An English teacher in Kazakhstan

Young Kazakh students and their parents are obsessed about taking the IELTS or TOEFL exams and going abroad to study. And they, or their parents want them, to take these exams at increasingly young ages. I have heard of a 12 year old child here taking TOEFL lessons. One mother wanted her son to prepare for IETLS and TOEFL simultaneously. Obviously she has no idea what these exams actually involve. And in Almaty there are three or four IELTS exams a month at our school alone.

Now I can't knock Kazakh people, they're great. But a 12 year old studying TOEFL...give me a break! Let children have a proper childhood, please!

Laugh or cry.

This video made my students cry, very sad and moving. It's Elton John singing at Princess Diana's funeral.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdVLClrfrOk


This cartoon has made my students howl with laughter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMdVUsjG_Yk

First Post

This is my ELT blog. I aim to focus it on the use of videos in the ELT classroom.