Share some teaching English abroad stories.

In France, I had a student who was very shy at first. But as time went on, through various English - speaking activities like role - plays, she became more confident. By the end of the semester, she was able to give a presentation in front of the whole class in English without any hesitation. It was really inspiring to see her growth.

Sure. One of my friends taught in Thailand. She was amazed by the warm hospitality of the local students. They would often bring her small gifts like local handicrafts. And the teaching style there was more relaxed compared to what she was used to in her home country. It was a great cultural exchange experience for her.

One common horror story is getting placed in a school with no teaching resources. You might expect basic things like textbooks or a whiteboard, but end up with nothing. Another is having to deal with extremely unruly students who have no respect for the teacher. For example, students constantly talking over you or even throwing things in class. And then there's the issue of cultural misunderstandings. You could do something innocent, like pat a child on the head, which might be offensive in that culture.

One horror story is getting stuck in a school with no proper teaching materials. I once taught in a remote place abroad where there were hardly any textbooks or educational resources. It was a nightmare trying to plan lessons without the basic tools. Another is dealing with extremely unruly students. I had a class where the students were constantly disrupting the class and there was little support from the school administration to discipline them.

To avoid bad accommodation situations, do thorough research before going. Look at reviews of places where previous teachers have stayed. For the teaching environment, ask for a detailed schedule and contract before agreeing to work. Make sure it clearly states what resources will be available. As for cultural misunderstandings, read up on the local culture before arriving.

A student, Mark, taught in Japan. His subject was mathematics. He was amazed by the discipline and respect shown by the Japanese students in the classroom. But he also noticed that they were shy about asking questions. So, he tried to create a more relaxed atmosphere. He introduced group work and problem - solving activities. Through this, the students became more active in learning math. Mark also learned a lot about Japanese culture during his stay there, which influenced his teaching methods in a positive way.

Sure. There are stories of teachers facing very large class sizes, like over 50 students in a single classroom. It's a horror for a teacher as it's really hard to give individual attention. Also, there were cases where the teaching materials promised were not provided. Teachers had to come up with their own resources on short notice, which was a nightmare. Some teachers had horror experiences with bugs in the classrooms. Thailand has a lot of insects, and having them crawling around while you're trying to teach can be quite off - putting.

Yes. One challenge is the language barrier not just in terms of students learning English but also in communicating with some local staff who may have limited English proficiency. It can sometimes lead to misunderstandings in administrative tasks.

Well, one horror story could be the lack of proper teaching resources. Teachers might find themselves in classrooms with very few textbooks or teaching aids. Another could be the language barrier not just with students but also with some local staff at schools, which makes administrative tasks really difficult.

Well, one horror story could be about the extreme heat in some of the classrooms with no proper air - conditioning. It made it really difficult to teach and students were often distracted and grumpy. Another might be dealing with unexpected changes in the curriculum midway through a semester without much notice, which threw off all the teaching plans.