Immersion Education "Learning By Doing"

IMMERSION EDUCATION- “LEARNING BY DOING” FOR YOUR STUDENTS AND YOURSELF

 

Do you remember a time when you were afraid to do something, but you decided it was too important not to give it a try? Chances are you felt pretty good once you accomplished it or learned exponentially from your struggles along the way.

 

For those out there considering enrolling in a TEFL course who may feel some apprehension about packing up all their belongings, saying good-bye to friends and loved ones, and jetting off to some distant foreign land it is normal to have some fears and concerns about the physical and cultural obstacles along the way.

 

 There are indeed many factors an aspiring English Language teacher needs to consider in addition to the price and reputation of the TEFL program they are enrolling in and the location they chose to study. One of the biggest for all travelers is what will the living conditions be like where I am going and how can I prepare for the inevitable culture shock of leaving my home country and teaching on the road.

First and foremost you have to accept that you cannot effectively prepare for everything. Variables of experience are one on the things which makes embarking on such a path both challenging and rewarding. In addition to doing some research, one may find that having a liaison who has familiarity with the selected destination the biggest possible asset. They are in a unique position to advise and recommend based on their first hand expertise.  You can ask questions relative to your own particular situation, budget and desired level of comfort specifically.

 

A few areas you will want to consider is the length of time you intend to stay, availability of jobs in that region(s), access to quality health care, and availability of Western products and services. It is a good idea to figure out things like the kind of visa or insurance coverage you will need to streamline you stay. (Travelers insurance is often a good option). You may want to begin determining where you want to end up by figuring out where the kind of job opportunities you are looking for are located in advance instead of the other way around.

 

Another tidbit of advice in addition to effective planning is to remain open to opportunities and situations as they present themselves. If you remain to stubborn to fulfilling preconceived ideas and expectations chances are that you are going to miss out on some valuable options they will no doubt present themselves (whether they are related to education, work, adventure or romance.) Most of the time we know what we want and we strive to gain it, but we don’t know what we might consider until it shows up in front of our nose. This is the beauty of studying TEFL abroad. Not only are you learning by working with people from another culture (whom you may well end up teaching in the future) but you are pushing your comfort and fear zones, which inevitably, is how we all grow and learn.

Many people worry how they are going to cope in an environment where they don’t speak the language or know all the customs, but in fact this serves as a catalyst for empathy for you, your peers and your students who are also in the same boat.

 

Current educational research indicates that students learn best through a process of “immersion,” or to put it more bluntly, “by jumping in the fire.”This is why Paradise TEFL students focus more on hands on student teaching and lesson planning than they do studying educational theory or syntax usage and rules of grammar.

 

Remember that by remaining fluid and open to new experiences, the more opportunities will present themselves, and that the more you are able to dance with the evolving situation, the less likely you are going to drop out or get burned.

 

Immersion, more simply stated, is a process of “learning by doing,” and is the same process which you learned your own native language of English by living in an English speaking country, picking up on and utilizing all the verbal, visual and kinesthetic clues as they appear in the surrounding world. This is also going to be how you are going to familiarize and adapt to your new teaching country and its surroundings in order to become comfortable and adept in living and working in a foreign culture. By understanding the customs, traditions, and lifestyle as well as interpreting body language and listening for phrases you recognize, eventually you will move beyond your fear threshold to become experienced, seasoned and more refined.

 

Don’t let the idea “I don’t know enough grammar, or understand their alphabet scare you into deterring you away from accomplishing your goal of traveling, studying and obtaining a job overseas. Paradise TEFL graduates are among the most successfully placed of Native English Speakers around. Our instructors specialize in getting to know you as a person and helping to enhance and improve your individual strengths and weaknesses.  We take great pride in treating you as a professional with specific needs and interests and tailor our program to meet those needs every single time.

 

Whatever plan of action an unemployed educator decides to take, in general, the more advanced certifications a TEFL or TESOL Teacher holds, the more opportunity they possess in terms of their marketability and increased number of employment options.

 

For a limited time, Paradise TEFL Certification Program offers these advanced certifications such as TOEFL, IELTS, and TEYL at the SAME PRICE as the basic TEFL/TESOL certification!

The advanced course provides additional English Language teaching certifications and is offered in tandem with our site courses in Hua Hin and Chiang Mai Thailand, as well as China, and Mexico or as a complete series of online modules some with a virtual practice teaching option. In order to become a TEFL Trainer, you should have already completed a TEFL, TESOL or CELTA course first in order to be eligible and teaching experience is necessary. (Our Basic TEFL on-site program provides 2 to 3 weeks of hands on observed teaching practice to help our teachers to effectively develop their skills).

All courses are certified and you will receive a certificate of completion, which is internationally recognized and accepted when you graduate from the course. Many of those who already have experience as TEFL instructors are finding that becoming a certified TEFL trainer is another opportunity and feather in their cap in terms of meeting the demand of TEFL instructors (who are leaving their home countries and working abroad) by teaching others how to teach TEFL effectively.

Graduates with these additional certifications have the advantage of substantially increasing their marketability and employment status. Improve your chances of getting a good job with a higher level of pay by enrolling today!

 

 

See the full gallery on Posterous