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Pronunciation Challenges of French Native-Speaking Students - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Each student faces their difficulties when it comes to English pronunciation depending on their country of origin. This essay will focus on the pronunciation difficulties facing ESL students in France and will also propose some solutions to help students overcome these difficulties.Table of Contents
French Sound System
IPA
Difficult Sounds
The Dark /L/ Sound
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Kerri M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
The number of English vowel sounds greatly outnumbers those found in the French language. As such, French students will have to produce sounds that they have never... [Read more]
Phonological Awareness for Developing Language Abilities - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Phonology involves studying how sounds are organized in a language to create meaning. It differs in every language as sounds are organized to create words, which are then organized in sentences.Table of Contents
Understanding both phonology and phonetics is important when teaching language to others.
The English IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) utilizes symbols to represent single sounds.
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jane M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Phonetics involves understanding how sounds are... [Read more]
Future of English Considering its Derivatives Across the World - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
From the time of the American revolution and onward, there has been a distinctive trend for American English and British English dialects to move away from each other. Whether taught in American English or British English, most people of either type will have little trouble understanding each other. Unlike the many dialects of China, English is a pretty ubiquitous language across the board, with a spattering of unique regional words.Table of Contents
Rise of American Variant
Phonetic System Derivation
Common American Dialect
Coexistence of British Dialects
Canadian Speech
Are there only British English and American English?
Future of English
Are you ready to spread English around the globe?
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What You Need to Know About Japanese Students' Challenges Before Teaching in Japan - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Japan is a country with a long history, deep tradition, and vibrant culture. Within this culture sits the Japanese language. At first, being a spoken language and then adopting the Chinese Writing System, Japanese has grown and changed into what it is today. If you look at all languages, most Western languages originate from a set family, such as Romance Languages (which became today's Spanish, French, Italian, etc). But Japanese (as most Asian languages) was formed from entirely different roots. These fundamental differences mean that the method of learning these languages has a lot to do with memorization and repetitive practice of the Chinese symbols and the words they represent. Which means it is difficult to find any common ground between it and... [Read more]
Top Reasons Why Rules of Pronunciation are Extremely Important for Teachers - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Many ESL teachers have never even heard of phonetics or phonology, yet they use these aspects of speech naturally when they speak. Phonetics and phonology are two areas of linguistics that study the sounds of language. Phonetics focuses on individual sounds, while phonology studies the features and combination of sounds (McMahon, 1-3). There are two reasons why ESL teachers need to know phonetics and phonology: first, it helps them to conceptualize English in a way that their students can understand; and second, it helps them to address their students' difficult pronunciation problems.Table of Contents
Why Students Suffer from Pronunciation Issues?
Lack of Subject Knowledge
Sound Awareness
Teacher as a Role Model
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Challenges for Vietnamese Students in American English Pronunciation - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Today, Vietnam is entering the world stage as a united and independent country, eager to learn English, but unable to meet its standards for EFL education. Vietnamese students are a victim of several unfortunate coincidences in pronunciation, and often complain that reading and writing are easy to learn but speaking and listening simply impossible. Two huge differences in the way these languages differentiate words have made English communication into a "black box" for the Vietnamese, more difficult for them to penetrate than for other Asian peoples. Among these differences are the very small number of shared sounds, as well as tonogenesis, a pitch-based method of differentiating Vietnamese syllables that is not present in English. This essay... [Read more]
Mastering English Language Sounds: Enhancing Pronunciation and Auditory Receptive Skills - TEFL Blog
Federico Riva
TEFL Information Alumni Experiences
Explore the challenges and strategies in teaching English language sounds and pronunciation across different age groups.It's widely known that students of various age groups exhibit varying learning capacities. Despite these differences and regardless of background or origin, learners of English (referred to as L2) often struggle with speaking and listening due to the language's heavy reliance on auditory comprehension. This article delves into the importance of addressing these pronunciation challenges, especially in the context of teaching English as a second language.Table of Contents
Understanding Age-Related Differences
