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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]
Child Development and ESL Teaching - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Teaching young children is one of a great rewarding experience. Young learners are truly natural acquirers of language. They can easily adapt and acquire language being purely taught to them.
Listen to this blog post:
So how does teaching EFL contribute to child development?
Activities in TEFL
Behavior Correction
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Georgios G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
At this crucial stage of these young learners' lives, they simply imitate everything they see especially their significant others. We, their teachers are one of those significant others who they mimic... [Read more]
How to Encourage ESL Students - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
For the past couple of months, I have worked as an ESL teacher for the company Qkids. I took this course in order to obtain a certificate and meet the Chinese national standards. Even though I took it for that purpose only, it has been a very informative and helpful class. I have learned so much that I can apply to my own online ESL classes.
Personal Experience
Online vs. Real
Students' Peculiarities
Body Language
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rebekah P. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
In my experience, and from what I have learned in the class, it is very important to keep the students... [Read more]
Last posts written by Elizaveta
Liza is a translator, freelancer and ESL teacher from Russia. She had been teaching in a Chinese bilingual school for more than two years and recently moved to Thiland to run her blog about teaching and freelance job.
Elizaveta Pachina
TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
This blog post was written by a recent ITTT TEFL graduate who considers the problem of ESL teaching materials. ✅ Read this article to find out how to create and implement teaching materials in TEFL teaching.
Elizaveta Pachina
TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
This blog post was written by a recent ITTT TEFL graduate who considers the problem of ESL classroom management. ✅ Read this article to find out how to manage any TEFL class in 7 easy steps.
Elizaveta Pachina
TEFL... [Read more]
Problems for ESL Learners in Turkey - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
I have started teaching English in Turkey, since 2018. If you are planning to start your teaching career here, I would like to mention several pros and cons and problems of learning English for the speakers of the Turkish language.
Expectations
Syntax
Usage of the First Language
Students' Efforts
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Hanie s. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
First of all, learners expect teaching to be prescriptive rather than descriptive, which indicates, they tend to memorize the sample instead of learning through the examples and explanations. Secondly, students are... [Read more]
Problems for ESL Learners in China - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
The English language has become so essential in china because the country wants to successfully promote internationalism and keep the lines of communication open for trade and business matters. As one of the global powers, it's in the country's best interest to keep afloat of shifting trends in international matters.
Governmental decision
Spelling
Pronunciation
Singular / Plural Aspect
Gender
Articles
Lack of opportunities to practice
Word order
Individual differences
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ramy M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
The government has recognized that English is now... [Read more]
Lesson Planning for Structured ESL Classes - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
The lesson plan is a structure of the course that you will give to your students, a clear guide as to what you want to achieve and how you are going to do it. A good lesson plan generally consists of learner objectives, personal aims, language points, procedure, phase, and interaction, etc. It is of great importance because it can help teachers to have confidence in class, make the class go more smoothly and help to improve the course.
What is lesson planning for?
Lesson flow
Course effectiveness
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Yanfen G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Firstly, it can help... [Read more]
Helpful and Fun Outdoor ESL Activities - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
What outdoor activities can help to teach English? I would like to say that there are plenty of outdoor activities that are effective to teach English. However, many teachers prefer indoor activities rather than outdoor, as they think that it might distract the students. Nonetheless, outdoor activities can increase their motivation for learning. Also, it helps to decrease their stress level, as they do not have to stay in the classroom as usual.
