What Language Did Japanese Speak

Tue, 30 Apr 2019 Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences From Student to Teacher - My Language Journey It was the last day of Japanese class and my teacher's last day of teaching at our school. We were all standing up getting ready to bow him one last time. It was dead quiet but I could still hear sniffles around me and felt the sadness of the moment. I never thought I would care so much about a teacher leaving. To this day, the words and wisdom my Japanese teacher taught me still ring in my head. Flash forward to a few years ago, I went to Japan for the first time, after a hiatus of not studying Japanese, but amazingly I still had all the skills my teacher had taught me in high school. How did this person have such an impact on me? The answer I have come to realize is that because he truly...  [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]

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! Related Articles: This...  [Read more]

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas 3 Ways To Learn Daily Casual English at Home This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nicole H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Table of Contents 1. TV and Video Resources 2. Labeling Objects 3. Ask Your Child to be a Teacher to You Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: 1. TV and Video Resources One way parents can help their children learn English at home to let them watch television or movies. It may seem to counterproductive to have your child study using entertainment but I believe it's a great, casual learning tool. Find a show or movie that your child really likes and watches often in their target language. In...  [Read more]

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas How Reading Influences English Language Acquisition Reading is important. It is an important tool that aids in language acquisition whether the language is native or foreign. Unfortunately, it is sometimes neglected, especially as the students move up in their studies. Table of Contents My Childhood Case One Case Two Case Three Case Four Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Wesley J. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. My Childhood Having been raised without television until I was in junior high school, I would read books, magazines, and the Sunday newspaper. At an early age, my...  [Read more]

Tue, 24 Sep 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Challenges of EFL Teaching in Barbados and Japan This essay will be a comparison of my personal experience teaching English in Barbados, a country whose main language is English versus teaching English in a rural area in Japan, a country whose main language is Japanese (not English). Firstly, I will briefly discuss the definitions of teaching. Secondly, I will summarize English education for young learners in each country. Finally, I will compare and contrasts my personal experience in both countries and the valuable lessons I have learned. To protect the anonymity of the schools, the specific areas and any other identifying information will be excluded from this essay. Table of Contents What is Teaching? My International...  [Read more]

Tue, 05 Nov 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Story of Becoming an ESL Teacher Teaching is one of the most difficult jobs in the world. You have to deal with different personalities inside the classroom and somehow, you need to work things out for the class to have an atmosphere that is conducive to learning. You have to prepare yourself both mentally and emotionally to be an effective teacher. It is not a cakewalk and you need to have the drive and work ethics to succeed in this profession. Table of Contents Childhood Dreams First Teaching Job Working on Teaching Skills Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Fitz B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent...  [Read more]

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]

Thu, 13 Aug 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences My Experience as an Assistant Language Teacher in Japanese Elementary and Junior High Schools I am in my 3rd year of working in the countryside of Japan as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) in public elementary and junior high schools. An ALT's official job description is to be the assistant to a Japanese Teacher of Language (JTL). In my experience, especially in elementary schools, the ALT is not seen as an assistant but as "the English teacher" since the regular homeroom teacher has no training or experience with ESL. In most cases, the ALT has a degree in a field unrelated to teaching and has no qualifications. Table of Contents Japanese Education System ALT Training My Unexpected Discovery Language Course Peculiarities Do...  [Read more]

Thu, 17 Mar 2022 Asia Ridley TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Contributing to the Classroom as an ALT in Japan English education in Japan has been prominent for decades and starts in elementary schools. It is in high demand as the relationship between the U.S. and Japan as well as the abundant amount of tourism. Last year straight after graduating from university in the United States, I moved to Japan and began teaching English. I was fortunate to pass the interviews and become part of the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme {JET}. Being an assistant language teacher {ALT} in the Japanese education system versus a conversation school has its differences. Therefore I will be diving into how one can contribute to the classroom as an ALT. Table of Contents Japanese Elementary...  [Read more]

Fri, 11 Oct 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The Global Rise of the English Language - How Far Will it Go? Whether you like English or despise it, the English language is here to stay. There is no stronger contender right now as a global language, other than English. But how did this happen, why is English now the dominant language in Education, Business and the Media. Table of Contents Personal Experience English in My Family Influence on Other Countries Modern Situation Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Iain Hamilton-G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Personal Experience Well in this essay I am not going to...  [Read more]

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]

