This Monday's TEFL Prague Tip

Prague goes a little crazy for New Year's Eve and to catch a piece of the action you will need to make your way down to the Old Town or Wenceslav Square for Midnight to witness the firework madness. This is a potentially dangerous night in the year when fireworks are going off in all directions so please be careful if you do find yourself in the center later on.

Hope it helps!

Stastny Novy Rok!/Happy New Year!

The ITTP Team
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com

Monday's TEFL Prague Tip

This Monday's TEFL Prague tip is:

If you are invited to someone’s house or apartment in Prague, you will be expected to remove your shoes upon entering. Some hosts will offer slippers. You are not expected to buy a gift if you have never met with the hosts before. If you do buy a gift, it is always best to check with whoever invited you as to what you should buy. Buying for children finds favor with all Czech people.

TEFL Prague: Monday's Tip

This Monday's TEFL Prague Quick Tip:

The Prague Dancing House (Rasinovo Nabrezi 80) was originally named 'Fred and Ginger' after Astaire and Rogers and was also known as the 'Drunk House'. A remarkable feat of design, it's an architectural must-see. The highly contemporary building was controversial at the time of its completion (1992). There is also a French restaurant on the rooftop, offering fantastic views of the city.

Hope it helps!

Hezky den!/Lovely day!

Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com

TEFL Prague: Monday's Prague Tip

This Monday's TEFL Prague Tip is:

We are beginning to fill up for our Winter and Spring Onsite TEFL/TESOL courses in Prague. Don't miss out on your course place and sign up today!

http://tefl-prague.com/ITTP-Prague-TEFL-Application-form.htm


The ITTP Team

Onsite & Online TESOL/TEFL Certification Courses
ITTP, spol. s r.o. International Tefl/Tesol Program
110 00 Prague 1,
Narodni 21.
Czech Republic
Europe
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
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TEFL Prague: Monday's Tip

This Monday's TEFL Prague Quick Tip:

For booking your trip home we recommend the following local Czech flight search website:
http://www.letuska.cz

Hope it helps!

Hezky den!/Lovely day!

Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com

TEFL Prague: Monday's Tip

This Monday's TEFL Prague Quick Tip:

January/February is the second main hiring season for teachers in Prague and this combines in favor for newly graduated teachers around this time with some teachers failing to come back after Christmas for various reasons. Therefore this is a great time to locate teaching work as you will experience not only more job options available but also an ability to negotiate more over starting salary.

Hope it helps!

Hezky den!/Lovely day!

Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com

TEFL Prague: Monday's Tip

This Monday's TEFL Prague Quick Tip:

Czech names can be a bit difficult to pronounce at first but try to make sure to remember the names of your Czech students and if a student has a name which is transferable to English (for example 'Jana' in Czech means 'Jane' in English) then it is always best to confirm with them first whether they mind being called their English equivalent name in class.

Hope it helps!

Hezky den!/Lovely day!

Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com

ITTP Prague TEFL: Monday's General Prague Tip

This Monday's ITTP TEFL Prague Quick Tip:

Czechs often get a bad rap for being seemingly less than happy shiny people 24/7.
I find that a friendly smile almost always breaks the initial stone facade and that Czechs are really no less happy or unhappy than other nations, except that they simply just don't tend to smile that much when they're out in public.

Smile :-)

Hope it helps!

Hezky den!/Lovely day!

Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com

ITTP Prague: Monday's Tip

This Monday's ITTP TEFL Prague Quick Tip:

When taking Inter City trains in the Czech Republic, it's always worth considering going 1st class. The price difference between 2nd and 1st is at most approx 200 CZK and usually with 1st class you are guaranteed a compartment all to yourself (or yourselves if traveling in a group).

Hope it helps!

Hezky den!/Lovely day!

Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com

ITTP Prague Monday's Tip

This Monday's ITTP TEFL Prague Quick Tip:

It will be essential for you to open a bank account in the Czech Republic to have your wages sent to. There are many banks to choose from and they all tend to hold positive and negative aspects to being one of their customers. ITTP has a business account with CSOB, an established bank and definitely recommended for local and international business transactions.
For instructions on opening a personal account, we recommend taking a read through the following article which appeared in this blog earlier in the year in the Monthly Guest Writer Category:
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com/2012/01/ittp-tefl-prague-guest-writer-how-to.html

Hope it helps!

Hezky den!/Lovely day!

Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com

ITTP Prague: Monday's TEFL Prague Tip

This Monday's ITTP TEFL Prague Quick Tip:

It's essential that you make sure that your first class taught with a new group or individual is dynamic and sets the pace for further classes ahead. A good idea is to formulate 1 lesson plan which can be adapted to various learner levels; such as a lexis crossword for example. In this example students would be asked to read out each crossword clue individually, followed by a reading of the mash up of word answers (if a lower level group or if the lexis belongs to an uncommon group of words) and then team up in pairs or small groups and work out which words go where. Groups or individuals then have their go at reading each of the clues and placing their answer in and at the same time discussing the meaning of the word and other possible applications. As a production activity students can then take these new words learned and form other sentences with them in for example.
This type of activity encourages learning in a fast-paced, fun setting and will ensure that students look forward to your second class.

Hope it helps!

Hezky den!/Lovely day!

Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com

ITTP Prague: Monday's Tip

This Monday's ITTP TEFL Prague Quick Tip:

Try to avoid paying for an expensive health insurance package from home for your month's study in Prague and instead purchase a package once here on the ground. Pls feel free to ask any member of the ITTP Team, who will then be able to direct you to the most reputable firms which cover this. Health insurance purchased in the Czech Republic is extremely affordable and will provide immediate cover for you without needing to bother with the hassle of communicating with a company back home in case that you do require health services here on the ground.

Hope it helps!

Hezky den!/Lovely day!

Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com

ITTP Prague: Monday's Tip

This Monday's TEFL Prague Quick Tip:

Having lived in Prague now for over 17 years, one of the most useful general tips which I can give you is to invest in a good pair of boots for the Winter months. Prague does receive its fair share of snow, which often then turns to sludge, and owning a good pair of boots will ensure a much more comfortable Prague experience during these months.

Hope it helps!

Hezky den!/Lovely day!

Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com

ITTP Prague: Monday's Tip

This Monday's tip starts with a quote.

Noel Coward once wrote that "Work is more fun than fun".

He continued:
"That is, the right kind of work is.
It has to be the kind of work you’re truly passionate about. Work that you would continue to do even if no one paid you a dime. That work is more fun than fun.
So go out, find your work. It’s more fun than fun.".

Teaching English is for many people more fun than fun.
It is a wonderful opportunity in this day and age to earn money by (as is often the case in Prague) simply sitting in a chair and chatting with an individual about any subject which you and your student finds interesting. The teaching English bubble is very much still in process of being inflated and now is the time to take advantage of this work opportunity.

Hope it helps!

Hezky den!/Lovely day!

Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com

Monday's TEFL Prague Quick Tip

Happy Monday! :-)

This Monday's TEFL Prague tip is...

Quite a few of our US Clients fly in from the States through other European cities, such as Frankfurt or Paris. Many comment on the fact that their passports were not even checked or stamped at Prague International Airport. The reason for this is because if your first European country of arrival is for example Germany, then your passport will be stamped there and it will be there that your 90 day Schengen zone visa time begins. Because the Schengen zone should technically be borderless and without passport control, when you then arrive into the Czech Republic you probably won't have your passport checked.

Hope it helps!

Hezky den!/Lovely day!

Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com

Monday's TEFL Prague Quick Tip

Happy Monday! :-)

This Monday's TEFL Prague tip is career-related and regards email etiquette in the Czech Republic.

It is absolutely essential when emailing language school members of staff to begin your email with a polite salutation, such as: "Dear [name]" or "Hello[name]". Don't just go jumping straight into the email subject content without first providing a clear introduction to the email, otherwise you will probably come over as rude and disrespectful. It's also important to sign off your email with a "Thank you" or a "wishing you a lovely day", or something similar.

Why?
Well, firstly Czechs tend to be very formal when it comes to communication in the workplace and Czechs will almost always address their Managers or other members of higher ranking staff with title first and then surname. This also translates over with email communication.
Secondly, emails lack the face to face expression and intonation which a meeting in person will have so by being polite in an email and using salutations, you are making sure that the tone of your email comes over as professional. The salutation sets the tone for the email.

You don't have to be too polite and formal all the time in emails as with over time you will become more familiar with the person you are in contact with. But still, after the time for "Dear [name]" has expired, it is best still to continue with a polite "Hello [name]" for subsequent emails.

The two following emails illustrate what would be considered impolite (1) and polite (2) examples of informal email communication:

1.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey, was wondering when my new class starts next week. Jim.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

2.

----------------
Hello Dasha.

Hope you are well.

I was wondering when my new class starts next week.
Thanks.

Jim.
-----


Hope it helps!

Hezky den!/Lovely day!

Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com

Monday's TEFL Prague Quick Tip

This Monday's TEFL Prague tip is...

