5 Most Difficult Languages To Learn

Tue, 14 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences What You Need to Know About Japanese Students' Challenges Before Teaching in Japan Japan is a country with a long history, deep tradition, and vibrant culture. Within this culture sits the Japanese language. At first, being a spoken language and then adopting the Chinese Writing System, Japanese has grown and changed into what it is today. If you look at all languages, most Western languages originate from a set family, such as Romance Languages (which became today's Spanish, French, Italian, etc). But Japanese (as most Asian languages) was formed from entirely different roots. These fundamental differences mean that the method of learning these languages has a lot to do with memorization and repetitive practice of the Chinese...  [Read more]

Fri, 02 Aug 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas 5 Simple Ideas on Teaching Grammar I think of myself as having been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to learn other languages at a young age. I was taught French in primary school and at home, I learned or acquired Spanish. At school, I remember my language teacher being very textbook-oriented and she focused and followed the book to the "T". I picked up easily on the grammar because I had already learned Spanish at home and I was also very keen to learn foreign languages, especially French. The grammar didn't seem difficult or boring to me at all because I had already been exposed to the language at a very early age. However, many students didn't feel the same way I did and had difficulty with the subject and therefore,...  [Read more]

Fri, 29 May 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Common Learning Difficulties Faced in ESL Settings Learning is always hard especially learning something new such as English learning. English is a different new language compared with Chinese, so when we are learning, definitely we will meet all kinds of difficulties in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Table of Contents Most beginners think listening is the most difficult part of English learning. Speaking can be improved dramatically from zero in a short time but it's quite difficult to speak accurately. For most Chinese people, English reading is not as difficult as listening or speaking. Writing is always the hardest part of English for Chinese students. Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today!...  [Read more]

Tue, 17 Sep 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Why Games are an Integral Part of ESL Classrooms Learning an unfamiliar language is no easy feat and with the globalization of the English language, more and more people are faced with the task of learning English to better their lives. It is no secret that English is one of the more difficult languages to learn given its many peculiarities and the lack of clues to pronunciation. This makes learning English not only more complicated but often frustrating for students who have difficulties understanding certain concepts. This is where games can have a huge impact. Table of Contents Motivation and Interest Confidence Needs Useful Materials Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written...  [Read more]

Thu, 16 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Common Troubles of the Chinese Students You’ll Definitely Notice English is one of the most widely spoken languages and it is taught in a lot of countries. Globalization, fast economic development makes many people study English. People learn English for different reasons: business, education, life abroad, traveling, personal interest. Chinese students are not an exception. With the growing economies of China, the need for learning English increased dramatically. What challenges do Chinese students face when learning English? What challenges does the teacher meet teaching Chinese students? What teaching approach can be found? Table of Contents 1. Motivation 2. Education 3. National character 4. Language difference 5. Grammar 6....  [Read more]

The Best Teaching Ideas for TEFL Teachers How to Make a Classroom More Interactive Kavinna Batra Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Are you a teacher and are looking for ways to make your classroom more interactive? ✅ This blog post will go through a couple of creative and easy ways you can do just that! 6 Tips on How to Learn English Quickly Kavinna Batra Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas English is a fun language to learn; ✅ however, it can even throw off the most professional learner with complex spelling rules and difficult grammar. Learning English quickly could seem difficult, even though it is considered to be accessible and reasonably easy for many to learn. I'm here to tell you that as long as you have the right plan, you can learn English quickly and easily. ...  [Read more]

Thu, 26 Sep 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas How to Teach the Correct Pronunciation of L, R, V, and F Many students of English as a Second Language (ESL) find that, of the many struggles they have with the language, pronunciation is the most difficult to master. Table of Contents Working on Fluency Difficult Sounds: Part 1 How to Teach? Difficult Sounds: Part 2 How to Teach? Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Listen to this blog post Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Sophie M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Working on Fluency Pronunciation is an extremely important ability to have to sound more fluent in English. By gaining the knowledge and skill of...  [Read more]

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas 5 Best Approaches to Teaching Grammar to Young ESL Learners English is not the native language of those who begin to learn English. For children in Vietnam as a country using English as a second language, learning English grammar is difficult for children to learn. So how to teach children grammar effectively and children remember and use it most naturally. Table of Contents 1. Learn grammar through games: 2. Practice: 3. Learning English in a mixed and systematic way: 4. Set up groups, create environments for children to read and write. 5. Simplify, review and edit: Are you ready to teach English abroad or online? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video...  [Read more]

