Information Gap Activities

TEFL terms explained As with most professions the world of Teaching English as a Foreign Language has many of its own particular and sometimes peculiar terms and jargon. Getting to grips with the wide array of acronyms in the industry can sometimes feel like learning a whole new language! So if you have trouble telling the difference between your IWB (Interactive Whiteboard) and your OHP (Overhead Projector), this infographic is a great guide to what’s what in the English language teaching industry. Two of the most commonly used phrases in English teaching, and two that cause most confusion are TEFL and TESOL. TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language and TESOL means Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Another term, TESL, means Teaching English as a Second...  [Read more]

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas 7 Amazing Back-to-School Ideas for Your ESL Class Listen to this blog post: Schools are starting again and students and teachers flock back to the classroom. Check out these simple and powerful back-to-school ideas and your students will surely remember this first lesson of yours for a long time! Table of Contents Listen to this blog post: 1. Give a Report 2. Weekly Journal 3. Information Gap 4. My Dream Job 5. Our Class Policies 6. Give a Speech 7. Survey your Classmates Are you ready to teach English as a foreign language? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! 1. Give a Report Have your students write a short report (or let them do it verbally) about something newsworthy that happened...  [Read more]

The ESA Methodology of Teaching - The Study Phase   This video is part of our ESA Methodology series. The ESA methodology consists of three stages. In this series, we look at the individual purposes of each stage and typical activities for each stage. This second video introduces the study phase of ESA. The purpose of this phase is to cover the actual teaching of the lesson and to check the understanding of that material.The second stage or phase of the lesson is known as the study phase and really the purpose of this phase is to cover the actual teaching of the lesson and to check understanding of that material. Typically in an ESA lesson, the study phase will have two parts. The first phase of the study is to cover the actual teaching component in what's known as the board work...  [Read more]

7 ideas for business English classes The activities provided in this graphic allow students to use English in ways that areinteresting, fun and relevant to their needs as business English learners. In ‘Negotiations’ students get to role-play a negotiation between two sides, earning points for each success they have in negotiating with the other side. Telephone role-plays are a great way to practice speaking to another person without the non-verbal clues that usually assist face-to-face communication. Comparison information gap activities are good for getting students to use English to find out particular information they need from another person, an important communicative skill needed by many business English learners. Arranging meetings is a good...  [Read more]

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas How to Implement The ESA Approach in Your Classroom Teaching a real class, first, we need to mention the rapport between teachers and students. What makes a good teacher and a good learner are tend to be "student-centered" class than "teacher-centered", which means teachers' talking time is less than students'. Being a good teacher will always remind and encourage learners about their learning motivations and interests. Table of Contents Lesson Planning ESA Method Patterns Choice of Activities in the ESA Lesson Body Language Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Crystal D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the...  [Read more]

Productive and Receptive Skills in the ESL Classroom - Speaking Skills - Study Phase   Once we're satisfied that all the students have been engaged and that they've been given the opportunity to say something, we can move on to our study phase. Here, it may be necessary or useful to actually pre-teach some gaps in knowledge that have been shown from the engage phase and those gaps in knowledge may include actual grammar structures or indeed useful vocabulary and it's very important that, before we move on to doing any forms of activity, we check their understanding of this material. So, we need to do some study exercises. It's also very useful if you leave this information up on the board through all that study period. Those study activities can just be the normal types of gap fills...  [Read more]

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 Federico Riva TEFL Information Teaching Ideas Different Types of ESA Lessons If every single lesson that we undertook with our students was a straight arrow ESA lesson then it is quite possible that the students would be able to predict what is going to come up next. Whilst this might be good for the lower level students, it could potentially become a little bit boring for our higher level students. Harmer considered this and his response was to generate two other types of ESA lesson that we can use to try and generate a little bit more interest. 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! Watch the video about this...  [Read more]

