(47 of 50): CLT & Taiwan: Analysing a Serious (and Dangerously) Fake Teacher

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(47 of 50) MODERN LANGUAGE TEACHING (CLT) & TAIWAN: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT

Analysing a Seriously Fake Teacher (i)

In the previous post, I mentioned about the worst sort of fake, who used the system described in Post 27. He operated via PTT for years, and managed to get huge amounts of money from naïve and gullible students. And he is still operating. But hopefully you are not gullible. Hopefully you know the signs. Well, now it’s time to analyse. Let’s put this fake through the ‘signs of being fake/not-real’ test and find out about the true person (and his DNA: hence, the picture above).

The Six Signs Of Being Fake/Not-Real

  1. The teacher speaks mostly in Chinese.

This teacher spoke totally in Chinese. He actually didn’t even know English. This is truly unbelievable. An English teacher who couldn’t speak English! Wow!

  1. The teacher uses memorisation, or use books and material that do this.

This teacher taught totally via memorisation, and used material (downloaded from the Internet) to do this. Student just copied down speaking and writing answers, and he told them what to copy.

  1. The teacher/school makes claims of ‘guaranteed scores’.

This teacher every class guaranteed IELTS 7, and just kept guaranteeing it endlessly to make the students pay more money.

  1. The teacher talks and ‘explains’ all the time in class.

This teacher did exactly that all the time – just explained (in Chinese) to the students (who then had to memorise).

  1. The teacher advertises, ‘You only talk to me’.

Since the teacher couldn’t speak English, he probably didn’t do this.

  1. The teacher claims (s)he can predict the answers in the IELTS test (whatever that means).

I have no information about this.

So, this person had at least four of the signs of being fake/not-real. Remember, just …

… one of these signs means they are a fake!

This person had four! The fact that he is a fake should have been immediately realised by everyone. The trouble is, so many students do not care about signs.

Okay, why don’t we continue the analysis, but this time use the ‘worrying signs’?

The Six Signs Which Should Make You (Very) Worried

  1. The school or teacher does not allow observation.

I’m not sure if the teacher allowed this or not.

  1. The school or teacher only uses a whiteboard.

This person didn’t even use a whiteboard. He just handed out downloaded material from the Internet, which he got students to memorise.

  1. The IELTS course is short (or very short).

I’m not sure about this. While the students were willing to pay money, he just continued his fake teaching.

  1. The teacher corrects IELTS Writing Assignments in class (and makes you write in class).

This teacher didn’t even correct! Students just had to memorise!

  1. The teacher shows no TEFL qualifications, or no proof of TEFL qualifications (or just claims that they got an IELTS 9).

This person had no TEFL qualifications, and showed none.

  1. The teacher says he is a ‘former’ IELTS examiner.

No, because he is Taiwanese, so no one could believe it.

So, this person had at least three of the worrying signs (2, 4, and 5). Remember, just one of these signs means you should be worried. This person had three!

Let’s summarise. The fake had four signs of being fake/not-real, and three signs that you should be worried. Remember, one sign of being fake/not-real means the teacher is a fake/not-real, and any worrying sign means that you should start investigating carefully.

Here’s my point.

Everyone! Put your school and your teacher through this test. Apply the ‘signs of being fake/not-real’ and the ‘signs you should be worried’ to EVERY teacher of English/IELTS you have!

If everyone did this, most of the schools and teachers would quickly go broke, and the ‘bushiban’ industry would eventually have to respond. Quality education, true learning, and the noble spirit (of actually helping others) would eventually emerge, and become the ruling ethic of the teaching industry. Wow! Wouldn’t that be amazing! And only you, the student, can make it happen!

Can you do this? Hmmmmmm.

Anyhow, the next post will summarise all the signs of being fake/not-real and signs which should worry you.

Now, check that you know the meaning of the underlined vocabulary (also repeated below).

  • to be naïve (adj)
  • to be gullible (adj)
  • an analysis (n)
  • to go broke (v)
  • ethic (n)

If you want to find out more about me, go to aisielts.com .