The abuse I’ve been getting from various quarters about my writing treating EFL, Japan etc. flippantly is still sticking in my craw a little, so here goes at a reasoned explanation for my approach- please let me know if it turns into a rant.
The thing I do not understand most of all is how someone involved in English teaching can object to me trying to make my articles and blog posts easy to read and occasionally entertaining. Is this not something they try to achieve in their English lessons? Have they read no applied linguistics literature on aiding memory etc. by increasing intrinsic motivation in the language classroom? Maybe not, because a lot of articles and some books on TEFL are dull as ditchwater and with the prose style from hell. The classics, however, are a good read as well as something to read that does you good. And on an ambitious day I’m aiming to do the same myself, although point number two that English teachers should also be clear about is different language for different situations. This is a blog, written in blog style. That means throwaway jokes, some spelling mistakes, try to get the punters stirred up to comment. If what you are looking for is teaching magazine articles, that is another kettle of fish- a kettle of fish you can get simply by clicking one of the links on the right…
Comment! Go on! Do it damn you!
TEFLtastic 
Aah, blog is a whole new genre of literature then ;-)
Hmmm, I wouldn’t go as far as saying literature….
I know just what you mean. My particular problem is going back and rewriting ones from weeks ago.
Usually manage to entertain myself, please let me know if I succeed or fail in entertaining others!
Hey – I think it kicks ass that you can find an IHT article about the growing market in luxury submarines for billionaires and relate it to EFL. That’s awesome! In fact, I think the ability to make interesting connections like that (for example) is one sign of a good teacher…
Based on my own experience…EFL teachers do, in fact, exist outside of the classroom, and sometimes even have senses of humor and appreciate seeing the sense of humor and creativity of others. Sometimes they also read blogs for ages because they like them and never comment…I’ve certainly enjoyed lots of things I’ve read all over the place online but not commented, feeling like “Ha! Good one” is not really enough…but now that I write online, I realize how valuable it is to get that positive feedback too.
I think you don’t have to look far to find negativity in the EFL industry on the web, and I think it’s clear that TEFLtastic has a sense of humor and also provides constructive advice.
Keep up the good work!
Cheers Katie, cheered me up.
You’ve made me realise I’ve been overeacting just a little( mainly to feedback from my school’s teachers’ newsletter rather than TEFLtastic), but what the hell- a bit of self-justification rage gets the creative juices flowing sometimes…
I’ve also made a New year’s resolution (must be new year somewhere in the world right now- Papua New Guinean New Year??) to comment when I enjoy a blog.
Group hug, TEFLtastic teachers everywhere…
Hi Alex,
Thanks for submitting the Japanese English article to the Shane Japan Teachers’ Newsletter. The reaction was interesting and prompted some debate. Probably didn’t help that the analysis part of the article was buried in a corner of the paper away from the amusements, which definitely served as a distraction. Anyway, I was happy to include it and would really like to include some follow up or riposte as well if you’re up for it. I’d like to include a link to your fine website too, for any teachers not already aware of it.
When flippancy and cheap (yet benign) laughs become a thought crime, we will all be locked up. I agree that TEFLDONIA can be a very arid place. Your work is welcome irrigation, as well as being thoughtful and practical.
Drop me a line if you have chance.
Regards, Anthony (Shane Japan Teachers’ Newsletter Editor)
Hi Antony
Thanks for the reassurance, will see what comments I get on the version of the article here and use them to help me write part two. Please include the link if you can. If I can manage to not offend anyone without making it too dry, that would be perfect…
Love the expression TEFLdonia- could you give me a dictionary definition so I can stick it in the Alternative TEFL Jargon dictionary?
TEFLDONIA is a mild nation located a few clicks south of FREEDONIA.
Primary crop: dislocated gin drinking philosophy graduates
Secondary crop: undercooked “academic style” writing
Renewable resources: people keen to escape debt (teachers); people keen to escape poverty (student)
Climate: dry with occasional elicitation
Currency: DVDs from home
System of government: Private fiefdoms
Cheers Anthony, it’s in the Alternative English Teaching Jargon dictionary here: