Am I Too Old To Teach English Abroad

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas An ITTT Alumna's Experience of Completing a TEFL Course I started my journey as a TEFL tutor by having classes online. I just tried my luck and applied for some random ad postings on social media. A few days later, I received a call and it turned out to be a phone interview. I got the job soon after that phone call ended and later that day I was introduced to my trainer. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate John K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. A right choice Next, I was trained for just one day about the tools, the materials and how to handle classes online. Soon, I just need to pass the demo and I’m good to go. Without any background in...  [Read more]

Tue, 13 Aug 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences My Experience of Teaching Young Students I started my teaching career in 2016. I was an international student in London, doing a part-time job as a private Mandarin tutor for covering my living cost. In London, I was teaching Mandarin for young learners, age between 3-15-year-old from 2016-2018. After I came back to my country in 2019, I have started to teach English for Kindergarten students age between 3-8-year-old in a private English School. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nina S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Listen to this blog post: Tutoring When I started to be a private Mandarin tutor, I did not have any teaching experience. The...  [Read more]

Mon, 05 Aug 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Discipline in the Japanese TEFL Classroom My experience in teaching English to young learners is based in Japan. At the start of my time teaching, my student group consisted of two children of the same family. The siblings are a boy, age five, and a girl, age three, who participate equally in the English conversation sessions. Three main factors of this situation present difficult walls, preventing forward progress. Those three factors are distracting objects, counter-productive classroom philosophies, and personality conflicts. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Brandon F. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Lesson Duration Considering the Age...  [Read more]

Fri, 08 May 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas My Dream Come True: My First Teaching Experience Teaching is a very enjoyable job and can also be highly rewarding. I had the opportunity to learn that by having an eighteen-month religious experience in which I shared all my beliefs with the people in Ecuador. Even though it wasn’t a job I gave it my full commitment and that might be why I gained so much knowledge and life lessons from it. After returning home, I realized that I wanted to keep having that feeling in my life. I wanted to teach people. Now, the question was what to teach. After talking to some of my close family members and friends, I remembered an old dream that I had when I was younger: Being an English teacher. I started having a passion for this language since...  [Read more]

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Personal Teaching Experience - How I Became a TEFL Teacher Until now, I have been an English teacher for 6 months. Before that, in 2016 I was a teaching assistant. That is my part-time job. And this is a journey even though I have not yet taken a TESOL class but I am still confident that I can become a teacher. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Tieu T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Assistant Tutor For the first half of the year, I was an assistant tutor for the preschool. I had very little contact with kids before so I was very confused at the time. I told the teacher that I couldn't make them obey. She is a master of special needs...  [Read more]

Wed, 18 Sep 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Am I Too Old to Learn a New Language? If you're a native language speaker, you've likely heard the phrase, “You can't teach an old dog new tricks”. There has been little evidence found to support this claim, but the belief persists. Many adult learners believe that it is too late for them to learn a new language. If you are teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language you may find yourself teaching a class of adult learners. Adult learners differ in many ways from young learners, and one such issue you may encounter is a doubt from the learners that they are capable of picking up a new language now that they are no longer children. Though the style of learning and the issues encountered will inevitably differ from those...  [Read more]

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas 5 Important Things When Teaching Beginner Students I am an English teacher. I am teaching beginner students who are aged from 3 years and a half to 8 years old. My students are very young learners who normally have shorter attention spans, and have not even completely mastered their mother tongue. They are generally amenable to fun games, singing, and drawing. For my students, they start from zero knowledge of English to a very basic knowledge that cannot be quickly or easily activated, but with these levels, success is easy to see and usually good fun. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Yuan P. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Play and Have Fun...  [Read more]

Program TESOL TEFL Check out tefl tesol about Program TESOL 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 F.D. - U.S. A. said: Problems for learners in a country of your choiceSunny skies, palm trees, a warm breeze are typical of this area. It´s September and the classrooms in spain are filled with students of all ages ready to learn or continue to learn the Universal Language, English. The students come into the classroom and sit down. A brief introduction and question, ´´I am from the U.S.A., where are you from?´´, the response in most cases ´´I am from Espain.´´ and here...  [Read more]

