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3 Apps for Digital ESL Lesson Plans - TEFL Blog
Fri, 18 Sep 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
3 Apps for Digital ESL Lesson Plans
Being an ESL teacher is not an easy task, especially if you work as a freelancer TEFL teacher online. In this case, you have to be even more organized to provide better services to your students. This blog post offers you 3 apps for digital ESL lesson plans that will save you a lot of time.
Table of Contents
Why do you need a digital lesson planner?
Evernote
Some more essential features will work accurately for your digital ESL lesson plans:
Pricing
Trello
Pricing
Notion
Pricing
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Where can I get free TEFL lesson plans? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
Where can I get free TEFL lesson plans?
For educators in the TEFL field, having a structured lesson plan is a key to successful teaching. While some prefer crafting their own, others benefit from readily available online resources. Leveraging free online resources not only saves time but also offers insights into diverse teaching strategies. If you are looking for free TEFL lesson plans, there are numerous online platforms worth exploring. Here is a curated list of recommended sites where you can access these invaluable resources:
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Where can I get free TEFL lesson plans?
UsingEnglish.com
TEFL.NET
The British Council
Lanternfish ESL
ThoughtCo
BusyTeacher
English Is a Piece of Cake
The Internet TESL Journal
iSLCollective
Online English Expert
Off2Class
Where can I get free... [Read more]
Lesson Planning Essentials - TEFL Blog
Wed, 29 Apr 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Lesson Planning Essentials
In my experience and the experience of my teacher colleagues, lesson planning has never been among the most interesting or engaging activities. The reasons are always different: some believe that lesson planning is not effective because a teacher cannot predict the direction of the lesson. Others think that it is a complete waste of time because the process of planning a lesson may seem boring and time-consuming. As a beginner teacher, I had a false belief that lesson planning is not important for an ESL teacher, especially if the group of students has a high level of English. However, after teaching for a longer period, I have realized that only with a certain amount of planning can an ESL lesson be not... [Read more]
Where can I get free TEFL lesson plans? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
Where can I get free TEFL lesson plans?
Having a meticulously constructed lesson plan is an essential tool for any educator. It provides a roadmap, without which the trajectory of a lesson can go astray rapidly. Although as you amass experience, you may find that you don't need to invest as much time in detailed planning, in the early days of your teaching career, a robust plan can make the difference between a smooth, successful class and a chaotic one. A comprehensive lesson plan enables you to articulate your learning objectives, organize your time efficiently, prepare the required materials and equipment, and anticipate potential issues along with their solutions. A well-prepared plan serves as your guide, ensuring you navigate each phase of the lesson without undue stress or wasted... [Read more]
Top 5 Free Resources for ESL Teachers - TEFL Blog
Fri, 25 Aug 2023 Federico Riva
TEFL Information Teaching Ideas
Top 5 Free Resources for ESL Teachers
Even experienced teachers have difficulty sometimes thinking of new ways to plan and deliver their lessons. The following list gives a set of 'go to' resources, for new and experienced teacher alike, to use for ideas and activities. These examples have been chosen on the basis that they are actually useful, saving teacher time when looking for lesson ideas and materials at all levels and in a wide variety of teaching situationsEach of the websites indicated were correct for the time of writing. You may need to find alternatives if domain names have changed. Also be aware that over time, popular free website resources are sometimes later monetized, either partly or in full.
Table of... [Read more]
The Basics of Planning and Reviewing a Lesson - TEFL Blog
Mon, 16 Dec 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
The Basics of Planning and Reviewing a Lesson
The lesson plan functions as a roadmap for the teacher, providing an organized framework for the planning, preparation, and execution of the lesson and serving as a record of what has been completed. It should not be a detailed script, but rather a guide that allows for flexibility and adaptation in the classroom. The plan is a living document that may continue to be refined and enhanced after execution, incorporating lessons learned.
