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What is Challenging in English Pronunciation for Japanese Native Speakers? - TEFL Blog
Mon, 04 Nov 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
What is Challenging in English Pronunciation for Japanese Native Speakers?
What's the most difficult part of learning a new language? Is it writing? Perhaps it's the reading or memorizing new vocabulary? Well for some it's speaking the new language, specifically when it comes to pronunciation. Every language has its unique ways or pronouncing their vowels and constants as well as how they form their sentence structure. Especially this write up will focus on Japanese English as a Second Language (ESL) students and the difficulties they face while learning English and its pronunciation.
Table of Contents
Japanese Writing
Teaching Approach
Pronunciation Differences
Further Steps
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL... [Read more]
Teaching English Pronunciation to Students from Japan - TEFL Blog
Wed, 05 Aug 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Teaching English Pronunciation to Students from Japan
In my experience teaching elementary and junior high school level English in Japan, several different pronunciation problems appear frequently. The Japanese phonemic inventory is smaller than English's phonemic inventory, and the sounds present in each language differ from each other quite dramatically. Because of this, it can be difficult for native Japanese speakers to learn and master English pronunciation, but there are a few teaching techniques that can help students overcome this difficulty.
Table of Contents
Consonants Challenge
Non-Existent Sounds in the Native Language
Vowel Challenge
3 Methods to Work on Problems
1. Visual Representation
2. IPA Phonetics
3. Pronunciation... [Read more]
There Is No L (And Other Differences Between Japanese and English) - TEFL Blog
Fri, 18 Oct 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
There Is No L (And Other Differences Between Japanese and English)
Throughout high school and college, I mainly focused on learning how to speak Japanese as my second language. Unlike English, Japanese is a fairly phonetic language. Two of its three writing systems, hiragana and katakana, are phonetic. This makes it easy for foreigners to learn because each syllable, also known as sound clusters in some circles, is almost always said exactly how it is spelled. The third writing system, kanji, is not and, as such, is much more difficult for foreigners to learn because kanji are essentially pictures that describe their meaning. They are much more difficult to learn and use in everyday speech.
Table of Contents
Differences in... [Read more]
Common Problems Japanese Learners of English Experience - TEFL Blog
Wed, 09 Oct 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Common Problems Japanese Learners of English Experience
Japan is an island nation and is a recognized homogenous society with a very small percentage of foreign permanent residence and more than half of the adult population lacks the necessary skills to speak English proficiently. Because of this, English as a Second Language is in high demand with young learners being a focus group in Japan. English is taught in the school environment during nearly all of a child's primary education years, but this, unfortunately, doesn't translate to a proficient English-speaking Japanese population.
Table of Contents
Global Opportunities
Differences in Language Structure
Cultural Challenges
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course!... [Read more]
Why do Japanese Learners Face Difficulties when Studying English? - TEFL Blog
Mon, 10 Aug 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Why do Japanese Learners Face Difficulties when Studying English?
English is causing many problems in Asian countries which can be seen just by the high demand for English teachers - including ESL teachers. One of the countries is Japan, a country with a good economy and a society well known for their kindness and politeness, but unfortunately also for the low number of English speakers. There are many reasons why English is likely to pose problems in Japan but there are many possibilities to improve the English lessons to offer lessons that help Japanese students to achieve a higher English level.
Table of Contents
1. English is only written during lessons (Student Talk time is too low)
2. Students are not asked to express their... [Read more]
How to Get Ready for Unforeseen Circumstances in The Classroom? - TEFL Blog
Tue, 14 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
How to Get Ready for Unforeseen Circumstances in The Classroom?
There can be a lot of difficulties a teacher might face in the future lesson. You might have to manage a class without any help or you might have students from different nationalities, ages, interests or so on. I believe, however, that most of the problems you might have would be solved if you planned the lessons carefully in advance. There are some reasons to support my idea.
Table of Contents
What's your lesson goal?
You can manage your class anyways
Know your students
Are you ready to teach ESL classes?
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Eri S.
What's your lesson goal?
First, you can find what you should exactly do in a... [Read more]
How do Japanese Students Respond to Some Common Challenges in English? - TEFL Blog
Thu, 07 May 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
How do Japanese Students Respond to Some Common Challenges in English?
Japan is a country continuously changing at a rapid pace largely due to globalization and marketing. With its growing popularity and necessity, difficulties are sure to arise for people learning English and specifically, in Japan. To fully understand all the problems learners face in Japan, it is important to realize why English is so widely being studied in the first place. Firstly, students must study English for 6 years throughout primary and high school. As well as being part of the Japanese schooling system, the advantages of being able to speak English are endless. The benefits of finding a job or being able to communicate whilst abroad are common motives.... [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]
Class Location TEFL - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
Class Location TEFL
Check out tefl tesol about Class Location TEFL 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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W.P. - U.S.A. said:
Pronunciation Problems in JapanEnglish pronunciation for japanese learners is very difficult compared to many other languages such as the Romantic ones. Not only does Japan have a different style of writing (non-Roman alphabet) but it has rules of speaking that limit how words are pronounced. They also add items to a word such as extra syllables or letters so that the English spoken word fits in with their known, existing japanese rules of speech.
