Different Languages.

Wed, 04 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas How Learning a Second Language is Different from the First By the time a child is a year old, they can differentiate between the sounds that make up their first language but can't distinguish between sounds that aren't found in their first language. Even in the case of sounds that children may not be able to correctly produce until they are six years old, such as the /r/ sound. So, it would make sense that by the time a child is just a year old the way they learn language changes, as stated in Dr. Ryalls' class. Further on when a child is finally in school they have some grasp of grammar, even if it isn't complete by the time the child is school-aged. This means that by the time a child is in school when they would most likely start...  [Read more]

Tue, 11 Feb 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Possible Reasons why Japanese Students have Difficulties Acquiring English Japan is a First-World, Asian country, well-known for its clean vehicular designs, its production of famed animations, its ability to wow the Western world with hygienic efforts even at leisurely events (World Cup 2018), and overall its impeccable attention to detail in most areas of life. Yet, even with these accolades behind the name, there remains a sore spot, which any foreigner who has experienced Japan in the flesh, can verify exists. That is, the surprising lack of ability of the general public to understand and/or produce comprehensible English, an established global language. Table of Contents Failures Teaching techniques Social challenges Do you want...  [Read more]

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Why Learning L2 is Harder Than L1 Over the past two years, as part of an international community, I've had the pleasure of meeting people from all over the world. We share the common experience of learning an L2. I've spoken to nearly 100 people now, and what I've learned about learning L2 is, well, it's hard. Table of Contents So why is learning L2 so much harder than L1? L2 is challenging to learn, especially for older adults. This makes L2 very hard to use spontaneously in certain situations. As you can see, this lack of necessity is quite damaging to L2. Why? Maybe I just don't possess a natural ability to learn. Our L1 learning is so gradual. This has become very apparent to me throughout my TEFL course. Do you want to teach...  [Read more]

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas What are the Different Techniques that Have Been Used to Teach Students a New Language? Throughout history, several different teaching approaches and methodologies have been tried and tested with some being more popular and effective than others.There are various teaching methods and techniques that are employed to help students learn a new language and this critique explains the advantages/disadvantages and effectiveness of some of the more important approaches. Table of Contents Grammar Translation The Audio-Lingual Method The Structural Approach Suggestopedia Total Physical Response (TPR) The Silent Way Task-Based Language Learning The Lexical Approach Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: ...  [Read more]

Mon, 09 Dec 2019 Federico Riva Alumni Experiences Ways of Acquiring First and Second Languages When we mention a second language, we are referring to a learning context in which the non-native speaker is in a community where the language is used in a large number of situations. This allows the speaker to engage in communicative interactions with both native speakers and other non-native speakers. In can also be the case that the learner is in a context in which exposure to the language occurs mainly in situations of formal learning, in which the linguistic contents are presented sequentially and in a structured way. Thus, both contexts are characterized by significant differences both in the quantity and quality of language stimuli and in the opportunities for participation in...  [Read more]

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Verb Tense Timeline   Here's a useful infographic showcasing the different verb tenses in the English language.   The Past Tenses Past Perfect = used for an action that was completed before some point in the past, for example: "I had written a book."   Past Simple = used for an action that occurred in the past, for example: "I wrote a book."   Past Perfect Continuous = used for an action that was completed over a period of time before some point in the past, for example: "I had been writing a book."   Past Simple Continuous = used for a continuing action that began in the past, for example: "I was writing a book."   The Present Tenses Present Perfect =...  [Read more]

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Verb Tenses Overview Here is an overview of all the different verb tenses in the English language.   Are you interested in teaching English as a foreign language? Get your TEFL or TESOL Certification with ITTT. Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Check out ITTT's Blog Posts  [Read more]

