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Using Songs in the Lesson: a Sample Plan - TEFL Blog
Federico Riva
Teaching Ideas
Many of us, who have had the opportunity to learn a new language have this exciting memory of learning a non-native language even though it could have been just a word or eventually mastering the language itself but, till date have that in our memory bank and access it as and when necessary. In many cases it often beings with a song where we pick up a few words when we are listing to it and slowly try to build up our vocabulary and potentially develop an interest in learning that new language.
Reasons to Use Songs
Lesson Plan
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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... [Read more]
Teaching Approaches That Implement Music and Songs - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
The English language is the most spoken one as a second language in the whole world. It has become the international language of business, science, technology, international relations, and diplomacy.
Why Use Songs?
Boost of Motivation
Here are six steps for making a song the focus of the class
Ice-breaker
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Askarbekkyzy K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Songs can be used to develop students' listening skills. They improve listening skills 'because they provide students with practice listening to different forms of intonation and rhythm. Songs can be... [Read more]
Creating a Lesson Strategy That Suits Your Students - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
A lesson plan can be a valuable tool for a teacher to provide an element of direction and flow for the lesson. A lesson plan can serve as a useful reference during a class and as a record for later use. The writing of the plan itself can also help the teacher to think logically and methodically about the different stages of the lesson and the goals to be achieved.
Key Points
Objectives
Class Size
Timing
Materials
Teaching Approach
Lesson Stages
Engage and Activate
Study
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Kim B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
A lesson plan will generally include the... [Read more]
Incorporating Music and Songs in Lessons - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
Benefits of Using Music in Teaching
How Music Enhances Language Learning
Incorporating Songs to Teach Vocabulary
Using Music to Improve Pronunciation
Cultural Understanding Through Music
Engaging Students Through Music Activities
Creating a Music-Based Lesson Plan
Overcoming Challenges of Using Music
Resources for Finding Suitable Songs
Conclusion: The Power of Music in Education
Integrating music into lessons can enhance student engagement, motivation, and retention. Research shows that music stimulates various areas of the brain, aiding in memory and cognitive development. By incorporating music, teachers can create a dynamic and interactive learning environment that caters to different learning styles. Integrating music into lessons can enhance student engagement, motivation,... [Read more]
How to Choose Songs for Your ESL Lessons - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Even for people who are unable to carry a tune, singing is something that most would probably enjoy. There is a bit of embarrassment to overcome for many people, especially youths, but with a classroom full of people all singing together, the embarrassment factor is lowered. With that in mind, I would say that singing song in the language that a student is learning help keep vocabulary and grammar in their mind. In a lesser sense, poetry fulfills a similar goal, but I would assume that more people would find fun in singing, and therefore be more open to subject retention, than poetry simply because of the musical aspect. It creates an upbeat and happy mood (depending on the song), and this activity could even be used for a class performance.
The Accent... [Read more]
Songs as a Tool to Teach Grammar - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
To begin with, I have been teaching English for more than 30 years. I teach groups of students and individuals of different ages and abilities. That is why I have always had a problem how to raise my students' motivation, how to make my lessons interesting and exciting so that the bell at the end of the class would be for me, not for my students. I have always wanted them to be upset that the lesson is over. As a result of this research, I concluded that along with having different games, quizzes, puzzles, crosswords and project works, learning and singing songs is as challenging and helpful as doing grammar exercises. The results of learning English songs by heart is stunning. Do not think that I do this activity only for entertainment. It is a big... [Read more]
The A Plus Academy is an Istanbul-based consulting/educational firm that offers tailored lessons - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
Teaching English in Turkey with A Plus Academy is a great opportunity for once in a lifetime experience on professional as well as personal level.
English is being taught throughout the country but few cities remain the centers of it.
Istanbul, a fascinating city built on two Continents, divided by the Bosphorus Strait. This is one of the greatest cities in the world where you can see a modern western city combined with a traditional eastern city, it's a melting pot of many civilizations and different people.
Also, Istanbul is an international city which attracts business from all over the world. Naturally, that business is conducted in English, making English a desirable language to learn and native English speakers a precious commodity.
Besides Istanbul, living and teaching English in... [Read more]
How Songs Can be Used as a Didactic Material - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Teaching a foreign language involves a whole set of different stages and methods that are guided and put into practice by the teacher.
