Teaching Articles Esl

Fri, 07 Feb 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Useful Methods for Teaching Vocabulary Teachers often encounter difficulties in various aspects of language teaching. The main task of every teacher is to motivate and engage a student in the process of language learning. In this regard, teachers try to set a learning environment in the classrooms to be able to demonstrate and make learners stay focused on the lessons. There are different methods and approaches to learning English, and it is not always easy to choose the best one to make a lesson effective and successful. Table of Contents Why work on vocabulary? Challenges So, how do we, teachers, teach the vocabulary? ESA Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL...  [Read more]

Wed, 25 Dec 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Challenges of Teaching Slang and Idioms How important is it for EFL learners to learn slang and idioms? Let's clarify what is slang? What is an idiom? Table of Contents Informal Language The History of Slang Confusion Breeds Confusion Cultural Boundaries Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Laura B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Informal Language Slang is an informal language and should be used only with people one knows very well. Slang can change constantly, appear today, disappear within month or year and some words have been used by English speakers since medieval...  [Read more]

Fri, 06 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Important Personal Qualities of English Teachers Teachers are resourceful and students expect lots of values from them as teachers themselves are expected to share molding lessons as well. Table of Contents 1. Motivational skills 2. Eye contact 3. Physical appearance 4. Body language 5. Using civil languages 6. Positive attitude 7. Problem-solving skills 8. Flexibility and time management 9. Creativity Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: Upon delivering ‎language lessons, the personal qualities of teachers engage the classroom dynamics well. Let's see some personal qualities of teachers that contribute positive empowerment. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Fasil K....  [Read more]

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas 5 Ideas on How to Implement Stories into Your ESL Teaching Stories provide a natural and relevant context for the exposure to English language and storytelling built on the children's innate capacity for fantasy and imaginative play, making it an essential aspect to be integrated into language lessons. Beyond just language skills, students are also able to acquire critical thinking skills such as predicting, hypothesizing, categorizing, sequencing, and inferring meaning through various storytelling activities. Stories are also used to enhance children's concentration skills and develop moral and emotional intelligence by teaching students to empathize with the characters in the story. Storytelling can be extended to include...  [Read more]

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Multiple Tenses: Boon or Bane for ESL Students Tenses- Usually it creates tense for many ESL students during communication. It defines and differentiates the situation by time. Is time important in communication? Yes, it is. The wrong usage of tenses changes the exact meaning of the situation, what the speaker is trying to convey. So focusing tenses in grammar is more essential than others. Still, the proper usage of tenses is a complicated and confusing task for many high-level students in competitive exams. Then, what about the ESL students? Table of Contents Teaching tenses: Single tense at a time: Multiple tenses at a time: Why it is difficult? Suggestions for teachers: Teaching activities for multiple tenses: Do you want to...  [Read more]

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas How to Approach Teaching Adults and Children? This TEFL course covered a huge variety of topics, and it was all useful information for English teachers broadly. It had a nice balance of actual how-to-tasks (i.e. how to make a lesson), as well as guidance and advice dependent on the situation (i.e. how to deal with a misbehaving student or how to establish rapport with a class). While there was new information throughout each chapter for me, the most useful, applicable information for me as a teacher was the differences between young learners and adults. This is mostly because I have taught ages preschool-late 60s (not necessarily English, I taught preschool in the USA and have taught private piano/harp lessons). I learned how to...  [Read more]

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Important Personal Qualities for English Teachers I came to China about a year ago now, I left America with just the items in my backpack and enough money to eat for a few days. Coming to China was the biggest change I have had in my life (for the better) and it has opened my eyes to many opportunities I could potentially pursue. I came here alone to meet my best friend and his uncle, who runs an English school with foreign teachers. Table of Contents Important Decision Teacher's Motivation Approach to Teaching Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate mitchell c. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or...  [Read more]