Since the... [Read more]
Our ITTT TEFL and TESOL Alumni Stories from: 120
Our ITTT TEFL and TESOL Alumni Stories
What is Reported Speech?
Federico Riva
Alumni Experiences
We can quote people through what's called direct speech. In written form it would look like “Corey said we're moving house next week”. We've used quotes and we've quoted Corey directly, i.e. used the exact words that he used. There is however another way we can quote people, and this is through reported speech. We don't quote their exact words, but we simply let people know what has been said.
Evaluation and Testing of Students - Placements Tests
Federico Riva
TEFL Information Alumni Experiences
In this blog we will show how a simple speaking interview with the student, can be used to place them in one of the five ESL teaching bands, from Starter to Upper-Intermediate.... [Read more]
The Main Problems of ESL Learners From Japan - TEFL Blog
Thu, 13 Aug 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
The Main Problems of ESL Learners From Japan
Regardless of the Japanese government's efforts to increase the number of foreign tourists to be a tourism-oriented country and to have been retaining compulsory English education for decades, Japanese people still have a reputation of being bad at English. The average TOEIC and TOEFL scores for Japanese are one of the worst among advanced nations. South Korea was also one of the worst in the past, but they are getting better and better these days. However, there are still some obstacles for many Japanese English learners to get over.
Table of Contents
1. First, there are very few teachers in Japan who can teach students how to speak and write English with confidence.
2. Secondly, the... [Read more]
The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program: All You Need to Know and How to Apply - TEFL Blog
Mon, 15 Oct 2018 Laura Payne
Destinations TEFL Information
The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program: All You Need to Know and How to Apply
The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program is not the only means to teach English in Japan, but it is one of the most popular programs out there both for aspiring teachers and those who wish to pursue other fields. I first joined this program a little over a year ago. In the short time since then, I've gained incredibly valuable experiences through my work as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT).
Table of Contents
The History of JET
Duties of an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT)
How to Apply for the JET Program
Remuneration and Living
Rewards of JET
Common Challenges for ALTs
The JET Community
Listen to this blog post
What are you waiting... [Read more]
Differences in Teaching Monolingual and Multilingual EFL Groups - TEFL Blog
Tue, 18 Dec 2018 Laura Payne
Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
Differences in Teaching Monolingual and Multilingual EFL Groups
I am currently working as an Assistant Language Teacher in Japan. Before I began this job I assumed that because Japan has a largely homogeneous population, all of my classes would be monolingual. However, I was wrong in this assumption. In addition to my Japanese students, I have many students who are Brazilian or Filipino. These students largely do not use Japanese as their mother tongue and have to learn both English and Japanese as a second language. This diverse student population, in addition to my work experiences and studies, has taught me a lot about working with both monolingual and multilingual classes.
Table of Contents
Listen to this blog post:... [Read more]
Teaching in Japan: Problems of Local Learners - TEFL Blog
Thu, 05 Mar 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Teaching in Japan: Problems of Local Learners
In this essay I will be discussing the problems for young Japanese learners of English, and what problems Japanese learners often encounter as well as explaining some of the reasons why teachers can run into problems while teaching in Japan. I will be referring to the book "The Smart Guide to Teaching English in Japan' by Charlie Moritz and Martin Bragalone, as well as drawing from my knowledge and experiences of studying and volunteering in Japan. Japan can be a challenging but rewarding country to work in, despite stereotypes of Japanese people being polite and studious so it is important to consider that reality can be different when teaching in Japan.
Table of Contents
Eikaiwa... [Read more]
The Struggles for Japanese Students When Learning English - TEFL Blog
Thu, 24 Oct 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
The Struggles for Japanese Students When Learning English
I have been teaching in Japan for over 12 years in three different locations ranging from the southernmost part of Hokkaido to the southern island of Kyushu, where I presently reside. The youngest students I have had were children not even two years of age, whereas my older students were in their seventies. This is a very common situation for those who teach here in Japan; a country where the English boom occurred not too long after they rebuilt their nation following the Second World War.
Table of Contents
Interest
Popular Culture Influence
Pronunciation Difficulties
Language Systems
Confidence
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course!