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The ESA Method to Facilitate Student Learning Needs Every fresh teacher, once starting his or her career, has this question: how should I teach English? What is the best way to organize my classes to make sure students would not be bored and learn something? And how to keep them motivated and enjoy every lesson? I did have all these questions at the beginning of my teaching career, and by trials and errors, I found the approach this TEFL course is based on – ESA. Table of Contents My Language Learning Story Teaching Practice Lesson Steps Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Angelina G. Please note that this blog post might not...  [Read more]

The Best Teaching Ideas for TEFL Teachers The Principles of Choosing Course Materials for ESL Students Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas This blog post was written by our TEFL alumna who shares their ideas on choosing course materials for effective lessons. Approaches to Teaching English Vocabulary to ESL Students Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas In this blog post, you will learn several ways of teaching new vocabulary to ESL students. 7 Go-To Activities For Your ESL Conversation Class Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas As an ESL teacher, getting your students talking can be one of the most difficult things to accomplish. English learners often lack the necessary confidence to speak openly and freely in English. The following activities are perfect for getting your...  [Read more]

Wed, 07 Aug 2019 Shanique Hutchinson Destinations TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Being a Cultural Ambassador in Japan: the Other Side of the EFL Experience Throughout my scholastic journey, I have been exposed to various foreign languages such as: Spanish, French, Japanese and Chinese. Apart from learning the lexical and grammatical structures of these languages, I was apprised of other cultural elements of the countries that spoke these languages through various materials as well as interacting with natives from these territories. This deep rooted love affair with other cultures, specifically languages, stirred my future aspirations to become a cultural ambassador. Table of Contents Listen to this blog post: Cultural exchange and classroom teaching Cultural exchange outside of...  [Read more]

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 Etienne Van Rooyen TEFL Information Alumni Experiences The Three Main Types of High Schools in Japan There are three types of senior high schools in Japan. Each senior high school (grades 10, 11, and 12) has a different purpose and students attend it. Understanding this helps us learn how English language learning in Japan is differently yet similars each school. With this knowledge, as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) you can adapt your lessons plans, materials and style to fit your school/s. Table of Contents Overview of School Types Academic Schools Vocational Schools Correspondence Schools Academic High Schools Elite Academic High Schools General Acadmic High Schools How do elite and general academic schools approach English learning? Vocational Schools...  [Read more]

Mon, 06 May 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences How Learning Languages Help Me In Teaching I have had the opportunity to study several foreign languages, some in a formal setting, some self-taught. Through my personal experiences learning other languages, I have developed some insights into language learning. I would like to describe some of my experienc| ITTT | TEFL Bloges, and some of my thoughts on what I have learned from them, and from this course. Table of Contents How I started learning languages How my job influenced the language interest Challenges of learning on your own Benefits of the ESA teaching approach How to distinguish a skilled teacher Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post This post was written by our TEFL...  [Read more]

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]

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Team Teaching with Different Teaching Styles As an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) working at an elementary school in Japan, I have to mainly work with seven different teachers and teams to teach the English lessons together. The number of teachers I work with more than doubles if I include the grades that I only teach occasionally and also the classes at the other school that I go to only once a week. It is no surprise that 'flexibility' is often mentioned as one of the most important traits to have to be an effective ALT. In this summative task, I would like to share some of my experiences and how I have learned to work with multiple teachers with different teaching styles. Table of Contents Personal Experience Do you want to...  [Read more]

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 Regan McAllister TEFL Information Teaching Ideas The Challenges of Teaching Behind a Mask (and Some Possible Solutions) The pandemic has caused many changes in our daily lives. While I'm lucky to still have the opportunity to teach ESL in person, doing so with face masks has proved to be slightly more challenging. Table of Contents Challenge #1 - Delayed Comprehension Challenge #2 - Mis-Pronunciation Challenge #3 - Lack of Emotional Cues Are you ready to teach English as a foreign language? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! Face masks. A year ago, the thought of society operating with face masks seemed like some sort of ominous movie plot. Apocalyptic almost. Yet now they are on the same level as our phone or...  [Read more]