Universal Language
Power of Songs
Choosing teaching materials
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Maria S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
If music is a "universal language", and it is furthermore considered as an element inherent to culture, this link between music and the teaching of language can be explored using the song as didactic material.
Often the most playful or innovative moments are the ones that are recorded in the student's memory. Thus, one of the... [Read more]
Using Songs as a Transition in the ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Sitting in a classroom can be such a boring and dull time for children if the teacher is not playful, fun, and creative with the tasks and activities he/she provides. I understand that teaching requires a whole lot of information to be imported into the heads of the students, but I honestly think there are very many paths to the same goal.
My Learning Experience
Presenting the Material
Practical Implementation
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Hristina M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
In my personal learning experience, I have encountered many strategies and techniques and I have found that... [Read more]
Benefits of Using Songs in the Classroom: a Mother’s and a Teacher’s Opinion - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
As the mother of a 3-year-old son, born in Spain to British parents, I have found that singing the same song in both English and Spanish has helped my son become bilingual.
Quicker Learning
Total Physical Response
My surprising observation
Latest Researches
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Alessandra Fay B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Provided it is done in a fun and interesting way, James appears to retain information much quicker when presented to him in song form. For example, we sing the days of the week, first in English and then in Spanish, both to the same tune and he... [Read more]
Types of Teaching Materials for ESL - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
Realia and Authentic Materials
Visual Aids and Flashcards
Interactive Whiteboards and Technology
Games and Activities
Songs and Music
Role-Playing and Drama
Literature and Reading Materials
Worksheets and Handouts
Online Resources and Apps
Customized Materials and Lesson Plans
Realia and authentic materials are physical objects or items from real life that are used in the ESL classroom to provide context and make learning more engaging. Examples include maps, menus, newspapers, and everyday objects. By incorporating realia into lessons, students can connect language learning to real-world situations, enhancing their understanding and retention of new vocabulary and concepts. ITTT, one of the leading TEFL and TESOL providers worldwide, emphasizes the importance of using realia to... [Read more]
Authentic and Adapted Songs In The Class - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Nowadays the ESA method is used all over the world to teach English. ESA is the first letters of the phases of an English language lesson. These three elements are; Engage, Study and Activate. The classic method only included study phase. It wasn't important to teach how to speak the foreign language in the past. However, it is a big issue now. It is hard to improve speaking skills in a country where English isn't the first language as the students aren't surrounded by English and don't have the opportunity to practice realistic situations.
Authentic vs. Adapted
Engage
Study
Activate
Songs Suggestions
Nursery Rhymes List:
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The Best Apps to Have on Your Phone While Teaching English Abroad - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
TEFL Information
In recent years, more and more classrooms have become more technologically advanced and more and more teachers are using digital teaching materials. However, you don't always need to hand out tablets to your students or have a fancy digital whiteboard to take advantage of recent advances in digital teaching materials. Here are some great apps to have on your phone while teaching English abroad that you can use to enhance your lessons and really engage your students in the classroom.
Apps for Inside the Classroom
Educreations
Kahoot
Epic! Unlimited Books for Kids
Instructables
Apps for Outside the Classroom
Additio
Slack
Teacher's Assistant Pro
Remind
Classtree
Edmodo
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This... [Read more]
How can I use music and songs in my TEFL lessons to enhance learning? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT TEFL & TESOL
Incorporating music and songs into your TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) lessons can be a powerful tool to enhance learning and engagement among students. Music is a universal language that can help students improve their language skills in a fun and interactive way. By integrating music and songs into your lessons, you can create a dynamic learning environment that caters to different learning styles and motivates students to actively participate in the lesson.
There are numerous benefits to using music and songs in TEFL lessons. Firstly, music can help students improve their listening skills as they try to understand the lyrics and melody of a song. Additionally, songs often contain repetitive phrases and vocabulary, which can aid in vocabulary retention and language... [Read more]
Functions of a Lesson Plan - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Meiheriguli Y. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Foundation
Teaching tasks
Good Lesson Plan Check-list
Lesson plan and Unit plans
Criteria of a Unit plan:
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First of all, we must understand that the lesson plan is the most important foundation in English teaching. With a sound curriculum plan, perfect teaching can be carried out. Set out the purpose of teaching in the course plan:
Also Read: Punishment in the Classroom: Is it Correct or Not?
