Oxford Seminars Blog » Robin Garnham https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog Grads since 1992 Tue, 25 Nov 2025 18:31:30 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.5 How to Motivate Your Students & Be a Better ESL Teacher https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/5-ways-to-motivate-your-students-become-a-better-esl-teacher/ https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/5-ways-to-motivate-your-students-become-a-better-esl-teacher/#comments Tue, 07 Mar 2017 21:10:59 +0000 https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog?p=3564&preview=true&preview_id=3564 What is the difference between a student that learns and a student that does not? The more that I teach, the clearer it is to me that motivation is almost always the answer. Defining motivation is a little more difficult than identifying it as a problem, as there are many different kinds that come from […]

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]]> https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/5-ways-to-motivate-your-students-become-a-better-esl-teacher/feed/ 1 Exploring a New Culture While Teaching English in Chile https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/explore-new-culture-teaching-english-in-chile/ https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/explore-new-culture-teaching-english-in-chile/#comments Thu, 13 Oct 2016 14:42:50 +0000 http://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/?p=1366 Those of you who are interested in teaching English in Chile have probably heard of Santiago, and possibly Valparaíso, but I am sure that you have not heard of Angol, Chile. Neither had I until a few days before I pulled into the bus station. It was just before dawn in the middle of winter, and […]

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]]> https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/explore-new-culture-teaching-english-in-chile/feed/ 1 How Do I Teach ESL Without Speaking the Students’ Language? https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/teach-esl-english-only-classroom/ https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/teach-esl-english-only-classroom/#comments Tue, 20 Sep 2016 19:51:16 +0000 http://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/?p=1959 I stared at my new teacher incredulously. It was my very first Spanish class, and she was speaking in Spanish, only in Spanish. After the first class I was pretty irritated, but after a week or so it started to make sense. If I was going to learn Spanish, then I needed to be in a Spanish-speaking […]

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]]> https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/teach-esl-english-only-classroom/feed/ 8 Do I Need Experience to Teach English Abroad? https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/how-to-teach-english-abroad-without-teaching-experience/ https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/how-to-teach-english-abroad-without-teaching-experience/#comments Tue, 06 Sep 2016 21:47:27 +0000 http://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/?p=2874 If you are wondering whether or not you need teaching experience to succeed as an ESL teacher; here’s a quick answer: you don’t. Just speaking English, however, is normally not enough. English schools won’t just hire the first English speaker they come across. If you’re interested in teaching English abroad, you must demonstrate to them […]

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]]> https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/how-to-teach-english-abroad-without-teaching-experience/feed/ 1 5 ESL Activities for Your First Day of Class https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/5-activities-for-your-first-day-of-class/ https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/5-activities-for-your-first-day-of-class/#comments Thu, 28 Apr 2016 20:44:52 +0000 http://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/?p=956 Your very first ESL class is likely to be one of the most anticipated experiences of your ESL journey. Having some ideas for ESL classroom activities on your first day up your sleeve will help you to get started. Here are some of my favorites: 1. Find someone who… In this activity students are given […]

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]]> https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/5-activities-for-your-first-day-of-class/feed/ 4 20 Common English Grammar Mistakes Not to Pass on to Your Students (Part 2) https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/20-common-english-mistakes-not-to-pass-on-to-your-students-part-2/ https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/20-common-english-mistakes-not-to-pass-on-to-your-students-part-2/#comments Thu, 21 Apr 2016 21:05:31 +0000 http://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/?p=2002 In July 2015 we published a blog post about 20 Common English Grammar Mistakes Not to Pass on to Your Students. The post provoked substantial discussion about the correct usage of many of the terms that it highlighted. Here are 20 more common errors to avoid passing on to your students: 1. Yet/already In colloquial American […]

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]]> https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/20-common-english-mistakes-not-to-pass-on-to-your-students-part-2/feed/ 1 The Advantages of an In-Class Teaching Certification https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/the-advantages-of-an-in-class-teaching-certification/ https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/the-advantages-of-an-in-class-teaching-certification/#comments Thu, 07 Jan 2016 20:30:59 +0000 http://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/?p=1511 Imagine starting work as a mechanic with only a toolbox and the internet to help you. You would do a poor job, your customers would be dissatisfied, and your stress levels would soar. The same applies to teaching English abroad. It is, of course, possible to go abroad and find a job without a certificate, […]

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]]> https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/the-advantages-of-an-in-class-teaching-certification/feed/ 0 5 Great Props for Your ESL Classroom https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/5-great-props-for-your-esl-classroom/ https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/5-great-props-for-your-esl-classroom/#comments Thu, 19 Nov 2015 20:00:53 +0000 http://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/?p=1026 Adding variety and fun into the ESL classroom is one of the keys to being a great ESL teacher. Nevertheless, even the best teachers sometimes get stuck in a rut using textbooks and worksheets too much and allowing their energy and enthusiasm to slip. Using some simple props in the classroom will add extra dimension […]

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]]> https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/5-great-props-for-your-esl-classroom/feed/ 0 Teaching English Abroad: My First ESL Job in Mexico https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/teaching-english-abroad-my-first-esl-job-mexico/ https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/teaching-english-abroad-my-first-esl-job-mexico/#comments Thu, 12 Nov 2015 20:00:36 +0000 http://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/?p=1126 Reactions are split when I tell people that my first ESL job was in Mexico. There are those that gasp and ask how I survived, and there are those that express desire to experience a little Latin culture themselves. Even for me, Mexico conjures up many different images and emotions. On the one hand, it […]

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]]> https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/teaching-english-abroad-my-first-esl-job-mexico/feed/ 5 10 Mistakes Every ESL Teacher Makes in the Classroom https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/10-mistakes-every-esl-teacher-makes-in-the-esl-classroom/ https://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/10-mistakes-every-esl-teacher-makes-in-the-esl-classroom/#comments Tue, 10 Nov 2015 20:30:33 +0000 http://www.oxfordseminars.com/blog/?p=1165 Mistakes are unavoidable in the classroom. The truth is, making them will make you a better teacher, as long as you are aware of them. Here are ten very common mistakes to watch out for as you start your ESL career: 1. Don’t talk too much This, I believe, is the most frequent mistake new […]

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