Most Difficult European Language

Thu, 18 Apr 2019 Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences The 4 Most Important Reasons Why Is English So Challenging for Chinese Learners In this blog post, I plan to examine why English may be such a challenging language for Chinese speakers to master, namely in comparison to their European peers. For the purpose of this examination, I will focus on four main aspects, from quite glaring differences to other aspects that some may not initially consider: written language, grammar, vocabulary, and language exposure. Table of Contents Chinese does not use an alphabet for written language Grammatically, Chinese and English stand worlds apart Challenges with vocabulary Exposure to English is very limited in China Are you ready to teach English in China? Related Articles: Listen to this blog...  [Read more]

Tue, 11 Jun 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Common Difficulties in Teaching English to Native Mandarin Speakers Learning a second language can be difficult, and this is especially true when the learners L1 and their target language are completely different in structure, sound, and tones. An English as a second language student who speaks French, German, or any other European language will have an easier task than one who speaks a language that is not of European origins. One such language is Mandarin Chinese. Table of Contents State of The Problem The Chinese Language Structure Tenses Sentence Structure Do you want to teach English in China? Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ashley L. Please note that this blog post might not...  [Read more]

Where can I join a TEFL placement program in Europe? If you want to teach English in Europe you will find that most jobs are secured following a face to face interview. If you would like to have a teaching job organised before you leave home, a government placement program might be a good option for you. The following are the most popular programs of their kind in Europe. Table of Contents What is the TAPIF Program for teaching English in France? What are the requirements for the TAPIF Program? How do I apply for the TAPIF Program? Do I need a TEFL/TESOL certificate to apply to the TAPIF Program? What is the Cultural Ambassadors Program for teaching English in Spain? What are the requirements for the Cultural Ambassadors Program? How do I apply for the Cultural Ambassadors...  [Read more]

Where can I join a TEFL placement program in Europe? If you want to teach English in Europe you will find that most jobs are secured following a face to face interview. If you would like to have a teaching job organised before you leave home, a government placement program might be a good option for you. The following are the most popular programs of their kind in Europe. What is the TAPIF Program for teaching English in France? The TAPIF Program, short for Teaching Assistant Program in France, is a government initiative that places applicants into French state schools to work as teaching assistants. The program provides a great opportunity to live and work in a country where long-stay visas can be difficult to secure for non-EU citizens. For those who meet the necessary criteria, the...  [Read more]

Tue, 03 Sep 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The World Status of The English Language A global language is a language spoken internationally, the most popular one being English. It is learned by many people as a second language. Table of Contents Word Origin Global Communication Language Structure Cultural Importance Challenges For Learners Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Damian B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Word Origin A big part of the lexical units in the English language was taken from German, Latin, French, and other European countries. People think that languages have a strong relation between...  [Read more]

Wed, 08 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences English, The Universal Language Over a hundred years ago, in the late 19th century, a Polish-Jewish eye doctor named Dr. Ludwig Lazarus Zamenhof wanted to bridge the gaps and misunderstandings between different ethnic groups that he grew up around. Being from a Polish city that, at the time, was a polyglot, multi-ethnic mixture of Poles, Russians, Jews, Lithuanians, and Germans, he saw there was a great deal of distrust between each group, and he believed it was due to the language barriers that each imposed. To create a common ground between every group, he created an international, universal language called Esperanto (Yaffe, 2017). While it was a great idea to create a language that did not belong to any ethnic group and could...  [Read more]

Wed, 29 May 2019 Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences The Problem of Pronunciation for Russians Learning English As a native Russian speaker I was worried about pronunciation from the very beginning of my English studies in primary school. It so happened that in my family my grandmother was an English teacher in high school who had worked in this position for more than 50 years. Naturally, I began my acquaintance with English much earlier than most of my peers. And the first step in the work of my grandmother in teaching me a foreign language was the formulation of pronunciation, something that most Russians have problems with. Table of Contents The Main Issues That Cause Problems for Russian Students The Problem With Vowels Looking on the Bright Side If I Can Do It, So Can Any Russian...  [Read more]

