International Phonetic Association

  There are two issues that need to be stressed when working with the international phonemic alphabet. First is the fact that we are no longer concerned with how a word is traditionally spelled. Additionally we need to stress that we are only concerned with the sounds needed to correctly produce a word. So rather than numerous spellings, which can often be pronounced in different ways, we have one symbol representing one sound. Once we can isolate a sound, rather than juggling various spellings, we can work with our students on how to say that sound. Doing that successfully is related to manner and place of articulation, which will be covered shortly. To get a better understanding of the phonemic alphabet, let's take a look at our chart. In the bottom half of our chart we have our...  [Read more]

  A better way to go about imparting how to make sounds or what sounds are utilized in a word, is this international phonemic alphabet. Now we have as mentioned one symbol being used in all the words which share that same sound. Now once we get a little bit more familiar with our phonemic alphabet we can also show how different our different sounds can be as in this symbol for ?ooh?, this symbol for ?ow? and this symbol for ?uh?. 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 section before moving onto the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences One of the most important problems encountered while learning a foreign language is undoubtedly pronunciation. Knowing a language fluently may not always be enough. Fluency level may be open to discussion if an accurate pronunciation is not used. Therefore as teachers, we must teach our students how to use the correct pronunciation. However, pronunciation can be a nightmare for some students, especially for young learners. Common Errors in Pronunciation /h/ Sound Ways to Fix Errors Articulation Simple Way to Overcome the Problem Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Selin K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas This will be a discussion aimed at presenting both the advantages and disadvantages of teaching phonetics. We will show how teaching phonetics help create approachability and reinforce language similarities. Inversely we will look at how English suffers from inconsistent phonetic rules and the conflict between words as written and words as said. We will also look at methods to mitigate these issues. Self-awareness Noticing language similarities English rules Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Mitchell D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Teaching phonetics help create an approachability towards...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Speech has been used to communicate and express many things since the dawn of man. When we look at wildlife, we can see a pattern in a speech similar to human communication. To truly understand science speech, we must look deeper at the concept of communication. Why Speech is Important? Word Stress Speech and Communication Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Dan S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. World leaders, actors, entertainers, successful businessmen and other professionals all have one major thing in common, their speech. We look at presidential talks and product release conferences...  [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. Reasons to pay attention to phonetics Phonetics in the early years Benefits Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related...  [Read more]

If you are nearing the end of your TEFL certification course or you are already certified but have yet to start teaching, you will probably have a number of questions regarding English language teaching jobs. In our FAQs below we tackle a wide range of questions, from which countries offer the best options to how to go about landing a position in your country of choice. You will also find answers about job interviews, how to prepare your documentation, and a whole host of other job related info. What questions should I ask a TEFL employer?    To decide whether a job is right for you it is essential to get as much information as possible during the interview. You should be clear on areas such as salary, working hours, class size, student's age, and the resources...  [Read more]

Once you have completed your TEFL certification and started looking for potential English language teaching jobs, you will need to consider what visas and work permits you might require in order to start working in your favored location. In some countries it is very straightforward, while others might require you to jump through the odd hoop or two. Take a look at our FAQs below that cover the visa and document situation in some of the most popular overseas teaching destinations. Can I get a work visa to teach English in Germany?    While there are numerous opportunities for language teachers in towns and cities across Germany, it is not always easy for non-Europeans to secure a visa that allows them to stay long-term. However, it is certainly possible if you are...  [Read more]

Although for many people money is not the main driving force behind teaching English abroad, it is still an important part of the TEFL journey as your salary will often dictate what you can afford to do during your adventures and how much you can potentially save at the end of the month. In our FAQs below we look at the average salaries in all the most popular teaching destinations, as well as any typical perks and bonuses you can expect in different locations. How much can I earn teaching English abroad?    Regions such as the Middle East and Asia offer the potential to earn salaries as high as $5,000 USD per month. Other areas such as Europe and Latin America have less in the way of high paying jobs but are still popular due to the culture and lifestyle. Can I...  [Read more]

One very popular option when looking for a job teaching English abroad is to join a national recruitment scheme that places teachers into local schools. Several countries around the world have well-established programs that actively recruit teachers before they leave their home country. Another major benefit of this route into teaching is that your visas and work permits will be organized for you and accommodation and flights are often included. Check out our FAQs covering the various options below. What is the TAPIF Program for teaching English in France?    One of the most popular and convenient ways to secure a job teaching English abroad is to apply for a government recruitment program that places teachers into public schools. The TAPIF Program offers a great...  [Read more]

If you are just starting out on your TEFL journey you are sure to have many questions about the world of teaching English as a foreign language. Here we concentrate on everything related to our courses and getting TEFL certified, whether it is advice on which course would suit you best or information on how the course actually works, you should hopefully find the answers with the help of our FAQs. So, dive in and get your teaching adventure underway with ITTT. How long does a TEFL course take?    We offer a range of TEFL courses to suit different requirements and most do not have a set timetable. The exception is our in-class TEFL course that runs for a set four-week period. All our online courses can be completed at any pace up to a maximum of six months. Can...  [Read more]

