The Tefl

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The Description of the Role of the Teacher This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate MUSTAFA N. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The role of the teacher can be divided an analyzed in two different ways; One is the education and knowledge, (part 1)Second is the personality and communication abilities, (part 2) Part one is a general precondition for every candidate, but part two is indispensable, especially in primary education. We mostly hear such sayings: “A good teacher is a good student at the same time.” “If you are a good student, then most probably you can be a good teacher.” When we look back to our history of humanity, we almost always...  [Read more]

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The Role of the Teacher in the Learning Environment By creating an environment in which students are encouraged to feel comfortable and motivated to improve, students can better absorb information from the teacher and each other, and in doing so, improve their language abilities. So whilst the teacher has several different roles and objectives for themselves and their students, the fundamental role of the teacher is to cultivate a positive learning environment. As such, it's most important for the teacher to establish and maintain rapport, to encourage respectful discourse, to consider the sensitivities of students, and encourage confidence. Although there are many different roles and objectives for a teacher to be working...  [Read more]

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences The Many Roles of the Teacher in the ESL Classroom The role of a teacher is constantly changing throughout the day. The teacher’s role can be influenced by: the lesson, the students, and the circumstances that might arise during a classroom session. Teachers frequently perform various roles when teaching students, some of these roles include: instructor, facilitator, mentor, psychologist, counselor, and policeman. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Giuseppe T. Listen to this blog post: A teacher can act as an instructor. The role of instructor is the role most people associate with teachers of any subject – sometime referred to as the expert or the “knower” of a certain body of knowledge. This portrays...  [Read more]

Thu, 07 May 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Different Roles of the Teacher in the English Classroom There is no doubt that a teacher plays a vital role in the classroom. To become a good teacher, the teacher should pay full attention to their teaching and students’ learning. In particular, teachers serve many different roles in the classroom rather than just convey linguistic lessons such as Controller, Organizer, Assessor, Prompter, Participant, Tutor, Resource, Model, and Observer. Over the years, there are a great number of changes in the teaching approach along with the learning strategies. The classroom becomes ‘student-centered’ rather than ‘teacher-centered’. This will largely depend on which type of activity and what we wish the students to achieve. This...  [Read more]

Thu, 07 May 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Importance of Sharing Responsibilities in the Management of the Classroom Oftentimes in a classroom, the burden of managing a classroom is assumed to fall squarely on the shoulders of the teacher. The teacher is viewed as the source of knowledge through which students can learn and it is thus the responsibility of the teacher to share this knowledge in a manner that is both appealing, digestible, and feasible. Teachers may find themselves viewing students as potential obstacles to this role, as they must find a way to coax students into learning and taking part without disrupting a lesson. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Simon W. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs...  [Read more]

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Image of The Perfect Teacher What qualities should a teacher have? Personal or professional qualities, and which ones are more important? For example, is it possible for a teacher to be charged with a duty to love children, or is it enough that he treats them with respect and good knowledge of his subject? Should a teacher be an outgoing leader? Which teacher is better - kind or strict? This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Alla S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Language Proficiency Nobody will argue that the desire to learn from a professional who knows the subject is natural. Every English teacher must know the language. It would seem obvious!...  [Read more]

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The History of The ESA Approach My first exposure to learning a foreign language was back in the 1950s watching French lessons on the National Education Network, the predecessor of PBS. The only thing I can remember from the experience was the word Ecoute, listen, which I did little of. Latin classes in Junior High, followed by Spanish courses in High School and College did little to help me as an adult. The teaching methods used were both classical, grammar-translation and Audio- bilingualism, both tried and true relics of the past, and in some cases the present. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Richard G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. What is...  [Read more]

Thu, 30 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Benefits of the ESA Methodology Over the course of this certification program, I learned an abundance of information and methodologies, but none as important as the ESA outline; the ESA methodology is, undoubtedly, the best thing I’ve learned from my TEFL course. The ESA procedure provides a myriad of benefits, engaging learners in a series of dynamic activities aimed to create a seamless and effective educational environment. Due to the adept and fluid nature of the ESA methodology, it is easily the most important tool taught to me throughout this program and something I foresee utilizing often in the near future. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Richard H. Please note that this blog post might not...  [Read more]

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The History of the ESA Methodology ESA is a learning methodology invented by Jeremy Harmer. April 30, 1947, He has taught English in Mexico and the UK and has trained teachers around the world. He is the series editor of the “How to teach” series, and the author of the highly acclaimed The Practice of English Language Teaching and How to teach English. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nawal S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The principles of the method The ESA method which he invented, has all the factors students need in a classroom, for example, motivated, exposed to the language, and have the opportunity to use it. ESA is short for...  [Read more]

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Importance of Games in the Classroom “Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play, children learn how to learn.” O. Fred Donaldson (Pulitzer nominated author, and renowned play researcher). This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Kristel-Ann I. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Traditional Approach In a traditional school, students are expected to study the lesson from the book and from what the teacher discussed. It is a straight discussion without activities, and evaluation is through worksheets. They could only play games after school hours. Nowadays, schools always include a variety of activities in their curriculum and adding...  [Read more]

