Hello I am Owain I have just arrived in Taipei from Cardiff UK as am sure you aware it is a bit of a culture shock so many more people so many more cars and a lot more high rise buldings. I have an interview for a HESS school in Donghu tomorrow and would like any adivice anyone is willing to give. I am not American will this be a big minus?
Thanks for any help it be nice also to speak to any English teachers over here also to meet new people. I applied for teaching through Reach to Teach which I have seen mentioned on this froum already.
Offa should have built that dyke a bit higher, Sandy.
Owain: Dydd da. Being non-American will not be a big problem, being a Taff might though. How heavy is your accent, and can you fake a reasonable “international” style of English? I’ve met a couple of Brits here who have experienced problems because of their strong regional accents.
[quote=“Taffy”]Offa should have built that dyke a bit higher, Sandy.
Owain: Dydd da. Being non-American will not be a big problem, being a Taff might though. How heavy is your accent, and can you fake a reasonable “international” style of English? I’ve met a couple of Brits here who have experienced problems because of their strong regional accents.[/quote]
My Welsh accent is not really there as I have moved around the accent is quite neutral and I have already got though the first interview with Reach to Teach so hopefully it is ok.
The few HESS teachers I know have a tendency to use excessive strange hand movements when they talk. Having a drink with them is like hanging out with a bunch of hyperactive freemasons. I believe this stems from using total physical response and mime with everything they teach.
When asked ‘What would you do if a child had trouble understanding you?’ answer: ‘I would use TPR, mime and realia to aid understanding’. Don’t say: ‘I’d ask if the child understands’ or ‘I’d get the Chinese teacher to explain it in Chinese’.
I also have the feeling that HESS tend to prefer inexperienced teachers fresh off the plane, so try to emphasise how open you are to learning to teach the HESS way. And of course be ridiculously enthusiastic and smiley.
Only pointers I can give as I’ve never had an interview with them. Good luck and welcome to the good ship Formosa.
[quote=“tomthorne”]The few HESS teachers I know have a tendency to use excessive strange hand movements when they talk. Having a drink with them is like hanging out with a bunch of hyperactive freemasons. I believe this stems from using total physical response and mime with everything they teach.
When asked ‘What would you do if a child had trouble understanding you?’ answer: ‘I would use TPR, mime and realia to aid understanding’. Don’t say: ‘I’d ask if the child understands’ or ‘I’d get the Chinese teacher to explain it in Chinese’.
I also have the feeling that HESS tend to prefer inexperienced teachers fresh off the plane, so try to emphasise how open you are to learning to teach the HESS way. And of course be ridiculously enthusiastic and smiley.
Only pointers I can give as I’ve never had an interview with them. Good luck and welcome to the good ship Formosa.[/quote]
Well that sounds all good I will move my hands a lot and think of Tony Blair. That the same thing the told me through TEFL use hands a lot especially with beginners.
OK. You’ve already admitted to being Welsh and now you’re alluding to “moving your hands” while thinking of Tony Blair. This is really quite … completely normal for Cardiff, I suppose.
Why is that dog’s mouth so alluringly open? What’s it expecting?
Still, at least you haven’t stooped to the level of Stray Dog, who moves his hips around while thinking of Gordon Brown.
OK. You’ve already admitted to being Welsh and now you’re alluding to “moving your hands” while thinking of Tony Blair. This is really quite … completely normal for Cardiff, I suppose.
Why is that dog’s mouth so alluringly open? What’s it expecting?
Still, at least you haven’t stooped to the level of Stray Dog, who moves his hips around while thinking of Gordon Brown.[/quote]
Where did the dog come from? Am not sure how often Cardiff City have used a dog as a mascot. That was from the year we got to the FA Cup final so it must have come from there somewhere. I was more thinking Tony Blair had a good understanding on how to move his hands to get his point across: D I should maybe not say this but I am also part Scottish. Out of interest where are most people on this board from.
I know a Scottish guy who’s actually from York and insists on calling himself English for some odd reason - can’t understand a word he says regardless. On a related also-OT note, on my last trip to NZ we ran across a triumvirate of Welshmen who claimed that sheep-shagging actually is NOT a New Zealand original past-time, and that it was in fact stolen from Wales: care to confirm or disconfirm this radical idea?
[quote]a triumvirate of Welshmen who claimed that sheep-shagging actually is NOT a New Zealand original past-time, and that it was in fact stolen from Wales: care to confirm or disconfirm this radical idea?
[/quote]
Trust the bloody Welsh! Not content with failing to be Scottish, they’re trying to steal our national pastime, too. Oy VEY!