Wed, 20 May 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences My Biggest Challenge as an Inexperienced Teacher Since I remember I have always been thinking about becoming a teacher. In the end, I decided to study at the Technical University, however, the idea of teaching experience was still on my mind. I have not finished pedagogy, so teaching was for me just a hobby (since I was not a certified teacher). This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Natalia A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The first experience with teaching that I have had was during my studies. It was a private class of mathematics, the student was in middle school. The experience was very good, I started teaching mathematics, then also other...  [Read more]

Wed, 05 Dec 2018 Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences The Value of Observed Teaching Practice for ESL Teachers This is an interesting article written by one of our TEFL alumni who shares her thoughts on the importance of observed teaching practice for ESL teachers. This post was written by our ITTT graduate Roxanne L. When I think of having my teaching observed either by an inspector or by a teacher-in-training, I think of the Christmas song, which impels its listeners, “He knows when you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake!” The reason is simple, when we know we are being scrutinized, we do a better job! In reality, students observe their teachers every day, and even without expertise in the field of education, students know implicitly a good teacher from a bad...  [Read more]

Fri, 11 Oct 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The Global Rise of the English Language - How Far Will it Go? Whether you like English or despise it, the English language is here to stay. There is no stronger contender right now as a global language, other than English. But how did this happen, why is English now the dominant language in Education, Business and the Media. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Iain Hamilton-G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Personal Experience Well in this essay I am not going to rewrite a history lesson about the global rise of the English language, many sources can provide a far more detailed explanation about it. However, what I intend to write here is from...  [Read more]

Tue, 28 Jan 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas How to Keep Up With Classroom Organization When working with a large group, it is important to maintain class management to ensure all students can learn the material. A class can easily become off task due to a lack of dominance within a teacher. I had the opportunity to manage a group of six and seven-year-old students in the past and I am aware that it can be rather difficult to keep children on task. Throughout my internship, I was able to see what skills worked and what needed improvement. After reading unit 5, from the online course, I was able to connect concepts and thoughts I had from managing my class. Now that I am aware of new concepts it is easier to see how teachers can manage a classroom in a friendly but orderly...  [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. Here are 6 tips on how to learn English quickly: 1. Don't get annoyed when you're down If you start to feel like you're not making ground, which at some stage happens to all learners, don't say, "I don't speak English," or "I'm never going to get this." Honestly, ban those words from your vocabulary!...  [Read more]

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 Latrice Coates TEFL Information Alumni Experiences What Influencers Don’t Tell You After You’ve Quit Your Job to Travel the World I am sure you’ve seen the sponsored posts floating around your social media feed of travelers in these candid, well-desired places with the caption “I quit my 9-5 to travel the world & so can you”. You immediately get excited, then you look at the stack of bills on your dining room table then your bank account, and then instantly become discouraged and continue scrolling through your feed. Ha...yeah… that was me two years ago too. But now, here I am.. I DID quit my federal 9-5 job to travel the world full time and I’m here to give you the scoop that most influencers don’t tell you about moving abroad... 1. Don’t...  [Read more]

Fri, 08 May 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Why the Chinese Accent is so Difficult to Minimize in English As an aspirant teaching English to Chinese children, I chose ‘Pronunciation problems of Chinese people’ as the most attractive and the most useful topic for my summative task at this moment. As resources of this joyful and useful research on the internet, I have used three videos on Youtube made by the three experienced teachers of the English language. Only one of them works with children. And only one of them (accent coach from London, Luke Nicholson) gave a lot of live examples of the flaws in pronunciation that Chinese people, in general, make when speaking English, by showing the interviews with the Chinese actor Jackie Chan who sometimes manages to confuse his...  [Read more]

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Teacher’s Personality in the Classroom There are millions of English teachers out there and how do we know if they are teacher material or not. We don’t. Because every single person in this world has its own unique qualities that are lovable by someone. However, there are certain qualities that are needed if you are an English teacher, but they are just my own opinion. Besides you should be able to teach English in English, I think patience is the most important quality a teacher should have. You will experience from the most annoying kid to the most unreasonable adult. How can you handle them without causing a scene? Patience is all you need. Sometimes all you need to do is to talk to them patiently and not lose your temper....  [Read more]

