Change of direction: learning TEFL, exploring Learndash

LearnDash's Introduction to Learndash

In June my post as a librarian came to an end and I had the opportunity to stop and take stock of the situation. As a result I came to realise that I wanted to work as a trainer and educator. I had been helping out at a local English class occasionally and had toyed with the idea of becoming an English teacher for foreign language learners.

Over the summer I helped out at a summer school. In October I went on a CELTA course and now I teach on average two lessons a day, either locally or by Skype. I am really enjoying the work. Some of my friends tell me that it is rather self-indulgent, since I am not earning much money or using my librarianship qualifications and experience very much, but in fact teaching a language imparts a really important and worthwhile end-product, which is more important to me than the renumeration. Teaching is a transferable skill that is useful in the library world. When people ask my profession I feel rather torn between saying that I am a librarian and saying that I am a teacher of English as a foreign language.

To some extent, because of the low amounts of renumeration involved as I learn the ropes, it feels as if I am just playing at being an EFL teacher. I enjoy my relationship with the local TEFL school who commission me to teach students. It is good to have a reason to get up early every day and to meet someone exciting from a different and interesting walk of life, often on the other side of the globe. I have two pupils in China, whom I teach by Skype, one in Barcelona, one in Italy and I teach two locals (Bulgarians who work here).

I have a lot to learn, and the grammar meta-language and rules have proved quite a challenge, but that in itself is exciting and it is wonderful to discover a new mountain waiting to be climbed. Fortunately there are an infinite number of good books and videos available to support me, as well as excellent teaching materials freely available on sites such as the British Council or BBC bitesize. Recent technological advancements have supported distance learning, such as Skype, with screen sharing, Messanger and, for teaching in China, WeChat, which is an online business communications one-stop site.

I am also exploring adding Learnpress or Learndash to my Wordpress website so that I can deliver any online courses that I like. This very much appeals to my creative and technical side. A wordpress website can be a thing of great beauty, in my eyes. Persuading others to use the website might be more of a challenge. But you have to be in it to win it, as they say. Next week I am off to South Korea to attend my son's wedding and to ply my services.