Fun Games To Play With A Whiteboard

Wed, 10 Jul 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Interactive Whiteboard in a Young Learner's ESL Class Interactive whiteboards have been around since the turn of the millennium. They have been implemented and studied in multiple ESL classrooms, primary schools, and language centers in order to find the best practices. The American Council of the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) acknowledges the importance of using technology, such as the interactive whiteboard, to support and enhance classroom-based instructions (Segni & Davidson, 2019). In order for the interactive whiteboard to be used effectively to take advantage of learning opportunities and support children's learning, it is important to use it skillfully in education. Table of Contents Listen to this blog post: What...  [Read more]

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 Hoàng Minh Huy TEFL Information Alumni Experiences 3 Creative Zoom Lesson Plans for Children Due to the pandemic, distance learning has replaced traditional classroom instruction worldwide. Teachers in Hong Kong are attempting to find ways to instruct their students while at home under quarantine. To help you stay inspired when instructing online, I'm going to share some enjoyable games and activities to play with kids using Zoom in this post. If you've never used Zoom, you must give it a try with your students; you'll be pleasantly surprised. Table of Contents Show and tell Draw and guess Board game Conclusion Are you ready to teach English as a foreign language? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! Because...  [Read more]

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 Karah Musani Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas 7 Fun Reward Systems That Will Keep Your Students More Engaged Teaching children can be challenging. If you're teaching an adult, chances are, they're there because they want to learn. Most children, however, would much rather be watching their favorite TV show, so it's important to make the class fun and engaging. One of the best ways to do this is with a reward system. Plan a reward system with 4 to 6 rewards and give one to the student periodically throughout the class when they have done a good job. You can use this to reinforce good behavior and to encourage the student to try harder so that they get more rewards. All of my reward systems rely on a whiteboard the students can see. The rewards will be placed on the...  [Read more]

Tue, 18 May 2021 Charlotte Lam Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas 6 Fun Zoom Teaching Ideas for Kids Due to the pandemic, distance learning has become the new form of teaching all over the words. In Hong Kong, teachers are trying to figure out ways to teach their students while having quarantine at home. In this post, I'm going to share some fun activities and games to play with kids by using Zoom so that you won't run out of ideas when teaching through an online platform. If you've never used Zoom before, you must try it with your students, and it definitely surprises you. Table of Contents Before having lessons, set up zoom ground rules! Discussion questions ideas: Below are some fun activities ideas to play with the kids: 1. Scavenger Hunt 2. Show and Tell 3. Draw and Guess 4....  [Read more]

Mon, 15 Jul 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas 4 Ways How Games Can Enhance Your Lesson Games have proven to be a useful approach within a classroom environment when teaching English. In this essay, I will be discussing in further detail why it is beneficial for the teacher to use games as part of their teaching practice and the different types of games that can be played. Table of Contents 1. Set up a comfortable environment 2. Build a team 3. Help to get flexible in class Bingo Guess who Role play Imagination games Hangman 4. Help to review the material Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Alexander K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs...  [Read more]

Games in the Classroom There are many games that can be used in the TEFL classroom, from simple games that only require a pen and a whiteboard to more elaborate board games. There are some games that have been specifically designed to be used in English language classes, while other, everyday games that we usually play for fun can also be adapted to be used with your students. You can even create your own games! There are many misconceptions about using games in the classroom. Some people believe that studying should be serious and that there is no place for this kind of “entertainment” in the classroom. Others believe that games are only for children and that adults are not interested in playing when they should be studying. Neither of these assertions is true, research and...  [Read more]

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The 5 Most Exciting Flashcard Games I love flashcards. Honestly, I really do. For me, they are a never-ending source of games and activities. Nowadays I work as an ESL teacher in a training center and I teach mostly young learners (students from 3 to 8 years old) and I am strongly convinced that this age group may learn a foreign language only through games, entertaining activities and live communication. Therefore, I am trying to be creative and use plenty of teaching aids and props, such as IWB, OHP, whiteboard, course books, board games, balls, balloons, hoops, various arts and crafts, etc. However, I find that using flashcards is simple yet one of the most effective tools to increase my student's vocabulary. And here are some of...  [Read more]

