Listening: There are tons of sites that are especially designed for the ESL student. Your students can listen to poetry, short stories, radio programs or even music to hear other "voices" and practice their listening skills.

Writing: The use of instant chats has quickly spread all over the world, and you can bet that your students are already using them. Why not schedule chat sessions with your students and have them communicate in English?

Communicating: Many students would love to make a friend in another country, and the Internet is providing a place for them to do just that. No, they DON'T have to join an Internet dating service! There are pen-pal sites that exist solely to connect people looking to communicate with other people learning a foreign language.

If you don't have access to computers in your school, you can assign any of the above as homework!

Start by finding an interesting mystery. I write my own, but if you’re not creative that way, you can find short mysteries all over the Internet. Once you either write or find one, you will need to analyze it for logical breaks in the story. For example, if someone in the mystery was murdered, and one of the suspects is giving her alibi, that's a logical break.

You should read the story aloud to your class, and ask the students what they think will happen next each time you come to a logical break in the story. Instruct them to use the information that they've already heard, and then come to a logical conclusion. This lesson usually starts slow, but by the end of the story, everyone in the class is an amateur detective! My students request this lesson over and over again.

Japan has an intricate and complex culture, and the language schools are no exception. For example, if you teach in a tiny school, it's quite possible that you will become good friends with your students. In addition you'll have some input with your lesson plans and get to use a little creativity. On the other hand, if you accept a position in a larger chain school, you'll be on a tight schedule with little or no chance for deviation in the lesson plans.

In the eighties and early nineties, there were rumors abound about the fantastic salaries being offered to ESL teachers. People believed that all you had to do was "show up," and you would soon be earning thousands of dollars per month. While the opportunities were great - they were also largely exaggerated!

Today, there are plenty of good jobs in Japan, and in all likelihood, you will be able to leave with a good amount of savings, but remember, you'll work hard for it! You'll need a certificate in most schools at a minimum, and Japanese immigration requires that you have a degree (in anything.)

If cherry blossom trees, sushi, trains, cities full of lights and people sound great to you, then you may be perfectly cut out for Japan!

If you want to get serious about making the most of your teacher’s salary, you'll have to actually sit down and write it down. It takes a little planning to create a budget that you can actually stick to, but once you do, you'll see those dollars stretching a lot farther than you ever imagined.

Here's a quick guide to get you started.

Step one: Make a spreadsheet (or even piece of paper with columns) and then create titles for those columns of the things you spend money on the most. Sure, you'll want to include rent, food, utilities and the other normal expenditures, but don't forget the all those little things that add up. Do you drink two cokes per day? That's $42 per month. Have your car washed every week? $20-30 per month. Write down everything for six weeks, then you'll be ready to move on to the next step.

Step two: The next step is to take your average monthly expenditures, and compare them to your incoming salary. Are you in the red or the black?

Step three: Now you should create an "ideal" budget where you would get to spend what you wanted. (While still being realistic)

Step four: Now you'll likely have some adjustments to make! If your ideal budget isn’t in line with your "realistic" salary, you have to cut back in some areas. The best way to do this is by subtracting the amount that you HAVE to spend (rent, transportation, etc.) and then dividing up the remainder on your non-essential expenditures. For example, if you cut back to one coke per day, you could still afford to wash your car every other week.

Step five: Stick with it! It's useless to take the time to create a budget if you're not going to stick with it. Promises yourself that you'll give it two months, and then see how you feel.

The Internet TESL Journal: http://iteslj.org/

Its teacher's online magazine: http://www.its-teachers.com/

Language Learning and Technology: http://llt.msu.edu/

Teaching English As A Second Or Foreign Language: http://cwp60.berkeley.edu:16080/TESL-EJ/

While I couldn't find any concrete statistics on the number of older people teaching ESL, I can tell you from my experience that they are around. I can also tell you that it might be more difficult to get a good job - but definitely not impossible.

Many schools automatically think of a younger person when they imagine their 'ideal' teacher. It's your job - as an older applicant - to make them see otherwise. Here are some tips:

Be confident. A nervous or self-conscious applicant will never do as well as a confident one. If you are concerned about your age, the employer will be also.

Think positive. Who says that being older is bad? If that's your mentality, change it! Most older teachers are, in fact, better teachers. They not only have the life experiences, but also a better dose of patience and skills.

Sell yourself. Yes, you will likely have to do more to sell yourself to beat a college grad for a position. No, it's not fair. But don't harp on the obstacles - instead present yourself in a way that will make it difficult for an employer to resist.

Show off. Have you taught for years? Tell them about it! Do you have a special knack for getting children to enjoy learning? Mention it - more than once! You will need to be explicit in your explanation of your skills.

In short, here's my best advice. Don't ever let your age be a reason not to pursue a career in ESL. The industry is hungry for good dedicated teachers, and in my mind, an older candidate who has a true calling would be an asset to any school!

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-jokes/

Log onto http://www.fcsh.unl.pt/cv2005 for more details.

Tune in next month for the answer!

View the results of last month's poll here.

Is it possible in some areas to land a job without a certificate? Yes. Is it a good idea? No.

More and more schools are requiring certificates, but there are even more compelling reasons why you should get certified. First of all, the schools that accept non-certified teachers are usually not of the best quality. Gone are the days when you only had to be a native English speaker to get a plum job! Nowadays, the schools that are serious about attracting and retaining good teachers require them. And the ones that don't? They’re usually so desperate for teachers that they will accept anyone! Not a good position to be in if you’re serious about this as a career.

What's more, the truth is, you truly need the training to be a good teacher. Many people "try on" ESL and then leave quickly, saying that the students aren't motivated or the school didn't back them up. Well...students aren't likely to be motivated by a teacher who doesn't know how to direct them, and if the school isn't backing them up - it's probably not a place where a true professional would work.

So, for all you newbie's - do yourself a favor and get certified! Without one, you will only hinder your success - and that of your students!

Do you have any questions or issues that you just can't seem to find the answers to? Ask them here. Any dilemmas that you need help solving? This is the place. Each month, we'll post them here, and then do our best to answer them for you.

Answer: The "Kiss Of Death" goes all the way back to the Roman Empire. Whenever someone in authority kissed someone on the cheek, it meant that he was doomed for! Remember Judas’ kiss to Jesus!