Letters from the Other Side

10. Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach English - Part 3

Teaching in South Africa: Beyond the blackboard

 1 April 2015 – 30 July 2017 (+ August 2019)

TEFL, Teaching English as a Foreign Language, is another ball game altogether in South Africa. After my 5-year-stint as a nanny, I joined the over-saturated market of TEFL in South Africa. Over-saturated with hopeful, deluded teachers who think they'll become billionaires overnight. And with the recent advancements in technology, in the comfort of their own homes, no less.

The seasons changed again. I went from a life surrounded by children to a life surrounded by foreign, adult students. In April 2015 I started working at the first TEFL school in Pretoria. Initially I only gave one class, a few days a week.

This first language school was owned by a dynamic but soft-hearted young woman in her late twenties. This school was her first business and as her background was in teaching, the TEFL industry seemed like a golden goose just waiting to lay many golden eggs for her.

Susan was very kind and we quickly became friends. One morning, while I was still nannying, Susan phoned me in a panic and asked if I could come in to replace a M.I.A, full-time teacher who hadn't shown up.

I jumped at the opportunity. How could a teacher just disregard their responsibility like that? I was indignant but very glad at the chance to get a full-time, permanent position. Little did I know that I would soon find out, and even worse, find myself in a similar situation so that I could fully understand the other teacher's point of view.

My first class was a very special class. The first group you teach, always is. I am still in contact with most of them on Social Media. The one great joy of teaching grown-ups is you end up making life-long friends. This was always to me, the greatest benefit of teaching English to adults.

While I was nannying, I also tutored Korean students I met at my church (2014 – 2015). I had files (binders) full of worksheets and previously worked out lesson plans all ready and waiting to be used.

Tutoring from home has its pitfalls. In my opinion, it rarely ever works. Students cancel at the last minute. You wasted your whole morning waiting for them plus the evening before preparing the lesson. The more they cancel on you the less you care about cancelling on them too. Soon once a week becomes once a month. You always end up with less money and lots of wasted time.

So, when Susan phoned me, I had an arsenal full of games, worksheets and lesson plans ripe for the picking. Because it was so last minute, I could also be as creative as I liked. As TEFL is all about learning through playing games, I could make the classes fun. What a novel idea!

The students always have the same request wherever I teach; more speaking time for them, please! I could use my lessons and let them speak to their hearts' content. Pair work, card games, charades and role play. We had so much fun.

Susan used the "New Headway" textbooks, which I thought were much better than the standard, "Cutting Edge" handbooks. The curriculum is the same but "New Headway" is more relevant and with the times, better designed with a colourful layout and more fun. The established "Cutting Edge" syllabus has a strong emphasis on Grammar and is therefore quite boring. That's just my opinion.