Fri, 01 Nov 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Personal Teaching Experience in China and Russia In this topic, I will be talking about my own “Personal Teaching Experience” in two Asian countries that I’ve had the privilege to work in and teach such as, China and Russia. So you might want to ask yourselves, What’s the difference between teaching Chinese and Russian students? Well honestly there is a huge difference so let’s get started. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jhonatan J. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Culture First of all, let’s start with the cultural differences in the classrooms between Chinese and Russian students. Let me mentioned to you that in both countries...  [Read more]

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Top Tips for Teaching English to Younger Students Online Whether online or in-person teaching English to children is higher energy than adults. A teacher must be kind, happy, fun and energetic. A teacher must speak clearly, slowly as needed and use lots of hand gestures, visual aids, and props. Teachers should prompt students, giving them time to answer and lots of opportunities to speak, ensuring a student-centered class. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Laurel C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Obvious Difficulties in the Approach Teaching English online presents some differences from a traditional class. It can have the benefit of being in...  [Read more]

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Importance of Using Flashcards with Teens and Adults I'm pleased to say that I could teach or lead a class to learn English as a foreign language, challenging and rewarding. I have little experience tutoring adults in learning English. My studies learning what could be ahead for a teacher looking to lead a class in English was so rewarding. The challenge to get the students to engage in activities is a top priority for the teacher. I'll have to develop and practice proven ways to present to the class a lesson where the students may absorb the English language and will stay with them for the rest of their life. I had to give some thought about what I would write for my Essay and how I would present this topic, so I'm happy to be...  [Read more]

Full time EFL Job in Xuzhou, China Date posted:2018-10-03 | Writer: Webi English | Email: [email protected] Webi English is a well established training center under Web Education Group. Aimed at helping students acquire English, we are currently seeking full time EFL teachers for our schools in the historical city of Xuzhou. You will be part of a team of committed teachers with support from our staff. Webi English is one of China's most recognized and respected brands. Since our inception in 1998, we have gone on to establish over 120 training centers throughout China and now stand at the forefront of the language training industry. We now have 20 schools in Shanghai and 100 in other big cities, providing engaging and effective English classes to students above 7 years old. Most Webi...  [Read more]

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Principles of Working on Student Motivation Besides the thousands of things they have on their minds (personal problems, health issues, daydreaming, etc.) and the temptation to just chat with their neighbors in the classroom, students can also be easily distracted by their smartphones. Distraction is not the only obstacle to the class, boredom and absenteeism don’t help the class either. To prevent those behaviors, students need to be motivated, which is every teacher's challenge. While all students have different backgrounds and expectations, the teacher still has plenty of resources to tease students' attention and increase their participation. How do you keep students motivated in the English class? This essay lists and...  [Read more]

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 Anastasiya Akpinar Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Teaching Online: ✅ Tips For Giving Video Homework It has become usual for students and teachers to communicate only via computer screens for the last year. All of us have faced a number of problems when studying or teaching online: Overcoming the initial shock It took society around half a year to get used to a new teaching system. However, it took much more time for the teacher–student communication to get back to normal. Finally, both sides in front of the screen overcame the shock and started taking up online teaching/studying on a daily basis. So from now on, teachers can focus on being more productive inside and outside their online classrooms. Consequences Working in modern circumstances, most teachers...  [Read more]

Mon, 06 May 2019 Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas What It’s Like Teaching Kindergarten in Thailand - My Personal Story Having spent more than 20 years as a marketing consultant, I decided to change career, to become an English language teacher. Hence, I took up the 120-hour TEFL course with ITTT, along with a specialised course in teaching young learners and another one in teaching business English. Even before I finished my TEFL course, I was offered a teaching job with a private school in Bangkok, Thailand. I have since been teaching kindergarten kids for about 8 months. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Albert P. My Typical School Day Teaching kindergarten kids is definitely a lot more fun and less stressful than working for corporate...  [Read more]

