I Don't Even Speak Arabic

To teach English effectively without speaking the student's language, focus on using methods and techniques that promote language learning through immersion and communication. Here are some key strategies to consider: Yes, you can effectively teach English to non-native speakers without knowing their language. Teaching English to speakers of other languages, also known as TESOL or TEFL, is a specialized skill that focuses on using English as the medium of instruction. Here are some reasons why knowing the students' language is not a requirement for effective English language teaching: Understanding of language learning principles: TEFL/TESOL training equips teachers with knowledge of language learning theories, teaching methodologies, and classroom management techniques that are applicable...  [Read more]

Absolutely, teaching English in Thailand doesn't necessitate fluency in Thai. In fact, most language schools in Thailand prefer that ESL instructors use only English in the classroom to promote full immersion, regardless of their Thai language proficiency.Table of Contents Is there a need for English teachers in Thailand? What are the requirements for teaching English in Thailand? Thailand has seen a surge in demand for English teachers, driven by its expanding economy and an increasing eagerness among its population to master the language. As English education gains prominence, those with TEFL certifications generally find more lucrative opportunities. The shift towards long-term contracts has led schools to prioritize instructors willing to commit for extended periods, rather than brief...  [Read more]

1. Benefits of Teaching English in Countries Where You Don't Speak the Local Language 2. Challenges of Teaching English in Countries Where You Don't Speak the Local Language 3. Strategies for Teaching English in Countries Where You Don't Speak the Local Language 4. Conclusion: Teaching English Successfully in Countries Where You Don't Speak the Local Language Benefits of Teaching English in Countries Where You Don't Speak the Local Language Teaching English in a country where you don't speak the local language can be a rewarding experience. It forces you to immerse yourself in the language you are teaching and helps you understand the challenges your students face when learning a new language. This can make you a more empathetic and effective teacher. Additionally, being in an environment...  [Read more]

Russ Tuff TEFL Information So you are in two minds whether or not to do a "Teaching English as a Foreign Language" course. I get it, I was there as well. Trust me, I understand; that's a lot of money to outlay, and what's more, you don't even know if you are going to pass the course.Table of Contents 1) Routine is the key: 2) Just do one unit a day: 3) Get the course with the videos: 4) Print out the PDF: 5) The Summative Task: Related Articles: Any of those statements or questions starting to sound familiar? Let me tell you a bit about those statements and questions; those statements and questions completely disappear once you commit to your future. And when I say "completely disappear" I mean, you don't even think about them again until you are asked to write a blog about your...  [Read more]

Gianluca Costa TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Many people have the dream to travel the world. However, it's hard to travel a lot unless you're rich or work for a big international company offering your business trips, right? What do you do about a visa, and what if you don't speak the local language? Fret not; it's actually easier than you think to find a job in an exciting foreign country. If you are a native English speaker or speak English fluently, why not consider a job teaching English abroad?Table of Contents How to become a TEFL teacher Plan your travels Get paid to travel Tutoring Teach Online It's worth it Are you ready to become a TEFL expert? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! English teachers...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Being a student learning a new, foreign language I can acknowledge that feelings of insecurity and fear of making mistakes are often present. This can lead to students being quiet or non- participating. As a teacher, it is important to understand this and to make the students feel comfortable in class.Table of Contents From my experience Teaching styles Lesson structure Pace of teaching new material Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Adela J. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. In my first month of learning Arabic, I was placed in the beginner's class with 7 other students. My teacher at that time...  [Read more]

Gökhan Yilmaz Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas This topic is very dear to my heart as I have been an English teacher in Arab countries for a long time. Therefore, I am writing this article as someone who has experience in learning both Arabic and English. In my observation, most of these difficulties either have to do with the students' native language (Arabic) or their cultural backgrounds. Here are the 5 most common problems for Arab learners when studying English.Table of Contents The Arabic Language Writing is Important Grammatical Differences Pronunciation Issues Reasons for learning English Related Articles: As Arabic is written from right to left, English looks very strange to Arabic speakers, which can cause them to find course books or lessons overwhelming. Adult learners, in...  [Read more]