Tue, 07 May 2019 Linda Dunsmore Visa and Legal How Will Brexit Affect TEFL Teachers? In June 2016 the UK voted to leave the European Union and the "British exit" has since be referred to as "Brexit". Three years later there is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding possible repercussions, whether they end up positive or negative because the process is far from complete, detailed agreements are not finalized, and Brexit may even end up being canceled – even if only temporarily. People working in Europe as EFL teachers outside of their own country may feel unsure about their future, and those who are intending to work in European countries will be finding it difficult to plan, but what are the various outcomes that could occur over the next few months and years? Table of...  [Read more]

Sun, 12 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences English Pronunciation Problems of Italian Native Speakers Teaching English pronunciation to students of other languages is always a big deal. English teachers from other countries may think that it is a topic to be skipped or only briefly introduced to students, but it is one of the most important subjects and it should be an integral part of an English course. As a matter of fact, the full understanding of a language and good communication actually depend, to a certain extent, on how correctly words are pronounced. Also, it is not only a matter of pronunciation but intonation. Every language has its own intonation and stress on words, so an English learner could find it difficult to get used to a new way of pronouncing words in...  [Read more]

Which countries have a TEFL placement program? If you want to have a job in place and all the paperwork sorted out before you leave your home country, a TEFL placement program is certainly worth considering. Several countries across Europe and Asia have government run schemes that recruit foreign teachers to work in their public school system. The following options are long established and respected programs that offer a great opportunity to live and work in some of the most popular teaching destinations. Table of Contents What is the TAPIF Program for teaching English in France? What are the requirements for the TAPIF Program? How do I apply for the TAPIF Program? Do I need a TEFL/TESOL certificate to apply to the TAPIF Program? What is the Cultural Ambassadors Program for teaching...  [Read more]

Fri, 24 Jan 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The Most Common Problems of Turkish Students While Learning English In the last years, English has become more and more popular worldwide. In most countries, children start learning a second language at an early age. Also in Turkey, the number of schools, universities and language centers where it is possible to learn English has increased significantly. Nevertheless, despite all the efforts and a considerable presence of foreign teachers, it seems that Turkish students find the English language extremely difficult to learn. Turkish students consider the education system the major cause of their school failure because it is too obsolete. I had the opportunity to work as a language teacher in Turkey for several years. This...  [Read more]

Best Recognised TEFL Check out tefl tesol about Best Recognised 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 A.G. - China said: Problems for learners in ChinaNowadays china is a highly developing country, with a huge amount with English learners, and the quantity is likely to rise in future years. So the subject of research is relevant. Author tried to consider subject from different points of view, such as social, phonetic, grammatical. Results: Availability of education. Education is expensive. Average price of kindergarten with English language teaching is 400 yuan, with the...  [Read more]

Wed, 25 Apr 2018 Mark Crocker Destinations 6 Reasons for Teaching English in the Czech Republic The Czech Republic is by no means a newcomer to the EFL teaching world; in fact, it has been a firm favorite with many teachers for several years. However, it may not be among the countries you initially consider when planning to teach English as a foreign language in Europe. So what is it about the country that draws in thousands of teachers from all over the world every year? The following 6 reasons for teaching English in the Czech Republic should provide a few answers. Table of Contents 1. A Thriving Job Market for English Language Teachers 2. Work Visas for Non-EU Citizens 3. A Great location for Exploring Europe ITTT Prague Center 4. A Low Cost of Living 5. Fascinating History,...  [Read more]

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Problems for Czech Learners of English I have moved to the Czech Republic with my girlfriend who is Czech after we met in New Zealand, where I am from. Teaching English here was a business idea that she came up with because she taught English here before for 8 years. In Czech people are more interested in taking English lessons from a native speaker and they also like New Zealand over here. So from this perspective, it makes a lot of sense for me to do this course. Since I am going to be teaching in Czech to begin with, I have already started to see some issues with the language learning that I will be faced with. Table of Contents Grammar Receptive Skills Productive Skills Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course!...  [Read more]

