They Took A Difficult Course In Spanish

College Best TEFL Check out tefl tesol about College Best 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.O. - U.S.A. said: Problems facing different nationalitiesSpeakers of other languages have various difficulties learning English that differ based on their native language. The more different the native language is from English, the more likely there will be various difficulties. Speakers of korean, a non-European language completely different from English, have their own unique set of challenges when learning English as a second language. As the two languages have no similar...  [Read more]

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences A Lifetime Love for Language Learning As a young child, I was, for some reason, obsessed with the idea of learning French. I tried a couple of languages, including Finnish at some point, but kept going back to French. I have no idea why because I was never exposed to the culture or the language itself at that age. I doubt I even knew anything about the country itself. I think I assumed learning French would make me sound smarter but, the joke's on younger me, I have no skill in French and never have. I tend to struggle with romance languages in general. Table of Contents My Personal Second Language Experience My Choice Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL...  [Read more]

Mon, 11 Mar 2019 Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences How My Passion For The Spanish Language Made Me Become An English Teacher Abroad As a native English speaker, my first major foreign language experience began in 8th grade, where I had the option of studying either Spanish or French. I chose Spanish, as I'd always been drawn to the language and Latin American culture, and hoped to one day live in a Spanish speaking country. I studied the language throughout high school, but in the years afterward, it wasn't much of a priority and wasn't something I used on a regular basis. Table of Contents Our language classes were mainly structured around learning grammar and following the textbook. I recognized a lot of the same lack of interest in learning as I saw during my own high school...  [Read more]

Thu, 12 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences English Around The World Is English the most and widely language ever used in the history of this world? Yes. It does mean that it's the only one spoken though. There are many other important languages in the world, but when it comes to business, English is the most spoken of them all. Table of Contents The Breadth of English Diversity of English Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Hector R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Beginning with the Mayans, later on, the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans all knew the mechanics to create a bond with other societies. Trading goods and...  [Read more]

Fri, 10 Jan 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Peculiarities of the English Language Every ESL Teacher Needs to Know A language is a tool that allows us to organize our thoughts as well as to communicate. Since language is unable to be separated from our conscious thought, it can be difficult to imagine how another language can function without the use of the core elements that we employ in our own native language. Likewise, it can be difficult to comprehend the function of a language element completely foreign to us. As a teacher, it can be important to understand the peculiarities of English to understand which language elements may be more difficult for the student. Some elements that may be completely new to English learners are the number system, verb tenses, and...  [Read more]

Thu, 09 May 2019 Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas The Main Problems of Teaching Formal and Informal Language The difference between formal and informal grammar is very apparent both in everyday life and during ones time as a teacher of English as a foreign language. These differences, I believe, play an important part in why many language learners find it so difficult to understand and become fluent. Table of Contents The Problems that Teachers Encounter The Problems that Learners Encounter The Dilemma that Teachers Face Finding the Right Balance in the Future Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Daniel B. The Problems that Teachers Encounter As a native English...  [Read more]

Wed, 28 Aug 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Challenges For Students of Different Nationalities I am from the United States and my native language is English. I am currently living in the Philippines, so I have been encountering language issues a lot lately. I have desperately been trying to learn Tagalog, and it is a major challenge. Table of Contents Teacher's experience of learning a foreign language Rapport Rules Weird exceptions Phonetic challenges Spelling challenges Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Gabriel T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Teacher's experience of learning a foreign language Along...  [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]

Thu, 09 Apr 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The 7 Most Common Problems for ESL Learners from Chile This essay displays my own experience as well as information from other (internet) resources. I work as an English teacher in Chile, mainly teaching professionals in the mining industry. Table of Contents 1. False cognates 2. Spelling 3. Use of the subject 4. Pronunciation 5. Hacer and to do and to make 6. Third-person 7. Prepositions Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Only 3 to 5 percent of the population in Chile speaks proficient English. The Ministry of Education created a plan to upscale the level of English and the percentage of English speakers in the country. They welcome teachers from abroad. Chile is a Spanish speaking country. Spanish speakers...  [Read more]

Organizations Legitimate TEFL Check out tefl tesol about Organizations Legitimate 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 E.A. - U.S.A. said: Foreign Language ExperienceMotivations for learning a foreign language vary. I myself wanted to understand Spanish song lyrics which my brother had left behind when joining the army. I would strum his guitar, wondering what the song ?La Cucaracha? meant. Life took a curve; I studied French. Two and a half years later, still unable to translate Spanish sheet music, French remained a challenge. Conversational practice was nil; emotional...  [Read more]

Mon, 18 Mar 2019 Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences How Teaching Slang Can Benefit Your ESL Students Stepping onto my flight from Miami to Santiago, Chile, I was confident in my Spanish skills. After all, I had taken nearly seven years of Spanish classes in middle and high school. However, when I landed I found, not only did I not understand 80% of what my host family said to me, they couldn't understand me either. Table of Contents Listen to this blog post: "Learning slang words is immensely helpful." "I was more motivated to retain these pieces of vocabulary and try them out in an attempt to sound more natural." "Learning slang can also open up the conversation for cultural exchange." "There are many activities that could be used to teach slang words." Are you ready to teach...  [Read more]