Secondly, we must understand the teaching tasks in the curriculum plan (lesson plan):
Before you start the lesson there are several practical things you can do to make sure your... [Read more]
Reasons for TEFL lesson Planning - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
Is it essential to do a lesson plan before a class? The answer is "YES." So why is it so important? And how can it help us with our English teaching? Outlined below is my analysis of why TEFL lesson planning is so important.
Primary Purposes
Key Points of a Lesson Plan
Methodology
Planning for Self-Study
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Qi Q. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
In the first instance, TEFL lesson planning can help us set up the subject to be taught and the aim of each class, allowing us to follow our... [Read more]
How To Apply TEFL Course knowledge During Your First Lesson In China - TEFL Blog
Mark Crocker
Destinations Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
Teaching in a foreign country is a dream for many people who are passionate about education. However, it can be confusing and scary thinking about teaching in a country with a culture and language that you are not familiar with. However, as long as you are a qualified, professional and patient teacher, you should have nothing to worry about. Teaching in a country like China might seem like a big challenge at first, however, there are many techniques and teaching methods that a professional teacher can apply during the lesson to ensure a successful outcome. So, the question is: How can a teacher apply what they have learned during a TEFL course in a Chinese classroom?
How to Start Your First Lesson
Once You Have Engaged the... [Read more]
Tefl reviews - Lesson Planning Part 2 What Does A Lesson Plan Contain - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
So, the document itself needs to contain some general information about the class, for example the name of the teacher, the date and time of the lesson, what level of class is being taught and in what room, how many students are we expecting, this is important, when we've got things like photocopying and materials to do, what is the context of the lesson, in other words, what is the lesson actually about, what vocabulary or grammar point is this lesson covering and sometimes it's also useful to write out what the focus of the lesson is. So, in effect, the context of the lesson is telling us the grammar point, for example, that might be the present continuous tense, whereas the focus is telling us how we're going to go about teaching it. Another example to illustrate this: Let's... [Read more]
Tefl reviews - Lesson Planning Part 3 What Does A Lesson Plan Contain - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
Then, we have a set of objectives and aims. Here, the learner objectives relate to what we're hoping the students are going to be able to do by the end of your lesson and quite often, that can be a useful way of writing out what the objectives are. So, we would start the sentence "By the end of the lesson, students should be able to?" and then a list of two, three or four items that we're expecting the students to be able to do by completing this lesson. The learner objectives are different to the teacher aims the teacher aims are what you are expecting from that lesson itself. Now, when you first start teaching, quite a normal aim might be to complete the lesson successfully, to get through the whole thing without having any problems. As time goes on and you become more... [Read more]
Songs in the Classroom: How to Create a Positive Environment and Achieve Teaching Goals - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once said "Music is the universal language of mankind" and it is still widely accepted today. Any language uses words to create sentences that convey messages with different tones and emotions as well as music does. Thus, bringing music to an English classroom is one good way to inspire the learners. There are tons of techniques or ideas involving music and songs that can be applied to any part of a lesson plan. It is available today in the form of online resources to use as a guideline for teachers. However, there are some arguments about how this strategy can be time-consuming and taking away the interest out of a focus lesson. In this case, the advantages outweigh the worries. Here are some astonishing benefits to convince... [Read more]
When is the best time to use songs in a classroom for young learners? - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
I was an English teacher in Japan for over three and a half years. In that time, I gained a lot of experience teaching young learners. My students were aged from two to fourteen. As I taught these students, I learned a lot about how songs can be used effectively in the classroom. Songs can be used to teach sentence structure, routines, vocabulary, and help aid the understanding of instructions in the classroom.
Learning path
Young children
Lesson flow
Transitions
School kids
Teenagers
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Listen to this blog post
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Megan B.