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This... [Read more]
An Australian Amongst American Textbooks in Japan: ✅ Teaching in a Country that Values American English - TEFL Blog
Tue, 15 Dec 2020 Maddy Payne
Destinations TEFL Information Alumni Experiences
An Australian Amongst American Textbooks in Japan: ✅ Teaching in a Country that Values American English
Assistant Language Teachers in Japan come from different countries worldwide, bringing different kinds of English with them. In my experience, American English is often the most sought-after version of English. Some countries highly value Language Teachers from the USA, which often matches their American-style textbooks and resources. Sometimes people are even overlooked for job opportunities due to their Australian accent and British English background. Well, Japan is no different in this regard. Many Japanese schools hold American English in high regard, so what is it like being an Australian-English... [Read more]
Cultural Sensitivity In Japan - TEFL Blog
Mon, 11 Nov 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Cultural Sensitivity In Japan
So, you've just finished a delicious meal of sushi at your favorite sushi restaurant in Tokyo. The waitress comes by and leaves the check at your table, you place your money inside, hand it back, and she shortly returns with the receipt. You proceed to place a generous tip on the table to thank her for her wonderful service, and you show yourself out of the restraint, back to the busy streets of Tokyo. Can you spot something that you shouldn't have done in this scenario?
Table of Contents
Foreign point of view
Behavior
Other Cultural Symbols
Presents
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Zachary B. Please note... [Read more]
Class TESOL TEFL - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
Class TESOL TEFL
Check out tefl tesol about Class TESOL TEFL 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:
Check out ITTT's Blog Posts
Y.I. - U.S.A. said:
Non-native monolingual class Studying English is a heated topic in Japan these days. We used to start studying English when we were at junior high, and most of the classes were taught by japanese teachers. We studied mainly English grammar for a long time, however recently the preference has shifted to conversation skills. And the starting age of studying English is getting younger and more native English speaking teachers are needed right now. I believe that the... [Read more]
Common Issues Japanese Learners Face When Learning English - TEFL Blog
Wed, 22 Apr 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Common Issues Japanese Learners Face When Learning English
Through my experience as an Assistant Language Teacher in Japan, there have been numerous difficulties and challenges my students face in learning the English language. My students are primarily between the ages of 5 and 15. These challenges involve the pronunciation difficulties the students face coming from Japanese pronunciation, as well as the methodology of teaching English in Japan They may not apply to all of Japan but are definitely prominent issues within my area.
Table of Contents
Pronunciation
The Problem of Making Mistakes
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course!
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate James W.... [Read more]
Alumni TEFL Chat with Maddy & Georgia - Two Aussie Sisters Teaching English in Japan - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
Alumni TEFL Chat with Maddy & Georgia - Two Aussie Sisters Teaching English in Japan
07/08/2021
all right hi hey everyone hi as you can see it's not only me this
week welcome to our live stream we have guests today i'm super happy about it hi maddie hi
georgia hello hey so yeah back here another for another week and
i'm live on a different day i usually go live on fridays so today is very special
and also because we have guests so i'm super happy about that
and yeah if you are watching if you can see us if you can hear us please just leave a high in the comments that would
be really cool and where you're watching from i'm always really curious about where people are watching from
and um yeah i'm in south korea my name is linda from itt if you don't know me and i'm yeah
about an hour... [Read more]
Our ITTT TEFL and TESOL Alumni Stories from: 820
Our ITTT TEFL and TESOL Alumni Stories
Native Language Experience in Second Language Acquisition
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
In this article, our TEFL graduate shares their thoughts on how native language helps to learn a second language.
The Difference Between First and Second Language Acquisition
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
This article is devoted to the problem of first and second language acquisition. Our TEFL graduate shares their thoughts.
How Learning a Foreign Language Makes You an ESL Student’s Best Friend
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
In this blog post, our recent TEFL graduate shares their opinion on how a teacher knowing a second language can help their students.
Why Learning Grammar is Crucial for the Society
Elizaveta... [Read more]
Our ITTT TEFL and TESOL Alumni Stories from: 1230
Our ITTT TEFL and TESOL Alumni Stories
Who Is Easier to Be Taught: a Child or an Adult?
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
In this blog post, our recent TEFL graduate shares her thoughts on teaching different age groups.
A TEFL Graduate Shares Her Personal Teaching Experience
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
In this blog post, our recent TEFL graduate shares her experience of teaching.
What You Need to Know About Japanese Students' Challenges Before Teaching in Japan
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
In this blog post, our recent TEFL graduate explains several challenges which Japanese students have when they learn English.
English Learning Problems For Chinese Native Speakers and Solutions
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
This blog post was... [Read more]
Japanese Native Speakers and Their Challenges in ESL Learning - TEFL Blog
Thu, 04 Jun 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Japanese Native Speakers and Their Challenges in ESL Learning
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Doneika D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Table of Contents
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today!