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 Shirin Sophy Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Top Tips for your ESA Activate Phase Regardless of the ESA type applied in a lesson plan(straight-arrow, boomerang, patchwork, and so forth), the activation phase, when the target language is supposed to be practiced and promoted through various techniques and activities, is usually the last stage of every lesson. A well-designed activation can be an essential characteristic of a fruitful lesson which highly affects learners' level of participation during the lesson and their sense of achievement at the end of the lesson. This phase is naturally divided into some steps to facilitate the activation process, including the controlled, semi-controlled, and free practices that are briefly discussed in this post. Table of...  [Read more]

Sun, 06 Jan 2019 Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas 7 Awesome Ideas for Business English Classes Liven up your business English classes and encourage high student talk time with these fun and creative activities. Table of Contents 1. Negotiations 2. Telephone call role-plays 3. Yearly comparison information gap 4. Business diaries – arranging a meeting 5. Dragon's Den/Shark Tank 6. Tell me about your company 7. Analyzing charts and graphs Listen to this blog post Do you want to teach business English? Related Articles: 1. Negotiations In pairs students role-play a negotiation. Each side will be given a sheet listing demands and concessions. Each side of the negotiation is awarded points for the type of concessions they get from the other side. For example, if one side manages to...  [Read more]

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Why Teaching Listening Strategies to Beginner Learners in Mexico May be Helpful Listening is an important skill in which learners need help in developing their abilities. Listening strategies are so helpful. By giving a learner, tools to listen to the learner can develop more control over his/her listening abilities. Many learners ask " Teacher, how can I improve my listening?" The truth of the matter is with training from teachers. We can apply strategies in class to help learners overcome the obstacles, which they encounter while listening. The spoken text varies greatly from written text, and these differences can affect the listeners' understanding. For example, when listening to spoken text the learner must process the...  [Read more]

Jobs For Dynamic and Professional EFL Teachers in Korea Date posted:2012-10-25 | Writer: YBM Education Inc | Email: [email protected] Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching.   Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Check out ITTT's Blog Posts Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching.   I learned this unit speaking and writing are both important in learning English...  [Read more]

Jobs For Dynamic and Professional EFL Teachers in Korea Date posted:2012-10-25 | Writer: YBM Education Inc | Email: [email protected] Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching.   Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Check out ITTT's Blog Posts Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching.   I learned this unit speaking and writing are both important in learning English...  [Read more]

Lesson Plan TEFL Check out tefl tesol about Lesson Plan TEFL and apply today to be certified to teach English abroad. You could also be interested in: This is how our TEFL graduates feel they have gained from their course, and how they plan to put into action what they learned: Check out ITTT's Blog Posts C.V. - Australia said: Accuracy and Fluency ActivitiesNowadays, how to communicate successfully in the English language has become more significant than reading and writing. For most people, the importance of producing messages effectively and to negotiate meaning is essential. People communicate for various reasons. They want to listen to something, they are interested in what is being said, they want to say something and/ or they have some communicative purposes. It is the teacher?s...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Liza is a translator, freelancer and ESL teacher from Russia. She had been teaching in a Chinese bilingual school for more than two years and recently moved to Thiland to run her blog about teaching and freelance job. Read my articles What is the Role of a Good Teacher? | ITTT | TEFL Blog Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas In this article, our TEFL graduate shares their point of view on a good teacher's personal qualities. Reasons for a Lack of Confidence in English Students from China | ITTT | TEFL Blog Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences This blog post contains information on the reasons why Chinese students may have a lack of confidence. Should a TEFL Certification be Mandatory for Teachers? | ITTT | TEFL Blog Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information In...  [Read more]

Wed, 18 Sep 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Lesson Planning: The Roles of Study and Activate Stages The most helpful teaching strategy that I learned about in this course was ESA lesson planning. An ESA lesson is one that includes three distinct stages: Engage, Study, and Activate. A successful lesson should include all three components, beginning with an engaging stage and concluding with an activated stage. I plan to use this framework for my own lesson planning because it is flexible, yet has enough structure to establish students' expectations for how they will learn during every class period. I especially like the distinction between study and activate because it helps me understand the role of different types of activities in a lesson. Table of Contents Types of...  [Read more]

