1. You have taught many immigrants in your job as a teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Where have most of your students come from? What were the main differences among them?
Response: In almost forty years of teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) I have met thousands of youngsters from all over the world. Of course, all of the students I have taught in Taiwan for twelve years have been speakers of Chinese. I have not yet had the pleasure of teaching aboriginal students. Over all, students in Taiwan have shown more respect than students I have taught in America; perhaps it is your Confucian upbringing and respect for teachers that makes this so. In New York City,where I taught at two high schools and a junior high school for twenty-five years, the students came mostly from the Caribbean Islands, South and Central America, Eastern Europe (Russia, Albania and Azerbaijan) and Southern China; mostly Fujian and Guangzhou, but also from Vietnam and Cambodia. The last ten years saw a great influx of students from Bangladesh and Pakistan. Most ESL students were well-behaved when they first immigrated to the U.S. but they were quickly influenced by "homegrown" kids; kids born in the U.S. who were generally naughtier and less interested in educating themselves; there was a lot of peer pressure to be "cool" and many immigrant students dropped out of school, some of them to get jobs to help out their poor immigrant families.
What is the difference between teaching ESL/EFL to children or adults? Could you explain how you would teach them?
Response: Children have less interference from problems of daily life, such as earning a living or dealing with family problems. Children are biologically faster to acquire second language skills, and are capable of speaking it without an accent so long as they begin learning before puberty when changes in the brain structure make it difficult to lose an accent. The Natural Approach to Language Acquisition, where a child first learns to understand a second language before having to talk, read, or write, can be employed with youngsters. For adults, who require more direct and faster results, the Natural Approach is compromised by educational systems or bushiban business. When language learners are required to have language arts and spelling skills, the acquisition process is slower. However, the biggest hindrance to teaching adults English is undoing the errors "fossilized" in uncorrected instruction from past teachers; it is harder to break old bad habits than learn new ones. "Pride" hinders adults from admitting they are making errors. However, with enough time and a proper attitude towards accepting mistakes by developing a monitor to correct what comes out of their mouths, adults can learn, too. For adults and children, engaging in challenging class contests and activities is the fun way to learn English.
3. How about your life in New York City? How was it and what is the difference between living there and in Taichung? Which do you like more?
Response: Naturally, I like living in Taichung, Taiwan, or I wouldn't have moved here when I retired. It is more expensive to live in NYC but the life of a teacher and student in Taiwan is more difficult than in NYC with long hours and large classes of homework to mark, and little room for creating your own lesson plans. I don't think it would have been as much fun teaching here as it was teaching in New York City. Also, teaching ESL in Taiwan is not as lucrative and protected a job as in New York City where teachers have a very strong workers' union. That, and the fact that a private English education for my four children would have been too expensive, was the main reason I left Taiwan after I moved here in 1984.
Life in NYC is more inconvenient than in Taiwan. There are more rules to follow, and the police are stricter. In Taiwan, the rules are not always enforced and the police are friendlier. For safety, NYC is more dangerous with people with guns, and more thieves and schemers than in Taiwan. On the other hand, the variety of food is better in NYC than in Taiwan.
I miss the four seasons of cold and snow in winter, heat and beach in summer, fall leaves falling, and spring flowers blooming . I also miss the clean air to breath; air pollution in Taiwan is a drawback. But, generally speaking, I like living in Taichung better than living in NYC. Though I miss my four grown children who live in America, I keep in touch with them and my good friends, thanks to the internet, free international phone calls, and on-line
Interesting Facts about Teacher David
After listening to your presentation we have come to some realizations:
1. Learning English is not confined to a textbook and tests; English is a living language.
2. Your father could fix airplanes but he couldn't fly one; we though that was interesting.
3. Your father had a large family; three sisters and five brothers.
4. You like the night markets in Taiwan with stinky tofu, cherry tomatoes with a dried plum slices, and barbecue chicken tails your favorite snacks.
Thank you for giving us your presentation. It was a good experience!
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