Fri, 01 Jun 2018 Julia Erbacher Alumni Experiences Teaching English in Spain - Alumni Report by Julia E. TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF! What is your nationality? I am American. Table of Contents What is your nationality? What city and state are you from? How old are you? What is your education level and background? Have you traveled abroad in the past? If so, where have you been? Where did you study? What made you interested in going to teach English abroad? What were some of your concerns before teaching abroad? Why did you decide to get TEFL certified and choose ITTT? Which TEFL certification course did you take? How did you like the course? How has your TEFL training helped you in your current teaching position? Which city and country did you decide to teach English in and why? How long...  [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]

Program TESOL TEFL Check out tefl tesol about Program TESOL 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 F.D. - U.S. A. said: Problems for learners in a country of your choiceSunny skies, palm trees, a warm breeze are typical of this area. It´s September and the classrooms in spain are filled with students of all ages ready to learn or continue to learn the Universal Language, English. The students come into the classroom and sit down. A brief introduction and question, ´´I am from the U.S.A., where are you from?´´, the response in most cases ´´I am from Espain.´´ and here...  [Read more]

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 Sabrina Segal Alumni Experiences 5 Tips For Raising a Trilingual Child Language skills begin in the womb when a fetus's hearing first develops, they begin to listen to the language of their mother. Once the baby is born they recognize their mother tongue. Though, a baby is born with the ability to learn any language and multiple languages. When babies hear a word repeatedly their brain forms neural connections, which is a step towards their speech. The brain of a child is like a sponge. It retains so much information that by the time a child reaches 3 years of age, their brain has formed double the amount of connections that adults have. Young children learn language through simple exposure. It is possible to learn a language later on in life but the process is...  [Read more]

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Benefits of Implementing Created Materials in the ESL Classroom Classroom materials are important tools in learning. These can range from books, printed materials, graphs, charts, videos, realia, and a lot of varied materials that aid in learning. It is easy to succumb to using materials that are commercially produced and textbooks that are provided by the school or the education center that a teacher works for. They are available and convenient for the busy teacher. Published materials are level-appropriate, thus, they give good practice for the students. Although sometimes the teacher needs to create his or her material at some point in the learning process. Creating materials that are tuned to the students' needs gives the...  [Read more]

Mon, 06 Jan 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas How English Grammar Can be Acquired More Effectively by ESL Students Grammar, the key element to all languages, is, by all means, the first thing which everyone must have a clear understanding of before acquiring such language. From parts of speech to sentence structure, the complexity of grammar doesn't seem to have a sign of decrease as ESL students' vocabulary range increases. In all respects, the fundamental problem to all learners who treat English as a second language is that they never take it as a first language but try to understand the meaning behind every word with the aid of their mother tongue, their first language. In this essay, I would like to focus on one of the smallest parts of grammar - syntax as the starting...  [Read more]

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Volunteer ESL Teaching: Challenges and Opportunities I took the ITTT online TEFL course not to prepare to teach English as an employee working abroad, but as a volunteer in the United States to teach refugee and immigrant adults. I completed the units a few months ago, but I waited to do this summative task until I could begin teaching classes as a volunteer teacher and reflect on that experience. Table of Contents Teaching ESL as a volunteer provides important opportunities for learning and growth. On the other hand, serving as a volunteer teacher poses several challenges. Volunteer Programs Working With Different Groups Do you want to teach English abroad or online? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: Check out what our...  [Read more]

What should I teach English beginners? If you have never taught English to complete novices before, the prospect of spending an entire lesson speaking with students who don't comprehend a single word you say may seem frightening. Teaching absolute beginners differs from teaching other courses, as any ESL teacher will tell you. It can be difficult, but it may also be one of the most enjoyable and gratifying language levels to teach. Every new word your students learn is important at this level, and the greatest approach to teaching it is to be as creative and funny as possible. How do I start teaching English to total beginners? Generally, teaching the letters and numbers should be one of your first priorities. You will lay a solid foundation for everything else your students will learn by...  [Read more]

Tue, 14 Jan 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas How to Teach Peculiarities of the English Language Peculiarities in the English language can be quite difficult and challenging to explain to students but are certainly very rewarding. Table of Contents General Ideas 1) Illustrations 2) Vocabulary Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Monique E. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. General Ideas If we look at the word "Peace" – in English this word could refer to "peace between family, neighbors, and friends" or it could mean "peace of mind" or "peace" etc. We also have the same word spoken in the same way, but spelled...  [Read more]