Accredited TEFL Courses Check out tefl tesol about Accredited TEFL Courses 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 A. T. - Italy said: Problems for learners in a country of your choice Talking about specific problems which the students of a certain country have learning English, in Europe Italians are probably the ones to have most problems in general. They seem not to be able to learn very quickly or well. This is partly fault of the national television broadcast and the cinema which dub everything. Due to this their daily exposure to English is limited only to their studies and...  [Read more]

Fri, 14 Feb 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Common Challenges in English for Ecuadorian Learners The native language in Ecuador is Quichua, an Inca language. It is spoken by the Indian population, but Spanish is the most common, widely spoken language. Besides Spanish, ten native languages are spoken in Ecuador. English is the most spoken foreign language amongst tourist providers and professionals. For this reason, English is taught in most schools as a Foreign Language. Table of Contents Lack of practice Possible solution Educational system Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jemma W. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT....  [Read more]

Which countries have a TEFL placement program? If you want to have a job in place and all the paperwork sorted out before you leave your home country, a TEFL placement program is certainly worth considering. Several countries across Europe and Asia have government run schemes that recruit foreign teachers to work in their public school system. The following options are long established and respected programs that offer a great opportunity to live and work in some of the most popular teaching destinations. What is the TAPIF Program for teaching English in France? The TAPIF Program, short for Teaching Assistant Program in France, is a government initiative that places applicants into French state schools to work as teaching assistants. The program provides a great opportunity to live and...  [Read more]

Do you need a degree for TEFL? Teaching English without a degree is, fortunately, possible. Regardless of your educational history, there are plenty of language schools that will be happy to employ you. True, having a degree opens up more doors and opportunities, but if you don't have one, there is no reason to let that stop you from pursuing your dream of teaching English abroad. Why do certain TEFL positions require a degree? The question of whether you need a degree to find a teaching position is arbitrary, as it is with many other occupations. There is no reason why an English teacher with a university degree would be more effective than one without. Certain traits (passion, commitment, and the ability to create rapport with your students, for example) are more important than a...  [Read more]

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Is there an Official Worldwide TEFL or TESOL Website? It is difficult to find any official figures regarding the number of TEFL and TESOL training centers worldwide, but it would be reasonable to estimate that they number in the thousands. The vast majority of countries worldwide regulate their education through the government, which applies to both public and private enterprises. Consequently, there are different regulations and requirements for each country concerning eligibility to teach ESL. Table of Contents You must have some form of ESL qualification. There must be some form of accreditation. You must have a good working knowledge of the English language. Are you ready to teach English as a foreign language?...  [Read more]

Tue, 02 Oct 2018 Mark Crocker Destinations 5 Reasons Why You Should Consider Russia for Teaching English Abroad Known throughout the world for its literary giants, such as Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and Chekhov, and its musical geniuses that include Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, and Shostakovich, Russia's unrivaled history of the arts is just one reason why it is increasingly popular with visitors from all over the globe. From the vast and rugged beauty of its eastern regions to the bustling cosmopolitan cities in the west, the Russian Federation offers a seemingly endless array of unique attractions to explore. Table of Contents 1. Russia has a huge job market for foreign English teachers 2. Employers don't insist on a college degree 3. Work visas are not hard to obtain 4. Employers routinely...  [Read more]

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 Mark Crocker Teaching Ideas What is a Beginner EFL Student and How Do You Teach Them? When you decide to take a TEFL certification course with the intention of teaching English abroad, in your home country, or online, it is difficult to know who you will actually end up teaching. Once you have finished your training you could end up teaching primary aged children, teenagers, or adults. They could be from any country worldwide and they could be at any level of English language from beginner to advanced level. In many ways it is a bit of a lottery, so you should ensure you are ready to deal with all types of environments. After a while most teachers develop a preference for the type of student they prefer to teach, however, the beginner EFL student is often the most...  [Read more]