Young Learners: Nurturing the Phonetic Foundation
Navigating the Teenage Years: 12-18 Age Group
Engaging Adult... [Read more]
Teaching English Pronunciation to Students from Japan - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
In my experience teaching elementary and junior high school level English in Japan, several different pronunciation problems appear frequently. The Japanese phonemic inventory is smaller than English's phonemic inventory, and the sounds present in each language differ from each other quite dramatically. Because of this, it can be difficult for native Japanese speakers to learn and master English pronunciation, but there are a few teaching techniques that can help students overcome this difficulty.Table of Contents
Consonants Challenge
Non-Existent Sounds in the Native Language
Vowel Challenge
3 Methods to Work on Problems
1. Visual Representation
2. IPA Phonetics
3. Pronunciation Lessons
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Related... [Read more]
Deciphering English Language Sounds: The Realm of Phonetics and Phonology - TEFL Blog
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.Table of Contents
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... [Read more]
English as a Non-Phonetic Language - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
Alumni Experiences
Like we all know, the English alphabet has 26 letters. These 26 letters can make 44 different sounds or phonemes â 20 sounds come from the vowels a, e, i, o and u; and 24 sounds come from the remaining 21 consonants. A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound that can change the meaning of a word.Table of Contents
The Vowel Sounds
The Consonant Sounds
Syllable Stress
Without Jumping to Conclusions
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If we consider sounds made simply by the letter 'a' for instance, in the word 'apple' â it's /ae/, in 'car' â it's /a:/, in amount â it's /a/, and so on. This, consequently, makes English a non-phonetic... [Read more]
How to Teach the Correct Pronunciation of L, R, V, and F - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Many students of English as a Second Language (ESL) find that, of the many struggles they have with the language, pronunciation is the most difficult to master.Table of Contents
Working on Fluency
Difficult Sounds: Part 1
How to Teach?
Difficult Sounds: Part 2
How to Teach?
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Sophie M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Pronunciation is an extremely important ability to have to sound more fluent in English. By gaining the knowledge and skill of proper pronunciation, an ESL student can come across at a much higher level of English ability and... [Read more]
Can I teach English abroad with a TEFL certificate from a Latin American country? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT TEFL & TESOL
TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificates are essential qualifications for individuals looking to teach English abroad. These certificates provide the necessary training and skills to teach English to non-native speakers effectively. There are various types of TEFL certificates available, ranging from online courses to in-person intensive programs.
TEFL certificates obtained from Latin American countries are generally recognized worldwide. However, it is essential to ensure that the certificate meets the specific requirements of the country where you intend to teach. Some countries may have preferences for certificates from certain accrediting bodies or institutions. It is advisable to research the recognition of TEFL certificates in your desired destination before... [Read more]
Why the Chinese Accent is so Difficult to Minimize in English - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
As an aspirant teaching English to Chinese children, I chose 'Pronunciation problems of Chinese people' as the most attractive and the most useful topic for my summative task at this moment.Table of Contents
So let's begin from the very beginning.
The Second difficulty in pronunciation is so-called dark L or L's with no vowel sound after them.
How can the teacher help students to correct this?
Different Approaches
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As resources of this joyful and useful research on the internet, I have used three videos on Youtube made by the three experienced teachers of the English language. Only one of them works with children. And only one of them (accent coach from London, Luke Nicholson) gave... [Read more]
Tefl reviews - Pronunciation And Phonology/place Of Articulation Part 1 - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
Place of articulation deals with the placement of the vocal organs when producing a sound. Before we can cover the particulars of places of articulation, we'll need to take a look at the various vocal organs and their locations. Moving from the front to the back we'd begin with our lips. We can use both lips in order to create a sound or we can use one of our lips with one of our rows of teeth, usually the top, in order to produce another sound. We also have other sounds, which use both of the rows of teeth. Further back we have what's called the alveolar ridge. That's the bit of the mouth that may get burnt when we're eating a pizza that's a bit too hot and the cheese burns just behind there our top two teeth. That again is the hard bit just behind our top teeth, called the... [Read more]
Tefl reviews - Pronunciation And Phonology/place Of Articulation Part 2 - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
