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4 Things To Keep in Mind When Teaching EFL in a Kindergarten - TEFL Blog
Wed, 20 Feb 2019 Jon ITTT
Alumni Experiences
4 Things To Keep in Mind When Teaching EFL in a Kindergarten
As a kindergarten teacher working in China I have a lot of experience dealing with students, fellow teachers; Chinese and foreign, management and parents.
Table of Contents
Potential problems you might face in a Chinese kindergarten
You can call on other foreign teachers for advice and support
Getting to know your students will help you teach them
Parents like to be involved
Start your journey as an English teacher in China today!
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Listen to this blog post
A few years ago I came to China to learn Chinese. To pay for my living expenses I started teaching young learners. Pretty soon I got a full-time job in a kindergarten and I fell in love with the work and I... [Read more]
Ten Things I Have Learned During My First Year Teaching in China - TEFL Blog
Mon, 02 Sep 2019 Dorothy Brown Smith
Destinations Alumni Experiences
Ten Things I Have Learned During My First Year Teaching in China
I have always wanted to travel and go abroad. I talked about it with family and friends on many occasions. When the opportunity came for me to teach in China, I immediately said, "NO!" I was thinking of traveling to places like South America, France, Italy, Greece, etc. because I had romanticized these places in my mind from what I had seen on television and read about in magazines. China was not even a thought in my mind! The opportunity kept coming to teach in China. I would see advertisements, run into people who had just came back from China. I even met someone studying Chinese to be an interpreter! I kept running into people who had some kind of... [Read more]
Problems for ESL Learners in China - TEFL Blog
Fri, 28 Feb 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Problems for ESL Learners in China
The English language has become so essential in china because the country wants to successfully promote internationalism and keep the lines of communication open for trade and business matters. As one of the global powers, it's in the country's best interest to keep afloat of shifting trends in international matters.
Table of Contents
Governmental decision
Spelling
Pronunciation
Singular / Plural Aspect
Gender
Articles
Lack of opportunities to practice
Word order
Individual differences
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ramy M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the... [Read more]
The Global Benefits of English as a Second Language - TEFL Blog
Wed, 05 Aug 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
The Global Benefits of English as a Second Language
At a very early age, I was amazed by the sounds of English. I used to listen to songs in English while one of my parent's friends was cleaning his car. He used to play them out loud and I wanted to know what the lyrics said. Several years later I had the chance to go to China to be part of a cultural exchange program to learn Chinese. My accepting interview was completely in English rather than Chinese or even my native language Spanish. All paperwork was done in either Spanish or Chinese depending on where I was. Either here in Latin-American or on the other side of the world, the medium of communication was English.
Table of Contents
Personal Background
The Importance of Learning... [Read more]
Should Chinese ESL Students Have Explicit Phonetic Instruction? - TEFL Blog
Mon, 20 Apr 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Should Chinese ESL Students Have Explicit Phonetic Instruction?
During nine years of teaching English as a Second language, I have discovered how important phonetics is in learning the correct pronunciation of the English language, and in fact, in any language. Derwing and Munro (2005) emphasize, "It is essential to have an accurate understanding of the target language phonological system to enhance the quality of pronunciation".
Table of Contents
We should look at some of the problems that L2 learners have when trying to produce accurate L1 language patterns.
We also have to take into account the students.
Chinese students are very reluctant to speak in a classroom setting.
So what pronunciation mistakes are most common?
Do you... [Read more]
Reasons for a Lack of Confidence in English Students from China - TEFL Blog
Mon, 27 Jul 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Reasons for a Lack of Confidence in English Students from China
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
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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.
Challenges in... [Read more]
Personal Teaching Experience in China and Russia - TEFL Blog
Fri, 01 Nov 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Personal Teaching Experience in China and Russia
In this topic, I will be talking about my own "Personal Teaching Experience" in two Asian countries that I've had the privilege to work in and teach such as, China and Russia. So you might want to ask yourselves, What's the difference between teaching Chinese and Russian students? Well honestly there is a huge difference so let's get started.
Table of Contents
Culture
Assistance
Personal Experience
Teaching Materials
Teaching Methods
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jhonatan J. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Culture
First... [Read more]
What Challenges do Chinese Learners of English Face in their Studies? - TEFL Blog
Wed, 06 May 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
What Challenges do Chinese Learners of English Face in their Studies?
Teaching English in China has become very popular for ESL teachers and many are looking for job opportunities in China. Finding a teaching job in China isn't too hard but working with Chinese students can be quite challenging.