Wed, 29 Jan 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Types of Stories to Use for Teaching English to Different Groups of Students Stories serve to be entertaining and educational in most cultures. A nice bedtime story for young children becomes a ritual in a lot of families nowadays, it makes up a sweet memory for a lot of people. When the listener is interested in the story, even when there is no verbal communication between the storyteller and the listener, there is still a bond between them. Therefore, storytelling is such a powerful tool teacher could use. Storytelling could make the lesson more interesting and memorable. To build the bond between the students and the teacher during storytelling, the teacher has to make sure the attention of his/her audiences are fully attracted....  [Read more]

What are the hiring seasons for teaching English abroad? While the global demand for English teachers remains consistent throughout the year, specific regions and countries have peak hiring periods that potential educators should be aware of. Key hiring seasons generally align with the start of academic terms and include: For those targeting specific countries or regions, understanding these peak periods is crucial to strategizing your application process and enhancing the likelihood of securing a position. Table of Contents What are the hiring seasons for teaching English in Asia? What are the hiring seasons for teaching English in Europe? What are the hiring seasons for teaching English in the Middle East? What are the hiring seasons for teaching English in Central America? What...  [Read more]

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas First and Second Language Acquisition: What do Teachers Need to be Aware of? Every person living in modern society has the first language; this is the language which we have learned fluently without conscious effort, it was taught to us as children by the people in our immediate surroundings, usually parents or caregivers. Not everybody, however, has a second language. Unless raised in an environment where there is more than one language spoken regularly (by multilingual parents or others whom we are in regular contact with), for most people a second language takes conscious effort to acquire, for a range of motivations, and usually through at least some form of study and education. Learners of a second language may, for example,...  [Read more]

Thu, 08 Aug 2019 Jon ITTT TEFL Information Important Information about IELTS and TOEFL A couple of acronyms that you are likely to come across as a TEFL teacher are IELTS and TOEFL. IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System and is a United Kingdom and Commonwealth based test of English language skills. Whereas TOEFL stands for Test of English as a Foreign Language and is a United States based English language skills test. Table of Contents Listen to this blog post: Why people need a TOEFL or IELTS test What do the different tests contain? IELTS and TOEFL preparation is a good way to make extra money Where to find resources for teachers and students Are you ready to start teaching English aborad? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post: Why people need a...  [Read more]

Sat, 17 Aug 2019 Jon ITTT Destinations What do You Need to Teach English in Europe? Opportunities abound for the TEFL teacher in Europe and it is a popular destination for many upon completing their TEFL certification. Teachers with a specialist certificate in teaching business English will do well in countries such as France and Germany, but there are plenty of teaching jobs to be found across the whole region. The requirements for English teachers in Europe vary from country to country and this article aims to highlight the differences and similarities between them. Table of Contents Can you teach there if you are from outside the EU? What qualifications are needed? Do you need to be a native speaker? Are you ready to start teaching English abroad? Related Articles: ## Listen to...  [Read more]

Who will my students be when teaching English abroad? When teaching English abroad, the profiles of your students can be diverse, influenced by the teaching location and the type of institution you are associated with. You might find yourself guiding university students, professionals from the hospitality sector, or even top-tier business leaders. On another spectrum, you could be in a public school, teaching a young cohort ranging from five to sixteen years old. Table of Contents Will I be teaching adults when teaching English abroad? Will I be teaching young learners when teaching English abroad? Can I also earn extra cash as a private tutor when teaching English abroad? Will I be teaching adults when teaching English abroad? A large percentage of teachers working in ESL...  [Read more]

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas How Do British and American English Differ? G.B. Shaw said, 'England and America are two countries separated by a common language.' The common language i.e. English taken by the British to America gradually evolved differently from its root language. Hence, the language spoken in Great Britain became the British English and the language spoken in the United States became American English. It wasn't just the variation in pronunciation, the vocabulary and spellings for few words also changed. To understand the differences, we should take a look at the roadmap of British and American English. Table of Contents The History of English Old English Renaissance New English British English vs. American English Do you want to teach English...  [Read more]