Fri, 22 Feb 2019 Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences The Difference In Teaching ESL vs. EFL There are many similarities, but also many differences, in teaching English as a foreign language and teaching English as a second language. Teaching English as a foreign language is when you teach English in a country that does not have English as an official language. Teaching English as a second language is when you teach English to someone who speaks another language as their first language, normally in a country where English is the official language. I have taught both English as a foreign language (EFL) and English as a second language (ESL) and these two experiences had quite a few similarities and quite a few differences. Table of Contents EFL and ESL Example Similarities between EFL...  [Read more]

Fri, 01 Nov 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Perfect Skillset of a Great ESL Teacher First of all, I would like to mention that I am very happy about successfully mastered units. I am sure that the acquired knowledge will help me in further work and upgrade my teaching skills. Table of Contents Early Years of My Career Why Do Teachers Need Those Skills? Using The Skills Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Dragan M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Early Years of My Career I met the importance of teaching skills and what they mean in general at the beginning of my teaching career, a long time ago. I have to admit...  [Read more]

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas How Do We Teach English as a Second Language or English as a Foreign Language? Language as a second language or as a foreign language consists of classroom course material and student-teacher components that require a certain educational environment to be taught. Language acquisition starts from early childhood to the critical age of 13 years. Born into a natural language environment, the child begins to process the language pragmatically thanks to its sound, environment, and natural language skills. Table of Contents Education System Personal Experience Do you want to teach English abroad or online? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! This post was written by our...  [Read more]

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]

Tue, 26 Nov 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The Art of Teaching Younger EFL Students I have 3 years of experience in teaching English in a few kindergartens in Beijing, China and some experience in teaching adults in a training center. Table of Contents Differences Between Teaching Children and Adults Principles in Teaching Kids Learning Atmosphere Teacher's Responsibilities My Personal Experience Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: When I started in kindergarten, it was very difficult because I didn't have enough information about how to make a proper lesson plan. I didn't have enough materials, games, songs, and it took me a lot of time to collect all the necessary information for teaching and creating my teaching plan. Without...  [Read more]

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Why Teaching in Groups Furthers Learning Learning a new language is intimidating, stressful, and confusing. Learning English feels the same way for our students. Teaching our students in groups is essential for their learning to progress. By grouping students they will be more confident in their learning experience, be able to teach one another, and more efficient for the teacher to monitor. Table of Contents Confidence Peer Learning Convenience for the Teacher Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Kendyl C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Confidence One of the most...  [Read more]

Fri, 22 Feb 2019 Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences My Personal Teaching Experience - The Different Roles of an ESL Teacher Each of us has our own story to tell especially with the different experiences that we have with the different people, classes, and countries we have been to teach. In this blog post, I am discussing some of the topics related to my personal teaching experience, including teaching classes containing a wide variety of ages. It will also touch on teaching styles, roles of the teacher in the classroom and how I motivate students to make the learning more fun and engaging. Table of Contents Teaching is learning twice. Are you ready to start teaching English abroad? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate...  [Read more]

Tue, 26 Feb 2019 Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Teaching Formal and Informal Language in the ESL Classroom Just as important as knowing the grammatical rules of a language is knowing how the language is spoken within its native cultural contexts. Every language will have a wide range of cultural contexts for its use, each with its own set of stylistic rules. For example, academic papers, business cover letters, and text messages adhere to very different sets of stylistic rules and are evaluated accordingly. Broadly speaking, these styles of use will fall on a scale between formal and informal language. Table of Contents Listen to this blog post: What is Formal and Informal Language? How to Teach Formal Language in the Classroom How to Teach Informal Language in the...  [Read more]

Wed, 06 Nov 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Why Stories Are Essential for Language Learning Stories are universal. They have existed in every culture and every period is known to modern man. From Neolithic cave art to Homer and from Virgil to Dostoevsky, humanity has been enthralled with stories. The most successful speakers constantly engage in bard-like tale-bearing, and, oftentimes, the songs that most resonate with listeners follow a story arch—albeit loosely. Table of Contents Theory Support Early Years Essence of Stories Attention-Grabbing Effect Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ryan S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or...  [Read more]