Freewriting time
Flashcard game
'Stand up if you've ever' game
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Sarosh Z. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
The teacher... [Read more]
Strategies of Teaching ESL Groups Effectively - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
There are different types of classes. We will be teaching and adults and children. Let's take a more detailed look into each group. ESL teachers are often working with beginners; however, some people could have been exposed to English previously. We can refer to these students as 'false beginners.' This subgroup could include adults who have learned the language before and may have forgotten it without consistent use. Adults beginners may tend to be more motivated than young beginner learners because adults make the decision to study English by themselves. Children may be told to learn and externally motivated by parents or family members. We should keep in mind that a beginner without previous exposure to the Roman alphabet may require more initial work... [Read more]
Problems for ESL Learners in Malaysia - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Malaysia is located in South East Asia which occupies parts of the Malay Peninsula and some part of the Borneo Island. These two lands are separated by the South China Sea It was once colonized by the British from the 18th century until it gained its independence in 1957 as the Federation of Malaya and later on formed Malaysia with joining of the North Borneo, Sarawak in 1963. Bahasa Melayu commonly known as the Malay Language is the national language of the country while English becomes the second language.
English in the Malay History
Problem For Learners in Malaysia
1. Scenario
2. Problem
3. How to solve the problem?
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This post was written by our TEFL certification... [Read more]
Parental Help in Children’s ESL Education - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Children are said to be wet clay that can be molded to give the desired shape. And, this shape can be collaboratively given by the parents and the school. Even though teachers play a great role to teach children, parents can do much more in their children's education. Almost three-quarters of the time of a schooling child spent at home, which means most of the lessons & behavior is adapted by them from their family. Therefore, parents are always said to be the first teacher of a child.
Revision
Utilize objects
Friendly environment
Motivation
In-touch with the school
While teaching the juniors, parents may face some problems or obstacles.
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A home may lack most of the... [Read more]
Teaching Roles and Functions in ESL - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Teaching can be defined as the action of a person imparting skills or knowledge, giving instructions, the job which requires teaching, the profession of great responsibility and specific character. The teacher is not only the person who gives knowledge but can be a model of competence. The role of the teacher is significant as they teach more than lessons in a book, try to teach how to think and how to choose the right above the wrong, to differentiate deeper things than peoples' outlook. The teacher is a manager of creating a special atmosphere in the classroom conducive to learning, this person guides the south of the difficulties.
Social Responsibility
Psychological Responsibilities
Management
Delivering Information
Planning and Other Things
Do you... [Read more]
Challenges of ESL Learners in China - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
The country of choice I would like to speak about is China. I have been teaching in China for about a year at all levels. Several problems face English learners in this country ranging from the use of prepositions, modal auxiliary and the male and feminine pronouns.
Personal Pronouns
Prepositions
Modal Verbs
Grammar
Learning Approach
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Mandella Elorm A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
ESL learners especially adult learners happen to have a persistent problem with the use of he/she, most students start speaking about a male character and then midway start... [Read more]
Motivating Students In An ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Motivation is a crucial part of learning and it has grave importance especially in an ESL classroom. Language teachers should be aware of their role in motivating their students and take responsibility while teaching. Students tend to get easily demotivated while they are learning a new language since it involves making many mistakes and devoting a lot of time and effort. Teachers should help their students to keep their motivation level high. There are three main steps for motivating learners. Teachers should start with setting attainable goals, blend their needs and interests while teaching and acknowledge their accomplishments.
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Challenging Goals
Inclusive Lesson Planning
Giving a feedback
Are you ready to teach English... [Read more]
ESL Classroom Observation of Teaching Techniques - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
The instructional lesson which was observed for this assignment was English as a second language classroom listening lesson. There were four students in the room during this lesson. These four students ranged in age from grades ninth through twelfth. Two students were male and two students were female. There was one instructor in the room. The primary teaching methodology used by the instructor in this ESL course was The Task-based approach to language learning. This instructor did well in explaining details, breaking down complicated topics, and conveying her message. But, she hindered her lesson by maintaining too stern of a tone for the duration of the class and maintaining no form of visual aid.