Alveolar sounds get their name from the fact that the alveolar ridge is being used. Again, that ridge is just behind the front top row of teeth. Here the tongue is on or very very near the alveolar ridge. It's typically the tip of the tongue or what's just behind the tip of the tongue, called the blade of the tongue. Here, we're talking about sounds such as ?t? and ?d?. If you say them at home, you can tell the tip of your tongue is on that alveolar ridge. Again, that's ?t? and ?d?, as well as sounds such as ?s? and ?z?. Again, the blade of the tongue is just near that alveolar ridge but it is very near nonetheless. The two other sounds that make it into this category is the ?l? sound, where the tip of the tongue is very clearly touching that alveolar ridge, as well as ?r? or the R... [Read more]
Top 10 Cities in Latin America with the Highest Demand for English Language Teachers - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
Destinations
While you are not likely to find the highest salaries in this region, teachers moving to Latin America to teach English are predominantly attracted by the continents cultural richness and varied landscapes. Whether you see yourself exploring the Andes in Chile or the rainforests of Costa Rica, here are the top 10 cities in Latin America with the highest demand for English language teachers.Table of Contents
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Buenos Aires - La Reina del Plata
San José - The Big Pineapple
Santiago - Gem of Latin America
Lima - The City of Kings
Bogotá - The Rising Star in Latin America
Mexico City - The City of Palaces
Rio De Janeiro - The City of Carnaval
Guatemala City - Land of Eternal Spring
Quito - Light of America... [Read more]
The Importance of Phonetics when Teaching English - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
For the longest time, people have separated teaching English from linguistics, which tends to include all their subcategories. However, phonetics, in particular, plays an incredibly integral part of the teaching of the English language. Why is an understanding of phonetics important in aiding the teaching pronunciation, articulation, and intonation? Being able to demonstrate how one changes the shape of their mouth, or the placement of their tongue can be the difference between someone speaking correct English and sounding as close as possible to a native speaker. Without at least a basic knowledge of this concept, how can we as teachers properly explain and display the way our language sounds in comparison with students' native languages, despite... [Read more]
Tefl reviews - Pronunciation And Phonology/phonetic Alphabet Issues - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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]
Top Tips for Teaching Phonics to Kindergarten Children - TEFL Blog
Charlotte Lam
Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
Phonics is a method of teaching children to read by linking sounds (phonemes) and the symbols that represent them (graphemes, or letter groups). Phonics is very commonly used in Hong Kong's kindergarten to teach children the sound of the words. It involves matching the sounds of spoken English with individual letters or groups of letters. For example, the sound k can be spelled as c, k, ck or ch.Table of Contents
Phonics teaching step 1: Decoding
Phonics teaching step 2: Blending
The Phonics System
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Teach children the letters' sounds. They think about what sound a word starts with, saying the sound out, and recognize... [Read more]
4 of the Most Common Pronunciation Problems in Egypt - TEFL Blog
Jon ITTT
Alumni Experiences
A learner's mother tongue has a profound influence on verbalization of the second language. The absence of some sounds in the learner's first language, and the difference in intonation, word, and syllable stress between the learner's native language and English are some of the many factors that often lead to an incorrect pronunciation of English words. In order to address these issues, a teacher needs to have a basic understanding of the student's native language. This essay will briefly explore the most common pronunciation problems for Egyptians learners of English and some suggested solutions to tackle these problems.Table of Contents
Problems with the /p/ sound
Confusing voiced and unvoiced sounds
Replacing /Æ/ and /ð/ with /s/ and... [Read more]
Common Studies of the English Language Variants - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
The new paradigm of teacher training in the system of higher pedagogical education is the concept of psychological and pedagogical training of a teacher as a holder of world culture. The study of foreign languages expands intercultural, inter-ethnic communication. The use of the linguistic-cultural component in the adaptation of educational language programs allows you to implement the principle of communication, to organize interested communication and interaction of students in the language and, thus, open access to the culture of other people and provide a dialogue of cultures.Table of Contents
Linguistics and Culture
Preferred Variant of English
Lexical Differences between American and British varieties of English
American variant vs. British variant... [Read more]
Online ESL teaching jobs in Latin America - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT TEFL & TESOL
1. Overview of Online ESL Teaching Jobs in Latin America
2. Requirements for Teaching English Online in Latin America
3. Finding Online ESL Teaching Opportunities in Latin America
4. Tips for Success in Online ESL Teaching in Latin America
Online ESL teaching jobs in Latin America have been gaining popularity in recent years due to the increasing demand for English language skills in the region. Teaching English online offers flexibility and the opportunity to connect with students from different parts of Latin America. Many online ESL platforms cater specifically to students in Latin America, providing teachers with a unique opportunity to make a difference in the lives of learners in this region.