Umber Sherjeel Destinations Alumni Experiences Being in the teaching field for more than a decade and having taught in Saudi Arabia for the last 7+ years, I will give some pointers about my experience here as an English Language teacher.Table of Contents A Booming Job Market Financial Aspects Fuel is cheap Multifaceted Culture Good news for English Native Speakers Tips for Teaching Arab Students Things to avoid during the lesson Duties to be fulfilled along with teaching Overall working environment Related Articles: The education industry in Saudi Arabia is very blooming. There are many international schools, colleges, and universities - and the English education field in Saudi Arabia continues to grow and expand. Due to the rapid shift in the education system during the past few...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences Teaching English to non-English speaking students can be a big and challenging task. You need to be full of patience, understanding and passion if you decide to enter this vocation. I worked for ten years as a kindergarten teacher in the Middle East and at times it seemed like I was in a "jungle survival" competition.Table of Contents My first day in the 'Jungle' My second day in the 'Jungle' Major breakthrough! Embracing the local culture All my hard work paid off Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Alona J. I was really in shock when I entered into the classroom on my first day as I had students with zero-English and it was really hard to understand...  [Read more]

Teaching English without knowing your student's language is possible through various techniques and strategies. To effectively communicate with English language learners who don't speak your language, you can use the following strategies: Yes, there are specialized techniques and resources available for teaching English to students with different first languages. These techniques and resources are designed to address the unique challenges that learners from diverse language backgrounds may face when acquiring English as a second language. Here are some strategies and resources commonly used in teaching English to students with different first languages:  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas There is nothing comfortable than being in your comfort zone, especially when speaking your language (native language). The feeling that comes with it, how you pronounce words, the use of jokes and proverbs, idioms, and other slang within it, no one can take that joy or even compensate it because it naturally comes from within. It makes you feel safe at home and confident even when speaking about topics that you have never seen or heard before simply because your brain is already rich with enough vocabulary. So it allows you to navigate, swim and tackle the issues from all possible angles.Table of Contents Global challenges Sentence structure Pronunciation Lack of practice Are you ready to teach English abroad or...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The United Arab Emirates though being a discrete country is a league of 7 states comprising people whose first language is Arabic. UAE being a prominent Arab country in Middle East homes to a myriad of Arabs from neighboring countries. Hence, the challenges that a learner's faces are also varying depending on the nativity of the person. I firmly believe there are four basic challenges that learners face in the UAE.Table of Contents The primary challenge a learner faces is the cultural background that the student carries. Also, there is a problem with comprehension. However few English words have their roots in Arabic, the two languages follow very different conventions. Finally, the mindset of Arab learners is that they thrive for quicker results. Do you...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas There are about 6500 spoken languages in the world today. 11 of those are here from my home country of South Africa. The most spoken language of them all is Mandarin. Language is what defines us. It is what divides us. It what we are taught and brought up to understand and one day pass on to the next generation. It is like being a unicorn. When there are none left, you will only read about it in books and professors who learned and studied about it.Table of Contents Listen to this blog post: Linguistic Diversity Challenges Pros of Learning a New Language Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jacq-Pierre B. Please note that this blog post might not...  [Read more]