Can Americans teach English in Europe? When researching your options for teaching English abroad, you may come across articles stating that it is difficult or even impossible for Americans to find work in Europe. However, the good news is this is simply not true, as there are plenty of great opportunities for American teachers in many countries throughout Europe. Due to the huge numbers of people learning English in Europe, there simply aren't enough teachers from within the EU to fill all the available positions. To meet this demand, language schools across the continent look towards native English speaking Americans who possess a TEFL qualification. Every year thousands of US citizens find teaching jobs in major cities such as Rome, Madrid, Berlin, Moscow, and Prague. Where can...  [Read more]

TEFL & TESOL Jobs Assistance FAQ 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...  [Read more]

Tue, 10 Apr 2018 Linda Dunsmore Destinations Top 10 Cities in Europe with the Highest Demand for English Language Teachers While many people wanting to teach English abroad move to countries in Asia or Latin America, Europe is also a popular destination that cannot be ignored. Despite stricter visa regulations and tougher job markets for teachers, there are still many places in all parts of Europe that have a need for foreign teachers. Here are the top 10 cities in Europe with the highest demand for English language teachers. Table of Contents Madrid - El Foro, The Forum of Spain Prague - The City of a Hundred Spires Rome - The Eternal City London - The Royal City Paris - The City of Love Lisbon - City With a Future Budapest - The Pearl of the Danube Athens - The City of the Violet...  [Read more]

TESOL/TEFL in English-speaking countries If you are looking for work as an ESOL teacher in the United States the best places to look are those with large immigrant populations such as Florida, California, Texas and New York. Due to immigration restrictions non-US citizens will have difficulty finding legal work in America and most jobs will tend to be reserved for US citizens only. For teaching jobs in government schools teachers will need to be licensed by the state education department. Private language schools require a TESOL certificate only. In Canada the majority of jobs can be found in Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa. Although Canadian citizens have the best chances of securing a teaching position, those from commonwealth countries may find it easier than those from other...  [Read more]

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The Problems That Japanese Elementary Schoolers Face Studying English In the wake of the upcoming 2020 Olympics in Japan, there has been an increase in elementary school level English classes. As an assistant language teacher half into my fourth year, I have had the rare chance to work the entirety of my time in one elementary school where I have had many great memories. However, being present every day I began to notice that some students were struggling or in some cases, not even trying when it came to English class. Talking with my peers and colleagues from other elementary schools as well as my own, there are some common problems that many students seem to experience in an English class. These problems include learning in a...  [Read more]

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences These Are the Most Common English Pronunciation Mistakes Made by Italian Native Speakers 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...  [Read more]

TEFL & TESOL Visa & Documents FAQ 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,...  [Read more]

Do I need a visa to teach English abroad? Yes, most countries require foreign visitors to possess some form of visa in order to enter for tourism, business, education, or employment purposes. The requirements vary greatly from one country to the next, so we recommend that you contact the relevant embassy or visit their website to ensure you have the most up-to-date information. Here we break down the most common forms of visa that you are likely to come across. What is a tourist visa and how do I get one? These are generally issued to short term visitors who do not plan to work or study during their stay. There are several categories of tourist visa depending on the destination and your own country of origin. The most common is the 'upon entry' tourist visa that is issued in the form...  [Read more]

Can I be an English teacher without an English degree? It is definitely possible to teach English without a degree. There are plenty of language schools that will gladly hire you regardless of your educational background. Even though having a degree opens more doors and opportunities, there is no reason for not pursuing your dream of teaching English abroad if you don't possess a degree. Why is a degree required to do certain TEFL teaching jobs? The question of whether a degree is required to find a teaching job is arbitrary, as it is for many other occupations. There is no reason why a university-educated English teacher would be more effective than one who does not possess a degree. One might argue that certain characteristics, such as passion, commitment, and the ability to establish...  [Read more]