What type of teachers get paid the most? Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL), also known as teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), is a rewarding profession that needs commitment and love. Luckily, you also won't have to sacrifice a good salary! We are sure you are curious about what type of teachers earn the most when teaching abroad, so let's have a look. The simple answer is your potential salary often depends on three main factors: your qualifications, the country you teach in, and the type of school you work for. The fact is, TEFL and TESOL certified teachers earn higher salaries compared to teachers without a certificate. Saudi Arabia, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates are among the top-paying countries in the world to teach English, with salaries...  [Read more]

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 Anna Bondar Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas School Meetings: What are they about? I've had to attend numerous meetings throughout my career, and it wasn't always a pleasant experience. I'd often get bored, start looking around or doodling. Table of Contents School meetings Types of meetings 1) Meeting for local staff in their home language. 2) English teachers meeting 3) Training (inner session) 4) Training (out session) 5) Additional Are you ready to teach English abroad or online? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! Today, I want to discuss which meetings are the best to attend to ensure one's personal growth, development, and usefulness. School meetings Each educational institution or organization has staff...  [Read more]

Live Session: The Top Hiring Seasons for Teaching English Abroad   Hello and welcome. I'm back again this week for another live session from ITTT. Super excited to be here again, as always it is Friday 10:00 a.m. where I am in South Korea. Please let me know if you can see me and if you can hear me, use the comment section and just throw in a quick hi and where you're watching from. Let me know where you are in the world. I would be super excited to know because we always get a very international crowd here. Let me know where you are right now and what time it is there. I would appreciate it. I am in South Korea, about an hour and a half south of Seoul. It is Friday morning and the weather is kind of cloudy but it's not too bad. Yesterday was really nice, spring has finally arrived....  [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. Table of Contents Personal Experience English in My Family Influence on Other Countries Modern Situation Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: 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...  [Read more]

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Synonym Words for NICE Here are some great synonyms for the word "nice" that will make your writing and essays more interesting.   Are you interested in teaching English as a foreign language? Get your TEFL or TESOL certification with ITTT. Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Check out ITTT's Blog Posts  [Read more]

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Full List of Pronouns in English Many pronouns exist in the English language. Each pronoun category utilizes them in different ways. Find detailed pronouns list below for each subgroup of pronouns.   Are you interested in teaching English as a foreign language? ​Get your TESOL certificate with ITTT.   Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Check out ITTT's Blog Posts  [Read more]

Wed, 21 Aug 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Why Classroom Management Matters This essay will focus on a few effective and ineffective strategies as well as my plan to incorporate these strategies to promote an organized classroom. My greatest fear is a large unruly class that interferes with my ability to teach. As the product of two parents who were public school educators, I understand the importance of integrating proven classroom management strategies. Without these tools, students will not be focused and may not absorb lessons as intended. As such, maintaining the attention of students will require skill and patience but once mastered, an effective learning environment will be the result. I look forward to working with students and maintaining an engaging space that is...  [Read more]

Wed, 08 Jan 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas How Can English Influence a Student’s Future Career? There are many advantages for any person to learn a second language. More important learning English can influence a student's future career. English is the most widely spoken language in the world. This means that there is a high probability of using this language in the future or encountering someone who speaks English. This will allow you to be able to communicate with other people when traveling outside of your country. An example of this is when I travel to Asia in the tourist area I have noticed that English is the common language that is used to communicate between people from different countries. I observed that there were many tourists from Russia, China, and Japan....  [Read more]

Wed, 13 Feb 2019 Laura Payne Teaching Ideas 5 Creative Writing Activities for the ESL Classroom Much of language learning comes through language experimentation; steering away from examples and formulas and attempting to arrange your own ideas into words. No matter what a student's goal may be in learning English, they will eventually have to do this by leaving the classroom and using English on their own. Activities like creative writing are one method to encourage the practice of experimentation and expression in ESL students. In this post, we're going to look at five different activities students can use to put their thoughts into writing. Table of Contents Listen to this blog post: 1. (New Year's) Resolutions 2. Letters to the Future 3. Cultural Ambassadors 4. Travel Itinerary...  [Read more]