Thu, 25 Mar 2021 Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas 5 Fun ESL Flashcard Games to Activate New English Skills During the lessons, teachers usually use a variety of materials and teaching aids. One of the most common is flashcards. They have so many benefits: Table of Contents 1. Hit the flashcard 2. What's missing? 3. Pass the envelope 4. Am I? 5. Jump and name Are you ready to teach English abroad or online? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Oksana K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Flashcards can be used both for learning new vocabulary and for revision.Here are some of the...  [Read more]

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Why Games in the Classroom are Effective Teaching English as a foreign language with little to no experience is a daunting task and one that should be seriously considered. There are many aspects to teaching that I was expected to know and implement while teaching English in another country. I had to learn how to teach in about two weeks and although I learned many techniques and strategies, one of the most important tools and one of the most effective was including games in the classroom. Table of Contents Games as a tool for learning Applicability Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Patricia C. Please note that this blog post might not...  [Read more]

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas 3 Online ESL Teaching Ideas You Must Try Before 2021 This year has been challenging for all educators due to quarantine and long-term distance learning. However, it is vital to work on online teaching skills to enhance your students' online ESL experience. Table of Contents Listen to this blog post: 1. Interact With Your Students through an Online Board What other tools can be useful for an online ESL teaching session? Why should you try an online board? 2. Gamify Your Online Classes That's how to do it: How can you and your online ESL students benefit from games in the lessons? 3. Create a Feedback Template How can you organize this part of your job? Are you ready to teach online? Take a TEFL...  [Read more]

Wed, 12 May 2021 Anna Domiczek Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas 8 Effective Reward Systems for ESL Learners in an Online Classroom Reward systems can be a very powerful tool for teachers in an online environment. Having a reward system for your students is essential because it encourages even the more shy and reserved young learners to participate in their virtual English lessons. Table of Contents Advantages of Using Reward Systems in Online ESL Teaching. Use Rewards Carefully: Potential Disadvantages 8 Reward Systems for ESL Students Physical Movement Teacher-designed Rewards Class Dojo ManyCam Whiteboard Awards Game Participation Magnetic Dress-Up Virtual Certificates Conclusion: Reward Systems Motivate ESL Students. Are you ready to teach English abroad or online? Related...  [Read more]

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 Juan Pedro Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Main Differences Between In-Class and Online Teaching I remember the first time I sat in front of a computer waiting for my online student to arrive. I had already been teaching in-class for about two years, but this was my debut in the unknown online waters. Table of Contents Student participation Types of activities you can do Equipment needed Controlling the use of the student's first language Monitoring student progress with the activities Wrapping up Are you ready to teach English abroad or online? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! In the current world, online teaching has gained more popularity due to the pandemic. Yet, a few years ago, when I started with it,...  [Read more]

Fri, 14 Jun 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Classroom in 2019: How Technologies Influence Teaching Technologies are constantly evolving and improving. There are literally dozens of new technologies that can be applied to the modern classroom in 2019 that have not yet made their way into mainstream usage. New tech changes the way subjects are taught, how students learn and the way teachers and students communicate with each other. Everything from new types of interactive whiteboards, classroom response systems, use of social media, tablet computers and classroom websites to the more exotic and potentially cost-prohibitive techs such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality(VR) or even holographic projectors are commercially available for use in the classroom. Table of...  [Read more]

Wed, 13 Jun 2018 Mark Crocker Teaching Ideas Top Time Fillers for an EFL Classroom As every TEFL certified English teacher will know, it is all too common to find you have completed the lesson but there is still time left before the end of the class. While first-time teachers might panic in this position, experienced teachers will always have a few go-to activities to use in these situations. To help you out we have put together the following suggestions for fun, educational activities that can be brought out with little or no preparation. Table of Contents Telephone Pictionary The Never-Ending Story Why/Because Charades Whiteboard Slam Would You Rather Open Questions Listen to this blog post Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Telephone This is a classic old...  [Read more]

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas How to Design Online English Lessons With Miro and Canva Hello everybody, my name is Liza and I welcome you to the weekly live stream run by ITTT. Today's live stream is going to be slightly different from the previous ones because I'm going to share my screen and show you technical things in real time. So this live stream is going to be devoted to the best tools for designing online English lessons and to make sure everything is clear to you, I want to show you in real time how I design my lessons. 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...  [Read more]

