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How do you bring language to life in the classroom? - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
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.
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 level
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Related... [Read more]
How You Can Benefit If You Use Songs in Your Teaching - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Music is an important element in our lives. When you're on your way to work, you turn on the radio. When you're too tired to do anything, you choose a song from your playlist and play it to make you feel relaxed. Human beings are emotional by nature. Music offers encouragement and the strength that one needs. Its importance cannot be taken for granted. It is a tool that connects people of all ages, nationality, and culture. It's not odd to see a child listening to an old rock musician's song. Also, it's not surprising to see an Indian woman listening to Taylor Swift despite the differences in their cultures. I believe using music as a tool to teach English to foreign students have many advantages.
Conquering Frustration
Creating a Comforting Atmosphere... [Read more]
Why Do You Need to Use Songs in Your Classroom? - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Sitting in a classroom can be such a boring and dull time for children if the teacher is not playful, fun, and creative with the tasks and activities he/she provides. I understand that teaching requires a whole lot of information to be imported into the heads of the students, but I honestly think there are very many paths to the same goal.
Personal Experience
Ways to Explain the Materials
How to integrate
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Hristina M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
In my personal learning experience, I have encountered many strategies and techniques and I have found that I, as... [Read more]
How Can Songs Help You in Your Teaching? - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Many tools can be utilized effectively when teaching English as a foreign or second to students of all ages and varied cultural backgrounds. Music is most certainly one of them. Song, in particular, is a valuable tool for teaching English to foreign students.
Topics to teach with the help of songs
Resources
Example idea
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ruth F.
Songs can be found that describe everyday concepts such as numbers, colors, alphabetical letters, body parts, clothing, weekdays, seasons and months. The use of songs to teach these concepts can make lessons interesting and exciting to students. Information and concepts learned through songs... [Read more]
How A TEFL Certificate Can Help You Open Your Own English Language School - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
Alumni Experiences
I learned English when I was 20 after my family and I decided to immigrate to Canada from Brazil. I hadn't had much exposure to the English language prior to the move. 25 years have gone by, and now I have the opportunity to teach English back in my home country of Brazil!
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This post was written by our ITTT graduate George K.
After coming back to my small hometown in the Brazilian countryside a couple of years ago, I met one of my childhood friends, Rodrigo. He had just opened a small English school in town and after a quick chat, I told him that I have decided to come back to live in... [Read more]
How do you motivate TEFL students? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
To motivate TEFL students, understanding their age group and unique challenges is crucial. Young learners often respond with enthusiasm to fun activities, while adults are typically self-motivated, attending classes with clear objectives. However, teenagers present a distinct challenge. Due to heightened self-awareness, they might hesitate to participate out of fear of mistakes or peer judgment. To enhance motivation in teens, implement strategies that boost their confidence, incorporate relatable content, and create a supportive classroom environment that encourages participation and reduces fear of errors.
Use plenty of pop culture
Use a little competition
Play to their strengths
Use pen pals to encourage writing skills
Only use age appropriate reading material
Use popular songs for... [Read more]
How do You Build a Successful Teaching Career? - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
What defines teachers' success? There is no one thing teachers can do to be successful. Success is not defined by just one aspect. Students, the learning experience, classroom environment, the relationship between teachers and their students, assessments, and outcomes can all define the success of teachers and their teaching career. If the students have learned and can apply the lessons they have learned in class to their career, it means teachers have been effective and efficient in teaching what they wanted their students to learn.
Qualification
Approach to Own Behavior
Classroom Environment
Getting Experienced
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course!
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rabica Q.... [Read more]
Why complete a TEFL course: Why do you need a TEFL course, if you already know how to teach a foreign language? - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
TEFL Information Alumni Experiences
This is a question I've asked myself. I'm looking at it from the point of view of an established foreign language teacher.
How well do you know English?
Get professional guidance
You'll be more successful with getting your students ready to speak in English.
Being a native speaker is not enough
Your credentials say a lot about you.
Are you ready to take a TEFL course?
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Listen to this blog post
For years, I've been thinking about learning to teach English as a foreign language. I've wanted to teach more than just French, so I could find more work, and because TEFL appealed to me. As a French teacher—which is a foreign language, of course—my thought was that I already knew how to teach a foreign language.... [Read more]
"How often do you...?" Board game - Frequency Adverbs - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!