Teaching English online is becoming more popular every year due to the convenience of working from home and the flexibility you often have with setting your own work hours. However, it can sometimes be hard to navigate your way towards the right job as there are so many online platforms and there are new ones popping up all the time. A quick browse through our FAQs below should help answer your questions about teaching English online and steer you towards the right path to suit your preferences. Do I need a TEFL certificate to teach English online?    Although it is possible to teach English online without any formal qualifications, it is definitely recommended that you complete a TEFL course before you get started as many online teaching platforms require...  [Read more]

  "As mentioned before our four words here all are similar in using the ?b? and ?t? sounds at the end. So we know that those phonemes will be used in spelling each one of those words phonetically. Now what we're left to do is assign a phoneme for our vowel sounds. So if we analyze the word, it's ?e? as in bet. We look at our chart, we see the phoneme which corresponds to that sound and that happens to be the standard ?e? that we all recognize. Here, bet phonetically looks very similar to bet in the Roman script. Now let's take a look at ?i? bit. Now we look at our chart and we see that this symbol represents the ?i? sound and that resembles a capital I not a lowercase I but a capital I and so we've arrived at bit. Now with ?but? we have to find the sound and that corresponds to this...  [Read more]

  Now let's take a look at how we go from traditional spellings into the phonemic spellings. The first step in this process is identifying each unit of sound or each phoneme within a word. Let's look at bet, bit, but, and bought. The only difference in each one of these words is in the vowel sound. We have bet, bit, but and bought. Each word simply uses three sounds. Now we have photo. That's four phonemes. Wow we have taxi. That's five phonemes. We have unite with a hidden phoneme in there being the ?y? sound before anything else. Those are five phonemes as well and now we have a longer word: chemistry. Let's give that a shot. That's eight phonemes used in the word chemistry. Now once we've isolated each sound we want to assign a phoneme for each one of those sounds let's do that...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Say the word 'hat' to yourself out loud. Now say 'mouth'. Was it easy? If you are a native English speaker you did it without thinking. You didn't have to contort your face into all sorts of funny shapes or feel self-conscience during the process. The reason is that you already know the phonology of those two English words. You may not understand exactly how you said those words; whether they were plosives or voiced or non-voiced, whether or not the tongue was forward touching the teeth or raised touching the soft palate. You don't need to know. You have heard and said these words hundreds if not thousands of times in your life. You already can say them easily without thinking. But what if you are learning English and your Native Language does not have...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas In this blog post, we'll will delve into phonetics and phonology as described in George Yule's book, "The Study of Language." Phonetic and phonology are two branches of linguistics focused on the sound system. They are critical to understanding how speech sounds are produced, which, in turn, shapes language and communication. This discussion will explore various aspects of phonetics and phonology, breaking down the complex world of sounds in the English language. Phonetics and the Sound System Articulation Points Manner of Articulation Vowels and Diphthongs Phonology: The Sound Patterns of Language Teaching Phonetics and Phonology In Conclusion Are you ready to teach English as a foreign language? Related Articles: Check...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas First and foremost I'd like to address why phonetics issues very early piqued my interest in teaching English for foreigners. Ever since childhood, I was surrounded by people with substantial articulatory and auditory phonetic problems, not so much with the acoustic ones. Natural Problems Study Issues Self-consciousness Firstly, I attended the sign language and lip-reading courses. Are my efforts worthwhile? Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Asbiorn B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Firstly, those auditory problems were inherited biologically by people around me and couldn't be helped much...  [Read more]

ITTT has been at the forefront of providing high-quality teacher training programs since the 1990s. In that time we have produced thousands of graduates every year who are pursuing teaching careers in all corners of the world, as well as online. We started out as one of the pioneers in in-class TEFL and TESOL training in many different locations around the world and have steadily evolved our range of teaching courses, branching out into online, in-class, and combined training courses. As a market leader in the TEFL industry, we are continuously striving to improve our products and services to ensure that we maintain our position as one of the largest and most highly regarded providers of TEFL training worldwide. All TEFL International courses are validated and credit-bearing by Lamar...  [Read more]

We are RVF International, an international and educational exchange company. Our mission is to bridge the gap between travellers, teachers, adventurers, students, dreamers, explorers, and their destinations. We are proud creators of the #1 Teach Abroad program in Spain. We connect our program participants with schools all over Spain, so they can teach English and have the experience of a lifetime. We walk with our participants step-by-step, providing the best support from the very beginning: from applying to the program, through visa application support and guidance, and getting them as well prepared as possible for their arrival in Spain. We are passionate about travel, teaching and helping our participants gain new experiences and perspectives about life. If you want to get to Spain...  [Read more]

