Information Gap

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]

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]

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]

OTP English Lesson - Richard - If Conditional   "In this video, our OTP trainee Richard elicits the topic of his class by asking his students what they would buy if they won the lottery. He then puts the information up on the board and does a quick gap-fill exercise to further elicit the second conditional. ITTT's Observed Teaching Practice courses (OTP) are ideal for teachers wanting to improve their teaching skills remotely from anywhere in the world." 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. This convenient, highly structured design means that you can quickly get to grips with each...  [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]

TEFL in Memphis, USA Date posted:2005-04-20 | Writer: Memphis City School | Email: [email protected] Teachers Needed: Memphis, Tennessee, USA The students of Memphis City Schools are looking for motivated, highly-qualified teachers who can make a difference in their lives. Memphis City Schools offers a competitive salary structure, fast-track application process, responsive and helpful staff, excellent professional development resources and advancement opportunities. Our district is committed to change, the ongoing improvement of education for all students, and closing the achievement gap. Applications are being accepted immediately. Candidates must have a bachelor's degree and qualify for a license, a minimum overall grade point average of 2.5, and must be a US citizen or permanent...  [Read more]

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 Federico Riva Destinations TEFL Information Alumni Experiences 5 Reasons Why Grammar Is Vital in Language Learning Language is the key to communication, and grammar is the foundation that unlocks its potential. Often viewed as a daunting challenge, mastering grammar is an essential step in language acquisition. Beyond the complexities lie five compelling reasons why grammar should be at the core of every language learner's journey. Table of Contents 1. Building Strong Foundations 2. Bridging the Gap for New Concepts 3. Achieving Native-Like Fluency 4. Uncovering Language Nuances 5. Realizing the Role of Grammar in Language Proficiency Conclusion Are you ready to teach English as a foreign language? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many...  [Read more]

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas A Short Guide for Preparing Course Materials for TEFL Teaching Course materials are the ingredients of the class, that if implemented effectively, make it taste good. A teacher can be amazing at instructing but the materials are what will help the students apply the lecture and know if they understood it. It reminds me of when I was in class, listening to my teacher, oftentimes I was really under the impression that I understood what the teacher was saying. When I did my homework though, I found it difficult to apply that information to the exercises. This was often the case when the teacher explained things well, but the materials weren't personalized and came from a textbook that has been out of date for the past 5 years. Here...  [Read more]

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas The ESA Methodology of Teaching - Sample ESA Boomerang Lesson In this blog post, we will take a look at a typical example of a boomerang lesson. Table of Contents Watch the video about this topic We start with an engage phase. 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 First we will recap the structure E  A1  S  A2 We start with an engage phase. Here the students are just going to have a discussion about jobs, what happens at interviews and so on and so forth. During that engage phase what we would hope to do is to elicit some useful language...  [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]

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]

Thu, 25 Jul 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Example Lesson Plan for a Business English Class Knowing an additional language goes beyond the ability to speak it. It connects people, helps in understanding different cultures and has also been identified as a boost to brain function and increase intelligence. Table of Contents Present Situation Example Lesson Plan Lesson: Receptive Skills Engage and Study Phase: Activate Phase: Expected end result: Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nagashree C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Present Situation In the present age of expanding businesses, capturing markets across...  [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]

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]

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]

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]

Our ITTT TEFL and TESOL Alumni Stories Teacher’s Personality in the Classroom Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Our TEFL graduate, in this blog post, contemplates upon the teacher's personality in the ESL classroom. How Working and Teaching English Abroad Will Influence Your Life Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences In this article, our TEFL graduate shares their thoughts on teaching abroad and possible experiences they can get there. Why Should Young Children Learn English? Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences This article was written by our TEFL graduate who shares their opinion on English in early childhood. Tips for Bridging the Cultural Gap in an ESL Classroom in Asia Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences This blog post was written by our TEFL...  [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]

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 Zareena Younis Destinations Alumni Experiences The Increasing Need for Continuous Professional Development in the Middle East In western society, continuous professional development (CPD) is part and parcel of most jobs where one will have to undertake regular training and have monthly meetings to see how one's work can be improved. There is the encouragement to develop your skills and certify yourself for better job satisfaction and promotion. Table of Contents Importance of CPD The Increasing need for CPD in the Middle East The benefit of CPD and how it can bridge the gap of education between the Middle East and Western society. Recommendations for educational establishments in the Middle East Are you ready to teach English abroad or online? Related Articles:...  [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]

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]

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]

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]

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Tips for Bridging the Cultural Gap in an ESL Classroom in Asia Cultural capital according to French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu is the gathering of knowledge, skills, and cultural traits that a person obtains from their personal, social and educational environment (Bourdieu, 1991, p. 14). The educational system in a Korean society differs from the learning practices in Western society. Asian societies such as South Korea, prioritize a teacher-centered learning style where students are expected to respect teachers and not solicit too much information since communication is often indirect and implicit. This group-focused thinking is a main cultural learning difference from Western teachings where individualism is more emphasized...  [Read more]

The ESA Methodology of Teaching - Sample ESA Lesson   Now an example of a straight arrow ESA lesson for our engage phase. What we're going to do is to show the students a video of animals and they are going to say what they like about those animals and try to create a list of some more. So, remember what we're trying to do here is to get the students talking and thinking in English. We're using a typical engage activity, which is to create a list and we try to make sure that all the students have been involved in some way in creating those lists. Moving on to the study phase, the first part is going to be the board work and the teacher is going to try to elicit from the students what each of those animals can and can't do. Typically, what the students will say is just single words,...  [Read more]

Providers Inexpensive TEFL Check out tefl tesol about Providers Inexpensive 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 G.F. - U.S.A. said: ESAImagine going to a different country of your choice with the intent of either taking a sweet vacation or just enjoying the sites. All of a sudden a good friend of yours needs you to teach an English class in this country or asks a favor for the day if you could teach, would you know what to do? Or even imagine being at your workplace and your boss needs you to write a presentation. What form or idea do you have in order to make a lesson or...  [Read more]