Category: Intro

Zero To Hero – Day 28: Create a New Feature

Jemma Jones12 Comments

Today’s assignment: develop a regular feature for your blog.

Why do this? Why create a regular feature on ‘My TEFL Adventures’? I know that doing this regular feature will make readers have something specific to wait for at regular intervals — in other words, my blog has a hook. Just like Ailsa and her Travel Themes and it is always a good idea to work on healthy blogging habits and regular features help me stay on track.

But what can I do? Some of the examples that have been given on the Daily Post are:

 

  • A weekly photo post (or even better: a weekly photo gallery post) – that could be an idea; but I feel that this is not suitable for this blog at this particular moment in time
  • A monthly Q & A with one of your blogging buddies – I think this is a good idea; but I do not know where I would start from though?!
  • A Music Monday, featuring the song that rocked your weekend – this could be a possiblity, but currently I am not listening to much music 😦
  • A Flavor Friday dedicated to the recipe you experimented with over the previous week – to be honest I do not really cook at home and my food is the same most weeks!

I have thought of about doing a ‘Throwback Thursday’ post where I write about something that has happened in the past or a ‘List Friday’; where I write list of things. However; similar to what Papered Thoughts (Rin) does at her blog and on her Instagram. As ‘My TEFL Adventures’ is a blog is about my TEFLing adventures I think that my regular feature must be something linked to TEFLing or English.

I could do a “Idiom of the Week” or a “Metaphor of the Week” – what do you all think? I have created a poll and I hope that you will all help me decide. As I do appreciate all my readers and followers; as you are the people (in theory) I am writing for, other than ‘venting’ my experiences.

Which feature should I do?
(polls)

Good News!!!!

Jemma Jones

The post I have just checked my Online course at i-to-i TEFL and I have completed my final (well, I don’t think that it will be my absoult final module) module.

I am SO HAPPY!!! I am now at 130 hours; and I can do the last 10 hours (it will be the last 20 hours) on the Internship or I can do another 10 hour module.

Well, I am now on my way now! I am SUPER excited now!!

I’ve been nominated for the Liebster Award…

Jemma Jones11 Comments

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Oooh how exciting! I have been nominated for the Liebster Award by Ivan @ Navigate: Searching in Existence *waves* Many thanks Ivan!

These are the rules:

The Liebster Award is awarded to bloggers with under 200 followers to try to promote their blog a little and also bring together a community of bloggers.

The rules of the competition are as follows:

  • The nominated user must provide a link bank to the person who nominated them.
  • Provide 11 facts about yourself.
  • Answer 11 questions set by the person who nominated you.
  • Choose 11 more people and ask them 11 questions.

 

11 Facts about me

  1. I am half Welsh and half English = British
  2. I am the oldest of two children
  3. I am fluent in British Sign Language
  4. I am a bit of an Autograph Collecting Nerd
  5. I have two cats = Sam & Gizmo
  6. I currently drive a red car (don’t ask me which make; it gets me from “A to B”)
  7. I LOVE James Bond films
  8. I used to play the Drums and Cello when I was younger
  9. I tried to learn how to play the Trumpet – did not work!
  10. I have TWO Bachelor of Arts degrees – Criminology & Sociology and British Sign Language
  11. I have an SEVERE allergy to Nuts!

 

11 answers for Ivan

1. What did you feel when you are informed you got nominated for the award?

Surprised Ivan; I had seen other people been nominated but I did not think that I would get one!

2. What is the best achievement you can have in your life?

Ooh that is a hard one Ivan;   I think that achieving a PhD in Linguistics from either University of Arizona or Penn State

3. Do you play any musical instrument? If yes, what instrument?

Nope not any more; unless you count my (okay) singing voice?!

4. How do you value life?

It is important and we should all seize it to the full!

5. What country do you want to spend your life?

Good question Ivan; I would love to spend the rest of my life flying from Asia back to Europe. China, Japan, Singapore, Philippines and Hong Kong are my top places I want to live in for the rest of my life.

6. Do you believe in reincarnation?

Yes definitely! I have been told that I have had at least three past lives – I loved Jenny Cockell‘s books about her past lives! (I actually know her)

7. What is the best blog (not post) you saw?

The best blog…ooh another hard question! Thanks Ivan…I would have to say CornishKylie: Teaching Adventures in Thailand

8. Do you like history?

Yes! I think that History is very important! It makes us what and who we are today!

9. When the last time you went to church?

On a regularly basis? Not for years; but I do attend church on “Births, Deaths and Marriages” – last November for Remembrance Sunday

10. Do you believe that aliens really exist?

Yeah I do; because if it is just us here on planet Earth it is an awful waste of space!

11. Why do you blog?

I blog because I want people to read my experiences and (if needed) to learn from them…also I love to write!