Exam TEFL Check out tefl tesol about Exam TEFL and apply today to be certified to teach English abroad. You could also be interested in: This is how our TEFL graduates feel they have gained from their course, and how they plan to put into action what they learned: Check out ITTT's Blog Posts C. Y. - Japan said: Teaching vocabularyOne of the most difficult aspects of teaching English to esl students is vocabulary. native speakers learn vocabulary through immersion and trial and error. From when they are very young, they pick up most of their basic vocabulary from their environment. The ESL student does not have the benefit of this method of language acquisition. Their environment does not usually assist in the acquisition of English vocabulary, therefore teaching this aspect of English...  [Read more]

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 Kavinna Batra Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas 6 Tips on How to Learn English Quickly English is a fun language to learn; however, it can even throw off the most professional learner with complex spelling rules and difficult grammar. Learning English quickly could seem difficult, even though it is considered to be accessible and reasonably easy for many to learn. I'm here to tell you that as long as you have the right plan, you can learn English quickly and easily. Table of Contents Here are 6 tips on how to learn English quickly: 1. Don't get annoyed when you're down 2. Begin with what you truly need 4. Situate yourself in an English environment 5. Whatever Floats Your Boat 6. When you're in doubt, just ask! Are you ready to teach English to speakers of other...  [Read more]

Wed, 09 Oct 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Common Problems Japanese Learners of English Experience Japan is an island nation and is a recognized homogenous society with a very small percentage of foreign permanent residence and more than half of the adult population lacks the necessary skills to speak English proficiently. Because of this, English as a Second Language is in high demand with young learners being a focus group in Japan. English is taught in the school environment during nearly all of a child's primary education years, but this, unfortunately, doesn't translate to a proficient English-speaking Japanese population. Table of Contents Global Opportunities Differences in Language Structure Cultural Challenges Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course!...  [Read more]

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Most Useful Games in The ESL Classroom Nowadays there is a wide variety of how to teach English. Every teacher uses his or her unique methodologies and techniques to make lessons more informative and entertaining. One of the approaches could be using educational games in the classroom. Table of Contents Games in the classroom are a great tool for teachers as they can be adapted to different ages and levels. Furthermore, playing games motivate kids to study better and naturally use English. Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Kristina S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT....  [Read more]

Wed, 19 Feb 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Phonetics and Phonology in the ESL Classroom What is phonology? Most students have not even heard about it. Whenever I ask my students whether they know or have ever learned about phonetics, the same answers come out, "No, we don't know about it at all". It is no wonder they reply like this because there is no phonetic teaching lesson in English classes from KG to high school here in my country. As for me, I got to study about this only when I attended college. Even then, it wasn't taught comprehensively and I only learned very little. So I couldn't read nor write phonetic symbols very well. Thus I thought it was the most difficult part of studying English. Table of Contents Reasons to pay attention to phonetics Phonetics in the...  [Read more]

Mon, 18 May 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Most Common Issues of Vietnamese Learners of English In Vietnam, it is so important and popular that English becomes a compulsory subject for students at schools and universities. Working people also need to learn English for their job, to talk to English speakers or get a new well-paid job. Table of Contents During my studies and the process of teaching, I noticed that learners are facing some problems such as: Pronunciation is the first obstacle because the same have different sounds Patiency and Knowledge How to Solve Problems? Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Huyen N. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily...  [Read more]

Thu, 28 Mar 2019 Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences My Experience of Learning a Second Language as an American Second language acquisition in native English speakers from the United States is one aspect of American culture that is not widely discussed and seemingly overlooked in terms of its importance. Many factors contribute to the United States' largely monolingual culture despite have a "melting pot" of sorts with a population comprised of multiple ethnicities and nationalities. This culture of English speakers points to strong geographic features of its continental location and debatably its position in the world's economic index and political landscape. Table of Contents How language learning in Europe differs from America The difficulties for second language learners in America...  [Read more]