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Teachers and Their Position in the TEFL Classroom Teachers are facilitators of student learning and creators of productive classroom environments, in which students can develop the skills they might need at present or in the future. Table of Contents The teacher can be a controller in a classroom. Prompters Assessors Evaluator Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Alfonso R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. However, before we begin to understand the evolving role of an ESL teacher, let's outline some of the...  [Read more]

Wed, 27 Nov 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Pros and Cons of ESL in Kindergarten Learning a new language is not an easy task, regardless of the age it is learned at. Typically it is a little easier to learn languages at a young age, as most of the learning process is done subconsciously and most activities are geared to be fun and informative. It is important to begin learning languages at a young age and begin to stimulate the different parts of the brain involved in language processing. Therefore it is important to begin learning English as a foreign language in kindergarten classes. Table of Contents Anticipated Problems Teaching Ways Personal Experience Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL...  [Read more]

Sun, 03 Mar 2019 Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences A Summary of All English Tenses for ESL Teachers and Learners The tense system of English is probably one of the most daunting areas for many speakers of other languages. Multiple tenses should be taught through explaining strict grammar rules while allowing the students to practice proper structure, as well as evaluating themselves with quizzes and examples. Table of Contents Listen to this blog post: 1. The Past Tenses 1) Simple Past Tense 2) Past Continuous Tense 3) Past Perfect Tense 4) Past Perfect Continuous Tense 2. The Present Tenses 1) Simple Present Tense 2) Present Continuous Tense 3) Present Perfect Tense 4) Present Perfect Continuous Tense 3. The Future Tense 1) Simple Future Tense 2) Future Continuous Tense 3) Future...  [Read more]

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Characteristics of Teaching Styles It refers to the reasonable combination and application of skills and skills formed by a teacher in the long-term classroom teaching practice, reflecting the consistent and stable psychological quality of teaching. Each teacher has her or his unique style, that developed through time. Throughout teacher users' different teaching styles to make an expression on their students and hope for his or her students to learn the best of knowledge. Table of Contents Specifically speaking, classroom teaching style has the following basic five characteristics: Rational Emotional Humor Skill type Natural type Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by...  [Read more]

Thu, 12 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences How Can The Theory of Multiple Intelligences Help in Teaching Children? Learning and teaching process requires awareness of types of intelligence and learning styles. Some people use a mnemonic device Method of loci, or memory palace, to recall information. This method is based on spatial memory to learn by heart names, numbers, or objects. Others may need to move or use the so-called Total Physical Response that helps them to start thinking. Every student is unique and uses different learning strategies. One of the reasons is the variety of intelligences. Multiple intelligences concept helps to develop the abilities of different students. For example, the focus is on children learning English as a foreign language. If a teacher...  [Read more]

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas How to Become an ESL Teacher In the world, there are many different professions that people dream of. If you ask someone to name some of them, they probably would say something like a doctor, teacher, singer, and so on. When I was a child, my dad wanted me to become a teacher. He thought that becoming a teacher was a great job. Not just him, but many other people also thought so. It has always been like that. Back then, I was too young to understand the reason. But now that I have become a teacher, I am starting to realize why my dad and everyone else liked it. Table of Contents When Do You Become a Teacher? Many Responsibilities Are you ready to teach English abroad or online? Related Articles:...  [Read more]

Wed, 13 Mar 2019 Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences The Difference Between Teaching ESL and Teaching EFL In my experience, many teachers are not really sure about the difference between teaching ESL and teaching EFL in the classroom. In this post I will try to explain both situations and give some insight into each as they are actually quite distinct. Table of Contents The Basic Difference Potential Problems of Both Situations Typical Students of EFL and ESL The Importance of Speaking English in the Classroom Are you ready to teach English in an ESL or EFL classroom? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Amal S. The Basic Difference ESL refers to teaching English as a Second Language in a English-speaking country where the...  [Read more]

