finding it difficult to get interviews, much less job offers. There are some common possible reasons for this. But, the best advice I can give you is to check out the book, How to Get a University Job in South … [Read more...]
101 Frugal Living in Korea Tips | Frugal Living for English Teachers
Okay readers, who likes money? You? Me? Everybody, right? Here's how you're going to be able to keep more of it in your wallet at the end of the month when you're living in South Korea, working as an English teacher, studying or whatever. 101 Frugal Living in Korea Tips you Need in your … [Read more...]