CEFR   CEFR: Common European Framework of Reference for Languages Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching. This convenient, highly structured design means that you can quickly get to grips with each section before moving onto the next. Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Check out ITTT's Blog Posts I learnt about the many different types of test that schools and teachers use; such as placement tests, diagnostic tests, progress tests, practice tests and general external examinations. I also learnt about Cambridge Assessment, the different features and broad...  [Read more]

Sun, 18 Aug 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas ESA: Teacher’s Best Approach Engage, study and activate method was put forward by Jeremy Harmer. This method provides flexibility to the teacher inside the classroom. Table of Contents Get Ready Learn Practice Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: Teachers can do various activities to make the classroom more comfortable and enjoyable for the students and to learn in a much better way. It is much more appropriate for the new teachers or trainee teachers to apply in the classroom. All the lessons comprise of the engage, study and activate stages. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Priyanka Y. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs...  [Read more]

Thu, 25 Apr 2019 Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Tips for Teaching Different Types of English Learning Groups There are many types of English learning groups and each group requires different teaching techniques. In my opinion, English learners can be divided into 2 groups: beginners and English learners for specific purposes. Beginners can be students who have no English at all or know a few simple structures. They can be children or adults. English learners for specific purposes are students who have a basic English level and want to achieve their specific aims of learning. Table of Contents Young Beginners Adult Beginners English Learners for Specific Purposes Conversation Learners Business Students Examination Classes Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related...  [Read more]

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Navigating the Testing Maze: Understanding the Array of Assessments for ESL Learners Assessing language proficiency is a vital component of any English as a Second Language (ESL) program, enabling educators to gauge learners' abilities and track their progress. In the realm of ESL testing, there exists a diverse array of test types, each designed to evaluate specific language skills and competencies. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the eight primary categories of ESL tests, shedding light on their purposes, formats, and significance in determining learners' language proficiency. Whether you are an ESL teacher, student, or language enthusiast, this article aims to unravel the intricacies of...  [Read more]

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas The Three Key Parts of Classroom Management Proper classroom management is a crucial skill in teaching English as a foreign language. A good teacher will possess the skills and an awareness of how to navigate the classroom setting. Furthermore, a teacher who has good classroom management will produce a positive learning environment where learning is maximized. Three critical skills in classroom management are rapport building, effective lesson planning, and using a diversity of teaching resources. Table of Contents Why Establishing Rapport is a Crucial Part of Classroom Management Why Lesson Planning is a Crucial Part of Classroom Management Why Diverse Teaching Resources are a Crucial Part of Classroom Management Are...  [Read more]

What type of teachers get paid the most? Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL), also known as teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), is a rewarding profession that needs commitment and love. Luckily, you also won't have to sacrifice a good salary! We are sure you are curious about what type of teachers earn the most when teaching abroad, so let's have a look. The simple answer is your potential salary often depends on three main factors: your qualifications, the country you teach in, and the type of school you work for. The fact is, TEFL and TESOL certified teachers earn higher salaries compared to teachers without a certificate. Saudi Arabia, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates are among the top-paying countries in the world to teach English, with salaries...  [Read more]

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Noun Types in English Grammar   Nouns are naming words which make up the most common category of words in the English language. Within this category there are several different types of nouns with specific roles to play.   Nouns are the most common type of word in the English language and therefore make up a large part of EFL language lessons, particularly in lower level classes. As an EFL teacher it is recommended that you have a solid understanding of the different types of nouns so you can help your students make rapid progress in this area of grammar. Common Nouns Common nouns are used to name a GENERAL type of person, place or thing. Common nouns can be divided into smaller classes such as countable and...  [Read more]