11 Questions for my Nominees

  1. Do you love to travel?
  2. Why do you blog?
  3. Do you sing in the shower?
  4. Have you had to learn a new language for work?
  5. Have you ever done anything crazy for charity?
  6. How do you feel about being nominated for the Liebster Award?
  7. What do you do when you are not blogging?
  8. Are you on Facebook?
  9. Do you tweet?
  10. Do you have an active lifestyle?
  11. What is your favourite recipe? (If you can, please can you post it too)

 

 

My 11 Nominees

  1. Drinking in Japan
  2. Little Kate, Big World
  3. Free Thailand
  4. Jill’s Scene
  5. Fitty’s Arty Blog
  6. On Road To Inkrichment
  7. Marie A Marvel
  8. Marlee Poppins in France
  9. Being Chelle
  10. Splinters
  11. English Banana.com ESL Blog

Zero To Hero – Day Nine: inspired by my About page

Jemma Jones

Today’s assignment is to write a post inspired by your About page or widget.

Why do this?
■Because your About page is just the beginning of your story — your posts complete the tale.
■Because post ideas that come from your About page will speak to the key themes of your blog: useful for your readers, and useful for you in shaping your site.

However; I am feel that my “About Me” page (I decided not to have a widget yet; as I am currently using the WP App to write my posts) still needs “something extra” but I cannot put my finger on it (I love to use Idioms to confuse people). I do know that my “About page” is just a few important facts about myself, and that I had to think about a fact or facts that I had decided on to include or not to include. The particular words I chose to describe myself. I know that I have missed out the goals; but I have placed my achievements upon it. I am proud of my TEFLing qualifications.

I feel that I could improve it; please let me know what you think I need to add…

About Me…

Jemma Jones5 Comments

Here is a copy of my of “About Me”; I am currently taking part of the Zero To Hero WordPress Blogging Programme. This was today’s challenge…

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Oh, hello blog readers! Welcome to my humble little blog, where I’ll be posting (well, hoping to be posting) everything about my TEFL adventures — everything from the decision making, the application process, the travel, the teaching — in the hopes of sharing my experience and encouraging others to take the same leap.

Why am I blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?

Well…it is a strange reason why, it is because I have been inspired to write down my thoughts, feelings and experiences through my TEFL adventures. I want to share my thoughts, feelings and experiences so others can gain understanding and learn about what I have done (or in my current ‘chapter’ doing) and to inspire them to pursue a career as a TEFL teacher either abroad or at home.

What topics do I think I will write about?

All things TEFL; really! Lesson ideas, lesson plans and my overall experiences as a TEFL teacher. I want to share my “Planning” and “Things To Remember”. I also what to share other posts from fellow TEFL Bloggers and create a little community!

Who would I love to connect with via this blog?

I want to connect current TEFL teachers and future TEFL teachers! I have always wanted to see the world and I knew that TEFLing could a way to do it! I started reading blogs about travelling and TEFLing and I was hooked; I want people to feel the same as I did before I started this blog!

If this blog successfully throughout the next year, what would I hope to have accomplished?

I hope to accomplish throughout this coming year is that I will be posting about my teaching experiences and to gain ‘followers’ (I sound like a cult leader…) who are like minded and on the same level as me.

Anyways; here is a little more about me:

I am a thirty-something and I have done my TEFL training with i-to-i TEFL; I have completed the following:

  • 60 Hour Online TEFL course – October 2012
  • 20 Hour Grammar Awareness Course – June 2012
  • Teaching English to Young Learners Course (5 Hours) – January 2013
  • Teaching with Limited Resources Course (5 Hours) – July 2013
  • Teaching Large Classes Course (5 Hours) – June 2013
  • Teaching English One-to-One Course (5 Hours) – January 2013
  • Teaching in Japan Course (5 Hours) – September 2013
  • Teaching in Spain Course (5 Hours) – December 2013
  • Teaching in Thailand (5 Hours) – February 2014
  • Teaching in China (5 Hours) – March 2014
  • How to teach Audio & Video Lessons (10 Hours) – TBA

I also have a YouTube channel – My TEFL Adventures – crossing borders; learning new things and making friends…; it is currently empty as I have not *really* started my adventures…

I also created a Facebook Page for this blog – My TEFL Adventures; have you ‘liked it’ yet?

I am currently working in the educational sector as a Support Worker for the Deaf…

My Dear Fellow …

Quote Jemma Jones

My Dear Fellow Teflers, Sadly, I recently became a victim of a scam (Advance Fee Employment Fraud) involving what I thought was a perfectly legitimate EFL job. I went through the interview, via Skype, had the contract sent to me, photos of my accommodation were also sent. I suppose it’s perhaps best for me not […]

How exciting…good news on my arrival home!

Jemma Jones2 Comments

On arriving home after a long (and soggy) day at work; I had done some of my Teaching English in Thailand module – I finished the quiz (two attempts though – whoops!!) and did the assignment. I really enjoyed this module. It was interesting; as Buddhism is the main religion and I agree with many of the traditions and beliefs. I just wish that the students here in the UK was just as respectful as the Thai students.

Anyway, I digress…I passed the Module!! Yeah go me!! I am five hours closer to the Internship!! The module did take me a little longer than five hours to read the learning module completely! I like to read them a couple of time.