Education Instead of Bullets

Here is the first installment of a Report from Afghanistan, where LEWL has donated ESL curriculum to a grass roots project with the US military there to train ESL teachers.

In case you didn't know, a few weeks ago I made a proposal to our Civil Affairs team here to teach English to the local kids. They weren't sure that the people would go for it but I presented the idea to some Afghan leadership and they thought it was a great idea.

I was invited to a Shurah (a meeting of tribal and village elders) where my idea would be presented. As soon as the proposal was put out all the elders in attendance began to show signs of gratitude and respect. It was a great honor. After that all they wanted to discuss was education for the kids.
I had a chance to speak and it went something like this:

"I am a soldier, but I was a teacher first. You are all wise elders and you know the importance of education for the future of your children. I would ask you for the protection of your schools and teachers [as I had been told that certain teachers had been threatened, and schools burned]. Not just the soldier teachers but your Afghan teachers as well. If you make it safe for education then more teachers will come and they will give your children a good education. and your children will bring great honor to your tribes and to Afghanistan. Assalam alai kum."

I felt very inspired when I spoke and it had a profound effect on them. Usually these Shurahs degenerate into arguments about who owes who. But afterward they all came forward and wanted to speak with myself and the command about this project. There was one elder in particular who understood the value of education so much that he had done everything to send his sons to good schools in the cities. He was very moderate and his son spoke very good English and suggested teaching several teachers to help spread some of the education we were proposing.

Since then its been slow getting started but within a two weeks we should have a class going. A couple from Canada who have published a curriculum from their experiences teaching English abroad have donated materials for us to get started. I am very grateful for the contributions that Daisy and George Stocker have made to this project including picking a name for it out of the first letter I wrote to them: "Education Instead of Bullets"

I'm still tutoring some of the kids who work here and getting prepped for the main body of my project. We have a class room now in which we wont only teach English but create a cultural bridge by also having Pashto lessons for soldiers here.

I'll keep everyone posted as to how it goes.
.
Michael

One book I did find that I recommend is Teaching Secrets, by veteran teacher Christine Morrison, who has spent 30 years in the classroom and seen every imaginable classroom situation possible. Christine's book, Teaching Secrets, is well worth a read for any new or experienced teacher, is learn more at her website >>> .

Module 3, Intermediate, of our ESL Curriculum is now available.

Module 3 follows the same format as Module 1 and 2.

Highlights:

• Print as many Copies as Required!
• Thoroughly tested in the classroom over a period of 10 years
• Teacher's guide, Student Reader and Student Workbook
• Convenient Modules -- buy as you go!
• Complete instructions -- ready for the classroom
• No preparation
• Your School name on the cover

More info and online ordering

Disneyland celebrated its 50th birthday on Sunday. Thousands of fans and celebrities gathered at what Disney calls the "happiest place on Earth" for a giant party. Walt Disney opened the world's first large-scale theme park on July 17, 1955. It started a whole new world of fantasy and family fun. An amazing 515 million fun seekers have since visited Disneyland. Walt Disney's idea has been copied around the world by thousands of others, all wanting to make money from the riches in this money-spinning industry.

From its small beginnings, Disney has mushroomed into a global entertainment empire. It has become one of the most famous and well known brands in history. It has created everything from blockbuster movies to children's stationery. Theme parks have spread across the world in Paris, Japan and very soon Hong Kong. It is almost impossible to walk around any city and not see Mickey Mouse in some shape or form. However, while the idea of providing pleasure has not changed, park admission prices have: the one-dollar ticket in 1955 is now $56.

1. DISNEY – THE BEST? Is Disney the best? In pairs / groups, discuss the following:

1. Characters – Is Mickey Mouse the world's most loveable cartoon character?
2. Theme parks – Is Disneyland the world's greatest theme park?
3. Animated movies – Are movies such as Bambi, Aladdin and the Lion King the best?
4. The company – Is the Disney company the happiest company in the world?
5. For kids – Is Disney the perfect form of entertainment for kids?
6. For adults – Are Disney T-shirts the best way of reliving your childhood?

How does Disney compare with theme parks, characters and movies from your country?

2. QUICK DEBATE: Students A love Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. Students B hate Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. Try to persuade each other to switch sides.

3. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words are most interesting and which are most boring.

Disneyland / 50 th birthdays / Walt Disney / theme parks / fantasy / family fun / global brands / EuroDisney / Hong Kong Disneyland / Mickey Mouse

Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

4. DISNEY: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with Disney. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

5. DISNEY OPINIONS: In pairs / groups, discuss the following opinions on Disney:

1. Disney is the greatest American cultural asset.
2. Disney sucks.
3. Disney has brought incredible joy into the lives of billions of children.
4. I'm fed up with seeing Mickey Mouse.
5. Disney truly is the happiest company in the world.
6. Disney's originality and creativity died thirty years ago.
7. Every home should have Disney products.
8. Disney is just a money-making machine that exports American ideas.
9. Disney provides fantasy. There's nothing wrong with that.
10. Disney will not last another 50 years.

Change partners and share what you talked about.

Bingo is one of the most effective and most fun games for teaching ESL to any level. Once students get going -- the don't want to stop!

Includes 15 unique bingo cards and complete instructions for the teacher.

2 Levels of Play.

Level 1 -- Students start off by matching the spoken work to the pictures on their cards.

Level 2 -- Once students have learned some of the vocabulary and learned to play, they graduate to Level 2 - Vocabulary Enrichment. In Level 2, students match the picture on their cards with a sentence. (ie she is sitting, he is eating a hamburger).

