Esl Blog

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 Sahil Gazi TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Linguistics for ESL Teachers Anyone who has studied linguistics or is a linguist has often been faced with the question, "so how many languages do you speak?" Table of Contents What is Linguistics? Why does it matter? How does it work? How can teachers use linguistics to teach a foreign language such as English? Can it help in career development? In conclusion Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! A point of short-lived frustration in these scenarios, linguists are often mistaken for being polyglots. Although sometimes they will focus on a particular language and even become fluent in it, their goal is not to translate documents or conversations for the...  [Read more]

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 Anna Domiczek Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Teaching Preschool ESL: Songs 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...  [Read more]

Anna Domiczek I am a TEFL qualified teacher with years of preschool teaching experience. I am passionate about ESL teaching techniques, methodologies and enjoy curriculum and instructional design related to both early education and teaching English as a second language. As a language enthusiast, I am also a freelance interpreter and translator. Read my articles Top Tips for Using TPR in Preschool ESL Teaching | ITTT | TEFL Blog Anna Domiczek Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Are you planning on teaching English as a foreign language? Check out this article for tips for using TPR in preschool ESL teaching. Preschool ESL Curriculum Components with VIPKID | ITTT | TEFL Blog Anna Domiczek TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Are you considering teaching English with...  [Read more]

Tue, 13 Aug 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Child Development and ESL Teaching 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. Table of Contents Listen to this blog post: So how does teaching EFL contribute to child development? Activities in TEFL Behavior Correction Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: 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. Listen to this blog post: So how does teaching EFL contribute to child development? At this crucial stage of these young...  [Read more]

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas How to Encourage ESL Students 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. Table of Contents Personal Experience Online vs. Real Students' Peculiarities Body Language Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: 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. Personal Experience In my...  [Read more]

Mon, 16 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Discipline in the ESL Classroom It's the first day at school, and the students are excited yet little nervous to meet their new teacher as he or she will determine how school life and daily routine will look like for the next six months. The teacher might experience the same feeling depending on her or his experience and personality.As a teacher, you should give a good impression on the first day of school. The clothes you choose to wear; the attitude you show in class, and tone of voice when speaking could play a determinant role in students' judgment of you and their future behavior. Table of Contents Sympathy and authority Rules and regulations Not to do: To do: What works for me might not work for you Different type of students...  [Read more]

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas 5 Most Popular ESL Games After doing some research online and asking some of my friends who are experienced teachers, I have compiled a list below of what we believe to be the five favorite flashcard games.Until I am a practicing teacher myself, I cannot come up with my favorite list and it would also, of course, depend on the age and ability of the students. Table of Contents 1. Musical Chairs 2. Bean Bag Toss 3. Blind Man 4. Bingo 5. Write Around the Room Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Alessandra F. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. 1. Musical Chairs This is a classic...  [Read more]

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Flashcard Games for ESL Classrooms Most of the teachers in my school would say that the purpose of flashcards is to simply introduce grammar points, concepts, review vocabulary; and most likely, they would mention the joylessness of flashcards when teaching unmotivated students. In truth, flashcards are known for being one of the most boring ways to study. Nevertheless, there are reasons why teachers still choose flashcards for conducting lessons. Russian people say: "Repetition is a mother of learning." I can not argue with the Russians. Indeed, repetition is crucial, but it often changes the mood of the classroom to "boring." Normally, it happens when the activities with flashcards are poorly organized, or when there are no other...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina 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. Read my articles The Importance and Application of Created Materials in ESL Teaching | ITTT | TEFL Blog 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. 7 Principles of Effective ESL Classroom Management | ITTT | TEFL Blog Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas This blog post was written...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina 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. Read my articles What Makes ESL Kindergarten so Challenging for Teachers? | ITTT | TEFL Blog Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas In this blog post, our recent TEFL graduate shares their thoughts on why teaching English to kindergarten students can be complicated. The Secrets of Organizing Any ESL Classroom | ITTT | TEFL Blog Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas In this article, our recent TEFL graduate provides us with several strategies to organize an ESL classroom for effective work. Features of ESL Games in the Classroom | ITTT | TEFL Blog ...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina 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. Read my articles 5 ESL Classroom Halloween Decor Ideas | ITTT | TEFL Blog Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas In this blog post, our TEFL experts share five Halloween decor ideas for your ESL classroom. Get inspired and create incredible atmosphere of this fun holiday. 7 Easy Ways to Make Money Online as an English Teacher | ITTT | TEFL Blog Elizaveta Pachina Budget and Salary TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas This blog post was written by an ITTT TEFL expert who shares 7 ideas on how to make...  [Read more]

