A Teaching Opportunity in Shanghai

Wonderful English in the West of Shanghai is looking for teachers!

Wonderful English requires two English teachers at their schools in the Song Jiang and Qing Pu Districts of Shanghai.

You must have a degree, a TEFL certificate or equivalent, and a passport from a native English speaking country.

Your students will be aged from five years old to adult.

Your workweek with comprise three weekday shifts (14:00 to 21:00) and two weekend shifts (10:00 to 18:00). You will have 25 teaching hours per week.

Your salary will be 12k to 13k depending on experience with a 4000 rmb bonus at the end of the contract.

Wonderful English will supply you your Visa and Foreign Expert Certificate.

If you are interested and would like more details, email me at andiskaulins@qq.com.

ESL Discussion Questions about Energy

What is Energy? The capacity for vigorous activity; available power. Having the power to do something.

Do you have a lot of it? Do you have a lot of it now? Why? Why not?

Kinds of energy? Mental, physical, solar, food, fossil fuel, electric, nuclear, solar, wind.....

Is energy important?

What human needs does energy satisfy?

What does it mean to run out of energy?

For people? For cars?

What is man's biggest source of energy?

What did primitive man do for energy?

Have you ever gone a long time without energy?

What are other sources of energy?

How do bodies get energy?

Do you drink energy drinks?

What foods give us energy?

What do you do when you need energy right away?

We say a person is energetic. What do we mean by this?

Are you energetic? What do you do when you are energetic? How are your emotions?

What are signs that a person is energetic or isn't energetic?

Do you like energetic people? Or perhaps you resent them?

Who are the most energetic people you know?

When do you feel the most energetic? During the week? During the day? In the Heat? In the Cold?

How do cars get energy?

How does a phone get energy?

Your energy usage:

Do you use too much energy?

How do you use your electricity?

What saps you of energy? What tires you out? What activities are very tiring? What activities require no energy?

Efficient energy usage. What do you think this term means?

How can we save energy?

Expressions involving energy:

I don't have the energy.

This gives me all the energy I need.

Where do you get the energy?

I am full of energy. (How do you feel? How are you functioning?)

He is a bundle of energy.

He is suddenly re-energized. (Do you notice how boredom saps you of energy, but then....)

I don't feel up to it.

He has a lot of get up and go.

He's jacked up.

I'm out of gas.

I am running on empty.

Green energy.

I am feeling lethargic and sluggish.

It is a waste of energy.

ESL Discussion Questions about Family

How important is family to you?

Very important?

Couldn't care less?

Finish these sentences:

______________ is more important than family.

Family is more important than ______________.

Who is the richest person in your family?

Who is the scariest person in your family?

Who is the oldest person in your family?

Who is the craziest person in your family?

Who is the most interesting person in your family?

Who is the head of your family?

Do you like your family?

Is your family better than all other families you know?

How big is your family?

How big were your parents families?

Do you wish you could have had more siblings than you do now?

What do you think is the ideal size for a family?

What do you think of people who have lots of children? (my cousin has nine!)

What famous person do you wish was your brother?

What famous person do you wish was your sister?

What would you think of David Beckham being your father? Angela Jolie being your mother?

Students! Do you think you will make a good parent in the future? Why? Why not?

Do you have what it takes to be a good parent?

Who has the best family in the world?

What are some interesting television or fictional families that you know of?

What is the best thing about your family? Your parents? Your uncles and aunts?

How often do all you relatives get together?

I have relatives in Canada, America, China, and Germany? What about you?

Can you tell me some interesting stories about your relatives?

Who has the most unusual job in your family? For example, my sister is a jail guard.

Which side of the family do you prefer? The mother's or the father's side? My father's side lived in America. They were boring. They didn't have a television. My mother's side seen to have more interesting people in it. They lived in Canada.

What activities can families do together? Can they be a basketball team? Can they play Mah Jong? Shopping? Eating? Watch television?

Does your family do much together or do you just live under the same roof?

Idioms and expressions

black sheep of the family (Who?)

like one of the family

runs in the family (What runs in the student's family?)

a family man (Do you want to be? Are you?)

the company is like a family (Is you class like a family?)

the family that bathes together, stays together.

Views of China from Casa Kaulins #4

Andis Kaulins

Zachary

Eleven

Cissy & Jessica

Words that begin with the letters "Ex"

Ex Words

What does the prefix Ex mean?

ex-

a prefix meaning "out of," "from," and hence "utterly," "thoroughly," 

Also: "Former" Ex-wife, Ex-president

Can the students think of a word beginning with 'ex' that means out of or out from? Exit.

Can the students think of words beginning with 'ex' that mean utterly or thoroughly? Extreme.

