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What are Common Pronunciation Challenges Faced by L2 English Learners in Mexico? - TEFL Blog
Wed, 01 Jul 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
What are Common Pronunciation Challenges Faced by L2 English Learners in Mexico?
Spanish speakers from Mexico face several challenges for acquiring successful pronunciation skills in English. Many students here will have had at least some exposure to English through media and contact with American-English speakers, however, this does not mean that they will have a complete understanding of the phonemic system in English and how it differs from that of Spanish. This essay will briefly describe some outcomes stemming from pronunciation problems in students, followed by an overview of the basic phonetic and phonological differences between English and Mexican Spanish with examples and discussion around the rules that govern English... [Read more]
Anticipated Problems: Japanese Speakers and Their Issues in ESL - TEFL Blog
Mon, 22 Jun 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Anticipated Problems: Japanese Speakers and Their Issues in ESL
I have been living in Japan for the past one and a half years. Needless to say, the experience has been enthralling. This country would have never been my first choice for a country to relocate to, from my home country, India. But if my stay has taught me anything, it is that never judge a book by its cover. When we think of Japan, the first thing that pops up is that it is a country of workaholics; it has zero English presence, and the people are highly prejudiced against foreigners and foreign culture. I was proven wrong. Japan is a beautiful country. It is culturally so rich, it makes me want to live here forever. The people, though tend to be a little distant... [Read more]
Why Phonetics and Phonology are Fundamental for Pronunciation - TEFL Blog
Mon, 29 Jun 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Why Phonetics and Phonology are Fundamental for Pronunciation
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, pronunciation is "how words are pronounced. Pronunciation can be an intimidating prospect for English language learners, especially since English phonetics and phonology hardly seem consistent. The difficulty of English pronunciation should not be underestimated as speaking is a vital component of language learning. Confidence in this skill can be closely linked to students' accuracy and fluency. Therefore, a teacher should understand the basics of phonology and phonetics to help build students' confidence in their speaking skills.
Table of Contents
Phonetics is useful in explaining how words are pronounced.
While phonetics and... [Read more]
English Speaking and Writing Errors made by Chinese Primary Students - TEFL Blog
Mon, 27 May 2019 William Noble
Destinations Teaching Ideas
English Speaking and Writing Errors made by Chinese Primary Students
I have been an online ESL teacher to Chinese students for over 13 years, mostly with primary students but also with secondary and adult students. I am also a father and have homeschooled my daughter over her primary years. Like many teachers, I've enjoyed teaching at this level of education as it lays the foundation in English. As it set the foundation, my teaching helped students to overcome common errors in production skills, speaking and writing. Teaching both my daughter and Chinese students at the primary level also helped me also to understand the different expectations between first language and second language students.
Table of Contents
Speaking... [Read more]
Common Difficulties in Teaching English to Native Mandarin Speakers - TEFL Blog
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?
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ashley L. Please note that this blog post might not... [Read more]
Challenges for Brazilian Learners of English - TEFL Blog
Wed, 25 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Challenges for Brazilian Learners of English
Brazilians are learning English all over the country, for various reasons and with diverse goals. In this text, I would like to approach some very common deviations to standard English dialects, such as General American and Received Pronunciation, by Brazilian speakers. I have chosen to address some problems in phonetics and pronunciation that are the most frequent in my classes. I also give attention to some problems in word linking that generate tough challenges for English teachers.
Table of Contents
Official Language Influence
Pronunciation
Vowels
Consonants
Diphthongs
Linking
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This post was written by our... [Read more]
Vietnamese Pronunciation Problems in English - TEFL Blog
Tue, 10 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Vietnamese Pronunciation Problems in English
Speaking like a native speaker is always expected from learners. However, they encounter many factors that prevent their success. Therefore, as an English teacher, I want to explore some common difficulties that Vietnamese students face when they learn to pronounce English so that I can teach effectively and help them communicate more confidently.
Table of Contents
Problem with vowels
Problems with consonants
Word stress, sentence stress
Intonation and word connection
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Thuong L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or... [Read more]
How Will My Personal Teaching Experiences as a Russian Teacher Help Me as an English Teacher? - TEFL Blog
Wed, 02 Aug 2023 Federico Riva
TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
How Will My Personal Teaching Experiences as a Russian Teacher Help Me as an English Teacher?
You have to put the emphasis on the right syllable," I said, finishing my demonstration.
Table of Contents
Challenges in the Second Class: Timing and Assumptions
Learning from Mistakes: Lessons for Effective Language Teaching
Apology and Humility: A Turning Point
Valuable Lessons for Language Instructors
Carrying Lessons Forward: Teaching English with Confidence
Are you ready to teach English as a foreign language?