To qualify for online ESL teaching jobs in Latin America, you typically need a bachelor's... [Read more]
English Variants: British vs. American - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
In this essay, we are going to talk about two different versions of English which are American and British English.Table of Contents
HISTORY
ACCENT
General American:
General British:
VOCABULARY
SPELLING
GRAMMAR
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate ANDRII D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
The English were introduced to America through British colonization in the early 17th century. It also spread to many other parts of the world due to the power of the British empire. Over many years American and British spoken... [Read more]
How I Solved the Pronunciation Problem of the Voiced 'TH' with Chinese Students - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
In my experience with teaching Chinese students, most pronounce the unvoiced 'TH' sound correctly. To account for the difference in sound between the unvoiced 'TH' and the voiced 'TH', most students seem to have developed the habit of placing their tongue either on the back of their front teeth or on the roof of the mouth immediately behind the front teeth to create a plosive 'TH' sound which sounds most closely like and' sound.Table of Contents
Defining the problem
Understanding physiology of the sound
How to work on pronunciation online
Memory games
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Michael D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent... [Read more]
Are TEFL teachers in demand in Latin America? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
Yes, TEFL teachers are in demand in Latin America due to the region's growing importance in the global economy and the increasing desire for English language proficiency. Here are some key points to consider:
Job prospects for TEFL teachers in Latin America are generally favorable due to the high demand for English language instruction in the region. Here are some key points to consider:
To teach English in Latin America, the qualifications needed are typically similar to those required in other regions. Here are the general requirements:
TEFL teachers can find teaching opportunities in Latin America through various methods:
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These Are the Most Common English Pronunciation Mistakes Made by Italian Native Speakers - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Stefania F. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.Table of Contents
Teaching English pronunciation to students of other languages is always a big deal.
One of the biggest challenges when teaching English to Italians is its phonetics.
I personally witnessed pronunciation difficulties when I taught English in Italy in high school last year.
Apart from Italian students, I also taught a small group of French, Latin-American, and Arabic migrants, recently arrived in Italy. Not only did they have a low level of Italian, but they were also beginners in English.
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16 Young Words for Old People - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!
These 16 slang words are the perfect addition to your English vocabulary! Sound just like an English native speaker.
Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!
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An Australian Amongst American Textbooks in Japan: ✅ Teaching in a Country that Values American English - TEFL Blog
Maddy Payne
Destinations TEFL Information Alumni Experiences
Assistant Language Teachers in Japan come from different countries worldwide, bringing different kinds of English with them. In my experience, American English is often the most sought-after version of English. Some countries highly value Language Teachers from the USA, which often matches their American-style textbooks and resources. Sometimes people are even overlooked for job opportunities due to their Australian accent and British English background. Well, Japan is no different in this regard. Many Japanese schools hold American English in high regard, so what is it like being an Australian-English teacher in Japan?Table of Contents
The Japanese love America
No Exposure to Non-American Accents
Creating an Opportunity... [Read more]
Should I teach British English or American English? - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
As a professional English tutor, every now and then this question rises up: should I teach British English or American English? Before we answer the question, let's see how many versions of English exist:Table of Contents
What are the differences?
We categorize the differences in for main groups:
Which one should be taught?
Well, it depends:
What if the students are learning English for business talks in different countries or just for travel?
What materials to use?
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We can think of British English, American English, Australian English, South African English, Canadian English. But let's just focus on one pair which most of the English course materials are based on them:... [Read more]
Pronunciation Mistakes Made by Russian Speakers - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
The purpose of my essay is to outline some of the most frequently occurred pronunciation mistakes made by Russian learners and share some of the teaching ideas based on a few sources and my own experience of teaching and learning English as a foreign and second language.Table of Contents
State of the Problem
Russian Phonetics vs. English Phonetics
Choice of Activities
Vowel Sounds
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Olga R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Teaching English phonology and pronunciation for Russian learners is always challenging as there are a great number of differences rather than... [Read more]