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Best Games for Young English Learners Nowadays there is a wide variety of how to teach English. Every teacher uses his or her unique methodologies and techniques to make lessons more informative and entertaining. One of the approaches could be using educational games in the classroom. Table of Contents Children's Learning Ability Educational Games Benefits of Educational Games Reasons to Use Games in the Classroom Attention Span Furthermore, playing games motivate kids to study better and naturally use English. Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: Games in the classroom are a great tool for teachers as they can be adapted to different ages and levels. Within this essay, I would like to...  [Read more]

Fri, 22 Feb 2019 Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences The Difference In Teaching ESL vs. EFL There are many similarities, but also many differences, in teaching English as a foreign language and teaching English as a second language. Teaching English as a foreign language is when you teach English in a country that does not have English as an official language. Teaching English as a second language is when you teach English to someone who speaks another language as their first language, normally in a country where English is the official language. I have taught both English as a foreign language (EFL) and English as a second language (ESL) and these two experiences had quite a few similarities and quite a few differences. Table of Contents EFL and ESL Example Similarities between EFL...  [Read more]

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Reading to Activate Second Language Skills The use of reading in the course of language acquisition is valuable and often underrated. Before undertaking a detailed explanation, I will first offer a general example to demonstrate the problem of teaching without it. Imagine you are teaching the word "ball" to an older student. You could ask them to say "ball, ball, ball" in a drilling manner. This can be inefficient and above all, boring for the student. But suppose that you do teach it enjoyably. How many words might they learn? Table of Contents Course Structure to Accept English Vocabulary Stephen Krashen Reference: As much as this practice is gaining ground around the world, two major drawbacks should be assessed. Do you want to...  [Read more]

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 Sabrina Segal Alumni Experiences 5 Tips For Raising a Trilingual Child Language skills begin in the womb when a fetus's hearing first develops, they begin to listen to the language of their mother. Once the baby is born they recognize their mother tongue. Though, a baby is born with the ability to learn any language and multiple languages. When babies hear a word repeatedly their brain forms neural connections, which is a step towards their speech. The brain of a child is like a sponge. It retains so much information that by the time a child reaches 3 years of age, their brain has formed double the amount of connections that adults have. Young children learn language through simple exposure. It is possible to learn a language later on in life but the process is...  [Read more]

Mon, 20 May 2019 Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences Why Exposure is Important when Learning a Second Language Unlike learning a first language, learning a second language is a task that can sometimes seem frustrating and at times even impossible. There are many reasons for this as learning a second language is very different than learning your mother tongue. Firstly, there are biological factors involved and the fact that normally children tend to assimilate things more easily than adults. Secondly, it is often harder to get the same level of exposure to the language than it is when learning a native language where repetition from parents etc. is constant. That is why when you sign up for an English class, or any other language for that matter, teachers will try to replicate that...  [Read more]

Mon, 13 May 2019 Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences Motivation and the Language Learner - The Major Factors That Influence It Motivation is one of the most influential aspects of learning a new language. For all language learners motivation varies, but it is surely an essential part in achieving fluency within any given language. Motivation can be dependent upon age, language fluency (both first language and second language), affective filter (i.e. an individual's comfort level within a particular setting), and many other factors. Table of Contents How Age Can Influence Motivation How Language Fluency Can Influence Motivation How the Affective Filter Can Influence Motivation Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post: This post was written by our...  [Read more]

Wed, 14 Nov 2018 Linda Dunsmore Destinations Alumni Experiences The Most Common Problems Students in South Korea Face When Learning English Korean learners of the English language face numerous challenges in acquiring the language on a proficient level, although English is introduced to children at an early age. English is incorporated into the primary school curriculum from the age of four, yet only a small minority master the language on a proficient conversational level. Unfortunately, the reasons seem to stem from cultural and social differences, the significant differences between the two languages; Korean and English, and the Korean Educational System is also a contributing factor. Table of Contents Listen to this blog post: Problems Relating to Cultural Differences Problems...  [Read more]

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Most Common Problems for English Learners in Spanish-Speaking Colombia For this assignment, I decided to research problems experienced by Colombian students learning English. I will be teaching English in Colombia and thought this subject would benefit me. My findings more generally reflect the difficulties of Spanish-speaking learners. The paper outlines the top ten difficulties for Spanish-speakers learning English (vocabulary, spelling/pronunciation, subject-verb-agreement, verb tense, dialects, subject omission, pronunciation, stress, slang, and literal translations) based on CCJK (2019). Where possible I relate this information to my experiences/examples and units in the TEFL course. Table of Contents Vocabulary difficulties...  [Read more]