This board game practices the frequency adverbs. It's a fun game to play with a small class as well as a bigger class in groups, for example.
Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!
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How do you teach English one-to-one? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
Before delving into the specifics of conducting one-to-one lessons, we need to be mindful of certain preliminary steps essential for effective lesson planning.
Initially, you must assess your student's English proficiency level. This is usually achieved through a level test. The level test typically begins with a verbal conversation to gauge the general competency level of the student. English proficiency is often categorized on a five-point scale:
A basic level test could involve asking progressively complex questions to pinpoint the level at which the student begins to struggle.
Once the level test is completed, the next step is a needs analysis. This process aims to ascertain why the student is learning English, as needs will vary among learners. Younger students might seek to enhance... [Read more]
How do you deal with misbehaving TEFL students? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
Addressing disruptive behavior in an TEFL classroom can be challenging, but it is important to know how to manage it to ensure smooth classroom operations. While teaching adult learners might result in fewer concerns aside from minor punctuality issues, young learner classrooms usually come with a greater potential for disruption. To prevent small issues from becoming significant problems, teachers need to acquire skills and experiences to confidently manage classroom behavior.
Different types of bad behavior
Dealing with bad behavior
Rewarding good behavior
Managing behavior
Different teachers might have varying perceptions of what constitutes disruptive behavior. However, there are universal issues that cause noticeable disruption in the classroom and should be addressed for optimal... [Read more]
How Mandarin Chinese Helps Me in Teaching English - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Foreign language experience is complexed on so many different levels, it is a window into a different culture, often a different country and even a different paradigm of thinking. There is a multitude of language experiences people can have, each with their own intricacies and uniqueness. As a native English speaker from South Africa, living in China has provided me with extraordinary foreign language experience.
The Most Difficult Language
Benefits of Mandarin Experience
Do you want to teach English in China?
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Marlan S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Mandarin, the national language of... [Read more]
How to Build Confidence in Chinese Business Students - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Self-confidence has been seen as a major contributor to a person learning a language. As a teacher and a counselor, I agree with Jack Welch's quote: Giving people self-confidence is by far the most important thing that I can do because then they will act. Confidence exists of three realms: who I am, what I can learn, and what I can do. These are steps that can be taken to help Chinese Business English students improve confidence in these realms.
What is self-confidence?
Who am I?
What can I learn?
What can I do?
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today!
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate William N. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.... [Read more]
How do you get a job teaching English online? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
To get a job teaching English online, you typically need to follow these steps:
To teach English online, you typically need the following qualifications:
You can find opportunities to teach English online on various platforms and websites that specialize in online English language teaching. Here are some common places where you can find online English teaching opportunities:
[Read more]
5 Things You Can Do to Make Your Life Easier for Teaching English in Taiwan - TEFL Blog
Christian Davey
Destinations Alumni Experiences
Taiwan is a wonderful starting point to begin your teaching profession as the island has a variety of job prospects, plentiful incomes, and companies are usually happy to employ you, even if you have limited teaching experience.
1. Find a private landlord, avoid an agency
2. Find a job in the same proximity as your place.
3. Get your scooter license.
4. Make friends with locals.
5. Join social media groups/like social media pages
Are you ready to teach English in Taiwan?
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Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials!
Nonetheless, living abroad comes with its challenges, and if you know how to overcome them, your life will be smoother.
Here are 5 top tips, in no particular order, to make your life... [Read more]
Child Development: How Do Children Develop Language? - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Child development may be defined as a gradual sequence of physical, language, thought and emotional changes that occur from birth to the beginning of adulthood. In this process, there is a progression in a child from being sorely dependent on the parent/guardian to be self-dependent. Such development is strongly influenced by the genetic factors emanating from the parents and similar events during prenatal life. According to Maria Montessori Theory, such a journey from childhood to adulthood the key principles to be borne in mind are independence, observation, following the child, correcting, need for prepared environment and an absorbent mind. In all of these, the aspect of speech and language are paramount.
What is a language for?