Thu, 24 Oct 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Testing and Evaluation as a Vital Part of ESL Teaching No enterprise or activity can be said to be successful or to have failed in life without some forms of standards against which the goals and objectives of the activity are measured and assessed. This also applies to the activity of teaching and learning in the classroom, where the learning goals are assessed and evaluated during and after the activity and at the end of a specific period. Table of Contents For clarity, it will be important to explain the difference between test and evaluation Placement Test Progress Test Examination Evaluation Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate...  [Read more]

Wed, 30 Oct 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Importance of Using Games in the ESL Environment One of the things I have learned in this course is the importance of motivation. Both teachers and students have to be motivated so that the teaching and learning environment in the classroom can be a fun and enjoyable experience. Table of Contents The Easiest Way to Motivate Class Starter Experience Exchange Great Ideas Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Carol T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The Easiest Way to Motivate There are many ways a teacher can motivate the student to learn, and one of the tools is the use of...  [Read more]

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas 6 Reasons to Take Your ESL Students Outdoor The main question here is that could outdoor activities impact English learners?. Table of Contents 1. Better grade 2. Learning outdoor is fun 3. Learning outdoor healthy 4. Learning outdoor support child development 5. Improved memory 6. Increase motivation Are you ready to teach English abroad or online? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! As learning is a dynamic action, everywhere could be a place for learning, such as classroom, garden, yard, bus, and subway. In other words, we do not have any limitation for learning as long as it is willing or interest in that. Historically, most of the classes were...  [Read more]

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Building a Successful TEFL Teaching Career Even though I am currently teaching, I found lessons from my TEFL courses to help build onto my already growing teaching career. Being a first-time teacher can be stressful, especially if you have no prior knowledge or experience before. Even though I have been teaching for only three months, my courses gave me many insights and suggestions on improving myself to create a positive learning environment. Table of Contents Shaping the attitude Teaching approach Are you ready to teach English abroad or online? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Angela...  [Read more]

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Drilling vs. Other Teaching Methodologies: ✅ Is it Still Effective? The author and motivational speaker Hilary "Zig Zig" Ziglar wrote, "Repetition is the mother of learning, the father of action, which makes it the architect of accomplishment." Drilling is defined as a teaching technique or method used when teaching a new language through extensive repetition by students, also aided through audio, oral, or even optical channels or props. As with other teaching methods, repetitive drilling has both advantages and disadvantages and has been deemed effective and ineffective over the years. Table of Contents Training Accuracy Drawbacks Advantageous in Combination Are you ready to teach English abroad...  [Read more]

Wed, 05 Dec 2018 Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences The Value of Observed Teaching Practice for ESL Teachers This is an interesting article written by one of our TEFL alumni who shares her thoughts on the importance of observed teaching practice for ESL teachers. Table of Contents Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post This post was written by our ITTT graduate Roxanne L. When I think of having my teaching observed either by an inspector or by a teacher-in-training, I think of the Christmas song, which impels its listeners, "He knows when you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake!" The reason is simple, when we know we are being scrutinized, we do a better job! In reality, students observe their teachers every day, and even...  [Read more]

Wed, 17 Mar 2021 Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas 3 Steps to Teaching Mixed Ability ESL Students Effectively It is well known that the population of students in the same class is usually heterogeneous. In other words, all students have different learning abilities, talents, intelligence, interests, and maturity level. A teacher's task is to understand how to help each student to learn best. Educators use various teaching techniques, methods, and tools to reach students' needs. There are different ways to teach the classes with mixed learning abilities, and among them are the strategies that work well in the multilevel classes. Table of Contents 1. Testing the students' level 2. The principles of instruction 3. Variations in classroom management...  [Read more]