Jon ITTT Alumni Experiences A learner's mother tongue has a profound influence on verbalization of the second language. The absence of some sounds in the learner's first language, and the difference in intonation, word, and syllable stress between the learner's native language and English are some of the many factors that often lead to an incorrect pronunciation of English words. In order to address these issues, a teacher needs to have a basic understanding of the student's native language. This essay will briefly explore the most common pronunciation problems for Egyptians learners of English and some suggested solutions to tackle these problems.Table of Contents Problems with the /p/ sound Confusing voiced and unvoiced sounds Replacing /ÆŸ/ and /ð/ with /s/ and...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas What is phonology? Most students have not even heard about it. Whenever I ask my students whether they know or have ever learned about phonetics, the same answers come out, "No, we don't know about it at all". It is no wonder they reply like this because there is no phonetic teaching lesson in English classes from KG to high school here in my country. As for me, I got to study about this only when I attended college. Even then, it wasn't taught comprehensively and I only learned very little. So I couldn't read nor write phonetic symbols very well. Thus I thought it was the most difficult part of studying English.Table of Contents Reasons to pay attention to phonetics Phonetics in the early years Benefits Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Learning a new language can elicit stress/fear responses in students. This is especially prominent in speaking as it can make people feel vulnerable/ashamed in front of their peers. It is very common for students to feel shy, especially if they are one of the weaker students in English or don't have the motivation to learn the language.Table of Contents My Personal Language Learning Experience Ways to Support Students 1. Classroom Dynamics 2. Attention to a Group, not to an Individual 3. Team Building and Peer Work Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Daniela A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas Teaching the English language to total beginners is a challenge for any teacher - but it's so worth it! English teachers abroad are regularly faced with two possible situations: A) teaching English to a class with zero knowledge in English (often young learners), or B) having to integrate a new student into your class who has never studied English before and now he/she has to pick up the language quickly.Table of Contents Assess the Exact Level of the Student(s) What to Teach Absolute Beginners in English Personal and family information Social interaction Classroom and school Time, calendar and weather Body parts Food Home Incorporate Numbers, Colors, and Shapes Teaching the Alphabet Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles Where to start?...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Many Chinese students face the common problem that although they spent 10 years studying English at school, they can't pronounce an English sentence correctly, and they are not confident enough to communicate in the language.Table of Contents Challenges in Developing Productive Skills Drilling Family Background Personal Issues English Environment Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Mengru W. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Our students struggle to speak in English, they are good at writing and reading, but cannot speak, even...  [Read more]

1. Overview of ESL Teaching in the Middle East 2. Qualifications and Requirements for ESL Teachers in the Middle East 3. Benefits and Challenges of Teaching ESL in the Middle East 4. Top Countries for ESL Teaching in the Middle East Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) in the Middle East can be a rewarding and lucrative experience for educators looking to work abroad. The region offers a range of opportunities for ESL teachers in schools, language institutes, and even corporate settings. Countries like the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman have a high demand for English teachers due to the importance of English as a global language and the desire to compete in the global economy. ESL teachers in the Middle East can expect competitive salaries, benefits, and a...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Nowadays when it comes to English learning, people are likely to say speaking is the most important and difficult part of people's learning. But actually, writing is also significant even though it is the most neglected skill. Speaking pays more attention to accuracy and fluency while writing highly requires accurate grammar, more formal vocabulary, right spelling and beautiful handwriting. Even though they are too different in many ways, the two carry equal importance. Speaking and writing are both used for the same purpose making successful communication with people.Table of Contents Listen to this blog post: Major Skills Writing Speaking Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Panama is a small country located in Central America with few people, but a bold culture and unique historical background. It is most notoriously known for the Panama Canal, which was controlled by the United States until quite recently. Naturally, because of the USA's role in Panama, one would presume there are many English speaking citizens in the country. However, there is a large number of Panamanians who never had the privilege of being able to speak another language due to a wide variety of factors embedded in Panamanian society. Contrasting division of social and economic class, tough labor, and the mark the USA left on the country, are three of the biggest factors that cause problems for English learners in Panama.Table of Contents Economical...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences There are no words to fully describe the importance of parents in the education of children. They are the foremost educators in all aspects of their children's development. Whatever a child studies - be it a subject in a classroom or private lessons for music, language, etc... they will greatly benefit from the impact of having this reinforced in their home environment through their parents' efforts. Multiple studies have shown the increase and improvement in educational attainment when parents closely follow and are involved in encouraging the educational development of their children. Related studies also show how the more parents are involved in school initiatives and partnerships (i.e. parent-school associations) - this has a great impact on...  [Read more]

I’m from Turkey and a graduate from the English/French department with a bachelor's degree from the University of Khartoum. I am also fluent in Arabic, which has lead me to become a freelancer in Iraq. Gökhan Yilmaz Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas We have a saying; who knows something very well, cannot teach very well. If you are not a native speaker but you are a teacher in that language, you are well-prepared and working more than a native English speaker to avoid being tomfoolery and embarrassed in front of your students. This takes you one step ahead of someone whose native language is English. So here are 3 main advantages of a non-native English teacher. Gökhan Yilmaz Destinations Alumni Experiences Istanbul is not only the most developed city in Turkey, but it's also...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching beginner students is a very challenging task for anyone. Personally, I have always found teaching English to beginners as a tough prospect, whether it is monolingual group and you know nothing of their language or it's a multilingual group and the only common language is English. However, with some work and knowledge, everything is possible to teach beginners the English language. And I believe this is one of the most rewarding to teach.Table of Contents 1. Give simple and clear instructions 2. Let them listen first 3. Speak English only and don't use their own mother tongue 4. Teach the basics 5. Drilling and Repeating 6. Make every English lessons fun and easy 7. Prepare well and save a lot Are you ready to teach beginners abroad? Related...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The United States and the United Kingdom's imperial histories and modern influences have had a significant effect on the English wording. Since English was exported to different countries across the world, the language has undergone different variations, the most common one being the British English vs. American English. The British introduced the language to Americans in the 17th century. At that time, the spelling had not been standardized. Given the number of regions where English is used, differences are bound to arise. Even though British and American English may seem similar, there are disparities in vocabulary, spelling, and grammar.Table of Contents Listen to this blog post: Vocabulary Spelling Grammar Culture Do you want to teach English...  [Read more]

Federico Riva Alumni Experiences Do you know what is the largest language by several speakers in the world? Yes, it is, in fact, English, so according to wikipedia.org, over 2 billion people speak English(1), now that statistic might have sounded huge but the real fact is that nowadays, since we live and depend on global economy, almost every country in the world is worried by the fact their people can't speak English, this is basically because almost every country makes business with the United States. Now, based on that fact, a lot of foreign Governments are implementing English teaching methods in public schools from the early stages of the study.Table of Contents There are More Non-Native Speakers Possibilities Reasons to Develop Teaching Skills Do you want to teach English abroad?...  [Read more]

Anastasiya Akpinar Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Teaching online wasn't something totally unknown when many schools turned to distance education in 2020. Even before, many teachers had face-to-face or group lessons via different online programs. As well as webinars, courses, and conferences, online teaching took its usual part in modern life. So what has changed so drastically after the online school project has started? Why was it so confusing and hard to get used to? The answer is within us: daily routine, habits, style of teaching and studying were changed into a digital way.Table of Contents A Great Challenge A 3D Criteria Double the Stress Attention: "Lazy" alarm Miss me? Going higher Home is where school is. What are the Advantages? What if? And the winner...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Firstly within your lessons do always use English as the language of instruction.You need to speak slowly and you need to reduce the amount of teacher talk time by using gesture and mime as often as possible.Table of Contents Watch the video about this topic Are you ready to teach English as a foreign language? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! Do play games as often as possible but bear in mind that the games that we're suggesting here are interactive communicative games that have some educational purpose. Do try to make yourself aware of any problems that they do have, either within school or outside of school because they can affect the way that the students behave and interact with...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas When native Arabic learners attempt to learn the English language, they are faced with a variety of difficulties since there are fundamental differences between the two languages. Arabic words have a three-consonant root as its base, so all words are formed by combining the roots with either a fixed vowel pattern or and affix. The Arabic language has 28 consonants and 8 vowels which is three times less than the English language in terms of vowel sounds. Due to those differences, Arabic learners struggle in the following areas; writing, grammar, phonology, and pronunciation when learning the English language.Table of Contents Writing Grammar Phonology Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: This post was written by...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The nature of the job as a teacher is that we are presented with a vast range of individuals with a unique constitution.Table of Contents What should a good teacher do? Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: This, in turn, means that every student will respond and behave differently in the classroom. The spectrum is vast: From the student who is "all in" and engages in every single, ever so small activity and raises their hand to each question. To the student who remains silent the entire lesson and if asked to e.g. read a text out loud, will read so quietly that it is barely audible. Our job as a teacher is to respond to our students according to their needs and their character. What does that mean exactly? From...  [Read more]