Table of Contents
Grammar Challenge
Pronunciation Challenge
Environmental Challenge
Cultural Challenge
Generation Gap
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate VIKTORIIA H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Grammar Challenge
Chinese grammar is very different from English and many Chinese... [Read more]
How to Help Chinese Native Speakers to Follow English Grammar Rules in Speaking - TEFL Blog
Wed, 09 Oct 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
How to Help Chinese Native Speakers to Follow English Grammar Rules in Speaking
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.
Table of Contents
The Essence of Grammar
Different languages have different grammar rules
How to teach grammar (EFL: how to teach Chinese students English)
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Yang S. Please note that this blog post... [Read more]
Pronunciation Challenges Students Face in China - TEFL Blog
Wed, 08 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Pronunciation Challenges Students Face in China
Every learner of a foreign language may face pronunciation problems now and then. Languages that belong to one language group have more in common in phonics and are usually easier to learn to pronounce correctly. But such languages as English and Chinese are so different, that Chinese learners (and I bet English speaking learners of Chinese too) often have many difficulties in pronunciation.
Table of Contents
State of the problem
Common pronunciation errors
How to correct pronunciation problems
Learn how to teach pronunciation effectively!
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Evgeniya S.
State of the problem
I have... [Read more]
Common Struggles of the Chinese Native Speakers Learning English - TEFL Blog
Thu, 19 Sep 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Common Struggles of the Chinese Native Speakers Learning English
Most researchers agree that the learner's first language influences the pronunciation of the target language and is a significant factor in accounting for foreign accents. So-called interference or interference from the first language is likely to cause errors in aspiration, stress, and intonation in the target language.
Table of Contents
Phonetics
Unusual Sounds
Language Structure
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Vesna A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Phonetics
Some Chinese students tend to have... [Read more]
How I learned Basic Teaching Skills in China - TEFL Blog
Tue, 14 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
How I learned Basic Teaching Skills in China
I have been working in China for more than six months now and it's been a very interesting time for me not just to learn more about the country and its people, but also to enrich my teaching skills and grow professionally as a teacher.
Table of Contents
Specific Approach
Assistance
Teaching an extremely large classroom
Total physical response
Do you want to teach English in China?
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Evgeniya S.
Specific Approach
When I arrived in China, I hardly knew anything about specific features of teaching in that country, so I thought that the knowledge I had was quite enough to handle the classes in kindergarten or primary... [Read more]
5 Big Problems for English Learners in Beijing, China - TEFL Blog
Mon, 01 Apr 2019 Linda Dunsmore
Alumni Experiences
5 Big Problems for English Learners in Beijing, China
It is generally agreed that education is one of the most important issues in every country these days and China is no exception.
Table of Contents
English is a must to enter better schools and find better jobs in China.
Overcrowded classes lead to nonexistent English practice.
The Chinese education system doesn't focus on English.
Mandarin Chinese and English have very few similarities.
The teacher student relationship isn't very close-knit.
Are you ready to teach English in China?
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ekaterina G.
It's a well-known fact that China is the most populated country in the world with a... [Read more]
The Drastic Problems of Chinese Learners in English - TEFL Blog
Thu, 28 Nov 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
The Drastic Problems of Chinese Learners in English
Language has always played an important role in communication between people. Today, in the globalization, the importance of mastering a foreign language has become increasingly prominent. English is the most widely used language in the world.
Table of Contents
English Status in China
Reasons for Low Results in English
Economical Challenges
Differences in Two Languages
Cultural Background
Lack of Proper Study
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Xiao W. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
English Status in China
In the 21st... [Read more]
How English as a Mother Tongue influences Foreign Language Acquisition - TEFL Blog
Wed, 29 Jan 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
How English as a Mother Tongue influences Foreign Language Acquisition
When I chose this topic, I asked myself what a foreign language is. Is it just a language spoken in another country that's not similar to one's own? Or does a language spoken in another city or district in one's country qualify as a foreign language? According to Wikipedia, a foreign language is originally from another country than the speaker.
Table of Contents
English as a Mother Tongue
French Experience
Exposure to Chinese
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nafuna M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of... [Read more]
Useful Teaching Ideas for EFL Kindergartens in China - TEFL Blog
Thu, 22 Aug 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Useful Teaching Ideas for EFL Kindergartens in China
Working as an English teacher in the kindergarten is very entertaining and challenging, as the teacher will deal with the children who don't have even a basic knowledge of English, have the very short attention span and very different in terms of their behavior. Before I moved to China, I haven't prior experience in teaching the kindergarten level students, because I always thought that teaching the young learners would be annoying, hard to discipline and far too energy-consuming. So what I had learned was just through my own experience.