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Challenges Faced by EFL Teachers in Kindergarten in Bangkok, Thailand Kindergartners can range from as young as 1 and a half years old to 7 years old. These children have barely developed in themselves and their native language and are required to learn English as a foreign language. To achieve this, creativity is essential to make language learning as fun and enjoyable as physically possible. My new role as "Teacher Ellie" in a kindergarten school in Bangkok, Thailand has provided me with on the job experience of language teaching. This essay will explore what I have learned so far, including any problems I faced and how I overcame them. Table of Contents Firstly, I shadowed and observed the teachers in my school to see how they...  [Read more]

Thu, 24 May 2018 Linda Dunsmore TEFL Information The Best Apps to Have on Your Phone While Teaching English Abroad In recent years, more and more classrooms have become more technologically advanced and more and more teachers are using digital teaching materials. However, you don't always need to hand out tablets to your students or have a fancy digital whiteboard to take advantage of recent advances in digital teaching materials. Here are some great apps to have on your phone while teaching English abroad that you can use to enhance your lessons and really engage your students in the classroom. Table of Contents Apps for Inside the Classroom Educreations Kahoot Epic! Unlimited Books for Kids Instructables Apps for Outside the Classroom Additio Slack Teacher's Assistant Pro Remind...  [Read more]

How to Design Online English Lessons With Miro and Canva   Hello everybody, my name is Liza and I welcome you to the weekly live stream run by ITTT. Today's live stream is going to be slightly different from the previous ones because I'm going to share my screen and show you technical things in real time. So this live stream is going to be devoted to the best tools for designing online English lessons and to make sure everything is clear to you, I want to show you in real time how I design my lessons. As I have already mentioned in some of my previous streams, I've been using a couple of useful tools to deliver my classes. The first is Mira which is an online collaborative whiteboard, and another one is Canva which is a really great designing tool for creating beautiful...  [Read more]

Mon, 10 Jun 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Going Outside: Stimulating Learning Through Outdoor Lessons and Activities One of the key elements to being an effective teacher is variety. One cannot teach by using the same lesson structure, the same activities, the same worksheets, the same plan every single time. No matter how effective it may be, students will still tire from the repetition, and their engagement will wane. And that is exactly why teachers have a toolbox from which to draw a wide variety of skills, activities, plans, and ideas to keep the classroom fresh and engaging. Changing scenery, environments, and going outside is all part of this toolbox, and can be used to an effective extent to keep lessons feeling stimulating and varied. And by doing so, the teacher is...  [Read more]

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 Federico Riva Teaching Ideas Online ESL Game Design Workshop for Teachers Hello everybody and welcome to the ITTT weekly live stream. It's Liza here and I'm super excited that this stream happens every week and we can talk about teaching and TEFL and stuff like that. So welcome and thank you for joining me. 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! Today, we are going to talk about online ESL game design. Last week I started showing you the game I was designing, it was Monopoly. Today I'm going to show you the outcome of the game and also tell you a little bit more about online game design. Watch the live session here Thanks a...  [Read more]

Online ESL Game Design Workshop for Teachers   Hello everybody and welcome to the ITTT weekly live stream. It's Liza here and I'm super excited that this stream happens every week and we can talk about teaching and TEFL and stuff like that. So welcome and thank you for joining me. Today, we are going to talk about online ESL game design. Last week I started showing you the game I was designing, it was Monopoly. Today I'm going to show you the outcome of the game and also tell you a little bit more about online game design. Thanks a lot for letting me know that you are watching and right now please let me know at what stage of your ESL career you are at. As for me, I'm an online ESL teacher currently. I used to teach in a real classroom several years ago, but then I decided to...  [Read more]

Wed, 22 May 2019 Jon ITTT Alumni Experiences 4 Benefits of Using Technology in the Classroom In an era where technology is prevalent and has become a big part of our culture, it is beneficial to incorporate it in the classroom. Technology in the Education system is one of the greatest changes we have witnessed over the years. The paradigm has shifted immensely to a point where we no longer must sit in a classroom to learn. Everything being taught in the classroom can now be taught online in the comfort of your own space and at a time convenient to you. Table of Contents Increases experimentation and interaction Reduces costs and increases access to learning materials Boosts the effectiveness of education Keeps pace with contemporary teaching practices Are you ready to teach English...  [Read more]