Table of Contents
Basic Class Identification
Learner Objectives
Personal Aim
Language Point
Anticipated Problems and Solutions
Procedure Information
Lesson Review
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The Art of Preparing Working Lesson Plans - TEFL Blog
Fri, 20 Dec 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
The Art of Preparing Working Lesson Plans
Doing up lesson plans for my up and coming TEFL classes is something that I am quite excited about. I suppose it is because I see an opportunity for creativity and that gets my juices flowing. I love the engage, study and activate model that was taught to us, both in the TEFL course itself as well as in this course on teaching business English lessons to adults. I would like to share some ideas that I have reaped from this course on how I would prepare a lesson plan for the to engage, study and activate methodology.
Table of Contents
Engagement
Giving New Information
Applying New Information on Practice
Points to Remember
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Related... [Read more]
My Plans as an EFL/ESL Teacher - TEFL Blog
Mon, 19 Aug 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
My Plans as an EFL/ESL Teacher
When I envision myself in a classroom full of new English learners, I see myself striving to encourage and motivate students through positive student-to-student and student-to-teacher relationships. One of the key components of successfully learning a new topic is to enjoy it and to see a purpose in doing so. Creating a safe and welcoming environment is one of the most important things a teacher can do to ensure student learning by building confidence in every individual.
Table of Contents
Personal Language Learning Experience
Lesson Plan
Understanding Students' Needs
Favorite Classes
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Alumni Recommendations on Obtaining a TEFL Course - TEFL Blog
Mon, 04 Nov 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Alumni Recommendations on Obtaining a TEFL Course
Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) as a course contains a variety of units that are meant to enable an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher to be prepared for the classroom and everything that they may face. Some of the most important benefits of the course are the units on the three main components of lesson structure, lesson planning, possible problems in the classroom, grammar overviews and classroom management. Even if the TEFL is not a requirement, it is an invaluable resource meant to provide support to ESL teachers wherever they may teach.
Table of Contents
ESA Methodology
Grammar Review
Preparing for Classes
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Key Functions and Principles of Lesson Planning - TEFL Blog
Thu, 21 Mar 2019 Jon ITTT
Alumni Experiences
Key Functions and Principles of Lesson Planning
Lesson planning is an indispensable part of successful lessons. Generally speaking, lesson plans have various functions that are conducive to the classes.
Table of Contents
Listen to this blog post:
The function of a lesson plan
Lesson planning principles
What should a lesson plan include?
The ESA method
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Juan W.
Listen to this blog post:
The function of a lesson plan
First and most importantly, lesson plans can help teachers think and deliver classes logically through different stages of the classes. It can... [Read more]
Lesson Planning for Perfect Results - TEFL Blog
Mon, 03 Aug 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Lesson Planning for Perfect Results
For any work to yield the best results, it has to be efficiently executed for which meticulous planning is a must. Teaching is a very responsible work which decides the careers and hence the lives of students. Teaching is not just a routine job that can be done impromptu. Hence it has to be planned.
Table of Contents
Anticipating Challenges
Lesson Plan Components
Evaluation and Testing
Flexibility
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Eshita P. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of... [Read more]
Lesson Planning: Necessary or Not? - TEFL Blog
Sun, 05 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Lesson Planning: Necessary or Not?
This blog post will focus on answering why lesson planning is important. The fundamentals of lesson planning will be discussed while also covering topics such as teacher demeanor, necessary preparation, and flexibility.
Table of Contents
Necessary or Not?
Benefits
Preparation
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Hannah C.
Necessary or Not?
Firstly it's important to point out that lesson planning isn't seen as a necessary tool for all teachers yet is largely considered helpful and if done so effectively, ensures the smooth running of a class. This means not having a rigid, unchangeable plan but... [Read more]
Top Online Lesson Plan Resources for New and Advanced Teachers - TEFL Blog
Tue, 12 Jun 2018 Mark Crocker
Teaching Ideas
Top Online Lesson Plan Resources for New and Advanced Teachers
For many new and experienced EFL teachers, one of the most challenging aspects of their career is coming up with lesson plans that are both engaging and effective. Even if your employer provides a specific textbook to follow as a curriculum, you will often find that this can be rather dull for the students unless you spice things up by adding in some fun and original ideas from an outside source. By searching online you will find a huge amount of sites offering all manner of resources of varying quality and relevance. To save you the hassle of searching through them all, we have listed our 5 favorite websites that you can use to find quality lesson plans free of charge.
