Jennifer Lebedev - ESL Teacher, Textbook Author and Creator of Instructional Videos

Jennifer, from Pennsylvania, USA, is well-known to many English-learners and teachers through her website, English with Jennifer, her excellent YouTube channel, JenniferESL, where she offers free her amazingly-structured instructional videos (I've used them myself in class, highly recommended!) and her ELT blog. Due to her multicultural background (she has family members with Filipino, Polish, Serbian and Hungarian roots) and her experience learning various languages, she has a unique insight into what it is to learn English from the student's point of view. She is also the author or co-author of many English textbooks.

Jennifer Lebedev

What was your ESL career path?

I was originally certified to teach Russian in the state of Pennsylvania, but while I was finishing my graduate work in Moscow, I started teaching English on the side. After graduation, I began teaching English full-time both privately and in the classroom. I even managed to get some of my early ideas published. I moved back to the U.S. in 2001, and soon after I earned my ESL certificate.

In a private IEP in Boston, I taught adults and also took on adminstrative duties. I had other opportunities to grow there as well. I wrote in-house course materials, and I was chosen to run the teacher training program. I stepped out of the classroom in 2005 to focus on materials writing. In 2007, I began to work online, posting videos and eventually blogging. In another couple of years I added private lessons to my online work.

The Internet has helped me gain visibility as a materials writer and content creator. I am thankful for all the projects I have been able to contribute to, from online tutorials for business professionals to classroom textbooks.

Which of many ESL activities you are engaged in do you enjoy most?

I love to make instructional videos. I have enjoyed the challenge of using this medium to reach learners around the world.

How do you think English learners could help themselves more?

Focus. There are many free online resources today, and it is easy to be overwhelmed by all the options. Learners need to identify clear, realistic goals and then select the resources that are most appropriate. A study plan needs to be formed in such a way that the learner can follow it from week to week consistently.

What more can we do as teachers to help our students?

Remind them that one teacher, one resource, or one course cannot hold all the information they seek. We need to guide students toward the resources that will help them reach their goals. Give them the skills to become lifelong learners and fill them with confidence in their own abilities.

Many teachers say that generic English textbooks are really not useful for students. What is your opinion?

Textbooks are already taking different forms to meet the needs of today’s learners. I was fortunate to be on the writing team for Pearson’s hybrid series Next Generation Grammar. We designed the materials to give both teachers and learners the flexibility they need along with the rich media everyone has grown accustomed to in the 21st century.

The textbook can still serve as as key element of a course. It is a compass and a source of information. Teachers are always able to supplement instruction with outside materials, and students can also build on textbook presentations and practice with learning experiences outside of class.

Do you think English learners have an advantage these days, with all the technology and online resources available?

Definitely. When I was learning French in junior high and high school, I was thrilled to get an old  copy of a French comic strip or a cassette of popular French music. Today all kinds of texts, films, and audio recordings are available online. Everything is a few clicks away. We have also become better connected through the Internet, so finding real opportunities to use the language is easier. Online discussion boards present just one possibility.

Do you think your own language-learning experiences help you as a teacher?

Of course. The poor results of my French studies played a key role in my desire to become a language instructor. I learned how to learn later as I formally studied Russian and dabbled in other languages. Even though I am not functional in Japanese and Portuguese, I understand how these languages work, so I can better understand the specific challenges speakers face if those are their first languages.

I have also recommended that teachers occasionally put themselves in the role of a learner, taking up new hobbies. For example, having to start from a white belt in taekwondo, I have relived the frustration of feeling out of one’s element and the joy of mastering new skills.

What do you think the future of ESL holds?

More online activity and greater independence of the learner. A few years ago I predicted changes in the nature of publications and the role of the author. It is happening. I see increased interaction and collaboration between content creators, teachers, and learners. 

Guy Courchesne - Managing Director at Teachers Latin America

Guy is a well-known figure in ESL in Mexico. He came to Mexico from Canada over 13 years ago, and gradually expanded his activities into teacher training and recruitment. He now provides a service for connecting schools and ESL professionals through his company, Teachers Latin America, with plans to expand into other territories.

Guy Courchesne

Why did you choose ESL?

I chose ESL as a way to see the world, to travel, and to learn about other cultures and languages.  ESL was to be a means to explore for a year or two abroad and help pay the way.

How have you expanded your career in ESL?

After deciding that ESL and international education in general would be my career and living abroad would be a permanent feature of my life, I moved into teacher training and recruitment.  I sought out additional ESL training courses and gradually moved into the administrative side of teacher recruitment by focusing on growing my professional network in my region of the world.

What do you think your strengths are as an ESL teacher and as a trainer?

I think my strengths as a teacher and trainer lie in my knowledge and experience of the language and culture of my students.  My first two years teaching were much about learning how to work with Spanish speakers and Mexicans in particular.  With more experience I become more efficient and am now very comfortable in a number of teaching environments.

What challenges have you found living in Mexico?

Mexico has been wonderful to me and I’m proud to call it home.  Most of the challenges I’ve faced here are cultural or bureaucratic…after 13 years here, I still struggle with the importance many Mexicans place on the family.  I’ve never been a person that needs to be surrounded by family and it has often been a challenge to integrate into closer-knit families in Mexico.

What advice would you give to someone new to living in a different country?

Treat every day as an opportunity to learn and leave all your pre-conceptions at home.  Don’t come to try to change the culture of the country you want to teach in – let that host culture be that which changes and enriches you instead.

How do you think technology has helped, or can help the teaching of ESL?

In my case, I’ve found social networking sites and the greater availability of engaging content to be the biggest contributors to aiding ESL.  I began teaching in a time before Facebook and You Tube when good classroom resources were expensive or difficult to come by.  I now regularly interact with students via Facebook and make extensive use of You Tube and other websites to bring content to the classroom.

What do you think is the attitude of Latin American students towards learning English?

Latin American students are a diverse group.  I find that most people agree that learning English is seen as essential – you don’t advance in your career without it.  I find that parents are always very keen to see their children learning English and work hard to provide them the opportunities to do so.

But, I also see people struggle with the demands of balancing their work-lives with English study.  Adult learners are often pressed to rapidly learn English while also keeping a full work schedule.  I see this as demotivating in attitudes towards study.

What has been your biggest satisfaction in the ESL field?

As I’ve moved more into administration and teacher recruitment, the biggest satisfaction I’ve gained is seeing new teachers arrive in Mexico and beginning the same journey I started all those years ago.  I enjoy being an ambassador of sorts in ESL and helping others fulfill their goals in exploring the world.

And the biggest frustration?

It isn’t a well-compensated field unfortunately.  There are good opportunities but I find one has to work very hard to create those opportunities for oneself.

What do you think the future of ESL teaching holds?

Technology will continue to play a large role in how we learn and use English.  The rise of MOOCs, online teaching platforms such as Skype, and mobile technologies will continue to give more autonomy to the learner.