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 Anna Domiczek TEFL Information Alumni Experiences How to Engage Young ESL Learners in an Online Classroom Shifting from a traditional classroom to a virtual setting can be daunting for teachers who do not have experience teaching online. This is especially the case if one has to keep young students engaged and motivated. What are the tricks to instill excitement and interest in preschoolers who do not have the intrinsic motivation to perform to achieve good grades? Their parents' primary desire is for them to speak like the native and one day go off to an internationally renowned US university or work for a foreign company. Young students are motivated by something else- a desire to have fun in a welcoming environment. Table of Contents English learners are getting...  [Read more]

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 Anastasiya Akpinar Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas ESA Teaching Method: ✅ How to use ESA for Online English Lessons Do you remember the frustration you have experienced after education moved went online? While it may have been a disaster initially, most teachers have now adapted to the new streams of the educational process. Some even say distance learning is better for everyone. Table of Contents Where to start? Simplicity is king Three magic letters: ESA In the beginning: Engage! Now, let's study! Imagine. Motivate. Activate! Zoom background and filters help to learn Are you ready to teach English online? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! One of the most popular approaches to teaching is the ESA method, and...  [Read more]

Wed, 28 Aug 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas How Can Teaching on a One-to-One be Effective? Teaching on a one to one is a real skill and one that takes many months and even years of experience to be able to become proficient at. It is true to say that no matter how long someone has been teaching on a one to one basis, they will always find new strategies to employ. So, how can one-to-one teaching be effective? Table of Contents My teaching experience Individual lessons Rapport building Teaching approaches Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Tammy T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. My teaching experience As a...  [Read more]

Tue, 27 Aug 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Why Is Teaching EFL In A Kindergarten More Fulfilling? Teaching EFL to kindergarten requires both mental and emotional preparation but very rewarding. It is one of the most challenging yet fulfilling and enjoyable experiences in the life of a teacher. Children's attention is full of curiosity, desire to learn new things and have the ability to come up with different ideas and ways of doing things. I think this is the stage when geniuses are made! Table of Contents Moral Responsibility Teaching Style Teaching Vocabulary Lesson Structure Rules and Discipline Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rex Belli P. Please note that this...  [Read more]

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas ESL Teacher and Their Role in a TEFL Classroom Teaching can be a gratifying career, but with it comes great responsibility. Possessing a high grasp of grammar, teaching theories, techniques, etc., will hold you in good stead. However, there are many other wide-ranging characteristics required to be a great teacher. Table of Contents Flexibility and Adaptability Planning and Managing Are you ready to teach English abroad or online? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Elicia B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Flexibility and...  [Read more]

Thu, 09 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences How do you bring language to life in the classroom? When teaching in the classroom, it is very important to branch away from the traditional method of teaching, known as the "chalk and talk" method. This typically involves the teacher dictating the lesson, with students sat listening and writing down the words of the teacher. Not every student is programmed to be able to sit, listen intently to every word you say, write down everything important and absorb the information sufficiently to be able to go on and use the language in a productive way. Table of Contents Differentiate classroom activities Help to memorize language points in an unusual way Give more freedom even when you are teaching grammar Mind your students' language...  [Read more]

Wed, 04 Dec 2019 Federico Riva Teaching Ideas Simple Flashcard Activities to Have Fun During the Class Throughout this course, my favorite units have been the ones that teach us how to lead an effective lesson and have a fun classroom environment. I love all the suggestions and teaching ideas they give, and it excites me to think about using those for my future lessons. For that reason, I chose the topic of five activities with flashcards. This essay will be a perfect opportunity for me to delve further into my favorite part of this class and plan some fun things to do. When I move abroad I plan on teaching young children, mainly kindergarten-aged, so my five activities will be geared towards young learners. They need way more energy, fun, and excitement in their lessons than...  [Read more]

Mon, 06 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences What You Need To Consider Before Planning Your Lessons The importance of a pre-planned lesson cannot be understated, having a plan is paramount to the success of the lesson and to achieve the desired teaching point in a structured way. Lesson plans act as a guide within a lesson so it should not be too complex in nature but should have enough detail to direct the teacher on the sequence and timing of the lesson. Table of Contents Why do you need it? What do you need to write in it? Learner objectives Personal aims Language Point Teaching Aids Anticipated problems The procedure, Phase, and Timing Interaction Class level, number of students Date and Time Do you want to learn how to plan lessons properly? Take your TEFL course...  [Read more]