How to Conduct Online Business English Classes

In my new job, the challenge is to provide quality English instruction in as short as 10 minutes. It is a malady for many of my colleagues as consecutive classes are really tough to manage. Even more stressful are the kinds of people handled during the telephone tutoring.

My students are from Hyundai Construction Company, and Korea Gas. They all have hectic schedules and they are very particular with details. After a month of working with these clients, I came to realize some points:

1. I should identify the goal of each student for studying English. This will lead me in choosing appropriate materials for their class.

2. Each learner has strength and weaknesses. Capitalize on their strengths, and try to overcome their weaknesses little by little. Give daily drills and direct them to train specific skills.

3. Articles from newspapers are ideal for them but focus has to be directed on some specific vocabulary and difficult expressions. Business English Books are also indispensable as they provide strongly organized topics and discussions.

4. Listen more and strive to make them speak more - sensibly. Input correction in an appropriate and timely manner. However, try not to bombard them with too many corrections.

5. Build good rapport. I made it the last consideration as this is not the primary goal of instruction. Maximizing time to generate output, which is HEIGHTENED English proficiency, is the END goal. Vision should be directed on this.

Great fulfillment awaits an instructor if these guidelines were carried out.

Romeo’s Simple Dreams

As a kid, I was truly fascinated with this animation. The theme is generally melancholic yet it was greatly awakening.

It was a story of a kid who came from an impoverished family since his father died. His mother wouldn’t really want to sell him yet they would die of hunger if she won’t. There goes the twist of fate for Romeo. Along his way to Milan, he met Alfred, and they became really close friends.

They went separate ways after a stormy night on their journey to Milan, survival was unimaginable. Nevertheless, Romeo stayed alive and sold himself as a slave and chimney sweeper in a family, where he met Angelita (an angel sent by God),the home owner’s adopted daughter. She taught him how to read.This for me is the most touching part of the story.

I was just a child then, yet I really appreciate what she did for Romeo. I thought giving him an access for information was an act that liberated him from the bondage of ignorance.

I couldn’t forget how Romeo struggled to sound out the words in the book, “Three Little Pigs”.

The rest of the story tackled friendship,valor and unity. It has ended tragically though, as Alfred, Romeo’s beloved best friend, and Angelita,his most admired woman, died of certain illnesses. These events propelled Romeo in pursuing his dream of eradicating poverty by shunning illiteracy, he eventually became a TEACHER, fulfilling a promise sworn to his best buddy (Alfred).

I cried a river. It was so disheartening. However, I watched it again after the TV network decided to have a rerun. It was excruciatingly good for every human soul who’s not familiar with suffering and victory.No other animation has a transforming power as this one (in my opinion).

By all means, it made me think of high ideals, fulfilling dreams and finding strength and inspiration in what seem to be ordinary things, events and people we encounter daily.

How to Start a Home-based Online Tutorial

Home-based Online English teaching, a sprouting industry, fascinates a lot of people I’ve talked to. They seem to have a lot of questions regarding the teaching approaches and strategies, bridging cultural differences, lessons and topics of discussions and of course, the payment system. How does it really work?

I’ve been teaching Koreans for almost a year and a half. I started with one-on-one teaching, which was ideal for starters like me, to learn and understand Korean culture, behavior, and learning styles. A week after, I explored Online English Instruction. I had a hard time adjusting since I had to wake up at three every morning. Yet, I endured this kind of schedule for more than a year.

Hopping from one company to another, I’ve gained experiences related with unique policies and materials in Online EFL teaching and met different people,including teachers and students. I befriended one of my colleagues who’s into home-based teaching and learned how to put up my own tutorial at home. It was fun at first. Several trials and errors from experiments and explorations.

What are the challenges you have to overcome as a home-based online tutor?

1.Finding Clients

This might be the first challenge you would have to overcome. It must have been a combination of hard work, faith and luck that I came to meet several clients. Exposure and connection are the key. Make friends with those who are into this business both in personal and impersonal means. I have a friend who’s into this business and she introduced me to some Korean clients. I also worked in an online teaching company so I was able to meet some korean students who want to study longer at an affordable price. Be friendly.

2.Negotiation Skills

Koreans are wise spenders, they won’t put their money on something uncertain of direct profit. Your ability to sell yourself and gain their trust are the two most important factor here. Try to please them by offering quality program of instruction.Build confidence among your clients. Research about the usual pay for Online tutors and use that as your basis for their tuition fees. When dealing with clients, don’t easily give in to their suggestion without giving it a second thought. Don’t sell yourself too short.Think WIN-WIN solution.

3. Teaching Resources

Where can you get your lessons? If you love surfing, this might be the easiest thing to do. The internet has a lot of good websites depending on the level of the student. I can suggest the following as the core websites in teaching English Online:

For kids: reading and dictionary

Fod Adults: Longman dictionary , dictionary.com, English Daily,Grammar Tutorial,Conversation Topics, and Guide to Grammar and Writing.

For Christian students (half of S. Korea’s population are Christians): Online Guidance, Online Bible, and Max Lucado’s Homepage.

For more resources, search at Google or Yahoo.

Now you’re ready to do your first sales talk. Break a leg!

The license

I used to be an anime fan, really. What I really love the most was Ghost Fighter, I think I simply fell in love with the characters and their adventures and misadventures. My addiction to this anime series ceased when my studies were really getting serious and they interrupt with my anime watching schedule.

I felt so bad when I missed the discussion about Hunter X Hunter. It was the next popular anime after Ghost Fighter. I really envied them while they were recounting the events in that animation.

Now that I have the time to watch it, through crunchyroll, hehe.. I used to read it’s manga version at mangahut yet I was disappointed because they didn’t publish other parts of the story. grrr…

For those who missed out HxH when you were in high school and for the benefit of those who don’t have an idea what this manga or anime is about, let me share with you some of my general impressions.