Can the students think of ex (as in former things) in their lives?

I have an ex-____________ I am an ex___________.

What does he is my 'ex' mean?

Are you a ex or former something? I am the former mayor of Wuxi.

Very Simple. Get the students to list ten or fifteen words that start with Ex.

Here are some words that I can think of: Excellent, Exit, Exceptional, Extreme, Exhume, Exhaust, Exhilarate, Exhibition, Exotic, Example, Exalt, Excuse, Exam.

Talk about the words and see where the conversations lead....

What is the most commonly used word beginning with 'ex' in the English language? Example.

Four letter words starting with 'Ex'? Exit

Five letter words? Exalt, Exist

Six letter words? Exhume, Excite, expand

Seven letter words? Extreme, Excited

Eight letter words? Existent Exciting

Nine letter words? Excellent, Existence

Expressions using 'ex' words.

I will now do an exit stage left.

I hope I have expanded your horizons.

“Wow!” and other exclamations and interjections.

What is an interjection?

An interjection is a word that we add into our speech. Examples Ah! Um! Eh!

What are some Chinese interjections? Do they vary by region of China?

Are there female Chinese interjections? Are there male Chinese interjections?

What is an exclamation?

An Exclamation is a sentence with an exclamation point behind it!

What is something you are exclaiming every day?

So not all exclamations are interjections.

Let's talk about Wow!

When would we say "wow?"

Did you say "wow" today? When? Why?

When was the last time you said "wow"?

What makes a woman say "wow"?

What makes a man say "wow"?

What makes a child go "wow"?

Who do you try to "wow"?

What is the difference between "wow" and "woh"?

Examples of Interjections. (What do they mean? When do we use them? Use them in a statement?)

ah, alas, oh dear, dear me, goodness gracious, jeepers, eh, er, hello, hey, hi, hmm, oh, ouch, uh,uh-huh, um, umm, well, bingo, ahem, aha, ahoy, aw schucks, boo, boo hoo, boy, oh boy, bravo, cheers, chop-chop, ditto, eureka, ow, yoo hoo, yeah, yallo, blah blah blah, attaboy, attagirl, alright, bada boom, bada bing, b.s., by God, cheerio, come on, damn, damn straight, duh, gadzooks, golly, golly gee, gosh, holy moley, holy cow, hell's bells, I say, indeed, kersplat, la-di-da, lord love a duck, mm, nice one, no pooh, oh-oh, nice one, okey dokey, pew, rats, say what, thank god, toodeloo, uh-oh

Interjections we use to make people keep quiet?

Interjections we use when we come upon a disgusting thing?

Interjections to show we want to leave?

Interjections we use when we hear bad news?

Interjections we use when we hear good news?

Interjections we use when our team has scored or won the game?

Interjections we use when we express disbelief?

Interjections we use when we want people to leave?

Interjection we use when we have stepped on something sharp?

Interjections we use when we want someone to hurry?

Interjections we use when we are joking?

Interjections we use when we are expressing sarcasm or irony?

If time remaining, ask what will make students say a certain interjection beside wow.

End class with "toodeloo."

ESL Discussion Questions and Idioms about the words "Great," "Greatness," "Greatest," & "Grate"

What does the word "great" mean? What does the word "grate" mean? (What grates on you.)

How does the word "great" compare with the word "good"?

What is great in your life?

Are you a great person? Why? Why not?

How can we decide if a person is great? Can everyone be great?

Are great people admired by everyone? Was Hitler great? Why? Why not?

To be great, you have to be one in ten, one in a hundred, one in a thousand, one in a million?

What determines history? Great men or historical forces?

Why be great?

How to make your organization great? How to make your country great?

Do you want your children to be great?

Do you want your friends to be great?

What does it take to be a great person?

Do great people always become famous?

Who is the greatest singer?

What is the greatest work you ever did?

What is the greatest country?

Who is the greatest American?

What is the greatest book ever written?

Who is the greatest leader in the past?

Who is the greatest country leader today?

Who is the greatest cook you know?

Who is the greatest basketball player?

Who is the greatest football player?

Who is the all-time greatest athlete in world?

Where is the greatest place to be in your city?

Where is the greatest place to be in the world?

What is the greatest all-time movie?

Who is the greatest actress?

Who is the greatest actor?

Who is the greatest kung fu master?

Who is the greatest businessman in the world?

Who is the greatest person of all time?

What was the greatest time you ever had?

Who/What is the greatest ___________? Have students ask the question.

Idioms and sayings using the word "great"

I am feeling great.

You are looking great.

Great minds think alike.

I am no great shakes.

Some are born great; some have greatness thrust upon them.

One of life's great mysteries.

Time is a great healer.

