“We made a difference by teaching English to children who live in poor conditions and seeing them improve day-by-day in their English language as well as having fun, smiling and laughing with happiness was a joy every day.” Emma Powell, Thailand, 2010-11
VESL Volunteer Blog
Songs : Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Songs are a great way of learning a language. They help with pronunciation, vocabulary and rhythm. And kids (and adults) love them! Particularly if there are actions to go with them! The kids really won’t mind how terrible you are. Trust me, I’m terrible and they still ask me to sing (again, and again, and [...]
Volunteer Case-Study : Chiang Rai, Thailand
“It is surprising how quick we settled in. Everyone was so helpful and caring.” Caley Vye, Thailand, 2010-11
Volunteer Case-Study : Thailand
“I cannot think of a better way to spend my summer… it will be an experience you will always remember” Emma Warrington, Thailand, 2010
Fundraising Tip : Dinner Party
Here’s a great tip for fundraising beginners : I found that hosting a dinner party at home for friends and family was a great way to help me raise a little money and also helped to build confidence in talking to people about where I’d be going, what I hoped to achieve, and crucially – [...]
Student Talk Time
Increasing student talk time is a very valuable thing to do in a second language classroom. Here are a few ways of helping to make that happen. Ensure that all students have the relevant vocabulary for the lesson. In this example we had been looking at places in town: bank, hotel, museum, library, police station, [...]
Bargaining
A normal part of daily life In many places bargaining is a normal part of daily life but it can be hard for foreigners to get used to. It’s difficult to get over the feeling that you’re being rude or that you might insult someone, however, bargaining is the usual medium of exchange and people [...]
ESL Letter Cards
My favourite teaching resource is letter cards. They are cheap and easy to make. They’re versatile and the kids love them. What you Need: A list of words Coloured card (4 or 6 different colours depending on how many sets you’d like to make) Black marker pen You can also do it with white card [...]
Use a Dictionary
English is my native language. In fact, English is my only language. I studied English through secondary school and did English Literature as part of my University degree. I have a TEFL certificate. And when I teach English I take a dictionary with me to every lesson. Many teachers of English abroad (particularly in Sri [...]
Help! I Don’t Understand What People Are Saying!
Sometimes you will have trouble understanding the people around you. It might be your host family or the other teachers at the school or your students or the bus conductors or the people in the shop or just about anyone. There are things you can do to make it easier. Ask Them To Slow Down [...]
Help! People Don’t Understand What I’m Saying!
Sometimes the people you are talking to when you’re overseas will have trouble understanding you. It might be your host family or the other teachers at the school or your students or the bus conductors or the people in the shop or just about anyone. There are things you can do to make life easier. [...]
What To Wear While Teaching in India & Sri Lanka
It is important to be dressed appropriately while teaching. And what is considered appropriate is different in different countries. (These suggestions apply to Sri Lanka and India) For Male Volunteers First rule – Don’t wear shorts! It’s important to be seen as a respected member of the teaching faculty and, even if you don’t [...]
Sri Lankan Buses – The Pragmatics
Sri Lankan buses can be quite scary and unpleasant at times. At other times they can be a lot of fun. Whether you enjoy them or not, they are certainly useful and you’re bound to get on one at some point whilst volunteering in Sri Lanka. They go pretty much everywhere. They are usually frequent [...]
How To Eat With Your Hands
In some countries (like Sri Lanka and India) you might be expected to eat with your hands. Sometimes in these countries a knife and fork (or more usually, a fork and spoon) will be provided for you but often, it’s just you and your fingers… and don’t forget – your hosts (and those around you) [...]
