My Vietnamese students

Some pictures of my adult and teenager class. Instead of boring everyone with superlatives about them, here’s a little anecdote.

While I was teaching in Kuala Lumpur, I once gave my higher level adult students some pictures spread out on a piece of paper. I wanted them to create some sentences using the grammar point we had discussed that lesson. After completion of the task, I asked them if they had recognized the person in the bottom picture. The picture showed me running out of the ocean in the Bintan Triathlon. One of the students immediately replied and said: “But of course, that’s Tom Cruise.” As you can imagine, I gave her some extra marks on her next exam.

D-Day

On Monday, I will be interviewed by the DELTA trainers of my school/company. More or less, this is/was the main reason why I moved to Vietnam. I believe going down the DELTA route will eventually allow me to have more and better professional opportunities, and thus more financial rewards. I feel quietly optimistic and confident that I will be accepted by the program officers. I’ve given it my best over the past 6 years, there’s nothing more I can do. Here’s some information:

What is DELTA?
If you have substantial experience of teaching English to speakers of other languages, and are ready to progress your career, you need the Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults (DELTA). This internationally recognized qualification helps you to:
- deepen your understanding of the principles and practice of teaching the English language to adults
- examine your current practices and beliefs
- apply the results of your learning and reflection to your current teaching position and more senior roles.

Who is DELTA for?
You may be a graduate, or already hold an initial teaching qualification, and are considering DELTA as a route to further career progression. The qualification is ideal if you wish to extend your professional experience and accept new responsibilities as it not only demonstrates a commitment to the profession, but is also proof of your ability.

You may be looking for an opportunity to increase your understanding of the principles and practice of English Language teaching to help improve your overall performance in the classroom. As part of this process, DELTA courses encourage you to analyze your existing practices and beliefs. They also help you to apply the results of your learning and reflection both to your current professional life and to contexts beyond your present and previous teaching experience.


To summarize, the DELTA makes you a better practical teacher, while for example a master’s degree focuses more on theoretical aspects. Eventually, I will do a master’s degree, but not in a specific topic such as English language teaching. Flexibility is the key in today’s job market, so an MA in international education or MBA in project work would make more sense. Future music! First land safely on the beaches of Normandy on Monday!

The Frog Princess

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess who lived in a gorgeous castle surrounded by breathtaking mountains and lovely little streams. One day, while the princess was enjoying a beautiful day out near a pond in her far far away land, a frog approached her. To her great surprise, he started talking to her.

“My dear lady, a wicked witch once transformed me into a frog,” he croaked, “but if a princess kisses me, the spell will be broken. If you kiss me, I can move into your amazing castle with my mother, you can cook for me, wash my clothes, and take care of our children. So, what do you say?”

That evening, while the princess was enjoying frog legs in a mouthwatering béarnaise sauce, she thought to herself and said, “Thanks, but no thanks.”


I used this story for a writing and listening activity with my Elementary level adult students. I couldn’t resist the temptation and ask my female students how they felt about the princess’ actions. To my surprise, their answer would not turn out to be generational, but would depend on their social and educational background. I had both younger and older students agreeing and disagreeing with the princess.