Anyone teaching at a Technical College?

[WonnabeBiker]

Absenteeism, lack of motivation and how things are going for you? I'd like to hear someone else's experience.

Classroom: forget the projector, it's been broken since Hoover was running the FBI.

Wifi? Not on the top floor! (An antenna wotrks better when erected higher up...)

Aircon? Well, there are some missing windows...

Most students cannot hold a basic conversation.

[thesetat2013]

Sounds normal for most schools here. Enjoy your school year as you can and don't stress the minor problems and try to avoid confrontation

[Nokkeaw]

I worked for one during almost 3 years and yes, it was like that. Students don't want to learn but they are teenagers so I had a lot of fun anyways. Just teach them conversation and play games.

[tomwct]

Sounds like a Thai High School and their students! Thai Culture tells them they don't need a second language!

[lostinisaan]

Our son attends at such a technical college and I'm not surprised to read your post.

It seems that such colleges only exist to keep them off the streets.

He could do his army thingy that he doesn't have to join the army, there're always activities that got nothing to do with learning and he has to come in on Saturdays to help some teachers doing some stuff they should do by their own.

Our son started his third year "studying electronics", but I had to show him show to use a volt/ ampere meter?

I helped out at some English seminars and these colleges have way too many students and not enough teachers.

A friend of mine worked there for a year and got paid 13 K/month, or so. The free housing didn't make it much better.

I guess you won't be able to buy a Benz with your salary in the near future.........

Edited June 19, 2016 by lostinisaan

[youreavinalaff]

Did you get my PM, Lostinissan?

[Rhys]

Not only at technical colleges, but this is quite prevalent at a selected minority of autonomous universities.

Have you had this event yet.. One students attempts to take an exam for another student?

[chowny77]

I am working at a vocational college. The students themselves are OK, but their level of English is well below par. I am teaching English for the hotel industry, English for commerce and basic English listening and speaking. The textbooks we are given to teach are too advanced for the students vocabulary. A few of our rooms have A/C but the internet is absolutely crap as most of the students have passwords that they are supposed to use when in computer class but you can guess what they have used it for............their smart phones. Supposedly myself and another teacher are going to have to hold a CEFR training camp over a week-end next month and they have given us zero info apart from some CEFR paper work which they printed from the internet. This is going to be a complete waste of time and a disaster as I can not see the students getting anything higher than maybe A2 level if they are lucky.

[Anshuni]

I tried. Only lasted a day. I rejected the school offer. I prefer the mattayom class

[lostinisaan]

I am working at a vocational college. The students themselves are OK, but their level of English is well below par. I am teaching English for the hotel industry, English for commerce and basic English listening and speaking. The textbooks we are given to teach are too advanced for the students vocabulary. A few of our rooms have A/C but the internet is absolutely crap as most of the students have passwords that they are supposed to use when in computer class but you can guess what they have used it for............their smart phones. Supposedly myself and another teacher are going to have to hold a CEFR training camp over a week-end next month and they have given us zero info apart from some CEFR paper work which they printed from the internet. This is going to be a complete waste of time and a disaster as I can not see the students getting anything higher than maybe A2 level if they are lucky.

I've done a lot of CEFR seminars for teachers. Best is when you check by your own what' you'd like to use, as you know their level of English.

http://www.examenglish.com/CEFR/cefr.php

http://www.examenglish.com/CEFR/cefr_grammar.htm

http://gostudylink.net/en/support/levels

Don't rely on the stuff they give, or gave you. Cheers-

[lostinisaan]

I am working at a vocational college. The students themselves are OK, but their level of English is well below par. I am teaching English for the hotel industry, English for commerce and basic English listening and speaking. The textbooks we are given to teach are too advanced for the students vocabulary. A few of our rooms have A/C but the internet is absolutely crap as most of the students have passwords that they are supposed to use when in computer class but you can guess what they have used it for............their smart phones. Supposedly myself and another teacher are going to have to hold a CEFR training camp over a week-end next month and they have given us zero info apart from some CEFR paper work which they printed from the internet. This is going to be a complete waste of time and a disaster as I can not see the students getting anything higher than maybe A2 level if they are lucky.

Our Thai English teachers had to sit a CEFR test. Only one scored A 2, but only because I showed her some tricks, explained some vocab, etc..

The rest from Nil to A 1.

[lostinisaan]

Did you get my PM, Lostinissan?

Sorry, but I didn't get your message.

[muzmurray]

I am working at a vocational college. The students themselves are OK, but their level of English is well below par. I am teaching English for the hotel industry, English for commerce and basic English listening and speaking. The textbooks we are given to teach are too advanced for the students vocabulary. A few of our rooms have A/C but the internet is absolutely crap as most of the students have passwords that they are supposed to use when in computer class but you can guess what they have used it for............their smart phones. Supposedly myself and another teacher are going to have to hold a CEFR training camp over a week-end next month and they have given us zero info apart from some CEFR paper work which they printed from the internet. This is going to be a complete waste of time and a disaster as I can not see the students getting anything higher than maybe A2 level if they are lucky.

Our Thai English teachers had to sit a CEFR test. Only one scored A 2, but only because I showed her some tricks, explained some vocab, etc..

The rest from Nil to A 1.

How did you know what vocabulary was going to be used in the test?

[lostinisaan]

I am working at a vocational college. The students themselves are OK, but their level of English is well below par. I am teaching English for the hotel industry, English for commerce and basic English listening and speaking. The textbooks we are given to teach are too advanced for the students vocabulary. A few of our rooms have A/C but the internet is absolutely crap as most of the students have passwords that they are supposed to use when in computer class but you can guess what they have used it for............their smart phones. Supposedly myself and another teacher are going to have to hold a CEFR training camp over a week-end next month and they have given us zero info apart from some CEFR paper work which they printed from the internet. This is going to be a complete waste of time and a disaster as I can not see the students getting anything higher than maybe A2 level if they are lucky.

Our Thai English teachers had to sit a CEFR test. Only one scored A 2, but only because I showed her some tricks, explained some vocab, etc..

The rest from Nil to A 1.

How did you know what vocabulary was going to be used in the test?

I didn't. But when you click on the CEFR links you can select each level's vocabulary and go through each question and the right answer with them.

If somebody's really interested in learning and they spend some time on it, they'll pass B 1, or B 2.

But watching soap operas and updating facebook pages seems much more interesting to the majority.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

Edited June 26, 2016 by lostinisaan

[chowny77]

Thanks lostinissan for the links. I just hope the colleges internet will be upto the task of actually allowing me to use the links effectively.