Review
Approach
Teaching Skills
Problems
Do you want to... [Read more]
Bringing ESL into the Computer Age - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
I play video games. I'm not sure I would classify myself as a gamer, but I like to play and have as long as I can remember. I went to school before the internet was available, so I remember having to manually look up everything. I remember when computers were first introduced into classrooms, and what a difference it made. Now it seems like teaching can't be done without the use of computers, as they have become such an integral part of the classroom. This has changed the way that ESL teaching is conducted. The question isn't whether computers are necessary for a classroom or not. There are very few people let in the world who think that computers in the classroom are a bad idea. This isn't about whether or not to use a computer to teach a foreign... [Read more]
How Can Family Assist in ESL? - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Parental involvement in every sphere of life has played significant roles in the successful life activities of people, children especially. These roles are not only limited to home but constant involvement in educational activities too. Recent developments in education have heightened the need for parental involvement in that area of children's development.
Parents and School
Investment
Defense and Development
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Consequently, in recent decades, parental involvement in education has been one of the major interesting topics for research and discussion, with a growing body of literature confirming the critical roles parents play in helping both teachers and students succeed... [Read more]
Is Teaching ESL/EFL Online Convenient? - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Online teaching is a term used to explain distance conversational courses that are offered over the internet platform. Nowadays, learning a second language as English is open to the World. So far, E-teaching is very effective because it gives teachers chances to teach from home for lower costs. Online teaching provides new opportunities for students and teachers. For example, everyone would have access to English no matter where the location is if they have the internet. Online teaching gives teachers flexibility in teaching hours. The Internet is a very competitive learning environment for young learners. It is easier to fix mistakes from home and less embarrassing. Online teaching can be very comfortable at home because there is no dress code or... [Read more]
Storytelling Activities for the ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Storytelling can be useful to enhance students' imaginations as well as improve a wide variety of skills such as listening, comprehension, order, memory, and vocabulary. It is targeted for all ages, but best to start earliest possible to allow students to develop a liking towards reading. Storytelling can come with different forms of follow-up activities to further increase teaching efficiency as well as to check understanding of the students through elicitation. This essay will be focused on mainly storytelling activities for young learners in schools.
Activities
Experience
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jin K. Please note that this blog post might not... [Read more]
Implementing Music in an ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
There are many reasons that using songs in the classroom is important. The first, music speeds up learning. The 1960s was the moment when scholars began to examine the possibility of increasing memory abilities with music.
Research in the Field
In classroom
Other purposes to use music
Group work
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Huong T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
A series of creative experiments performed by Dr. Georgi Lozanov and Evelyna Gateva and their findings revolutionized teaching methodology. It initiated the whole brain learning method called Accelerated Learning. Knowledge... [Read more]
Storytelling Activities in an ESL Setting - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
When I started writing this essay I found loads of interesting material on this topic and I think later on I will look for many more articles and books to learn more about this fascinating world of storytelling.
What are Stories for?
Storytelling and School Subjects
Resources
Another activity was the Autobiography of Anything
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Olha K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
If you think about storytelling, you notice that the passing down of stories from generation to generation from century to century taught us history, culture, skills, and knowledge. "Thinking of... [Read more]
7 Steps to ESL Classroom Gamification - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
Games are great tools to motivate students and encourage them to learn things informally. However, ESL classroom games must have a purpose and support the learning process and not distract from it.
Listen to this blog post:
1. Set a Clear Goal
2. Divide the Goal into Simpler Steps
3. Choose a Cool Game Format
4. Personalize the Game
5. Create Motivation Badges
6. Design a Leaderboard
7. Consider Various Approaches to the Game
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Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials!
In this blog post, our ITTT TEFL expert shares seven steps to gamify your ESL classroom effectively.
Before starting a game with your... [Read more]
Teaching Speaking in an ESL Kindergarten - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
In teaching kindergarten level students, I find that three important aspects must be included in every lesson. Each lesson must contain parts that allow the students to "warm-up" their English skills, they must also have a chance to drill the vocabulary and target language, and lastly, the classes must have activities that give the students a chance to practice using their vocabulary and target language in a relatable activity.