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences How Can Parents Help an ESL Teacher? Parental involvement plays a pivotal role in the success of learning English as a second language (ESL) education. When parents actively participate in their child's language learning journey, they become valuable partners with ESL teachers contributing to the overall effectiveness of the educational process. This essay explores various ways in which parents can assist and support ESL teachers in fostering English language proficiency among their children. Table of Contents Creating a Supportive Home Environment Encouraging Reading and Language Practice Collaboration with Teachers Consistency and Practice for Language Acquisition The Crucial Role of Parents in ESL Teaching Are you...  [Read more]

Tue, 01 Oct 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Importance of Utilizing Different Roles in The Classroom Education is one of the most important bricks at the foundation of every society and high-quality education can only be achieved with the help of well-prepared teachers who care about the learning of their students. A teacher should not only master and constantly be up to date with the changes in the field of the subject he/she is teaching but also be able to convey his/her message in such a way that the students understand and enjoy. Table of Contents Choice of Activities Lesson Stages Grouping Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Catalina T. Please note that this blog post...  [Read more]

Thu, 30 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Benefits of the ESA Methodology Over the course of this certification program, I learned an abundance of information and methodologies, but none as important as the ESA outline; the ESA methodology is, undoubtedly, the best thing I've learned from my TEFL course. The ESA procedure provides a myriad of benefits, engaging learners in a series of dynamic activities aimed to create a seamless and effective educational environment. Due to the adept and fluid nature of the ESA methodology, it is easily the most important tool taught to me throughout this program and something I foresee utilizing often in the near future. Table of Contents Engage Stage Study Stage Activate Stage Are you ready to learn new teaching methods? Take a TEFL...  [Read more]

Thu, 18 Feb 2021 Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Cultural Awareness and Inclusive Learning in ESL Teaching Urban education can be described as a complicated topic for school reformists in America. With critical issues, such as inadequate funding, lack of resources, and uncertified teachers, the myriad of problems with public education has reached a new high. Many big-city public education systems have turned into melting pots by bringing together members of different racial, social, economic, and ethnic groups. Table of Contents The problem of Public Education American Educational Scheme 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...  [Read more]

Mon, 17 Jun 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Computer-Aided Language Learning Computers are becoming more and more common in the classroom. While they should not be relied upon as the main or sole source of teaching, they can be very helpful for students and teachers in the classroom. One of the complaints about Computer-aided language learning (CALL) is that computers can be costly and it requires many of them to teach, but that does not have to be the case. In fact, computers can be cost-effective in that almost all other teaching equipment and their features can be used on one or a few computers. Part I of this essay will discuss the advantages CALL has over other forms of technology. Part II will discuss the useful activities and applications of CALL in the classroom. Table...  [Read more]

Lesson Planning - Part 7 - Lesson Plan Example - Activate Phase   So, having elicited this particular structure, what I'm now able to do is to move on to the actual study activities. Typically, they will be in the form of worksheets to check that the students actually understand this information. So, I might prepare three activities. They may not do them all but, for example, I could prepare these three study activities. So, the first one is going to be a fairly straightforward matching activity, where perhaps they match the subject to its correct verb "to be" in that part of the sentence. The second one is going to be a gap fill. For example, I might use this verb here and ask them to complete a sentence using that verb, so that I can check that any spelling changes that take...  [Read more]

Thu, 25 Jul 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas ESA Lesson Planning As we all know, an ESA class means Engage, Study and Activate phase, which is widely used in most classes.in the class, we teachers pay attention to how to attract students, how to motivate students, how to make the point clear and easy to understand, and how to take the opportunity to use it. All of these are we need to make sure that play well in the classroom. therefore, the ESA class is an effective method to use in the class. Table of Contents Listen to this blog post: Engage Stage Study Stage Variants Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Sweet Zh. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily...  [Read more]

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 Federico Riva TEFL Information Teaching Ideas Accuracy vs. Fluency When Speaking In this blog post, we will consider some important educational background theoretical and practical knowledge. The planning of a lesson for speaking skills (one of the two productive skills) requires us to look first at the ideas of accuracy versus fluency. 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! Watch the video about this topic We will start by defining our terms.1) Speaking accuracy relates to the correct usage of grammar and vocabulary.2) Speaking fluency relates to our ability to continue speaking without any interruption, such as...  [Read more]

