In case you’re interested in literature, or just writing in general, you may like to head over to my YouTube channel. It’s aimed mainly at helping students improve their writing, but there’s also some analysis of literature, such as Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18, Seamus Heaney’s Digging or Carol Ann Duffy’s Medusa. If you like what you…
What’s the difference between a ship and a boat? When does a hill become a mountain? The answers to these and numerous other questions are revealed in a new ebook. Author Mark Beales collected hundreds of examples of trivia and strange facts while teaching in Thailand and Vietnam, and decided to collect them all in…
Ajarn.com was kind enough to interview me about my teaching career, life as a travel writer and what it’s like living in Thailand and Vietnam. Go here for the full interview, which also mentions my favourite celebrity interview and some strange tales from Thailand, including a cat plummeting into my noodles. https://www.ajarn.com/ajarn-street/hot-seat/mark-beales
Teaching English (How to Teach English as a Second Language) Unlock new career opportunities as we reveal the secrets behind Teaching English as a Second Language. For those who dream of living abroad, this book lifts the lid on the world of ESL. Find out how to deal with job interviews, control your classes…
Walk outside my apartment in central Saigon and it looks like a scene from 28 Days Later. The streets are empty, the shutters are rolled down in the shopping malls and it’s eerily quiet. The only thing missing are a few zombies. A few weeks ago, the same street buzzed with life. Street-side hawkers sold…
Top 10 things for children to do in Osaka Osaka may not have the old-town retro feel that nearby Kyoto boasts, but this coastal city compensates with a host of activities. This makes it ideal for younger visitors. It’s also a simple city to navigate, with excellent train and bus links. Here are our top…
Getting There: Your best bet is to head to Satun and get a ferry from Pak Barra. There is no airport in Satun so you’ll need to fly in to Trang or Had Yai first and get a minivan (seaholidaysatun@hotmail.com; 074 783 222; 200B per person). Alternatively, fly to Langkawi in Malaysia and jump on…
Some cities demand your attention and won’t give it up. The frenetic pace of Bangkok immediately draws you in, the beauty of Ko Phi Phi is instantly stunning; Chiang Mai is more of a slow burner. It may be Thailand’s second-largest city but there’s none of Bangkok’s lung-bursting pollution or its soaring skyscrapers. The one…
(originally published by Cambridge University Press) Top 10 tips for bringing content into the English classroom Showing students that their learning isn’t done in isolation can be hugely rewarding – for students as well as teachers. Here are some simple and effective ideas for introducing elements from other subjects into your English lessons. 1) See the…
Bang Saen, an hour’s drive east of Bangkok, has long been a popular weekend retreat for Bangkok folk. Western visitors are now starting to discover its charms too. And there are so many options when it comes to eating out. Take the high-end restaurants aimed at Bangkok’s rich and famous, sprinkle in the live-music spots…