Beginning of the class
Methodology
Active stage
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rebecca S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
The kindergarten lesson warm-up allows the... [Read more]
ESL Games For Better Teaching Results - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
Games are seen as time wasted. According to my, it is a pointless prejudice. Because some people suppose playing games in the classroom can only be as computer games; on the contrary, fun in the school is more instructive for students' self-improvement. Meanwhile, the research has shown that the classroom games affect students positively, such as having more motivation, having a controlled competitive environment, strategy simulator, peer positive, less stress, enhanced memory, class cooperation, and new knowledge. We will see how games are essential in our education.
Motivation
Methodology
Benefits
Are you ready to teach English abroad or online?
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Check out what our course grads say in our many video... [Read more]
How Can Online Education Influence ESL? - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Generally, it is thought that education is going through a major overall, this includes but is not limited to the structure of how education is provided to students from both the perspective of classrooms at educational institutions and online teaching.
The Ideas of Online Teaching
Future of Education
Future Experience
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Niki S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Online teaching has the added benefit to educational institutions in the way that it has the ability of lowering business costs such as overheads where the institution does not need to pay for basic... [Read more]
How to Become an ESL Teacher - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
In the world, there are many different professions that people dream of. If you ask someone to name some of them, they probably would say something like a doctor, teacher, singer, and so on. When I was a child, my dad wanted me to become a teacher. He thought that becoming a teacher was a great job. Not just him, but many other people also thought so. It has always been like that. Back then, I was too young to understand the reason. But now that I have become a teacher, I am starting to realize why my dad and everyone else liked it.
When Do You Become a Teacher?
Many Responsibilities
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... [Read more]
7 Non-Trivial Online ESL Games - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
There are many famous games used by TEFL teachers that students know like the back of their hand. If you want to change up your online lessons and bring even more fun in your teaching, check out these seven non-trivial online ESL games to help you in every stage of the TEFL class.
Listen to this blog post:
1. Connect The Dots
2. Simon Says
3. Online Word Chain
4. Catchphrase
5. I Went to The Market and Bought
6. Don't Say Yes or No
7. Would You Rather?
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Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials!
For this activity, you will need to prepare a digital image and share it with a student during the online class. You... [Read more]
Playing Games in an ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
"Play is our brain's favorite way of learning" – Diane Ackerman.
Game Rules
Adaptability to Age Differences
Other Groups Types
Are you ready to teach English abroad or online?
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Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials!
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Danila E. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
I could not agree more with the quote above as playing games in the classroom has many advantages:The main thing needed for a successful process of learning is, of course, motivation. And playing games certainly increases students' interest and their willingness to participate in the class.... [Read more]
Top 8 Misconceptions About Teaching ESL - TEFL Blog
Federico Riva
TEFL Information Alumni Experiences
In this blog post, we will look at 8 of the most widely held misconceptions regarding the teaching of ESL worldwide.
Watch the video about this topic
Misconception #1: It's really hard to find a job
Misconception #1: You need a degree to teach English abroad.
Misconception #3: Teaching English abroad doesn't pay well
Misconception #4: You need to speak another language to teach ESL abroad
Misconception #5: You have to teach kids
Misconception #6: Teaching ESL is only a job for young people
Misconception #7: You don't need a TEFL qualification, if you're a native English speaker
Are you ready to teach English as a foreign language?
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Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials!
The demand for... [Read more]
What Incentives Work With ESL Students? - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
I have been a teacher my whole life. First, I coached volleyball to a group of eleven-year-olds. Afterward, I became (and still am) a yoga teacher currently looking to extend my teaching qualifications towards teaching English to kids online. Through all this experience I have come to know that the true power of a teacher revolves around his/her ability to involve and motivate students; to inspire and elevate them. That alone can bring about faster development than any amount of grammar exercises and drills ever would on their own.
My Personal Experience
Who Can be a Teacher?
Student-Teacher Rapport
Suggestopedia
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Hristina... [Read more]