Sun, 12 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Problems English Learning Students Face in South Korea From my combined interest in Asian, and more specifically Korean, culture and my desire to teach English to anyone wanting to learn, I have personally come to interact with several adult learners from South Korea during the past few years. Through this experience, I have come to detect several common problems that students coming from this country, as well as students from neighboring Asian countries such as Japan and China, may face while learning English and that I will, therefore, develop in this short essay. Table of Contents Pronunciation Sentence structure Formal and Informal language Education system Do you want to teach English in South Korea? Related Articles: Listen...  [Read more]

Thu, 30 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Peculiarities of The English Language I did not realize how difficult English is until I became fluent in Spanish. I am currently studying French and I am pretty good at French. I have a basic knowledge of Esperanto. Table of Contents English is difficult for several reasons English is not a phonetic language There are exceptions to every rule Some examples of other exceptions to English rules Pronunciation Are you ready to teach English all over the world? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Wayne K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. English is difficult for several reasons I will just touch on each of...  [Read more]

Is a level 5 TEFL the same as a CELTA? A Level 5 TEFL course and CELTA are both classified as level 5 qualifications, indicating they share a similar degree of rigor and difficulty. However, it is crucial to note that while they are on the same level, they aren't synonymous. ITTT's Level 5 TEFL is designed to give new teachers a significant advantage in the job market, broadening their employment opportunities. Yet, even though it is on par in terms of level, the content, methodology, and delivery of a Level 5 TEFL and a standard CELTA course can differ considerably. So, while both credentials are highly respected, they cater to different aspects of English language teaching. Table of Contents How are the different course levels decided? Level 5 TESOL courses at ITTT What is the CELTA...  [Read more]

Mon, 06 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences How Learning Languages Help Me In Teaching I have had the opportunity to study several foreign languages, some in a formal setting, some self-taught. Through my personal experiences learning other languages, I have developed some insights into language learning. I would like to describe some of my experienc| ITTT | TEFL Bloges, and some of my thoughts on what I have learned from them, and from this course. Table of Contents How I started learning languages How my job influenced the language interest Challenges of learning on your own Benefits of the ESA teaching approach How to distinguish a skilled teacher Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post This post was written by our TEFL...  [Read more]

Fri, 29 May 2020 Gökhan Yilmaz Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas 5 Common Problems for Arab Learners When Studying English This topic is very dear to my heart as I have been an English teacher in Arab countries for a long time. Therefore, I am writing this article as someone who has experience in learning both Arabic and English. In my observation, most of these difficulties either have to do with the students' native language (Arabic) or their cultural backgrounds. Here are the 5 most common problems for Arab learners when studying English. Table of Contents The Arabic Language Writing is Important Grammatical Differences Pronunciation Issues Reasons for learning English Related Articles: The Arabic Language As Arabic is written from right to left, English looks very strange to...  [Read more]

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 Federico Riva Alumni Experiences Navigating Learning Difficulties: Understanding, Strategies, and Success The term "Learning difficulties" can roughly be defined as an issue in the brain causing disturbances in processing information (Good Therapy, 2019). In the long-term explanation, these can be explained as neurological challenges affecting the way the brain receives, processes, stores, and analyzes information, as these effects an individual's ability to develop reading, writing, and math skills (Kid Sense Child Development, 2023). Learning difficulties affect millions of children and teens, and many of them struggle with multiple learning difficulties. Any individual with learning difficulties might not learn as quickly as their peers or might find some aspects...  [Read more]

Older Posts Building Confidence in Speaking English in a Non-Native Speaking Country Mary Blancaflor Alumni Experiences Remember that learning a language requires motivation, discipline, patience, and vision. If you don’t see where you are going with your target language early on then you are just wasting your time. It’s not a good practice to stop in the middle of something because you suddenly realized that it’s not worth it. Know your goal, set your mind to it so you will never get lost along the way. Don’t Make These Five Mistakes I Did in Trying to Teach English Online Margaret Paton TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Are you interested in teaching English online? Like you, I’m a new starter to this career of teaching English to non-native speakers, so I...  [Read more]