TEFL Granada | TEFL Spain The historical city of Granada is a magical location to take a TEFL course. Granada is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to Spain's most visited attraction, the Alhambra Palace. It is the former capital of Moorish Spain and this is evident in the many palaces, churches, monuments and ancient dwellings that are still home to many of the city’s inhabitants. Today, the city retains much of its ancient charm and is set in a delightfully well situated location. It is also a popular university town with a vibrant nightlife, as well as plenty of interesting restaurants, cafes, bars, theatres and clubs. Geographically, Granada is unique as it lies between the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Costa del Sol, within the magical region of Andalucía. You will never be...  [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]

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Problems for Learners in France and How to Overcome Them Being an American living in France has given me firsthand experience as to what it is like to struggle with learning a new language. I studied Spanish for six years, in Junior High and High school. Language acquisition was easier then. I can attest to the fact that younger learners learn more quickly. For me, the two major problems with learning French are the tenses and not being able to understand what people are saying. I get stuck in the present tense, often forgetting to change tenses in conversation. I also need to hone up on my listening skills. Table of Contents What problems do native French speakers have with the English language? The other big problem that people...  [Read more]

What should I teach English beginners? When teaching English to absolute beginners, it is pivotal to start with foundational elements. Begin with essential vocabulary - items like family names, household objects, basic adjectives, and common places. Introduce them to subject pronouns, commonly used verbs, and foundational sentence structures. While the challenge is real, many English teachers find this level especially rewarding. Remember, every word they grasp is a significant achievement, so using engaging and interactive methods can make the learning process enjoyable and effective. Table of Contents How do I start teaching English to total beginners? How do I teach English pronunciation to total beginners? How do I quickly build vocabulary for complete beginner students of English?...  [Read more]

Mon, 02 Dec 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The Essential Set of Personal Qualities Every Teacher Should Have Since my childhood, I have been frequently asked the same question "what kind of teacher do you want?" At different life stages, I have different answers. When I was a kid, I would say a teacher who dresses neatly and smiles nicely; when I was a teenager, I would prefer a "cool" teacher as a good teacher, who behaves differently from other boring and stereotyping adults; until I grow up, I think a good teacher should have sound subject knowledge, be fair and consistent with all of the students as well as being sensitive to the students' reactions and providing necessary support, and until now I know being a good teacher has nothing to do with his/her appearances...  [Read more]

Wed, 04 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching Groups or Individual Students: What's Better? What do you know about speaking and teaching English? Well, the answer to the first part of the question goes back to early times. I started to study English when I was between ten or eleven years old. I can say that after a few classes, I was already able to say short, simple but probably still inaccurate sentences. However, teaching English appeared as a possible professional job a long time after that. Table of Contents My Personal Experience English Teaching Approach Work in China The Challenge Breakthrough Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate marisol b. Please note that this blog...  [Read more]

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Top Strategies for Effective Teaching of Grammar Type in "teaching grammar effectively" into Google and the reader will be confronted with pages and pages of advice/frameworks/theories on how to effectively teach grammar. Table of Contents 8 Do's and Dont's for Effective Grammar Instruction 8 things to avoid Alternative Approach Theory Explanations Examples Exercises Supplementing the coursebook Carry-over 7 tips for effective grammar instruction Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: Most of the content does acknowledge that there is no "golden rule" for effective grammar teaching before imparting their particular key rules or areas that should be incorporated into teaching grammar. This post was...  [Read more]

Wed, 09 Oct 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas How to Help Chinese Native Speakers to Follow English Grammar Rules in Speaking Grammar is the rules governing the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in a natural language. Simply put, grammar is the general rule of a language. Language is logical; grammar tells us in which order we say words. It's about how words become phrases; how words and phrases become sentences and how sentences become language. Table of Contents The Essence of Grammar Different languages have different grammar rules How to teach grammar (EFL: how to teach Chinese students English) Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Yang S. Please note that this blog post...  [Read more]

Tue, 28 Jan 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas How to Keep Up With Classroom Organization When working with a large group, it is important to maintain class management to ensure all students can learn the material. A class can easily become off task due to a lack of dominance within a teacher. I had the opportunity to manage a group of six and seven-year-old students in the past and I am aware that it can be rather difficult to keep children on task. Throughout my internship, I was able to see what skills worked and what needed improvement. After reading unit 5, from the online course, I was able to connect concepts and thoughts I had from managing my class. Now that I am aware of new concepts it is easier to see how teachers can manage a classroom in a friendly but orderly...  [Read more]

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Influence of English on a Student's Career In the following essay, I will explain the importance of the English language for three important phases of a student's future, beyond secondary education. English has become the de facto standard language for communication at a global level. After Mandarin Chinese and Spanish, it is the third most prevalent native language on the planet, as well as the most amply spoken second language and the official language of many international organizations and businesses. It works as a common trade language since it allows two foreign people to communicate, based on its global reach. Table of Contents Higher Education at an English language Institution Job seeking with the English language...  [Read more]