Table of Contents
My Experience
Rapport Building
Lesson Planning
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today!
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... [Read more]
Teaching Speaking to Chinese English Learners - TEFL Blog
Mon, 15 Jul 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Teaching Speaking to Chinese English Learners
The following essay is a summative task for my TEFL certification course. I have chosen the topic "Problems for learners in a country of your choice" and the country of focus is China. In the essay, I would like to answer the question "How to help Chinese learners improve their conversation skills?"
Table of Contents
Listen to this blog post:
State of the problem
Phonetic System
Chinese Censorship
Culture
Ways to Teach Speaking
Intonation and Stress
Speaking Activities
Motivation
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 Nastja S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent... [Read more]
Teaching Monolingual vs. Multilingual Groups: What You Need To Know - TEFL Blog
Mon, 22 Apr 2019 Linda Dunsmore
Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
Teaching Monolingual vs. Multilingual Groups: What You Need To Know
A multilingual class is a class where the learners speak a variety of first languages. A monolingual class is a class where all the learners speak the same first language. I have been working in international school setting for over 13 years. The classes are multilingual classes where students come from different cultures and English is the common language for them to communicate with their teachers and classmates.
Table of Contents
Common Difficulties
Common Culture
Exposure to English
Mother Tongue
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Listen to this blog post
By contrast, English classes in local schools and universities in China... [Read more]
The Essential Role of Grammar - TEFL Blog
Tue, 04 Feb 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
The Essential Role of Grammar
Grammar is not only about vocabulary and sentence structure but also can improve our communication and ability of logical thinking.
Table of Contents
Why learning grammar?
Misconceptions
How to learn a language effectively?
Functions of grammar
How to improve grammar?
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Meiheriayi M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Why learning grammar?
Some people always ask a question that what is the point of learning grammar? Foreigners never learn grammar, but they speak better English than us when they travel abroad. Also... [Read more]
What Are The Differences Between Foreign Language and Mother Tongue Acquisition? - TEFL Blog
Mon, 17 Aug 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
What Are The Differences Between Foreign Language and Mother Tongue Acquisition?
I chose this topic because I have first-hand experience with my trilingual child. She is 3 years old now, we are a couple of Romanians living in China, and my husband is a middle school English teacher. My daughter was born in China and I can both speak Chinese. 'What language will my daughter learn first?' Was one of the questions that haunted me and I thought it would be the greatest challenge of motherhood. Well, the reality proved me wrong – it was the easiest task and now my daughter can speak perfect English, she can understand and speak Romanian very well and she understands Chinese and can speak when she has to.
Table of Contents
There is... [Read more]
Common Troubles of the Chinese Students You’ll Definitely Notice - TEFL Blog
Thu, 16 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Common Troubles of the Chinese Students You’ll Definitely Notice
English is one of the most widely spoken languages and it is taught in a lot of countries. Globalization, fast economic development makes many people study English. People learn English for different reasons: business, education, life abroad, traveling, personal interest. Chinese students are not an exception. With the growing economies of China, the need for learning English increased dramatically. What challenges do Chinese students face when learning English? What challenges does the teacher meet teaching Chinese students? What teaching approach can be found?
Table of Contents
1. Motivation
2. Education
3. National character
4. Language difference
5. Grammar
6.... [Read more]
Personal Teaching Experience in a Chinese Training School - TEFL Blog
Wed, 20 Nov 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Personal Teaching Experience in a Chinese Training School
I have been an English teacher in China for roughly 3 years, one of the biggest challenges I face every day is the look I get from the children when they see me for the first time. I stand out a mile away (blonde hair and blue eyes) so they are either very eager to speak to me or they are petrified.
Table of Contents
Responsibilities
Benefits
Drawbacks
Classes Structures
We have 3 levels:
Age Groups
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jeanne H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Responsibilities
As a training school... [Read more]
This is What I Learned from my Online TEFL Training - TEFL Blog
Wed, 01 Jul 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
This is What I Learned from my Online TEFL Training
The most widely used language throughout the world is English. Some countries use English as an official language. English is a major subject In China. Most of the Chinese students start to learn English from primary school or middle school. In recent years, more and more students start to learn English from kindergarten. They put a lot of time and effort into learning English. The majority of Chinese students learn English for over 10 years. But there is a strange situation. They still can't speak English fluently, even though some simple English conversations. But they can get high scores in the exam. Why is it? Because Chinese students are too stupid? Or not hard-working? No!!!... [Read more]
Common Learning Difficulties Faced in ESL Settings - TEFL Blog
Fri, 29 May 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Common Learning Difficulties Faced in ESL Settings
Learning is always hard especially learning something new such as English learning. English is a different new language compared with Chinese, so when we are learning, definitely we will meet all kinds of difficulties in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Table of Contents
Most beginners think listening is the most difficult part of English learning.