Table... [Read more]
One More View on Consistent Lesson Planning - TEFL Blog
Fri, 24 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
One More View on Consistent Lesson Planning
This is different thoughts on this as with on one hand some people say that it makes the lesson too rigid and on the other side other people say that it is essential for every teacher to do. I have been teaching English for about 3 years now. I feel I have improved in different areas of my teaching. The area that I have noticed the biggest change in over the course of those 3 years is my lesson planning. When I started teaching I would mostly just get the topic of the lesson and then basically just teach from my head using that topic. However, after a while, I got to speak to my fellow teachers and they introduced me to the importance of lesson planning and how to do this the proper... [Read more]
Planning Lessons to Achieve Better Results in ESL - TEFL Blog
Wed, 24 Jun 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Planning Lessons to Achieve Better Results in ESL
In all times when we need to do some activity, we need to think about what to do first, what to do second and what to do last. The same thing when we want to teach; we need to think about the order and the content of this lesson. In other words, we need to plan our lessons. A lesson plan is a detailed tool gathered in a soft or hard form to give instructions to the teacher. So, why planning lessons is important?
Table of Contents
The act of planning a lesson is a very capturing process.
The essential purpose of the lesson plan is to guide teachers.
Also, lesson planning is of great importance for new teachers.
Another outstanding factor is that learners are considered as main benefits... [Read more]
How to Use Learners’ Internal Motivation - TEFL Blog
Thu, 02 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
How to Use Learners’ Internal Motivation
Motivating students is always a challenge and can, in fact, be one of the most difficult parts of education. There are countless ways to either encourage or intimidate a student into completing their work or participating in class but these external motivators have a limited effect. Encouragement and praise may only motivate a student while they are seated in the classroom. A teacher expressing disappointment on an uncompleted assignment may only encourage the student to avoid the subject or course work altogether. One of the best ways I have found for motivating students is to find a student's internal motivation.
Table of Contents
Finding Students' Future Goals
Setting Up The... [Read more]
What to Expect in a Small ESL Program - TEFL Blog
Tue, 08 Aug 2023 Ashton March
TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
What to Expect in a Small ESL Program
Imagine yourself preparing for your first day at your ESL school. You've created a cute presentation for your first lesson, prepared the group activities for your large classroom, and are overjoyed at the thought of meeting your smiley students. Except, you find yourself in a small classroom with one or two students, no tech whatsoever, and figuring out how your group activities are going to work now.
Table of Contents
Creating Your Own Curriculum
Lack of Resources
Small Classes
Remember this!
Are you ready to teach English as a foreign language?
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Teaching at small, low-resource... [Read more]
Why Preparing a Plan is Compulsory for New Teachers - TEFL Blog
Thu, 23 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Why Preparing a Plan is Compulsory for New Teachers
Lesson planning is one of the most important elements of successful teaching in the ESL (English as Second Language) classroom and every TEFL (Teaching English as Foreign Language) lesson needs a plan, particularly so in the case of the less experienced teacher starting their career in a foreign country. The often-cited argument that over planning can create a less fluent atmosphere in the classroom does hold some truth but just as the artist is tutored not to attempt abstract art until first mastering the art of realism, the teacher likewise is best placed not to address a class unprepared until first mastering the art of pre-planning.
Table of Contents
What does your success... [Read more]
Online Workshop: How to Create Lessons Based on Videos - TEFL Blog
Mon, 21 Jun 2021 Federico Riva
TEFL Information Teaching Ideas
Online Workshop: How to Create Lessons Based on Videos
Hey there it's Lizzy here and I'm super happy to welcome you to our weekly live stream. This live stream is provided by ITTT, International TEFL and TESOL Training. If you haven't watched our recent live streams please feel free to go to one of our social networks and check out the previous videos, because we share really useful topics on a regular basis. Today's live stream is going to be devoted to creating lessons based on videos.