Fri, 16 Aug 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Role of Games in The Classroom The use of games in the class can activate the atmosphere of learning, reduce learning pressure, and stimulate learning interest more. Independent and selective learning is good for developing students' multiple intelligenceand promoting the formation of good feelings. There are five benefits of games in the classroom. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Michael F. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Listen to this blog post: Creating positive atmosphere The first is reducing students' learning pressure. Students are under pressure in the learning process. Homework task, examination task and psychological pressure...  [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. 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 dominance and cultural power. Also read: What to Watch Out for Before Signing Your TEFL Contract in China Global Communication To have a common language is important because it's one of the main...  [Read more]

Fri, 06 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The Ever-Changing Role of the Teacher Deciding what role will be held as a teacher as many variables. Teachers can be anywhere from instructors to policemen and many things in between on any given day. Being aware of which role is necessary and when will have an impact on the teacher and students. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Johnelle M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Let us begin with the role of the instructor When taking on the role of instructor, knowledge of what is being taught is important. In this role, the teacher is the one students will look to for an understanding of what they’re looking to learn. When teaching English as a...  [Read more]

Thu, 09 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The Teacher’s Role in the Classroom Management Teachers are facilitators of student learning and creators of the productive classroom environment. A good teacher has effective discipline skills and can promote positive behaviors and change in the classroom. A great teacher has the classroom management skills and can ensure good student behavior, effective work and study habits and over the sense of respect in the classroom. Teachers set the class of their classroom, build a warm environment, mentor and nurture students, become role models, and listen and look for signs of trouble. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ancy T. Self-consciousness As the airline safety videos say: Put on your mask first. To...  [Read more]

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 Zainab Sadriwala Alumni Experiences Hybrid Classrooms: The Way Towards The Future It’s almost been many months since we started the process of transitioning towards online education due to the COVID-19 outbreak. In fact, there has been a complete shift from the traditional way of teaching to a virtual method. The world has come to believe, and more so understand, that virtual classrooms remain the need of today. Listen to this blog post: Initially, it seemed a rather uphill task for many but with time and effort, teachers around the world have jumped on the bandwagon of teaching online. This remodeling of our classrooms has generated new innovative methods of teaching which, even in the post lockdown period, should not be forgotten or done away with. In this blog...  [Read more]

Fri, 29 May 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The Language that the Global Community Needs The word “Globalization” has grown in use, in part due to; the advent of technology, tourism, politics, international trade, and economics, just to name a few. These factors have encouraged more people from different lingual backgrounds to mingle and work together in a world where everything is becoming interconnected. In light of this, English has for a very long time been used as the language to help facilitate globalization. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ian S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. My Personal Experience I am an individual with dual citizenship who can speak up to seven...  [Read more]

Thu, 20 Jun 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Mastery of the Teacher in the Classroom There is an ancient Chinese quote which says: "Tell me, and I forget. Teach me, and I remember. Involve me, and I." - We can apply this old quote to our days, even though our challenges may be more extensive. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rodrigo O. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Modern Problem Today anyone can go through the web and seek information; this made the task of teaching a bit harder since we have to deal with an immediate gain of information. It is easy to open a Wikipedia article and just read what happened 100 years ago somewhere, but it is the teacher's task to involve the students, to...  [Read more]

Tue, 13 Aug 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The Day the Planet Earth Speaks English In Crystal (2003) the statement "English Rules" is said to present a scenario wherein the English language spreads continuously and becomes universal. This is a real possibility in the next century, as the technological and socio-economic developments are improving the quality of life and are enhancing the way we live and learn. The English language is well on its way to become the world’s first "lingua franca" if it has not already. It is said that a language achieves a genuinely global status once it has developed a special role that is recognized in every country across the planet. However, caution should be taken, as according to Crystal (2003) the special role has more than one...  [Read more]

Fri, 07 Aug 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Use of Games in the Classroom I have been teaching English as an assistant language teacher in Japan for the past 4 years. I have taught all grades from kindergarten through 9th grade, and have worked with many teachers with a variety of teaching styles. In this essay I will look at the use of games in the foreign language classroom, drawing from my experiences to look at several specific games and discuss how they help students learn and use English. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Tansly S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. 1. Games are a good way to make class fun, increasing student motivation while using English. There are many types of...  [Read more]

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 Amanda Stern Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Team-teaching: The Good and The Ugly A preferred method of teaching abroad is the team-teaching approach. This is where two teachers, dubbed T1 (often the “main” teacher”) and T2 (often the “assistant”), work together to develop a syllabus, prepare materials and lessons, teach students, then evaluate the results and make changes whenever deemed necessary. As the base, unless T2 has strong language skills in the local language, T1 will be expected to explain core grammar. Both are responsible for their own contributions to the class in order to create a cohesive classroom for effective English learning. The Good Shorter Preparation Times That’s right, you’re on a team which means you’ll be sharing time...  [Read more]

