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5 Important Things You Should Know About Second Language Acquisition - TEFL Blog
Federico Riva
TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
In educational literature, the term Second Language Acquisition (SLA) is defined in various ways, influenced by factors such as socio-cultural aspects, the specific language being learned (e.g., second, third, or fourth language), and whether the learning occurs solely in a classroom.
Acquisition-Learning Hypothesis
Monitor Hypothesis
Natural Order Hypothesis
Input Hypothesis
Affective Filter Hypothesis
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Let's examine SLA theory through the lens of Stephen Krashen's five hypotheses:
Krashen proposes two mechanisms for language development. The first is an unconscious process akin to absorbing... [Read more]
Krashen's Hypotheses and Second Language Acquisition - TEFL Blog
Sara Stojanovic
TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
During the previous century, there were many different discussions on second language learning. Hence, many theories were formed by different researchers. The most famous hypothesis was proposed by an American linguist Steven Krashen.
Nature vs Nurture
Krashen's Hypothesis
Acquisition or learning
Krashen's Natural Approach
Conclusion
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Researchers have divided second language acquisition into two categories: nurture and nature.
The former proposes that human interaction with the environment leads to experience which results in the acquisition of human knowledge including second... [Read more]
Continuing education for ESL teachers - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT TEFL & TESOL
As the demand for English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers continues to rise globally, the need for professional development and continuing education in this field becomes increasingly important. ESL teachers play a vital role in helping non-native English speakers acquire language skills for academic, professional, and personal growth. To meet the evolving needs of ESL learners, teachers must continually enhance their teaching skills, stay current with best practices, and expand their knowledge of language acquisition theories. This is where continuing education for ESL teachers comes into play, providing opportunities for professional growth and career advancement.
Continuing education courses for ESL teachers offer valuable insights and practical strategies to enhance teaching... [Read more]
Motivation and the Language Learner - The Major Factors That Influence It - TEFL Blog
Mark Crocker
Alumni Experiences
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.
How Age Can Influence Motivation
How Language Fluency Can Influence Motivation
How the Affective Filter Can Influence Motivation
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Listen to this blog post:
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nicole H.
In learning a new language, motivation is often dependent upon age. Age... [Read more]
Tefl reviews - Theories Methods Techniques Of Teaching Suggestopedia - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
Also in the 1970s la señal came up with a new methodology called "Suggestopedia". As psychological theory was developing, one of the ideas that came up was something called ?the effective filter?. Basically, the effective filter is a barrier to learning. It's the reasons why we inhibit our learning of a particular language. There are two main elements to the effective filter, two sets of factors, if you like, those are known as internal and external factors. The external factors to learning, the reasons why we have barriers to learning, may be just simple things such as external noise. So, people talking to us while we're trying to learn and so on and so forth. Perhaps more important are these internal factors and the internal factors one of the main things here is our previous... [Read more]
The Factors Influencing a Foreign Language Acquisition - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
What does it mean to learn a language? Generally, when we talk about learning a language, we mean a process that starts with a person not knowing a language but ends up knowing it, regardless of the number of languages a person might already know. Of course, this is an overly simplified definition, but it gives us a decent starting point. So why are our experiences and the mental image of acquiring our first language so different from one of learning a foreign language? In this essay, I will consider the perceived difference between first and second language acquisition.
Learning a Foreign Language
Age
Way of learning
Focus
Research in the field
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This post was written by our... [Read more]
Teaching Preschool ESL: Songs - TEFL Blog
Anna Domiczek
Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
Songs and music are such an important part of an ESL preschool curriculum. Not only are they fun, but they are also very powerful tools to help young students learn English in a fun and entertaining way. Learning a second language at the preschool level needs to be experienced through engaging activities - words and actions need to go in tandem. Songs allow the children to move along and learn in a pleasant, fun way, in accordance with the TPR technique. They also serve as a tool to lower students' affective filter - according to the famous linguist Stephen Krashen's theory (1983), students can develop a blockage/filter toward their study because of a negative emotional attitude. When that filter is low, thanks to triggering students'... [Read more]
Linguistic Learning - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Many language learning theories are proposed based on certain linguistic theories. In fact, knowledge in linguistics lies at the root of understanding what language learners can learn, how they learn and what they learn ultimately. Therefore, linguistics has always played an important role in the studies of language acquisition and learning. For example, as Ellis (1994:1) points out, "whereas much of the earlier second language acquisition work focused on the linguistic and, in particular, the grammatical properties of learner language and was psycholinguistic in orientation, later work has also attended to the pragmatic aspects of learner language and, increasingly, has adopted a sociolinguistic perspective. So, linguistics has indeed been relevant to... [Read more]
Personal Teaching Experience and What Factors Influence it - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
I taught high school and college-level Spanish. I taught language for about 20 years. I learned many things throughout my tenure as a teacher. There are many traits and characteristics that I found useful in my career.
The first of these is Creativity
Secondly, I found that an effective teacher must be a good communicator
Another trait that I found very useful in the classroom was patience
Humor is a trait I found useful in the classroom
Lastly, I would like to talk about flexibility
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Keith B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
As a language teacher especially, I had to find new... [Read more]
Am I on the Right Track? Forking the Paths of Teaching - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
"You speak too much in the class," "you always finish their sentences," "you answer back to the teens," "the classroom is a mess," "your lessons are boring." That was the feedback I would usually get in college during my teaching practice. So the final questions were always the same, "When am I going to be a good teacher?" What does it take apart from reading the theory?" "Why am I failing?" In this essay, I will briefly describe some of my experiences when teaching and the struggles on the way. I will also mention the importance of applying specific methods and techniques, taking different roles and the relation between lesson planning and the material to be used in class.
The Natural Way
Teachers all-inclusive
Planning Creativity
Do you want to teach... [Read more]