I set great store by what he says.

Great oaks from little acorns grow.

I am a member of the great unwashed.

He was going great guns.

It is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

We will make a great show of it.

Great Balls of Fire!

Great Scott!

Also grate

You are grating on my nerves!

You grate. G-r-a-t-e grate!

War: ESL Discussion Questions & Idioms

What is it? What is the opposite of the word war?

What are some words that can be thought of synonyms for war? Clash, conflict.

What are some words we use for the people who fight in Wars? Soldiers, troops, mercenaries, warriors,

What kinds of wars are there? Civil wars, wars of liberation.

What is the difference between a battle and a war?

What images come to mind when you hear the word war?

What wars are being fought now in the world?

What are same famous wars from history? Which wars do you think are the most interesting? If you could go back to time to witness a war, which war would you travel to?

What wars do you think may be fought in the future? Do you worry about China becoming involved in a war?

Everyone says War is a bad thing? Are they correct? Can we say anything good about War? Is there anything that can be worse than war?

Is War a time for glory?

Do you think attitudes to war have changed in history?

What do you think of this statement: Wars are about what the peace will be like.

Why are wars fought? Is there a good reason to fight a war? Is there a good reason to start a war?

What organizations fight wars? [Army, military, army, navy, marine, air force] Do you want to join one? You must join a branch of the military. Which would you join. Would you like to be an officer or in the ranks? Would you like wearing uniforms?

Why do soldiers march? Do you like watching military parades? Does anyone in the class have military training?

What are some tools of war?

If you want peace, you must prepare for War. Agree? Disagree?

Peace is the time of cheating between wars. Agree or Disagree?

Pacifists and Warmongers. What are they? Are you one of these?

Do you think Pacifists are naive? Will there always be wars? How to stop War?

What is the purpose of the white flag in War?

Do you like reading about wars, or watching war movies and documentaries? What is the best war movie ever made?

What is a war crime? Is all war a crime?

War idioms

All's fair in love and war

declare war

make war

make love not war

a war of words

a turf war

battle of nerves

drop a bombshell

loose cannon

set your sights on

shot down in flames

sabre rattling (Who has done some sabre-rattling recently)

Words that Start with "V": Discussion Questions

Words that start with V

What do you think of the letter V?

It is the sign for victory. It is five in roman numerals. The gesture also means peace.

Do you like the look of it?

Compare V and X. Which letter do you prefer?

Compare V and W. Which letter do you prefer?

Comare V and U. Which letter do yo prefer?

How to pronounce V?

Is there a V in Chinese?

Think of ten words that start with V. (Make conversation with them.)

What is your favourite word starting with V? What is your least favorite?

Ask the teacher a question about the words starting with V.

Can you think of names that start with V?

Ten nouns that start with V?

Can you think of adjectives that start with V?

What are the two most used adjectives starting with V? Very and Violent.

What countries' names start with V?

What cities' names start with V?

These "V" words make the list of the top five hundred most-used English words:

Very was #27

Vowel was #379

Voice was #400

Have students try to guess the words.

Have students make sentences using as many V words as possible.

Victoria Voodoo Very Violently Values Vainglorious Victories vividly vaunted.

Victor values Victoria's virtues and vaunting vividness.

ESL Discussion Questions about the Word "Two"

What is two?

Words that can also mean two? Deuce, Pair, both, bi-

What comes to mind when you hear the number two?

What do we have two of?

When is two too much? (Two wives, two noses,..)

What is your favourite way to use the number two?

How do you feel about the number two?

When is it good to be two?

Can you describe yourself in two words?

Have you ever been number two?

Who is number two in this world and in your world?

You have two wishes. What will you wish for?

Use two as a noun. Use two as an adjective. Use two as a pronoun

What are some things that we only have two of?

Tell me two problems you want to have.

You can be on a desert island with two people. Who would those people be?

You can live in two places in the World. Where would you live?

You can only eat two foods for the rest of your life. What would you eat?

What are the two books you would take with you to a desert island?

Tell me two thing you wish to belong to?

What two names do you go by?

What two things do you need everyday?

What are two things you did yesterday?

What were the last two things that made you happy?

Who are two people you want to avoid?

What are two things you want to avoid.

Who are two celebrities you want to meet?

Is there a body part that you wish you had more than two of?

Idioms and Expressions

a two-way street.

Be of two minds.

Two of a kind.

Cut both ways

two-faced

it takes two to tango

kill two birds with one stone

that makes two of us

two can play at that game

two heads are better than one

two strikes against him

two wrongs don't make a right.

Two's company, three's a crowd

stand on your own two feet

A Week in the Life of a Wuxi, China English Teacher: April 29 to May 5, 2013

Read about it here!