Archive for the ‘Shane Language Schools’ Category

No, not, as the lack of recent posts might suggest, in the cyber world (we managed to beat the hostile takeover bid by Microsoft by the use of a poison pill*), but in a physical sense.

Have quit Shane Language Services, given notice on my flat in Tokyo, and will start work in Seoul on 20 October. At which point I will probably be far too stimulated by a new country to blog, but there are loads of other good teaching in Korea blogs to keep you busy until I get it into my head again that I’m some kind of an expert. In the meantime, will be putting some serious effort into writing about all things teaching English in Japan, while I still remember something of the 100 or so books I’ve read about Japan in 5 years. Or I might just sit on my roof listening to the cicadas whilst I still can… Despite the almost overwhelming irritation with the jazz in cafes and station announcements over the last couple of months since the headphones on my walkman broke, Tokyo will be much missed.

* We later found out that it is supposed to be a metaphor for something financial

“We wanted to get into the way of life here,” said 24-year-old Natan Doyon, who moved from Britain last year with his girlfriend to teach English to Chinese children. He says his pupils were so upset when he told them he couldn’t renew his visa that they begged, “Don’t go. We’ll help you hide.”

He and his girlfriend now plan to try Vietnam.

So many English teachers are being forced to leave that many of the private language schools, the rage lately for children of the upwardly mobile, are closing down for the summer. With only three native English speakers left on its staff, Shane is cutting its summer camp in half and might curtail its fall program. Shane, which is owned by a British chain, advertises that it provides native English speakers.

“If we can’t fulfill that promise, we have nothing to sell,” Wan said. “We’re losing a lot of money.”

See the full story here.

And if TEFL news is your thing (how could it not be?), may I suggest you check out:

http://www.esldaily.org/

http://www.tesall.com