Teach English in TiAntang Zhen - Wuwei Shi

Having previously completed both a TEFL certification course and a supplementary course in TEYL, I was already familiar with some of the terminology and acronyms outlined in Unit 1. I was thankful to learn that, although this course is concerned with the teaching of Business English; it is not absolutely necessary that I should first have a background in business. The students I would be teaching, whether they be business people or people involved in other vocations (such as the medical profession) are already proficient in their respective fields. I would simply be helping them to speak and write about their chosen professions, to some degree, using the English language. It is my hope that, upon completion of this course, I will be able to branch out and begin to gain experience in the teaching of adults. I already have 7 years' previous experience teaching at the middle-school level, but I now desire to teach older students. For one reason, I would not encounter as many challenges with regard to classroom management as I had previously. For another reason, it is possible that I might be able to earn more money working in a corporate setting as opposed to a public school. Speaking of which; in the Unit 1 Task Sheet, I was asked whether I would enjoy being a freelance instructor or an \"in-house\" instructor. There are, of course, pros and cons for both teaching situations. As a freelancer, I would obviously enjoy more autonomy and have a schedule that I could tailor to my own needs and desires. The downside to that is that I would have to find a venue in which to teach one-on-one or group lessons; which could incur additional expenses were I to rent or lease office space. Then there is the matter of printing and photocopying class materials, which would incur additional expense. One way of mitigating costs, however, would be to incorporate any overhead into the tuition fee that I was to charge to my students at the start of each new term. Working for a company, on the other hand, eliminates the need for leasing office space (or even using one's own home) and purchasing equipment such as a printer and/or scanner, paper, ink toner, etc. Usually, many companies have at least one conference room on-site; which could be pressed into service as a makeshift classroom. Nearly every company also has computer resources, printers and photocopiers, and office supplies. One disadvantage, however, is that teaching hours may not be as flexible and also (depending on the country one teaches in) corporate policies regarding business attire during working hours may be more stringent. In the Unit 1 Task Sheet, I was also asked to think of three other areas not listed on Page 9 that would fall under the designation of \"English for Specific Purposes\" (ESP). One area not mentioned was that of teaching EFL/ESL to military personnel. When I served in the U.S. Army I had attended a 32-week course of instruction in German at a language institute based in California. There are many men and women serving in the military in other countries around the world; for whom acquiring at least a basic command of English would be necessary for the execution of their duties. Another area is in Performing Arts. Many foreign singers who tour English-speaking countries often have to perform songs in English; because the original English lyrics may not lend themselves well to translation in a foreign language. The same could be said for any non-native actor who performs in a play originally written in English (although many English plays and other literary works have been successfully translated into other languages). A third area might be in the services industry. Many janitorial staff workers, dishwashers, caregivers, etc. need to know some English terminology related to their respective jobs. And then there is the area of Government. Most foreign diplomats and world leaders have studied English in order to better interact with their colleagues from countries like the U.S. and Australia.