Learn More >>>

English Universal Growth Education Center is looking for ESL teachers for working as narrators (Kaohsiung) in high/middle/elementary (Keelung, Yulin & Tainan, Taichung), or cram schools (Kaohsiung).

The followings list some of the current job openings. If you are interested in any one of them, please send your resume, color photo within six months and graduation diploma to apply@eugrowth.com, or call at 886 2 2516-6405 for a faster service.

We can negotiate a position for you, and also create jobs for you if your preferable job is not listed underneath. Please visit our web site (http://www.eugrowth.com/phpcgi/pbrowe.php) for our detailed job list.
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Current Jobs Available (Positions before April)

A Part- Time or Full-Time Private High School ¡V Tainan, Taiwan (Now)
A private high school in Tainan is looking for an instructor to fill their part or full time position starting right away. For a part time position, the hours are Mondays ¡V Fridays from 3:00pm to 6:00pm. The hourly rate is NT$600~650. For a full time position, the pay is NT$60,000~65,000 with a maximum teaching of 100 hours per week. The school will provide work permit, ARC and health insurance. The applicant must be a BA major or above in any major. The applicant who possesses a valid teacher's certification is preferred.

About Tainan
Tainan, the ancient capital of Taiwan, is situated on the southwestern coastal plains of the island and enjoys a warm climate year-round. It is the island's oldest and now fourth largest city, with a population in excess of 700,000. The gentle-natured people of the city are warmly hospitable, and the relatively tranquil life there seems far removed from the hustle and bustle of modern urban life. With its long history, Tainan is rich in historic sites and cultural heritage.

Full time Private High school ¡V Yunlin, Taiwan(Now)
A private high school in Yunlin, Taiwan is looking for an instructor to fill their full time position. Maximum 25 Teaching hours per week. Salary will be NT$55,000~NT$60,000 with provided school accommodation. Classes will be either from 8:00am ¡V 4:00pm or 9:00am ¡V 5:00pm from Monday to Fridays. No Saturdays. Applicant should have at least a BA degree in any area. Applicants with valid teacher's certificate preferred. ARC and Taiwan National Health Insurance will be provided.

Full-Time Teaching Position in Taichung, Taiwan (Now)
A prestigious institute in Taichung is looking for several instructors to fill their full time teaching positions. 100 working hours a month. Monthly salary will vary, depending on applicant's educational background. BA holders will have a base salary of NT 60,000 per month, MA degree holders will have a base salary of NT 70,000 per month and PH.D degree holders' monthly salary will be further negotiable. The school will provide work permit, ARC and national health insurance.

Taichung County is located at the central part of Taiwan, adjacent to Hualien County . Taichung County has numerous cultural and tourist sites.

Full-Time Elementary School in Keelung, Taiwan (March or April)
Elementary schools in Keelung, Taiwan are looking for foreign certified teachers to fill their full time teaching positions. 20 teaching hours per week with a monthly starting salary of NT$ 60,890 for a bachelor degree for the first year of teaching in Taiwan. (Master's for the first year teaching is NT$67,925; Doctorate's for the first year teaching is NT$70,895; Bachelor's for the second year of teaching is NT$62,240) Salary will be adjusted according to education and teaching experience. NT$5000 will be given as a housing subsidy (NT$10,000 for a family). Classes are from 8:00am to 4:00pm from Monday to Fridays. Teaching salary is tax free. Position includes a two week paid vacation period in addition to national holidays and Chinese Lunar Year Holidays. The school will provide work permit, ARC, round trip airfare and Taiwan's National health Insurance. Applicants must hold a valid teaching certificate which allows them to teach in their home country.


Part-time Public Elementary School in Keelung (Now)
An elementary school in Keelung is looking for 3 English instructors to fill their part time positions. Class time is only on Thursday from 1:00pm to 3:00pm. Salary will be NT$800~1,000 per hour. Applicant must hold a bachelor degree or above in any major.


Full-Time Cram school in Kaohsiung, Taiwan (Now)
A cram school in Kaohsiung is looking for a teacher to fill their full time position. 20 teaching hours a week. The hourly rate is NT$600 with accommodation provided. School will provide work permit, ARC and health insurance. The applicant must hold a BA degree or above in any are and give a demo class as part of the interview.

Located in the southern park of Taiwan, the city of Kaohsiung is the island's largest industrial center. It has stayed abreast of Taiwan's recent progress and prosperity; expanding and modernizing, the city strides into the 21st century as a newly emerging international metropolis. Kaohsiung is the 2nd largest city in Taiwan.

Narrators for textbooks in Kaohsiung, Taiwan (Now)
EU Growths is looking for 2 foreign teachers to complete a freelance narrating project. We are looking for 2 foreign teachers in the Kaoshiung area to be narrators for Text book/ teaching material on Tape. The salary is NT$800 per hour of completed tape.

ESL Bingo

ON SALE!
Every month we have a new special -- games, ESL Mysteries and more!
http://www.efl-esl.com/specials/index.htm

ESL for CHILDREN
Visit our sister site for ESL materials for teaching children age 8 - 12.
http://www.esl-storybooks.com

ESL Curriculum
Tested in the classroom!
http://efl-esl.com/esl-curriculum/index.html

MEET - DISCUSS - CONNECT
Join the discussion at our ESL Teachers Forum
http://www.efl-esl.com/forum/

This Newsletter is brought to you by Learning English with Laughter Ltd.!
http://www.efl-esl.com

The author can be contacted at:
brian@efl-esl.com or by visiting:
http://www.efl-esl.com/contact.htm

No part of this course may be reproduced without the permission
of the author.

(C) Learning English with Laughter Ltd.  2006 All rights reserved.

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