Hater Depot
Jun 2nd, 2008, 06:39 AM
...in France. Little different from Korea, Japan, etc.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?xml=/global/2005/04/15/exfrench27.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/04/19/ixportal.html
With some notable exceptions, The British Council being one, most private language schools demand one qualification - the ability to speak English. As a young woman told me as I took over a new class of students, "Oh, don't worry, it's easy you just start on page 1 and finish on page 96". At least The British Council teaching section had books!
Returning to France I began teaching in a small private, independent language school. A small team of teachers earning between 11 and 15 Euros per hour (£8.00 - £11.00) were working 25 - 30 hours per week sometimes including Saturday mornings. The larger business contracts demanded 8-hour teaching sessions and this for complete beginners!
The production line principal - ‘bums on seats’ - get their money and get them out - was the philosophy here. Resources were scarce with a few well-thumbed texts bundled into a cupboard and teachers having to illegally photocopy texts for class use. When the use of the photo-copier was too heavy, warning notices in French were issued to all employees.
Management had no formal teaching or professional qualifications. All planning and reporting was in French. There was no understanding of the pedagogical aspects of language teaching – the proprietor told new recruits that all they needed was a white board and marker pen.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?xml=/global/2005/04/15/exfrench27.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/04/19/ixportal.html
With some notable exceptions, The British Council being one, most private language schools demand one qualification - the ability to speak English. As a young woman told me as I took over a new class of students, "Oh, don't worry, it's easy you just start on page 1 and finish on page 96". At least The British Council teaching section had books!
Returning to France I began teaching in a small private, independent language school. A small team of teachers earning between 11 and 15 Euros per hour (£8.00 - £11.00) were working 25 - 30 hours per week sometimes including Saturday mornings. The larger business contracts demanded 8-hour teaching sessions and this for complete beginners!
The production line principal - ‘bums on seats’ - get their money and get them out - was the philosophy here. Resources were scarce with a few well-thumbed texts bundled into a cupboard and teachers having to illegally photocopy texts for class use. When the use of the photo-copier was too heavy, warning notices in French were issued to all employees.
Management had no formal teaching or professional qualifications. All planning and reporting was in French. There was no understanding of the pedagogical aspects of language teaching – the proprietor told new recruits that all they needed was a white board and marker pen.