• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Advertising
  • Write for Us
  • Job Board
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Consulting
    • Advertising
  • Shop
    • Books
    • Shirts

The Educators Room logo

  • Start Here
    • Impact Statements: Teacher Expertise
    • Newsletter
  • Browse Topics
    • Content Strategies
      • Literacy
      • Mathematics
      • Social Studies
      • Educational Technology
      • ELL & ESOL
      • Fine Arts
      • Special Education
      • Popular Topics
        • Teacher Self-Care
        • Instructional Coach Files
        • Common Core
        • The Traveling Teacher
        • The Unemployed Teacher
        • The New Teacher Chronicles
        • Book Review
        • Grade Levels
          • Elementary (K-5)
          • Middle (6-8)
          • Adult
          • New Teacher Bootcamp
          • Hot Button Topics
            • Menu Item
              • Principals' Corner
              • Charter Schools
              • Confessions of a Teacher
              • Interviews
              • The State of Education
              • Stellar Educator of the Week
            • Menu
              • How to Fix Education
              • Featured
              • Ask a Teacher
              • Teacher Branding
              • Current Events
  • Podcasts
  • Courses
    • Practicing Self-Care to Avoid Teacher Burnout- An 8 Week Course
    • Becoming An Educational Consultant
    • Teacher Branding 101:Teachers are The Experts
    • The Learning Academy
    • Books
    • Shirts
  • Education in Atlanta
  • Teacher Self-Care
  • The Coach's Academy
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Advertising
  • Write for Us
  • Job Board
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Consulting
    • Advertising
  • Shop
    • Books
    • Shirts
×

March 30, 2016 English Language Learners

They’re Just Not That into Learning English

  • About the Author
  • Latest Posts

About Raven Tukes

Hello! My name is Raven Tukes and I am currently a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Kinmen, Taiwan. Starting Fall 2016, I will be a graduate student at the Harvard Graduate School of Education pursuing my Masters in International Education Policy.
  • EFL Earth Day Lesson in Kinmen, Taiwan - April 22, 2016
  • Taiwan Is a Great Place to Teach English - April 8, 2016
  • Special Needs but No Special Resources - April 6, 2016
  • 5 Fun, Quick and Easy Elementary Classroom Management Ideas! - April 4, 2016
  • Teaching Gender Equality In Taiwan - April 1, 2016
  • They’re Just Not That into Learning English - March 30, 2016
  • 5 Marketable Skills I've Acquired From Teaching English Abroad - March 28, 2016
  • 5 Marketable Skills I've Acquired From Teaching English Abroad - March 28, 2016
  • Taiwan English Teaching Assistant: Things I Learned in My First Five Months of Teaching - January 13, 2016
  • Diaries of an English Teaching Assistant in Taiwan: Christmas is Love in Action - January 5, 2016

As educators, we all know that teaching has its ups and downs. Some days you love it, some days you feel defeated. Although the teaching profession here in Taiwan is widely revered and respected, and being an English teacher is a highly coveted role, the truth is that sometimes my students just aren’t that into English.

Yes, teaching English in foreign countries seems to be the “hot” thing to do right now. English language teachers are very high in demand and just about anyone with a college degree who speaks English is eligible to teach English in a foreign country. However, what happens when the profession is in demand, but the actual communities in which you teach could actually care less about English language learning? This has been an ongoing conversation I’ve had with myself over the past few months as a teacher in Kinmen, Taiwan and I’m not sure I can answer this yet.

As an English teacher in Kinmen, Taiwan, students often view my class as useless and unimportant (and with good reason). I am teaching on a remote island that can’t be located on a map. The main industries here are agriculture, tourism and family owned businesses. English is highly irrelevant to my students’ lives outside of the few pop videos they watch on Youtube or the English cram schools (after school English tutorials) they attend at night. Outside of their parents’ prerogatives, my students are usually unmotivated to learn the language.

Yes. This is frustrating. But, over time I’ve had to assess my feelings and privilege as an English teacher on a small remote, rural island, that I’d argue, doesn’t need English to survive. I’ve realized that my need to feel needed as an English teacher who is leaving in a matter of three months is not important and that is perfectly okay. English language education is not America’s (or the West’s) gift to the world and should not be viewed as such. I embarked upon this journey to share my privilege with students who would otherwise not have access to English language education, but the fact is that not everyone is interested in attaining that privilege—nor is this privilege always necessary to survive in an increasingly global society. English language education is a mechanism of Westernization and imperialism (the Wests’ soft power) and perhaps my students’ behavior and attitudes in English class is a form of resistance against the status quo.

Yes, I am aware of the countless opportunities that my students can have if they learn how to speak English. In fact, the Kinmen County government will sponsor any student to travel to Japan this summer if they can introduce themselves in English. And, yes, I want my students to have unlimited opportunities outside of their closely-knit communities, but also insofar as they are interested. I don’t feel that it’s my place as a temporary English teacher to define this for them. As teachers seeking to educate others in foreign countries let us all remember this word: exchange. It is the act of giving and receiving. I would like to add, however, that sometimes, others are uninterested in what you have to give or offer—and that’s okay.

They’re Just Not That in to Learning English1

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Related posts:

Teaching Gender Equality In Taiwan Diaries of an English Teaching Assistant in Taiwan: Christmas is Love in Action Precision is the Key: My Experiences as a Fulbright Teaching Assistant in Taiwan Taiwan English Teaching Assistant: Things I Learned in My First Five Months of Teaching
« Three Things that Make Me Tired About Teaching
High Expectations Are Not New For Students »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

The Educator's Room was launched in 2012 to amplify the voice of educators. To date, we have over 45+ writers from around the world and boast over twelve million page views. Through articles, events, and social media we will advocate for honest dialogue with teachers about how to improve public education. This mission is especially important when reporting on education in our community; therefore, we commit our readers to integrity, accuracy, and independence in education reporting. To join our mailing list, click here.

What we do

At The Educator's Room, we focus on amplifying and honoring the voice of educators as experts in education. To date, we have over 40 staff writers/teachers from around the world.

Popular Posts

  • My Union Showed Up for Me, and I'll Never Forget It
  • Your Students Deserve a Diverse Classroom Library. Here's How to Set It Up.
  • You Don't Have to Watch the Tyre Nichols Video, But Be Ready to Talk About It
  • "Let's Make This Happen": Following Student Interests to Interest-Based Mentorships

Featured On

Buy Our Books/Courses

How to Leave Your Job in Education

Practicing Self-Care to Avoid Teacher Burnout

Using Your Teacher Expertise to Become an Educational Consultant

Check out our books on teaching and learning!

The Learning Academy

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact
  • Services
  • Media Kit
  • FAQ

 

Copyright © 2021 The Educator's Room.