The Quest for the Hunter License
The author devoted a chapter to describe the concept of a “hunters“: their job description, privileges and challenges. It’s obviously a status that’s not easy to achieve. Interestingly, the protagonist of this series happened to be a 12 year old boy from a province whose father left him to live up his profession: hunter.

Gon went on a journey to be a hunter just like his father as he thinks this position must have been so prestigious and precious that his father left him for it. He met Kurapika and Leorio on the ship where the first test began. Gon won the respect and affection of these two aspiring hunters who were both surprise to see him joining the hunter exam. They ended up working together as a team as they were all convinced that they were aiming to be hunters for their noble purposes. Along their quest, Gon met Killua, who came from a family of assassins and who’s the same age as him. They became really close friends until they reach the concluding part of the hunter’s exam.

That was a pretty long summary.. This is my first try to recollect the scenes I remember from the story. Dominant in this series, in my opinion, is the value of companionship and friendship.

I think Gon’s heart is admirable and praiseworthy. His innocence makes him all the more charismatic. I fell in love with this almost perfect natured boy. He’s too good to be true, though. I always get a surprise when he tries to decide about an issue and a difficult situation… because despite his young and vulnerable heart, he managed to deal with dishonest and beguiling people.

He is an epitome of honesty so he can’t help influencing people in a good way.

Finally, I suggest you read or watch it for it fulfills it’s promise to the fans. The first story arc was truly heartwarming.

Vanilla Sky

Consider this a simple retelling . In an attempt to clarify my thoughts about the film “Vanilla Sky”, I’m saying out loud my interpretation and some insights about it.

I’d say the opening of the movie is pretty suggestive of the later twist and turns. Why? It strangely started with David’s nightmare that he’s all alone in the street of New York.

He woke up with Juliana (played by Cameron) in bed. She’s a typical sleep partner (”fuck body”) for David, but she thinks otherwise. (How bad for her….T.T)

One night, while David was holding a party, his best buddy brought with him this lovely lady, Sophia, whom David fell in love with, instantly. Not with his eyes only, after spending hours talking with her, he just concluded “she’s the one.”

Too early for a happy ending ’cause the woman with the saddest eyes the night before was to burst her emotions towards David’s sudden indifference.

Confrontation in her car brought both their lives into hell: Juliana, to the grave,and David, to a miserable survival with his major asset scarred,his face.

You can guess the pain after the seem to be PRINCE-like existence turned into a beast-like survival. He gathered all his strength to be able to face Sophia, who didn’t reject him neither accept him.

Their meeting at the bar sapped all his hope, and strength, so to speak. But everything changed the moment he woke up.

This is the beginning of his contract with the Life Extension (LE). He signed a contract LUCID DREAM, which enabled him to live the life he dreams. How satisfying… not until his subconscious malfunctioned, calling the L.E. tech support to rescue him. An encounter with this subconscious persona led to the explanation of all that happened. The last part of the movie did justify all the confusions I suffered.

It truly depicts the revolution of the mind.

Questions about it’s real-life application might be raised. Like, how logical this could be? This is definitely a psychedelic movie.

Toxic Reduction- First Solution

It only takes 10 minutes.

Breathe in, breathe out.

Just focus on clearing your mind of anything.

Try to concentrate.

Now try to empty your mind of anything.

Listen to music this time.

Music with no lyrics.

Now, one, two, three..

GO back.

Surprise! Problems are here still.

But at least, you’ve thought they could be gone for a while.

That’s the idea.

Problems come and go.

Some may stay longer.

Yet they surely will pass.

One might bring another,

in the end, it still will end.

Whether it’s addressed or not.

It will fade away.

Be still.

Tedious Endlessness

What keeps running along my head? It’s about my life and how it affects others.

I feel so dizzy.

I feel so tired.

I feel so restless.

I feel insecure.

I feel left alone.

I feel my knees, they hurt so much.

I feel my nape, they make me fall asleep.

I want to stop teaching my previous students.

I actually want to end everything.

Why do I hold on?

What should keep me alive?

If I were to cause distress, pain, and disappointment for loving someone…

Why can’t I just die and disappear in this world?

What should make me value each day that passes by?

What should keep me hoping?

Do you still love me after what I did..?

Would I be lost forever?

Would you stop holding my hand?

Would I end up grasping no hands..?

Tons of similar questions of uncertainty…

Thousands of repetitive, destructive thoughts over-rule my mind.

Rest.

Stillness.

Silence within.

I badly needed.

I missed singing…

Saviour Needed

Locked in a bad shape,

Escape seems impossible,

No matter how hardly sought.

Corn diet fads, I conceived,

Am I a chicken?

Purely fruit diet,

Without carb, how can I think?

Now.. what..? All I give are reasons.

I’m persistently rationalizing.

Help.

I’m losing love for myself.

Could somebody save me

from this bothering body?

I must be insane…

Dark clouds.. they follow me like my own shadow..

A pretty day, I was hoping to come..

didn’t come.

Why did I fall for someone like you

and let myself be called MAD..?

I’ll never ask for anybody….

Please be the man.

I’m not asking too much,

Just be the man,

Caress me with your deep affection,

Treat me like a queen…

Make me laugh..

Darlin’ drive me maD…

I keep longing to see you…

I keep wanting to be with you.

I’m yearning for almost every bit of you.

Now come… be my man.

If you can’t…

I’ll wish for a role change.

Or I’ll teach you how.

Be teachable.

Don’t blow off the chance I’m giving you.

This day marks that my heart bleeds of its thoughts of you…

You’re keeping me lock in an asylum..

Madness overwhelms me.. like no other.. good bye me..