[quote=“Funk500”]Welsh/Scot? Somehow I get the feeling the Earth is about to start spinning the other way.
Generally a mix of Brits, Canadians, Americans, Ozzers but some others on here[/quote]
Taiwanese, Malaysian, S’poreans, Saffas, French, Dutch, German, ABCs, Latin Americans, Indians, Sri Lankans, are some of the others. What is that law where minorties are the majority or sth??? we use to do pie charts where Miscellaneous was always the biggest section
[quote=“divea”][quote=“Funk500”]Welsh/Scot? Somehow I get the feeling the Earth is about to start spinning the other way.
Generally a mix of Brits, Canadians, Americans, Ozzers but some others on here[/quote]
Taiwanese, Malaysian, S’poreans, Saffas, French, Dutch, German, ABCs, Latin Americans, Indians, Sri Lankans, are some of the others. What is that law where minorties are the majority or sth??? we use to do pie charts where Miscellaneous was always the biggest section [/quote]
hence, generally.
[quote=“Funk500”][quote=“divea”][quote=“Funk500”]Welsh/Scot? Somehow I get the feeling the Earth is about to start spinning the other way.
Generally a mix of Brits, Canadians, Americans, Ozzers but some others on here[/quote]
Taiwanese, Malaysian, S’poreans, Saffas, French, Dutch, German, ABCs, Latin Americans, Indians, Sri Lankans, are some of the others. What is that law where minorties are the majority or sth??? we use to do pie charts where Miscellaneous was always the biggest section [/quote]
hence, generally.[/quote] I would have said Generally people from everywhere. My point being,and I have no authority on the statistics of user groups on F.com, is that by mentioning those 4 countries, it APPEARS like saying WESTERNERS use it (no I’m not pulling out the race card) whereas I think Forumosa has become more of an expat community.
[quote=“owain1875”]
Well that sounds all good I will move my hands a lot and think of Tony Blair. That the same thing the told me through TEFL use hands a lot especially with beginners.[/quote]
Maybe not for a “high quality” “serious” language school like Hess but “use hands a lot” for understanding?? This is silly, if you’re teaching a class with the same native language. There’s so much room for misinterpretation in gestures, especially between cultures. Even pictures are easily misunderstood, and they’re generally clearer than gestures. The whole idea that the use of the native language (where there is a common one) is counterproductive is just, well, counterproductive. Other than easily mimed concepts like big and small, you need to be super-careful with cross-cultural gesturing and particularly for gestures as way of “guaranteeing” comprehension.
Of course, this only applies to places where it matters if the kids learn the language or not. Hess may or may not fall into this category.
[quote=“ironlady”][quote=“owain1875”]
Well that sounds all good I will move my hands a lot and think of Tony Blair. That the same thing the told me through TEFL use hands a lot especially with beginners.[/quote]
Maybe not for a “high quality” “serious” language school like Hess but “use hands a lot” for understanding?? This is silly, if you’re teaching a class with the same native language. There’s so much room for misinterpretation in gestures, especially between cultures. Even pictures are easily misunderstood, and they’re generally clearer than gestures. The whole idea that the use of the native language (where there is a common one) is counterproductive is just, well, counterproductive. Other than easily mimed concepts like big and small, you need to be super-careful with cross-cultural gesturing and particularly for gestures as way of “guaranteeing” comprehension.
Of course, this only applies to places where it matters if the kids learn the language or not. Hess may or may not fall into this category. [/quote]
[quote=“owain1875”]Hello I am Owain I have just arrived in Taipei from Cardiff UK as am sure you aware it is a bit of a culture shock so many more people so many more cars and a lot more high rise buldings. I have an interview for a HESS school in Donghu tomorrow and would like any adivice anyone is willing to give. I am not American will this be a big minus?
Thanks for any help it be nice also to speak to any English teachers over here also to meet new people. I applied for teaching through Reach to Teach which I have seen mentioned on this froum already.[/quote]
How did the interview go Owain? on a different matter, could you explain the Owain Hughes joke from Gavin & Stacey?
I would have said Generally people from everywhere. My point being,and I have no authority on the statistics of user groups on 
but “use hands a lot” for understanding?? This is silly, if you’re teaching a class with the same native language. There’s so much room for misinterpretation in gestures, especially between cultures. Even pictures are easily misunderstood, and they’re generally clearer than gestures. The whole idea that the use of the native language (where there is a common one) is counterproductive is just, well, counterproductive. Other than easily mimed concepts like big and small, you need to be super-careful with cross-cultural gesturing and particularly for gestures as way of “guaranteeing” comprehension.