Speaking can be improved dramatically from zero in a short time but it's quite difficult to speak accurately.
For most Chinese people, English reading is not as difficult as listening or speaking.
Writing is always the hardest part of English for Chinese students.
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today!... [Read more]
English Speaking and Writing Errors made by Chinese Primary Students - TEFL Blog
Mon, 27 May 2019 William Noble
Destinations Teaching Ideas
English Speaking and Writing Errors made by Chinese Primary Students
I have been an online ESL teacher to Chinese students for over 13 years, mostly with primary students but also with secondary and adult students. I am also a father and have homeschooled my daughter over her primary years. Like many teachers, I've enjoyed teaching at this level of education as it lays the foundation in English. As it set the foundation, my teaching helped students to overcome common errors in production skills, speaking and writing. Teaching both my daughter and Chinese students at the primary level also helped me also to understand the different expectations between first language and second language students.
Table of Contents
Speaking... [Read more]
Problems for Chinese Learners of the English Language - TEFL Blog
Wed, 15 Jul 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Problems for Chinese Learners of the English Language
After China adopted the Open Door Policy, the English language not only gained popularity but also became indispensable in international communication and trade. It was introduced in public schools as an obligatory foreign language and English teaching centers started spreading across the country. Even though Chinese people approach learning English with a great dose of enthusiasm, it poses several challenges, both linguistic and cultural.
Table of Contents
The History of Chinese
Pronunciation Challenges
Cultural Issues
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Weronika S. Please note that... [Read more]
What is it Like Teaching EFL in a Kindergarten? - TEFL Blog
Mon, 01 Apr 2019 Linda Dunsmore
Alumni Experiences
What is it Like Teaching EFL in a Kindergarten?
The majority of children turning 5 years old attend kindergarten for two years in preparation for primary school. Some kids enter kindergarten earlier at the age of only four. This actually varies according from state to state and also from country to country.
Table of Contents
"Teaching EFL in a kindergarten is really challenging."
"Teaching Kindergarten is like a Rollercoaster Ride!"
Don't rely on Translations
Preparation is key!
Truly, teaching is a rewarding job.
Are you ready to teach English abroad?
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Listen to this blog post
In China, most kindergartens combine childcare with teaching so that the children will develop physically, morally, and intellectually in a... [Read more]
Common Speaking Challenges in China - TEFL Blog
Tue, 10 Sep 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Common Speaking Challenges in China
I came to China 4 years ago to teach English. I have not managed to learn Mandarin in that time frame but I did learn quite a bit about the differences in pronunciation between Mandarin and American English. The most common errors made by Chinese students generally come from the habit of translating to their native language. English and Mandarin share some similarities such as word order and sentence structure which also complicate the issue. In this essay, I will discuss teaching pronunciation, the problems that can occur when teaching pronunciations, and the issues that occur with Mandarin speakers learning English.
Table of Contents
Pronunciation
Intonation
Phonics
Do you want to teach... [Read more]
The Necessity of Understanding An EFL Student's Learning Experience - TEFL Blog
Wed, 17 Mar 2021 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
The Necessity of Understanding An EFL Student's Learning Experience
As teachers, we often assume that we understand what our students are going through and that we can relate to the experience of learning in school because we have been there ourselves. However, many of us who teach English as a foreign language require a different empathy element to relate to our students truly. Learning a new language is a humbling experience, and doing it as a foreigner in a foreign culture is even more humbling. The question is, how many language educators can relate to this? Personally, though I do not know how many TEFL teachers have experienced a foreign language and culture for an extended period, I have had the privilege to... [Read more]
Common Issues for Chinese Learners of English - TEFL Blog
Tue, 31 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Common Issues for Chinese Learners of English
Over the decades, the English language has reached the status of a global language and is commonly known as the lingua franca around the world. It has become one of the most widely spoken language as a mother tongue, international communication as well as language taught in millions of schools around the globe. The use of the English language is widespread in many sectors in the global market as many organizations begin to adopt the language as an official language. In the economic world, the language plays a significant role in international trade/business between two of the most powerful global economic powerhouse mainly the United States of America and China.
Table of Contents... [Read more]