Table of Contents
Watch the live session here
Are you ready to teach English abroad or online?
Related Articles:
Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials!
Watch the live session here
I'm going to change the... [Read more]
How to Get Ready for Unforeseen Circumstances in The Classroom? - TEFL Blog
Tue, 14 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
How to Get Ready for Unforeseen Circumstances in The Classroom?
There can be a lot of difficulties a teacher might face in the future lesson. You might have to manage a class without any help or you might have students from different nationalities, ages, interests or so on. I believe, however, that most of the problems you might have would be solved if you planned the lessons carefully in advance. There are some reasons to support my idea.
Table of Contents
What's your lesson goal?
You can manage your class anyways
Know your students
Are you ready to teach ESL classes?
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Eri S.
What's your lesson goal?
First, you can find what you should exactly do in a... [Read more]
The Good and Bad of Course Materials - TEFL Blog
Mon, 24 Dec 2018 Linda Dunsmore
Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
The Good and Bad of Course Materials
There are many interactive tools that can be used during teaching to enhance a lesson and keep students engaged. There are also a few tools that are a teacher's lifeline during a lesson. Course materials that range from props and pictures of vocabulary words to simple worksheets and lesson plans are integral to teaching a good lesson. They can provide basic aid to a teacher or help keep the students' attention. But, when overused or used during the wrong times, course materials can become problematic and disadvantageous. Different things that a teacher brings to a lesson can make or break an ESL lesson.
Table of Contents
Important Course Materials
The Use of Props
The Downside of... [Read more]
The Challenges of Teaching Business English - TEFL Blog
Wed, 05 Feb 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
The Challenges of Teaching Business English
Teaching English as a foreign language presents several opportunities as well as choices for a teacher. Certainly, there are numerous teaching positions around the world in traditional, classroom settings, and most ESL teachers will spend time in those settings. For many teachers, the classroom setting is a fulfilling endeavor; however, other outlets exist for teaching English, including teaching business English.
Table of Contents
Business English teaching vs. teaching for other purposes
Teaching experience
Running an Activity
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Robert E. Please note that this... [Read more]
Online Workshop: How To Create Lessons Based On Videos - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
Online Workshop: How to Create Lessons Based on Videos
Hey there it's Lizzy here and I'm super happy to welcome you to our weekly live stream. This live stream is provided by ITTT, International TEFL and TESOL Training. If you haven't watched our recent live streams please feel free to go to one of our social networks and check out the previous videos, because we share really useful topics on a regular basis. Today's live stream is going to be devoted to creating lessons based on videos.
I'm going to change the size of the slide right now. Let me know if you can see and hear me clearly. There is a comment section in the live stream so feel free to write down any greetings there so I know that someone is there and someone is watching. It's always easier to communicate with the... [Read more]
The Life of an ESL Teacher in Hong Kong - TEFL Blog
Mon, 19 Oct 2020 Gianluca Costa
Destinations TEFL Information Alumni Experiences
The Life of an ESL Teacher in Hong Kong
If you are thinking of moving to Hong Kong to teach English, this article is a great overview of how an ESL teacher's life in Hong Kong can be. English is widely spoken in Hong Kong, and even young children start their English education very early. Many parents place their children in English institutions early on, which shows how important English education is in Hong Kong. That's why Hong Kong offers many opportunities for ESL teachers, and you can find placements in a variety of school settings, from kindergartens, learning centers to private tutoring lessons.
Table of Contents
Let's take a look what a typical day in the life of an ESL teacher in Hong Kong... [Read more]
The Best Teaching Ideas for TEFL Teachers from: 1890
The Best Teaching Ideas for TEFL Teachers
The 3 Most Important Tricks When Teaching English to Kindergarteners
Linda Dunsmore
Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
So, you are new to teaching toddler and young children English? Here are the 3 most important tricks when teaching English to kindergarteners.