One of the most accessible and convenient resources for TEFL teachers is online platforms and websites dedicated to providing teaching materials, lesson plans, activities, and resources to enhance their teaching methods. Websites like British Council Teaching English, BusyTeacher, and TeachingEnglish.org.uk offer a wide range of free resources for teachers of English as a foreign language. These platforms provide ready-made lesson plans, worksheets, activities, and teaching tips that can help teachers create engaging and effective lessons for their students. Additionally, websites like TED-Ed and BBC Learning English offer videos, interactive activities, and language learning tools that can be incorporated into the classroom to make learning more interactive and dynamic. Continuing...  [Read more]

In the fast-paced world of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), staying updated on the latest trends and methodologies is crucial for professional growth and effectiveness in the classroom. Here are some effective ways to ensure you are always in the loop with the latest developments in the TEFL industry. One of the most convenient ways to stay updated on the latest trends and methodologies in the TEFL industry is by utilizing online resources. There are numerous websites, blogs, podcasts, and social media platforms dedicated to providing valuable insights, resources, and updates for TEFL professionals. Platforms like TEFL.org, TEFL.net, and the British Council's Teaching English website offer a wealth of information on lesson planning, classroom management, teaching techniques,...  [Read more]

One of the best resources for professional development in the TEFL industry is online platforms. Websites like Coursera, TEFL Courses, and FutureLearn offer a wide range of courses specifically designed for TEFL teachers. These courses cover topics such as classroom management, lesson planning, and teaching English to specific age groups or proficiency levels. Additionally, platforms like LinkedIn and Teach Away provide opportunities for networking with other TEFL professionals, sharing resources, and staying updated on industry trends. Attending TEFL conferences and workshops is another excellent way to further your professional development and expand your network in the industry. Events like the TESOL International Convention, IATEFL Conference, and TEFL Equity Advocates Conference bring...  [Read more]

Networking with other TEFL teachers is essential for professional growth and development. One of the best ways to connect with like-minded individuals is by joining TEFL associations and online communities. These platforms provide opportunities to share resources, exchange ideas, and seek advice from experienced educators. Associations such as TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) and IATEFL (International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language) offer membership benefits such as access to forums, webinars, and networking events. Online communities like Reddit's TEFL and Dave's ESL Cafe also serve as valuable resources for networking with teachers around the world. Attending conferences and workshops is another effective way to network with other TEFL...  [Read more]

See sample practice teaching sessions which form part of the assessment for our Online Teaching Practice (OTP) course. These videos show extracts from various stages of the trainees course as they learn to put into practice the theories discussed in the course material.  [Read more]

In the video collection below, you will find a summary of the most important acronyms and abbreviations in the ESL teaching sector. Make a great first impression at your new ESL job by familiarizing yourself with these terms.  [Read more]

  All ITTT online TEFL certification courses are accredited by leading institutions in the world of English language teaching, including the Paris University of International Education (PUIE). The PUIE is a higher education institute that is recognized by the Paris Academy as a degree-granting organization. In fact, our certificates are the only purely online TEFL certificates out there that are validated, accredited and credit bearing from an internationally-recognized university. Through the PUIE our online TEFL courses have been evaluated and have successfully met all the criteria necessary to be accredited by this prominent and highly respected institute. If you choose to attend an in-class TEFL course at one of our many international training centers, the certificate you...  [Read more]

Your experience of teaching English abroad depends on the location you want to teach in. Our infographics will not only prepare you for the new country you will be living in, but also provide useful information on the global ESL market itself (best destinations, salary, benefits, etc.), as well as interesting resources you can use in the classroom regardless of where you are teaching.  [Read more]

Sarah Jennings Teaching Ideas Embarking on a career in international teaching is an exciting opportunity to expand your horizons, experience new cultures, and enhance your professional skills. Whether you're a seasoned educator or new to the field, finding the perfect teaching position abroad can be a rewarding but challenging process. This blog offers five essential tips to help you navigate the journey and secure a position that aligns with your goals and aspirations. Research and Identify Opportunities Consider Your Qualifications Prepare Your Documents Be Flexible and Open-Minded Follow Up and Stay Persistent Conclusion Are you ready to teach English abroad or online? The first step in securing your ideal international teaching position is to research and identify the available...  [Read more]

Trainees attending our classroom based TEFL courses are assessed and evaluated in a number of different ways. Trainees are assessed and evaluated in the following areas with percentages given as per the weighting of each area: TEFL Course Locations Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!  [Read more]

See and hear our graduates describe their own personal experiences of taking a TEFL course with ITTT. If you have any concerns about your ability to complete the course, or if you are unsure whether you should travel around the world to study for your certificate, then listen to these graduates who give their honest opinions on these concerns and much more.  [Read more]