Before students can even grasp the language, they can understand rhythm and music. When teaching the youngest students... [Read more]
A Sample Lesson Plan For a 2nd Grade Classroom - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Trang V. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Preparation
PROCEDURE
Engagement
Study
STAGE 2- Attending To Form (20')
Activate
STAGE 3- Practicing And Enjoying Activities (20')
STAGE 4- Review Vocabulary With Song (15')
STAGE 5- Developing Strategies For Vocabulary (25')
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Also Read: Moving Forward: My Personal Teaching Experience, Changing Careers
STAGE 1 - Understanding And Learning The Meaning Of New Words (10')Firstly, students watch a video that is related to colors. Students give... [Read more]
Great Ideas for Teaching Writing Skills in the ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Mark Crocker
Teaching Ideas
Image by Alice Bolden via Writix
Listen to this blog post:
Think outside the box
Encourage creativity, not perfection
Encourage students to write about what interests them
Writing doesn't have to be a solo activity
Introduce multi-skilled lessons
Writing games
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Of all the language skills that are taught in the ESL classroom, teaching writing skills is often seen as one of the least popular. Some teachers consider these lessons to be a bit boring, hard to evaluate and somewhat limited in what you can incorporate into them. However, this doesn't have to be the case as teaching writing skills to your ESL students can actually be interesting, fun and productive. Take a look at these... [Read more]
Guidelines to Write a Lesson Plan - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
A Lesson plan has many important attributes which most definitely will assist the teacher in teaching (even though there have been theories about lesson planning arguing that it might not be flexible for the students). There is no doubt that coming to class prepared is essential whether with a lesson plan or without. It is very helpful for inexperienced teachers especially those who may lack direction.
Reasons to Write a Plan
General Suggestions
What to Include
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Amelie R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
There are three functions for writing a lesson... [Read more]
Parts Of a Good Lesson Plan - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Planning a lesson is of key importance to a teacher because it prepares him/her to manage learner behavior and create the perfect learning environment for its students. During the lesson planning phase, a teacher decides upon the goals, activities, resources, timing, grouping and other aspects of a lesson (Richards & Renandya, 2002).
What is a Lesson Plan For?
Stages
Lesson Planning Approaches
Parts of an Effective Lesson Plan
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Pulkesh M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
The lesson plan may not be a very detailed and descriptive one but its purpose is to... [Read more]
What Different Roles Could a Teacher Have During a Lesson? - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
According to the type of activity during a lesson, a teacher could have diverse roles in the classroom.
Manager
Facilitator
Organizer
Assessor
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Eleana V.
A teacher can be a manager/controller meaning that the teacher is responsible for managing a class, giving guidelines and explanations in front of his students. He is the person who must stand in front of the class with the aim to control the pace of the lesson, balancing out the flow of the course and giving instructions whenever it is necessary. Some teachers feel comfortable with this role, but others appear quite shy and stressed out because... [Read more]
A Sample Lesson Plan for a Pre-Intermediate EFL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Medine A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Anticipated problems for students:
Anticipated problems for the teacher:
Phase Procedure Timing Interaction
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
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Difficulty understanding the rules on changing verbs that have endings.Confusion with some special verbs, such as like, feel, smell, etc. which are not normally used in the present continuous tense.Solutions: More examples, demonstrations, and practices.
Also Read: The Ways Reading Influences Language Acquisition... [Read more]
Games in the Classroom - TEFL Blog
Federico Riva
TEFL Information
In the teaching of productive skills and the teaching of receptive skills activities will usually involve some form of game and our consideration here will be the use of games in the classroom.
Watch the video about this topic
A game is an activity that;
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We can start with a definition of what we actually mean by a game and basically this has three components.
1) Has rules2) Should have (for its use in the classroom) a teaching point 3) Should include an element of fun So that will be our working definition for a game that we are going to use in the classroom.
There are many different types of games and they range... [Read more]
5 Components a Lesson Plan Should Include - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
A lesson plan is a very important element for teaching. Not only it provides a standard procedure of teaching, but it also helps the teacher keep track of each lesson. Moreover, it is also very helpful in some special cases, such as substitute teachers can use the lesson provided to carry out the lesson more efficiently. Although different teachers may have different teaching styles, a lesson plan should be prepared by all teachers despite the teaching style. A good lesson plan should include the following 5 components; lesson topic, class objectives, procedure, time management, and student practice.
Topic and Point of the Lesson
Objectives
Lesson Sequence
Time Management
Practice
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Related Articles:... [Read more]
Are there opportunities for TEFL teachers to teach English through music and songs? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT TEFL & TESOL
Incorporating music and songs in TEFL teaching can be a highly effective and engaging way to help students learn English. Music is a universal language that transcends borders and cultures, making it a powerful tool for language learning. By using music and songs in your TEFL classes, you can create a dynamic and interactive learning environment that motivates students to engage with the language in a fun and meaningful way. Whether you use popular English songs, traditional nursery rhymes, or specially designed language learning songs, incorporating music into your lessons can enhance vocabulary retention, improve pronunciation, and boost overall language proficiency.
There are numerous benefits to using music and songs in TEFL classes. Firstly, music can help create a positive and... [Read more]