Tue, 03 Dec 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Practical Value of Games in the Classroom Education and teaching are always changing. Thus, teachers are constantly thinking of new ideas and techniques they can implement in their classroom and teaching plan to more effectively educate their students. Presently, the notion of games within the classroom is widely popular among teachers. One may think that this relationship between games and learning is ironic, as most individuals classify games as a hindrance to education. However, through its engaging attributes, the tendency to boost class morale and motivation, and overall improvement within student’s creativity, games in the classroom that inspire education are very effective when teaching. This post was written by our TEFL...  [Read more]

Sat, 15 Jun 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The Power of English in The Global Community When I first began my career of teaching internationally I remember a very distinct moment. I was sitting at a dinner restaurant with friends who were all from different countries: Germany, the Netherlands, the US, Columbia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Montenegro. While we were all from very different and faraway places we could all talk and share with each other. The only way that was possible was because of our one connected, global language. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Taylor K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Definition of The Global Language The term “global language” has never officially...  [Read more]

Tue, 23 Jul 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The Importance of New Technologies in the Classroom When we talk about modern education, what a student wants the most is a good classroom and a good experience. With advancements in science and technology, there is a lot of things to expect in the education sector. Incorporating modern technologies in the right mix can lift the spirit of the classroom learning environment. With the convenience, availability, and flexibility offered with new technologies, students would have more interest in learning, sharing and learning new information in day to day basis. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nacianceno F. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. To...  [Read more]

Mon, 15 Jul 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Benefit of New Technology in the Classroom Technology helps make teaching and learning more meaningful and fun. Students are also able to collaborate with their own classmates through technological applications. By using technology in the classroom, both teachers and students can develop skills essential for the 21st century. These are very important skills that can be developed in the classroom. Benefits for teachers. When teachers effectively integrate technology into class learning becomes more meaningful and fun which motivates the pupils/student to collaborate with their own classmates and acquire knowledge faster and with ease. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jenny S. Please note that this blog post...  [Read more]

Thu, 03 Oct 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The Role of Teacher Confidence in the Classroom Teaching is a profession that calls upon a teacher to embody many different characteristics and qualities for them to be able to perform in their role successfully. Among other things, an argument can be made that it is essential, or at least beneficial, for a teacher to be someone who is or can become comfortable in their role for their students. A key component of achieving this goal is to be confident in their ability. Careful examination suggests that a greater level of self-confidence on the part of the teacher in the classroom positively affects the learning experience for students and the teaching experience for the teacher. This post was written by our TEFL certification...  [Read more]

Sun, 19 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The Adult Classroom Compared to The Adolescent Classroom Both adults and young learners are different age groups. Therefore, when working abroad and teaching adults there are both advantages and disadvantages when compared to young learners. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Emma M. Advantages of teaching adults Adults tend to have greater levels of motivation than adolescents which is an advantage over young learners. Teaching and Learning in an adult student classroom ‘behavioral problems are minimal,’ as they are not always completely absent because of their enthusiasm. This is shown through their maturity and concentration. This shows that adults attention spans are higher than children. This...  [Read more]

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Most Useful Games in The ESL Classroom Nowadays there is a wide variety of how to teach English. Every teacher uses his or her unique methodologies and techniques to make lessons more informative and entertaining. One of the approaches could be using educational games in the classroom. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Kristina S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Games in the classroom are a great tool for teachers as they can be adapted to different ages and levels. Within this essay, I would like to clarify why using games in the classroom for young learners is extremely useful and educational. There is no doubt that children have their own...  [Read more]

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The Principles of Motivating in the ESL Class Before a student is going to succeed, they have to want to succeed. Students have to find their reason why. As an English teacher, it is important to be able to help someone discover what motivates them, and help them use it as a driving force. Students from all around the world will have different reasons for wanting to learn English. It is not a teacher’s job to give students a reason, it is their job to remind them of that reason and support them throughout their English learning journey. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nikki T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. One way to show support for...  [Read more]

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The Applicability of Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom The concept of multiple intelligences was brought to the education field by Howard Gardner in his book ‘Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences.’ It is one of my favorite theories that I learned about while in university and I was fortunate to attend a speech for teachers by Gardner regarding multiple intelligences. It is a theory that I applied to lesson plans, most notably for my preschool and kindergarten students to reach all of the students in some meaningful way. Teachers can employ activities and assessments that are multi-faceted and address the needs and skills of the various students. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate...  [Read more]

Thu, 19 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The English Language Taking the World by Storm In a globalized and fast-growing world, the English language has grown to be considerably important. But let's analyze a bit further into the topic. The English language is the second most spoken language in the world only after the Chinese mandarin. With English speakers all around the globe, It's been a big part of tourism and other industries around the world. There are many reasons why the English language has grown to be so important in the past few years. The great development of a great powerful and influential country like the United States is one of the main reasons. Media from this country is consumed everywhere and has gained the interest of people from different cultures,...  [Read more]