Academia Meets Theatre at ELA-Edinburgh

As part of a Combined English language course, a group of 14 Chinese students from Beijing have worked on an excerpt of the play, The Curious Savage. Working alongside ELA-Edinburgh teachers and a drama workshop facilitator, their one hour daily classes were dedicated to learning the terminology and skills associated with stage theatre and performing drama. Performance skills were integrated into our workshops, with each rehearsal beginning with a physical warm up, working on use of the body, channeling energy and increasing vocal volume in anticipation of performing in a large space.

The Curious Savage, by John Patrick, set and premiered in 1950’s America, takes place in a residential sanatorium named The Cloisters, a home to several of the play’s characters. Mrs Ethel P. Savage, the centre of the storyline, is taken to home by her step-children. They think she has lost her mind, having used her late husband’s money to set up a memorial trust fund, rather than share the wealth amongst the children.

Group From China

The excerpt our students worked on charts the arrival of Mrs Savage to an already established group of residents at The Cloisters, showing them encountering one another for the first time. We also meet her family, whom she clearly dislikes, and the ever-patient and caring staff who work at The Cloisters.

In the first week of classes, students learnt about theatre vocabulary, and the language of the text. At times, this was a challenge, as its context is in colloquial 1950’s America.

The following classes were dedicated to performance techniques and practising short scenes. We used a text excerpt allowing the students to work in small groups, rotating the roles they played and really getting to grips with reading aloud from scripts. Based on the group work, the play was cast, and students given their parts. Work continued, including working on ‘blocking scenes’, where we collaborated in working out where set items will be positioned, where characters are on the stage when they deliver their lines, and general movement of the scenes.

After five weeks of morning English classes, afternoon drama classes, rehearsals, poetry and singing, the students have a challenge ahead as they take all of this back to China to perform. The theatre practice will continue, with their lines and set design, without the help of our teachers.

They will be required to learn their lines and work together to stage the piece without the help of ELA-Edinburgh staff. The final sessions with the students were focused on ensuring that each student felt confident in their own part, and with grasping vocabulary and pronunciation.

We wish them all the best!

 


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Location…….location…….location

Completed your Trinity CertTesol at ELA??? Here are some fabulous TEFL destinations where there are no shortage of jobs (check out tefl.com for an exhaustive list)

 

Czech Republic

Yes, Prague is still beautiful and still cheap! Go on, name another European capital city that is so affordable, liveable and has so many job opps. That’s right, you probably can’t.

prague

Good for:

* money; you can probably earn the average Czech monthly wage very soon in your career.

* architecture, choose from one of Prague’s painfully cool but beautiful inner city areas or go for communist chic in one of the outer neighbourhoods

Will it be Žižkov or ....

Will it be Žižkov or ….

jizni-mesto

Jižní Město (south city) ???

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Sport, there are teams galore for football and ice hockey fans. Kick off times range from 1800 Friday to 1000 (yes AM) Sunday. Don’t worry, good beer is always available.

* Film, the vast majority of cinemas use Czech subtitles so gorge on the city’s independent cinema scene

* Gigs, most bands feel obliged to add a central European leg to a tour. Tickets are normally very easy to come by.

*public transport, highly efficient and highly subsidized. You’ve really no excuse not to explore the capital and the rest of the country

* Language, the locals know it’s difficult and appreciate any sort of effort you make in murdering it

 

But hold on:

* Czechs think nothing of having lessons at 0720 before work! Few teachers can afford to turn down these pre-morning

Winter commute- tram style

Winter commute- tram style

classes so get your beauty sleep

* You will travel a lot, from company to school to private home. In the winter this can be tiring

* it’s an employers’ market and many schools want self-employed teachers. Plus, as most TEFL managerial

roles are occupied by Czechs you may need to look elsewhere for career progression

* Whisper it to your students but Czech food can be a tad monotonous. And stodgy.

 

 

Spain

 

Boasting a thriving TEFL market, a dizzying selection of beautiful places to live and noticeably more money than Italy (the other major European destination).

¡Olé!

* if you want a relaxed lifestyle with good public services look no further

* the Spanish know how to party, keep up with them if you can

In Spain even your grandparents stay up all hours

In Spain even your grandparents stay up all hours

* Village or city? Mountains or beaches? Andalusia or Asturias? The range of destinations can be daunting, in a good way

* Contracts, most academies in Spain offer proper 10 month contracts with paid holidays. The work tends to dry up in the summer.

*Tapas, go to the right part of the country and you will effectively eat for free

tapas

As tasty as it looks

* Spanish and English share a number of Latin based words. Save time by asking ‘Is it the same in Spanish?’

* Region rules. You may have dined on Galician sea food but you haven’t tasted paella if you haven’t had it in Valencia. Which region is most        Spanish? Visit them all to decide!

* Quite simply: the people. Your classroom will never be dull. Your town center will never be quiet.

 

 

 

It’s not all tinto de varano :

* The climate is not all it’s cracked up to be. Madrid and Granada can be cold in winter and stifling in summer. Many rental flats in the south don’t have any heating at all!

White Madrid, a more common sight than you might expect

White Madrid, a more common sight than you might expect

* Be aware that not all private academies are of the same quality. Do your research before you commit to a school!

learn-spanish

* Learn the lingo to 1) make local friends and 2) enhance your promotion chances. Academies tend to want managers who can speak with parents and clients

* Remember the locals’ language skills may not be up to much, especially in more regional towns and smaller cities

* Fix a smile on your face, grab a strong a coffee and be prepared to teach kids!

 

 

 

China

Always an attractive option for the more adventurous TEFLer; teachers who go normally come back with tales of an unforgettable experience.

Get going for:

* the high salaries Westerners, especially those with relevant degrees, are often offered in big cities

* the buzz of International cities like Beijing and Shanghai with the thriving expat scenes

Enjoy the buzz of Beijing

Enjoy the buzz of Beijing

 

* Shenzhen in the tropical SE, a booming city close to some of China’s best beaches

Dameisha Beach, Shezhen

Dameisha Beach, Shezhen

* the challenge of a different script. Remember you can get by without speaking the language initially and there are lots of handy apps to help!

* the typically warm Chinese welcome

* a truly different society and a different world view

 

 

 

 

Remember:

* The air quality in some of the bigger cities famously leaves a lot to be desired

china-smog

* There’s a big difference between teaching in private academies and public schools, make sure you know what you’re letting yourself in for

* Chinese work places tend to have a different mentality to their Western counter parts. Bosses are rarely questioned and saving face can be all important

* to carefully consider the reputation and location of the school/academy. Finding yourself as one of a handful of foreigners in a provincial city working for a poorly run organization….is best avoided