Burcak sign outside a Vinarna on Kafkova street (Click on photo to enlarge)

It's pretty difficult not to walk the streets of practically any Czech town at the moment and fail to notice the Burcak signs outside bars and Vinarnas (wine cellars). Burcak is fermented young Czech and Moravian wine (Moravia is the Eastern section of the country), but the majority of the wine produced in the Czech Republic is grown in Moravia so the majority of Burcak is Moravian. Basically, each year the grape harvest is accounted for and while the majority of grapes are taken to be produced into wine, a small amount is pounded into grape juice and then fermented. The result of the fermentation process is this Burcak. Burcak is commonly sold in 2dl glass portions, half liter/whole liter jugs, or bottled in 1.5 liter plastic bottles (usually in this case for home consumption). This 4-6% alcoholic beverage is high in sugar and looks a little like orange juice or punch - and that punch analogy is usually the physical effect of drinking Burcak.

It's de rigueur to try at least one glass of Burcak each year while it is doing the rounds from the 1st August until 30th November BUT you really need to choose your place well because in the center of Prague it isn't uncommon to find "versions" of the real thing, mixed with fermented apples, etc. There is an excellent Vinarna on Kafkova street in Prague 6 for example, steps from the Dejvicka metro station, and here you will be able to taste authentic Burcak. You might also want to try Vinarna U sudu, located at Vodickova 10 (Prague 1), where you can drink to your Burcak heart's content whilst taking on the locals at Table Foosball.

Beware though that because Burcak does taste like a fizzy drink, it is easy to effortlessly keep the rounds going and in that case if you do drink too much of it then you will feel it the next day (both upstairs and downstairs).

Please drink responsibly.

Hope it helps!

Hezky den!/Lovely day!

Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com

Monday's TEFL Prague Quick Tip

This Monday's TEFL Prague tip is...

One of the more common complaints from students is that teachers fail to correct language mistakes.
Often teachers misread students and assume that a student is only willing to chat, or the teacher feels that correcting a student would be rude.

When teaching one-on-one classes you will often find that your student DOES seem to just want to chat and appears happy with your classes. Even in conversation classes it is essential that you do still correct mistakes because even though your student might not let you know, they will be wondering why you are not doing so. If it is a conversation class or if it is a structured class but the student does just want to chat then sporadically correct mistakes during the class and then 5 or 10 minutes before the end, go over some of the more common recurring mistakes made during class and highlight these to your student. This way you can keep the fluidity of the conversation and also deliver what the student requires.

1 extra tip: there are many ways to correct. In conversation classes I find that tapping my pen or pencil on the desk acts as an effective form of correction as it doesn't interrupt the flow of conversation too much and it is always best for future remembering when the student is able to correct him or herself.

Hope it helps!

Hezky den!/Lovely day!

Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com

Monday's TEFL Prague Quick Tip

This Monday's TEFL Prague tip is...

Beginning 29th August and running through to 2nd September, the Prague Fresh Film Festival is a festival of first features and student films.

Definitely worth a look at:
http://en.freshfilmfest.net/

Hope it helps!

Hezky den!/Lovely day!

Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com

Monday's TEFL Prague Quick Tip

This Monday's TEFL Prague tip is...

Social networking sites such as that one which begins with an 'F' but damn it if I can remember the name ( :-) ), these are of course revolutionary forms of social interaction and serve multiple purposes for many people. For ITTP, Facebook is a useful tool to connect Clients. For me personally it is a great way to interact in more real time with my friends back home, especially my past University colleagues at Oxford (many of whom still haunt those medieval cobbled streets of inspired learning and wishful drunken aspirations). We can all understand the social aspect benefit of these sites and besides some dodgy privacy issues they tend to favor well with almost everyone.

Likewise, when you first arrive to Prague you wanna have fun. Right? Absolutely!
Prague is officially Bohemia and there is a reason why the word Bohemia has certain connotations around the world: "Bohemian like you". Anything you can imagine is possible in Prague and with an affordable nightlife new visitor's Facebook page updates do tend to reflect the diversity of 'interesting things to do' which this city of a thousand golden spires has to offer.
There is nothing wrong with that and you should fight for your right to party.

When you are applying for a teaching position however, we do recommend that you increase the security level of your social networking site account because schools do often check (as an example) the Facebook pages of applicants and tend to shy away from the ones with little page security where all and sundry is openly available to be viewed, where there is evidence of 'excessive' partying. Language schools won't be so hot on you to join their team if your Facebook posts tend to revolve around early morning semi-comotozed trips to the local 24 hour kebab kiosk, or photos of yourself stealing road traffic signs whilst trying to remember that next stage up from crawl which you learned when you were a toddler. By all means, if that is what you feel like doing then go ahead and live the dream, but make sure that only your friends learn about it and not the language school which you have a scheduled job interview with for the following day/week.
Anyway, in this day and age we do recommend increasing the privacy security of your social networking account for general security reasons.

Hope it helps!

Hezky den!/Lovely day!

Neville :-)
info@tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-prague.com
http://www.tefl-tesol-online.com
http://ittp-tefl-prague-tesol.blogspot.com