Children's' ways of... [Read more]
What is a Beginner EFL Student and How Do You Teach Them? - TEFL Blog
Mark Crocker
Teaching Ideas
When you decide to take a TEFL certification course with the intention of teaching English abroad, in your home country, or online, it is difficult to know who you will actually end up teaching. Once you have finished your training you could end up teaching primary aged children, teenagers, or adults. They could be from any country worldwide and they could be at any level of English language from beginner to advanced level. In many ways it is a bit of a lottery, so you should ensure you are ready to deal with all types of environments. After a while most teachers develop a preference for the type of student they prefer to teach, however, the beginner EFL student is often the most feared.
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
Why is a... [Read more]
Learning Chinese While Teaching English as a Second Language in China - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
Alumni Experiences
While attempting to actively assimilate into a foreign language environment overseas, it has been an ongoing journey and challenging adventure in these previous three years. There have been a few noted observations and insightful discoveries indeed.
Life in China as a Teacher
Language is a rich, colorful and multidimensional medium
Practice Makes Perfect
Teaching Business English
Lack of Exposure and English Proficiency
Having a lesson plan ready
Are you ready to teach English abroad?
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Angela W. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Through living in a tier three city where English is not... [Read more]
How to Help Chinese Native Speaking Students in Their ESL Practice - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
China is one of the leading countries in the world that has been in the search and quest to learn the English language. In recent years the demand to learn English has been on a rise. Every school tries to have a teacher who can teach the language to the learners. However, in this process of learning, many learners encounter a series of problems which make the language learning process not an easy task both for teachers and students. However, we are going to be looking at very common problems students learning English as a foreign language face in China.
First Language
Lack of Interest
Pronunciation Difficulties
Ways to Solve The Abovementioned Problems
1. Speak English to Students Only
2. Work on Building Students' Confidence
Do you want to teach... [Read more]
How Learning Chinese Made Me A Better English Teacher In China - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
Alumni Experiences
The following blog post is about an ITTT graduate who shares his story on how learning Chinese helped him to become a better English teacher in China.
What do you call someone who speaks only one language?
"My insights into their language and culture were incredibly helpful."
"Many Chinese are anxious about speaking English with natives - more so than is to be considered normative."
"The best ESL teachers are the ones with experience with the native language of their students."
Listen to this blog post
Now it's your turn to get TEFL certified!
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Joseph S.
A common saying imparted to me by one of my professors goes like this: "What do you call someone who speaks three languages?... [Read more]
What do You Need to Teach English in Europe? - TEFL Blog
Jon ITTT
Destinations
Opportunities abound for the TEFL teacher in Europe and it is a popular destination for many upon completing their TEFL certification. Teachers with a specialist certificate in teaching business English will do well in countries such as France and Germany, but there are plenty of teaching jobs to be found across the whole region. The requirements for English teachers in Europe vary from country to country and this article aims to highlight the differences and similarities between them.
Can you teach there if you are from outside the EU?
What qualifications are needed?
Do you need to be a native speaker?
Are you ready to start teaching English abroad?
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## Listen to this blog post:
European Union member states prefer teachers who are EU citizens... [Read more]
How ITTT can help you start your teaching journey in Egypt - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT TEFL & TESOL
1. Why Choose ITTT for Teaching in Egypt
2. TEFL and TESOL Courses for Teaching in Egypt
3. Job Assistance and Placement in Egypt
4. Teaching English in Egypt with ITTT
Are you considering starting your teaching journey in Egypt? International TEFL and TESOL Training (ITTT) can help you achieve your goal. With a long-standing reputation for providing high-quality TEFL and TESOL courses, ITTT is the perfect choice for those looking to teach English in Egypt. Whether you are a seasoned teacher looking for a new adventure or a recent graduate wanting to explore the world while gaining valuable experience, ITTT has the resources and expertise to support you every step of the way.