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My very first class of students learning Russian had expressed their disdain for their books with stress notes... [Read more]
Pronunciation Problems for Learners Speaking Chinese as their First Language - TEFL Blog
Fri, 27 Dec 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Pronunciation Problems for Learners Speaking Chinese as their First Language
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Sheneil J. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Table of Contents
Problems with Consonants
Problems with Vowels
Problems with Rhythm and Stress
Problems with intonation
Minimal Pairs
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Problems with Consonants
Chinese does not have either of the "th" sounds (like "that" and "this"). Most other languages do not have these sounds and they are problematic for most learners of English. The difficulty is the point of articulation- the tongue has to be between the teeth, not... [Read more]
Solving Common Problems Encountered by Lao Students of English - TEFL Blog
Wed, 11 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Solving Common Problems Encountered by Lao Students of English
As an EFL teacher in Vientiane, Laos, I have seen that Lao speakers have unique challenges with learning English. Some of these challenges are due to linguistic differences between Lao and English, while others are due to cultural differences between Laos and the Western countries where English is spoken. In this paper, I reflect on how I can help my Lao students overcome their particular issues with pronunciation, intonation, and stress.
Table of Contents
Difficult Sounds
How to Work on Them?
Intonation Challenge
Possible Exercises
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate... [Read more]
Common Troubles of the Chinese Students You’ll Definitely Notice - TEFL Blog
Thu, 16 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Common Troubles of the Chinese Students You’ll Definitely Notice
English is one of the most widely spoken languages and it is taught in a lot of countries. Globalization, fast economic development makes many people study English. People learn English for different reasons: business, education, life abroad, traveling, personal interest. Chinese students are not an exception. With the growing economies of China, the need for learning English increased dramatically. What challenges do Chinese students face when learning English? What challenges does the teacher meet teaching Chinese students? What teaching approach can be found?
Table of Contents
1. Motivation
2. Education
3. National character
4. Language difference
5. Grammar
6.... [Read more]
Teaching Speaking to Chinese English Learners - TEFL Blog
Mon, 15 Jul 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Teaching Speaking to Chinese English Learners
The following essay is a summative task for my TEFL certification course. I have chosen the topic "Problems for learners in a country of your choice" and the country of focus is China. In the essay, I would like to answer the question "How to help Chinese learners improve their conversation skills?"
Table of Contents
Listen to this blog post:
State of the problem
Phonetic System
Chinese Censorship
Culture
Ways to Teach Speaking
Intonation and Stress
Speaking Activities
Motivation
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nastja S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent... [Read more]
4 of the Most Common Pronunciation Problems in Egypt - TEFL Blog
Thu, 04 Apr 2019 Jon ITTT
Alumni Experiences
4 of the Most Common Pronunciation Problems in Egypt
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... [Read more]
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C.D. - U.S.A. said:
Pronunciation Problems for chinese SpeakersOne issue that TEFL instructors soon realize is that students of certain language backgrounds tend to face similar problems, one of which is pronunciation of certain syllables or phrases. Such is the case with native chinese speakers, though their problems are neither simpler nor more complex than any other language background.
The website TEFL Boot Camp offers tips for teaching pronunciation in general. They state... [Read more]
Cheapest TEFL Diploma - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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Check out tefl tesol about Cheapest TEFL Diploma and apply today to be certified to teach English abroad.
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This is how our TEFL graduates feel they have gained from their course, and how they plan to put into action what they learned:
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A.L. - Spain said:
Dictionary TrainingIntroduction
The dictionary is the most important resource for language students and it is essential that students are trained to use it, not only for private or individual learning problems, but as a facilitator for many communicative and inter-active activities.
As students develop their confidence in using a dictionary, they will be exposed to new language which is difficult to include in regular lessons.
The responsibility of... [Read more]
Top Reasons Why Rules of Pronunciation are Extremely Important for Teachers - TEFL Blog
Fri, 24 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Top Reasons Why Rules of Pronunciation are Extremely Important for Teachers
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... [Read more]
Top Tips for Using TPR in Preschool ESL Teaching - TEFL Blog
Fri, 09 Jul 2021 Anna Domiczek
Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
Top Tips for Using TPR in Preschool ESL Teaching
Total Physical Response is a very successful teaching method that can be used for both children and adults, particularly for beginner and lower-level learners. This English teaching approach, developed by Dr. James Asher, has been applied for almost thirty years. Asher's language learning method is built around the coordination of speech and action, and its purpose is to teach language through physical activity.
Table of Contents
Is TPR Beneficial in Online ESL Teaching?
How Can TPR be Used in Teaching ESL to Young Learners?
Simon Says
TPR Storytelling
TPR Songs
Scavenger Hunt Challenge
Charades
Pronunciation
Conclusion
Are you ready to teach English abroad or online?... [Read more]
The Most Common Problems Students in Turkey Face When Learning English - TEFL Blog
Wed, 29 May 2019 Linda Dunsmore
Alumni Experiences
The Most Common Problems Students in Turkey Face When Learning English
As defined through the units of the course and through many linguistic books, pronunciation is to say a word in a language in the correct way. Although the correct pronunciation of words and even the correct intonation in sentences in English, is thought through course books all over the world and thanks to media students are exposed to the natural and correct pronunciation, numerous mistakes are observed inside the classroom and outside. The reasons for the problems in pronunciation might vary depending on the country. I have been teaching English in Turkey for a while and have witnessed many problems with the students which will be explained through this essay.... [Read more]
What You Need to Know About Japanese Students' Challenges Before Teaching in Japan - TEFL Blog
Tue, 14 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
What You Need to Know About Japanese Students' Challenges Before Teaching in Japan
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... [Read more]