Reading Extensively

This test is used extensively by English speaking universities, colleges, private sector businesses and government agencies as a method of assessing proficiency in the English language. Traditionally the test has been available in both paper based and online based formats, however, the paper tests are gradually being phased out as availability of the internet increases around the world. The test is divided into four separate sections, each covering one of the main language skills, i.e., speaking, writing, reading and listening. The student is then awarded an overall score ranging from 0 to 120, with a maximum of 30 points awarded for each language category in the online version of the test. This test does not set a specific pass mark so any organisation that uses it as an assessment of a...  [Read more]

Volunteer Teaching As I began my TESOL course in Phuket, I met all types of people wanting to be teachers. Some students needed to work immediately after graduation and others were going on to a college or university to further their academic careers. I was in the position of having to return home and finish other work commitments before I could embark on a teaching career. I soon realized that if I was going to be confident in my new found teaching skills and to have the opportunity to build on what I had learned, I was going to have to do something proactive in the area of teaching English as a second language even though I was not in the position to take a full time teaching position. In pondering my predicament, I realized that I did have an option that would serve me and people...  [Read more]

New Technology in the Classroom Just 20 years ago, cell phones, internet, laptops and digital cameras, to list a few, were restricted to scientists and the science fiction world. Today, these technologies have gained public acceptance and it is almost impossible to imagine our lives without them! It is clear that, in today’s Digital Era, students must learn how to use technology to live, learn and work successfully. As teachers, we hear the call to provide our students with the skills and access to technology they require as citizens of the information and communication age we live in. As a consequence, we have ended up adding one more duty to our list: “The development and use of new educational technologies in our classrooms.” We are constantly exploring ways of incorporating...  [Read more]