ITTT offers a wide range of TEFL and TESOL courses that are specifically designed to prepare teachers for the... [Read more]
How do English language students learn English accents? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
English language students learn English accents through exposure, practice, and imitation. Here's how students can improve their English accent:
English language students learning different English accents is important for various reasons:
To practice English accents effectively, students can:
Yes, there are specific resources and tools that can help English language students improve their English accents. One of the most effective tools for improving English accents is using pronunciation apps and websites, which provide interactive exercises and feedback on correct pronunciation. Some popular resources include:
[Read more]
How Learning a Foreign Language Makes You an ESL Student’s Best Friend - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
My first language was French –-the language of my Cajun-born mother. She wanted to pass on her cultural heritage and therefore spoke to her first-born child, me, only in French. However, once I was put into kindergarten and was unable to communicate or understand any of my teachers or classmates, my parents reverted to English because they feared to set me back in school.
Personal Experience
Different Learning Modes
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Madeleine K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Despite understanding their fear, I did not appreciate my parent's decision. I was very... [Read more]
How to Help Chinese Native Speakers to Follow English Grammar Rules in Speaking - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Grammar is the rules governing the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in a natural language. Simply put, grammar is the general rule of a language. Language is logical; grammar tells us in which order we say words. It's about how words become phrases; how words and phrases become sentences and how sentences become language.
The Essence of Grammar
Different languages have different grammar rules
How to teach grammar (EFL: how to teach Chinese students English)
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course!
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Yang S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Some of these rules are acquired naturally in... [Read more]
How do I address language barriers in my TEFL classroom? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT TEFL & TESOL
In a TEFL classroom, language barriers can hinder effective communication between the teacher and students, leading to misunderstandings, frustration, and a lack of engagement. It is crucial to address these barriers to create a conducive learning environment where students feel comfortable expressing themselves and participating actively in class discussions. By acknowledging and actively working to overcome language barriers, teachers can help students develop their language skills and build confidence in using English.
There are several strategies that TEFL teachers can employ to overcome language barriers in the classroom. One effective approach is to use visual aids such as pictures, charts, and videos to support verbal instructions and explanations. Visual aids can help students... [Read more]
How do TEFL teachers navigate language barriers in the classroom? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT TEFL & TESOL
Language barriers are a common challenge faced by TEFL teachers when teaching students whose first language is different from the language being taught. These barriers can manifest in various forms, such as limited vocabulary, difficulty in understanding instructions, and challenges in expressing thoughts and ideas. It is essential for teachers to recognize that these barriers can impact students' learning experiences and academic performance. By understanding the root causes of these language barriers, teachers can implement effective strategies to support their students.
TEFL teachers can employ a variety of strategies to navigate language barriers in the classroom. One effective approach is to use visual aids such as pictures, diagrams, and gestures to help convey meaning. Simplifying... [Read more]
Adapting CELTA techniques for teaching English to Chinese students - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT TEFL & TESOL
Navigating the nuances of teaching English to Chinese students requires a tailored approach that considers their unique language background, cultural context, and learning preferences. As a teacher, it is crucial to adapt proven teaching techniques, such as those used in the CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) program, to effectively engage and support Chinese learners in their language acquisition journey.
Understanding the key differences between the English language and Chinese language structures is essential for creating targeted lesson plans that cater to the specific needs of Chinese students. For instance, the absence of verb conjugation in Chinese may result in challenges for learners when mastering English grammar rules. By incorporating interactive... [Read more]
How Do We Teach English as a Second Language or English as a Foreign Language? - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Language as a second language or as a foreign language consists of classroom course material and student-teacher components that require a certain educational environment to be taught. Language acquisition starts from early childhood to the critical age of 13 years. Born into a natural language environment, the child begins to process the language pragmatically thanks to its sound, environment, and natural language skills.
Education System
Personal Experience
Do you want to teach English abroad or online? Take a TEFL course!
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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 Hatice D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or... [Read more]
How do I address students' language input in my TEFL lessons? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT TEFL & TESOL
Addressing students' language input in TEFL lessons is crucial for effective language learning. By acknowledging and incorporating students' language input, you create a more engaging and student-centered learning environment. This approach helps to boost students' confidence, motivation, and overall language proficiency. Furthermore, it fosters a sense of ownership and investment in the learning process, leading to better retention and application of language skills in real-life situations.
There are several strategies you can employ to address students' language input in your TEFL lessons. Encourage active participation through group discussions, role-plays, and pair work activities where students can practice using the language in context. Provide opportunities for students to share... [Read more]