Songs in the ESL Classroom for Younger Beginners
Linda Dunsmore
Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
What better way to teach English than with music! Here are some great tips on how to use songs in an ESL classroom for younger beginners!
5 Keywords to Increase Your Confidence in the Classroom as a Teacher
Linda Dunsmore
Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
Are you new to teaching English abroad? Don't fear! These 5 keywords will help you increase your confidence in the... [Read more]
How I Constructed My First ESL Lesson Plan - TEFL Blog
Wed, 01 May 2019 Mark Crocker
Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
How I Constructed My First ESL Lesson Plan
When I had to design my first lesson plan I wanted it to be as coherent as possible as the purpose of every lesson plan is to guide the teacher in organizing her material and herself for the purpose of helping the students to attain the intended learning outcomes. When planning lessons, we need to think carefully about what stages a lesson will go through and how we will get from one stage to another. In this plan I stuck to the ESA (Engage, Study, Activate) Method that I learned about during my TEFL certification course.
Table of Contents
The Engage Stage of the Lesson
The Study Stage of the Lesson
The Activate Stage of the Lesson
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Related... [Read more]
Lesson Planning: What is it and Why is it Necessary? - TEFL Blog
Mon, 29 Apr 2019 Mark Crocker
Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
Lesson Planning: What is it and Why is it Necessary?
Planning, planning, planning! Many things in life need to be properly planned, be it a summer holiday or a work presentation. It can be a plan that is formally written down or it can be a plan that you simply keep in your mind. Having some kind of structure in place before doing activities will help put you at ease because you know what to do next and what to expect. Planning will also make you more productive as there will be no 'guessing' time, you will know what to do and when to do it. Taking the time to plan your lessons will almost certainly save you time in the long run.
Table of Contents
What is a Lesson Plan?
Constructing a Lesson Plan
Added Benefits of a... [Read more]
How Taking a TEFL Certification Course Has Improved My Online English Teaching - TEFL Blog
Wed, 06 Mar 2019 Mark Crocker
Alumni Experiences
How Taking a TEFL Certification Course Has Improved My Online English Teaching
When I was young, I dreamt about thousands of different jobs, but being an online English teacher was never one of them. However, I've had the opportunity to work with Chinese students ranging from 5 to 13 years old and it has been one of the best experiences of my life so far. How am I going to communicate with them? Am I ready to be a teacher? How will I transmit what I want to teach? These are some of the questions that went through my mind before accepting the job, but when I finally decided to take it and started to be an ESL teacher I knew I was doing what I love the most, transmitting knowledge.
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Starting at the bottom and working... [Read more]
TEFL Alumna Shares Her Best Lesson Planning Tricks - TEFL Blog
Thu, 05 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
TEFL Alumna Shares Her Best Lesson Planning Tricks
Lesson planning is an important skill and resource for teachers with benefits for the teacher, the students, and the institution accommodating them. By implementing this technique teachers are equipped with a guide that can instill confidence for themselves, as well as clarity for their students and employers.
Table of Contents
Benefits
Points to Remember
Ways to Solve Anticipated Problems
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jason T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Benefits
One of the primary and more evident benefits of... [Read more]
Methods of Teaching Vocabulary in the Classroom - TEFL Blog
Fri, 02 Aug 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Methods of Teaching Vocabulary in the Classroom
While sentence structure and grammar are the foundation of the English Language, vocabulary is the glue that holds it together. An expansive vocabulary allows students to feel confident in their abilities and communicate more effectively. There are many methods of teaching vocabulary and in each class, the teacher may need to use different methods. This is because each class will be made up of different students each with their own learning style.
Table of Contents
Listen to this blog post:
What is vocabulary for?
Lesson structure
Sample Lesson Plan
Depending on students' age
An example of a more beginner class could entail:
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today?... [Read more]