Thu, 19 Sep 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Challenges of ESL Learners in China 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. Table of Contents Personal Pronouns Prepositions Modal Verbs Grammar Learning Approach Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: 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. Personal Pronouns ESL learners especially adult learners happen to have a persistent problem with the...  [Read more]

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas How to Become an ESL Teacher 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. Table of Contents When Do You Become a Teacher? Many Responsibilities Are you ready to teach English abroad or online? Related Articles:...  [Read more]

Thu, 04 Jul 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Motivating Students In An ESL Classroom 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. Table of Contents Listen to this blog post: Challenging Goals...  [Read more]

Tue, 06 Aug 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas ESL Classroom Observation of Teaching Techniques 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...  [Read more]

Wed, 12 Feb 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Parental Help in Children’s ESL Education 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. Table of Contents Revision Utilize objects Friendly environment Motivation In-touch with the school While teaching the juniors, parents may face some problems or obstacles. Do you want to teach...  [Read more]

Wed, 02 Oct 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences How Can Online Education Influence ESL? 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. Table of Contents The Ideas of Online Teaching Future of Education Future Experience Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: 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. The Ideas of Online Teaching Online teaching has the added benefit to educational institutions in the way that it has the...  [Read more]

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Bringing ESL into the Computer Age 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...  [Read more]

Fri, 15 Nov 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching Speaking in an ESL Kindergarten 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. Table of Contents Beginning of the class Methodology Active stage Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rebecca S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily...  [Read more]

Mon, 16 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences How Can Family Assist in ESL? 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. Table of Contents Parents and School Investment Defense and Development Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: 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...  [Read more]

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas ESL Games For Better Teaching Results 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. Table of Contents Motivation Methodology Benefits Are you ready to teach English abroad or...  [Read more]

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Storytelling Activities in an ESL Setting 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. Table of Contents What are Stories for? Storytelling and School Subjects Resources Another activity was the Autobiography of Anything Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: 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. What are Stories for? If you think about storytelling, you notice that the passing down of stories from generation to...  [Read more]

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas 7 Steps to ESL Classroom Gamification 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. Table of Contents 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 Are you ready to learn new teaching skills? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! In this blog post, our ITTT TEFL expert shares seven steps to...  [Read more]

Mon, 14 Oct 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Lesson Planning for Structured ESL Classes 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. Table of Contents What is lesson planning for? Lesson flow Course effectiveness Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Yanfen G. Please note that this blog post might...  [Read more]

Mon, 06 Jan 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Helpful and Fun Outdoor ESL Activities 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. Table of Contents Freewriting time Flashcard game 'Stand up if you've ever' game Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Sarosh Z. Please note that this blog...  [Read more]

Fri, 28 Feb 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Problems for ESL Learners in China 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. Table of Contents Governmental decision Spelling Pronunciation Singular / Plural Aspect Gender Articles Lack of opportunities to practice Word order Individual differences Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ramy M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the...  [Read more]

Thu, 05 Sep 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Problems for ESL Learners in Turkey 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. Table of Contents Expectations Syntax Usage of the First Language Students' Efforts Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: 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. Expectations First of all, learners expect teaching to be prescriptive rather than descriptive, which indicates, they tend to memorize the sample...  [Read more]

Wed, 26 Feb 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Strategies of Teaching ESL Groups Effectively 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...  [Read more]

Thu, 12 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching Roles and Functions in ESL 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. Table of Contents Social Responsibility Psychological...  [Read more]

Thu, 25 Jul 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Problems for ESL Learners in Malaysia 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. Table of Contents English in the Malay History Problem For Learners in Malaysia 1. Scenario 2. Problem 3. How to solve the problem? Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course...  [Read more]