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 Shirin Sophy TEFL Information Alumni Experiences How to Structure your Study Phase To Target Productive Skills In today's cosmopolitan world, the noticeable necessity of mastery over foreign languages apart from one's native language is motivating manifold people to consider improving this particular ability which results in an increasing demand for language learning courses and services. Among the major purposes of language learning, communication and language production are definitely much more measurable and outstanding, specifically through productive skills, including writing and speaking. In terms of pedagogy, the following is a suggested procedure that can be taken into account while teaching productive skills after the engagement phase is applied and...  [Read more]

Tue, 15 Oct 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Constructive Approach to Teaching Children With Varying Learning Abilities The Oxford Dictionary defines learning ability as the ability to comprehend or understand and profit from an experience (Vocabulary.com, 2019). The reality is that in any classroom, a teacher will be faced with teaching children of varying learning abilities. Table of Contents Theoretical Points In the EFL Classroom Students With Various Abilities The Engage Stages The Activate Stage The Study Stage Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Liezl S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Theoretical Points...  [Read more]

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 Elaheh Rezvani Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas How Online Education Bridges Learning Gaps Nothing can undoubtedly match the experience of face-to-face classrooms. An offline or physical set of an educational platform is an indispensable part of a student's life since it is essential for their growth in all aspects. However, the potentiality of technology in education also plays an equally important part. Virtual or online learning represents a set of new learning opportunities. Technology gives this opportunity to teachers and students to enjoy more enchantment in lesson plans and provides a multi-dimensional chance to the classrooms. Table of Contents What are the positive features? What are the capabilities of online learning? Conclusion Are you ready to teach...  [Read more]

7 ideas for business English classes   Liven up your business English classes and encourage high student talking time with these fun and creative activities. NEGOTIATIONS In pairs students role-play a negotiation. Each side will be given a sheet listing demands and concessions. Each side of the negotiation is awarded points for the type of concessions they get from the other side. For example, if one side manages to get a 25% discount, they get 10 points and the other side gets 0. TELEPHONE CALL ROLE-PLAYS Telephone role-plays can be used with a variety of different topics such as leaving and taking a message, placing an order, arranging a meeting, making a complaint etc. The main point is to give students the chance to practice communicating in English without the visual clues...  [Read more]

Native English speaking teacher wanted to teach TEFL in Poland Date posted:2002-10-14 | Writer: The English school of communications. | Email: [email protected] EFL Teacher, Krakow, Tarnow, Nowu Targ, Myslenice, Katowice, Bochnia, Poland Minimum Salary: 20 United States Dollars per Hour Minimum Qualifications: TEFL certificate or equivalent, university degree Contact Address: The English School of Communication Skills ul.Sw. Agnieszki 2 Krakow� 31-068 Contact Telephone: +48 12 422 85 83 Contact Fax: +48 12 422 85 83THE ENGLISH SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION SKILLSGeneral infromation about the school:ESCS is The English School of Communication Skills, a system of private language schools in southern Poland (Krakow, Tarnow, Nowy Targ, My�lenice and Katowice). Our students are highly...  [Read more]

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Roots of Motivation to Learn a Second Language Motivation has long been a major concern for most English teachers. There is no doubt that it is a potent force in language acquisition. Motivation, both intrinsic and extrinsic, is a key factor in the success of students at all stages of their education, and teachers can play a pivotal role in providing and encouraging that motivation in their students. All students are motivated differently and it takes time and a lot of effort to learn to get a classroom full of students enthusiastic about learning, working hard, and pushing themselves to excel. Table of Contents Reasons for Learning Teaching Materials Choice of Activities Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course!...  [Read more]

Tue, 29 Oct 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Emphasis on the Need for Teaching Productive Skills The productive skills, in my definition, are skills that require the students to articulate or produce words, sounds, speeches, or sentences either in written or typed form. The productive skills are speaking and writing. The productive skills are essential and are needed for communicative purposes in our day to day activities. Table of Contents Why are Productive Skills Important? Preparation for Teaching More Techniques Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Taiwo B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Why are Productive...  [Read more]