Co-Teaching

A Presentation for New English Educators

in Taiwan

Presented by Mercia de Souza

“You have to adjust to the environment and the culture, do not expect the culture and environment to adjust to you” – Chinese Teacher Janet (10 years English teaching experience in Taiwan, grew up in Australia)

AgendaCo-teaching - Where two cultures meet Results of SWOT Analysis What can I do?

Co-Teaching that works What we discovered Teaching Demonstration Useful Website Addresses Questions and Comments

Co-teaching – Where two cultures meet“Broadly, speaking, Western

society strives to find and prove "the truth", while Eastern society accepts the truth as given and is more interested in finding the balance.

Westerners put more stock in individual rights; Easterners in social responsibly.”

-Vadim Kotelnikov

Co-teaching – Where two cultures meet

Your first expectations? Interpersonal relations like you have at

home? Perfect English? Wonderful classroom discipline? Collegial respect and recognition?

Co-teaching – Where two cultures meet

Stereotyping (often has a good reason)

All foreign teachers speak American English All English speakers have the same (American) culture Young teachers come to Taiwan to drink, womanize and

party. A foreign teacher may be unreliable and leave after a few

months Foreign teachers only care for the money and not for the

kids A teacher from South Africa lived in a hut, surrounded by

wild animals, before coming to Taiwan, and has no idea about modern conveniences.

(Source: Very frank interviews with Chinese Teachers)

Co-teaching – Where two cultures meet

Where do we find the Golden Midway?

Mutual respect Communication Share information Discuss small issues before they become big

confrontations

How do I build this trust?

Always have lesson plans ready on time Always be on time for a class, if something

happens to delay you, send a kid, or call the co-teacher

If something bothers you, talk to the co-teacher

Discuss problems in your meetings Remember: NEVER BE AGGRESSIVE

SWOT Analysis Results

Strengths All the teachers are qualified, registered educators. Co-teachers share the workload and responsibility “Two minds are better than one” Twice the teaching resources are available to teachers and students Discipline kept by two teachers is better than by one Demonstrations of lesson materials are easier when two people do them Two different people teach the same work in their different ways, it rules

out boredom. The students have two mentors. Synergy and shared ideas make for better teaching Mutual respect between Chinese and foreign colleagues. Both teachers work towards student well-being Many relationships are positive and become strong friendships across

cultural boarders

SWOT Analysis Results

Weaknesses Open communication is sometimes a difficult issue. Various co-teachers have different styles and personalities,

which makes it difficult to teach together. Chinese teachers often lack sensitivity for Western culture, but

expect foreigners to be sensitive to their culture all the time. Adaptability (both ways) is difficult Distrust of the competencies and professionalism of foreign

teachers No set model for collaboration and consultation. Perceived pay differences make Chinese co-teachers resentful Power struggles and conflicting goals that disadvantage

students.

SWOT Analysis Results

Opportunities

Better collaboration and brainstorming is possible with two cultures involved

Language learning from one another. Information that is shared from two viewpoints

becomes double the information Respect for other cultures is cultivated Goals can be achieved more efficiently There are good classroom materials Students benefit from the good relationships

SWOT Analysis Results

Threats Late pay and bad administration of foreign teachers’ affairs Shoddy management of the English Program that cause good

teachers to leave. Change without consultation An unsupportive environment Disorganisation in some schools Monthly evaluations that foreign teachers never see No opportunity for foreign teachers to evaluate their co-teachers Cultural differences and stereotyping of foreign teachers Personality conflicts Too much Chinese spoken in English classrooms. The text books are “measly”, “inadequate”,”inappropriate”

What can I do?

How can we work towards building good relationships?

With a partner,

please write down at least

two ideas that will improve

the co-teaching experience Tell us about them.

Part 2Co-teaching that works

“Foreign teachers think they know

English so well that it is not necessary to do thorough planning”

- Teacher Wendy (Five years’ experience

as a Chinese Co-teacher)

What we discovered

Plan lessons together Make sure the lesson plan is ready on time –

discuss changes with your co-teacher Share the responsibility for additional

materials or teaching aids Make sure things that have to be

copied have due dates on them

Teaching Demonstration

Sandy and Mercia will demonstrate a short story telling lesson.

Please pretend that you are in Grade 1

Useful Website addresses

http://www.mes-english http://www.sitesforteachers.com/index.html http://www.cabrillo.edu/academics/esl/resource

s.html#Free www.bogglesworldesl.com http://eslus.com/esl/resource2.htm

Do you have any questions or comments?