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I am currently an English teacher living in Japan. I teach both Elementary and Junior High School English Language.
Japan's government allows the students to start learning English sometimes as early as Kindergarten. Most Elementary schools have a designated ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) that possesses a native level of English. Even though English is a compulsory subject in Japanese Junior High and High... [Read more]
Last posts written by Elizaveta from: 2244
Elizaveta Pachina
Liza is a translator, freelancer and ESL teacher from Russia. She had been teaching in a Chinese bilingual school for more than two years and recently moved to Thiland to run her blog about teaching and freelance job.
Read my articles
Why Do Chinese ESL Students Have So Many Troubles When They Learn English? | ITTT | TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
In this blog post, our recent TEFL graduate shares their thoughts on common problems Chinese students have when they learn English.
Group Teaching and One-to-one Lessons in The TEFL Teacher’s Practice | ITTT | TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
This blog post was written by our recent TEFL graduate who shares her thoughts on teaching groups and individual students.
Who Is Easier to Be... [Read more]
The Struggle of Teaching English in Rural Japan - TEFL Blog
Wed, 05 Feb 2020 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
The Struggle of Teaching English in Rural Japan
Perhaps one of the most commonly used justifications for widespread English language education is "English is the global lingua franca." This statement seems to encapsulate the general sentiment towards the importance of English. With the recent advancements in technology, geographical and temporal barriers have greatly lessened and international relations are no longer restricted to certain fields such as politics and media. The average citizen can now commence personal and economic relationships with the world via the internet. And this, of course, highlights the need for a common language that will facilitate effective intercultural communication. In highly urbanized and... [Read more]
Our ITTT TEFL and TESOL Alumni Stories from: 540
Our ITTT TEFL and TESOL Alumni Stories
Teaching Skills as a Central Point of Your ESL Career
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Skills are extremely important for every activity. Our TEFL graduate talks about TEFL skills.
A Teaching Career as a Future Goal
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
This blog post is devoted to teaching as a career. Our TEFL alumna shares their thoughts on the point.
The Place of English in the Globalized Environment
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
English as a global language has become powerful not so long ago. How did it happen? Read in this blog post.
4 Strategies to Improve Workflow with Classroom Management
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Our TEFL graduate explains the relationships between classroom management and... [Read more]
The Best Teaching Ideas for TEFL Teachers from: 1620
The Best Teaching Ideas for TEFL Teachers
6 Steps for Effective Troubleshooting in a TEFL Classroom
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
In this blog post, our recent TEFL graduate shares their thoughts on how to do troubleshooting effectively in a TEFL classroom.
3 Ways To Motivate Students In The Classroom
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
In this blog post, our recent TEFL graduate shares their thoughts on how to motivate students in the classroom.
Guide on What You Need to Know about Grammar
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
In this blog post, our recent TEFL graduate shares their thoughts on grammar and what is important to consider when teaching it.
ESA Lesson Planning
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
In this blog post, our recent TEFL graduate shares their... [Read more]
Authorised TEFL Certificate - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
Authorised TEFL certificate
Check out tefl tesol about Authorised TEFL certificate 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
V. F. & J. J. - U.S.A. said:
Foreign Language ExperienceEnglish is the dominant language around the world used to communicate on a number of issues. Because English is used by many people in many places, there is a high demand for English teachers in foreign countries. For people from countries where English is the native or dominant language, teaching it to others seems as if it would be simple. It is something they learned growing up and it comes naturally... [Read more]
Teaching English to Beginners in Japan - TEFL Blog
Wed, 25 Sep 2019 Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Teaching English to Beginners in Japan
Japanese is certainly one of the most interesting languages in the world thanks to its three types of writing (hiragana, katakana and kanji).
Table of Contents
International Links
Main Challenges: Phonetic System
Main Challenges: Exposure to English
Main Challenges: Grammar
Main Challenges: Beginners
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course!
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Desiree I. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
International Links
After the outbreak of intercontinental travel (therefore with the appearance of commercialization and missionaries around the world) many... [Read more]
Last posts written by Elizaveta from: 1332
Elizaveta Pachina
Liza is a translator, freelancer and ESL teacher from Russia. She had been teaching in a Chinese bilingual school for more than two years and recently moved to Thiland to run her blog about teaching and freelance job.
Read my articles
Stories for Teaching English to Different Groups of Students | ITTT | TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
This blog post was written by our TEFL graduate who shares their ideas on how to implement different stories considering students' age.
Top Tips for Embedding Games into Your Classroom Routine | ITTT | TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
In this blog post, you will find information on why and how to use games in your lessons.
The Basics of Planning and Reviewing a Lesson | ITTT | TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
... [Read more]