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas 3 Strategies to Keep ESL Students Motivated Besides the thousands of things they have on their minds (personal problems, health issues, daydreaming, etc.) and the temptation to chat with their neighbors in the classroom, students can also be easily distracted by their smartphones. Distraction is not the only obstacle to the class. Boredom and absenteeism don't help the course either. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Melanie P. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Students need to be motivated to prevent those behaviors, which is every teacher's challenge. While all students have different backgrounds and...  [Read more]

Tue, 24 Dec 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences English in Early Childhood: Alumni Teaching Experience For two years I have been teaching Italian children in a nursery, a group of 5,2-3 years old. They are still not able to speak well their mother tongue and have a short vocabulary. They have no experience yet in being taught traditionally, may still use pacifier and diaper, so how can you teach so small children English and is it even worth it? Shouldn’t they first learn their native tongue? Many parents think so. I am sure they benefit from being exposed to English vocabulary and getting used to the sound of English as young as possible. But of course, it must be done in the right way, they are not going to study English but going to “play English” It must be a funny...  [Read more]

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Alumni Experience: I Wish I’d Known That Before The Class The Cambridge English Dictionary defines the word “hindsight” as “the ability to understand an event or situation only after it has happened.” That is why people tell you that “hindsight is a perfect science.” So with the benefit of hindsight and looking back after completing some 220 hours of TEFL training, I see that there are, indeed, several things that I wish that I had known before starting the course, both on the positive and the negative sides. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Desmond V. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. My Positive Start Let me start with the...  [Read more]

Wed, 10 Apr 2019 Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences From Taxi Driver to International Teacher - a Graduate’s Story Many people may think that the worst part of being an Uber driver are the belligerent midnight trips from downtown to the suburbs or the aggressive pre-coffee commuters or the fact that a five-minute drive can take thirty minutes because of gridlock. However, as an Uber driver of one year, I believe that the worst part about the job are trips to the airport. When I interacted with passengers going to the airport, I would think of all the new things they would get to try and the different cultures they would learn about. The problem with these trips was they were a constant reminder that the world is just waiting for us to explore it, but I was stuck leading a...  [Read more]

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences My Teaching Experience in Japan I have been teaching English in Japan for 8 months now, acquiring the job solely with the qualifications of being a native speaker and having a bachelor’s degree. After 6 months of teaching with these credentials and the two weeks of initial training provided by my employers, I felt I owed it to myself and my students to complete a TEFL and receive a sounder understanding of EFL/ESL pedagogy. In this essay, I will elaborate on the benefits of the TEFL course as they apply to my own teaching experience and professional development by first providing background on my experience before the course, the practical applications of the course in my current position, and finally by addressing how the...  [Read more]

The Best Countries for Teaching English in 2023 12/09/2022 Hi, welcome Linda here. Back this week with another live session for ITTT today. We're going to talk about the best countries for teaching English abroad in 2023 next year. It's already December, it's December 9th today here in South Korea. It is 10:30 a.m. where I am. So, the new year is approaching fast. Time flies. So, that's what we're going to talk about. Where are the best countries to teach next year? What are some predictions also for the EFL industry (English as a foreign language industry) for next year? What are some things that we see? What are some things that we can expect? And yeah, that's what we're going to talk about today. So, thank you so much for being here. Thank you so much for joining. If you can see me,...  [Read more]

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 Federico Riva TEFL Information Differences Between TEFL, TESOL, DELTA and CELTA Hello, it's Liza here. While I'm waiting for more people to join us let me introduce myself for those who will watch it as a recording. So my name is Liza and I am a TEFL expert at ITTT. I am also a self-employed online ESL teacher. I am a non-native English speaker and I am based in Yekaterinburg, Russia. I hope that today's session will be useful for as many people as possible, because it basically covers one of the most controversial topics in TEFL certification. So the main point of today's session is what are some differences between TEFL and TESOL, and other certifications such as CELTA and DELTA. Watch the live session here Please let me know if you can hear me clearly and see me...  [Read more]