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Q: Tutors: how do you evaluate the language level of your new students?
For those who tutor languages one-on-one, or in small groups, how do you where to begin in your lessons when you first meet your new students? Some students might already now what's in the first few units of your lessons, or even know what's in the middle of the lesson, but not what's at the beginning. How do you deal with that?
7 years 35 weeks ago in Teaching & Learning - China
I tutor sometimes for extra ¥ and also to help friends and get ahead with things (it's complicated),,, but let me mention something here,,, short of some 'official' way of evaluating a persons language skills I can say that it makes itself quite apparent as soon as you spend some time with them.
haha, what I am talking about is I cannot tell you the # of people I have had conversations with, I think there is some sort of desire to show off their English language skills to a Yankee, and after about 10 or 15 minutes I can tell they barely know what the heck I said. It's really pretty funny. The ol' one-way conversation. 
Anyway, their language ability will make itself apparent all by itself.
By being a teacher! You know, learning how to actually teach - in which course (and experience) you'll be shown how to handle it.
This is such a basic question that if you don't have an answer for it, you really shouldn't be teaching!
iron-man:
I'll start teaching and get the experience from it. Thanks for your input.
Shining_brow:
And people wonder why real teachers get pissed off with these wannabes and backpacker kids
Why not try a job as a doctor? There's much more money in it! Just start doctoring and learn from your experience....
I tutor sometimes for extra ¥ and also to help friends and get ahead with things (it's complicated),,, but let me mention something here,,, short of some 'official' way of evaluating a persons language skills I can say that it makes itself quite apparent as soon as you spend some time with them.
haha, what I am talking about is I cannot tell you the # of people I have had conversations with, I think there is some sort of desire to show off their English language skills to a Yankee, and after about 10 or 15 minutes I can tell they barely know what the heck I said. It's really pretty funny. The ol' one-way conversation.
Anyway, their language ability will make itself apparent all by itself.
I usually ask my students to give an impromptu speech on how French poetry was affected by the industrial revolution.
I let it all hang out and see where that leads. Gunna try the same approach this year as I move to uni students. I'm predicting similar outcomes though.