Mon, 11 May 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Moving Forward: My Personal Teaching Experience, Changing Careers I've always wanted to be a teacher. In high school, I was inspired by my English teachers and the way they were able to make material interesting and motivating. I remember telling myself that I would not be the person who changes the world, but perhaps as a teacher, I would be able to inspire the person who would. From the beginning, my motivation was to help others in a meaningful way. My goal was to improve the lives of others. When I entered university, I found myself studying philosophy to become a professor in the future. However, the reality of being a university professor was a lot of presenting and publishing, with very little teaching. Because teaching...  [Read more]

Mon, 10 Jun 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Motivating All Groups of Students In my experience of teaching in an institution in South Korea, I have found one of the most vital elements to my students succeeding, is to establish a positive and comfortable environment in my classroom. To do so, it is essential that my students be highly motivated. In the following paragraphs, my aim is to show why motivating students is so important and to give examples of some of the most effective ways to do so. Table of Contents Teacher's Nightmare My Experience Reward System Motivating Older Learners Motivating Falling Behind Students Are you ready to teach different groups of ESL students? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate...  [Read more]

Tue, 13 Aug 2019 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas How Relationships With Your Students Influence Their Learning Process There are many different types of teachers in the world: funny ones, boring ones, excitable ones, monotonous ones, stern ones and ones that are just too laid back. In my lifetime, I have had many teachers and experienced many different types of teaching styles. As I considered all these in retrospect, I realized there was a common theme in the handful of teachers that had a special place in my heart. These are the teachers that not only communicated genuine care for me and my success but exuded enthusiasm for what they did. This life in them changed my perspective on subjects I had always detested, like algebra and calculus! These teachers have played a major role...  [Read more]

Tue, 14 Jan 2020 Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Personal Teaching Experience Through Teaching Programs My first experience working as a professional was when I worked as an instructor with the Human Employment And Resource Training (HEART) agency, teaching Front Office Supervision. With the academic and overall development I witnessed in my students, I was eager to embark on this challenging new career. Since then I am convinced that teaching is a career I wanted to pursue. However, due to the unavailability of jobs, I was forced to consider other options. Table of Contents Au Pair Experience Teaching in Japan Working Schedule Demand in Employers Students' Peculiarities Favorite Activities Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was...  [Read more]

Fri, 14 May 2021 Federico Riva TEFL Information Why You Should Take a TEFL Course Right Now - Even If You Aren't Leaving Yet Hi everybody, thanks so much for tuning in. It's Linda here from ITTT with my morning coffee, because if you've watched me before in one of our live sessions you will know that I am in South Korea and it's currently 10:00 a.m. on Friday morning. So I'm having my morning coffee and I'm going to have a chat with you guys. If you can see me and hear me, please drop a hi or something into the comment box, I would really appreciate it. Table of Contents Watch the live session here We have a question from Rebecca. Do these certifications ever expire? Anyway, why should you take a TEFL course right now, even if you are not leaving yet? Okay, why you should take a...  [Read more]

Wed, 23 Jan 2019 Laura Payne Destinations 5 Reasons Why You Should Teach English in Rural Japan Japan is full of vibrant, world-famous cities that many people dream of living and working in. However, when I first decided to become an English teacher in Japan, I never held such a dream. I am an introvert who prefers quiet spaces, and being close to nature is especially important for me. This is why when my goal of teaching English in Japan came true, I was ecstatic that I could find a place to work in the inaka (countryside). Table of Contents Listen to this blog post: 1. Smaller towns have cheaper rent 2. Fewer people, fewer crowds 3. The market for English is everywhere 4. Your presence can have a big impact 5. You may discover a hidden gem When are you heading to Japan? Related...  [Read more]

Top Tips for Teaching English to Young Learners 02/18/2023 hi welcome Linda here from ITT back this week with another live session I hope you're doing well thank you so much for joining me today I'm happy to see you if you can see me and if you can hear me clearly if everything's working please just leave a high in the comment section and uh maybe also let me know where you are right now where are you watching from today what time is it there how are you doing let me know in the comments we are live on Facebook and on YouTube at the same time and we also always turn our live sessions into podcast episodes so if you're listening to this as a podcast thank you so much for the download and thank you so much for listening we really appreciate that don't forget to like And subscribe um so...  [Read more]

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 Federico Riva Destinations TEFL Information Alumni Experiences The Best Countries for Solo Women to Teach English Abroad Hi everybody wherever you are right now. I'm in South Korea and it's 10 a.m. Friday, so good morning. I'm back here again today, my name is Linda from ITTT if you've been here before hi and if this is your first time watching thanks so much for tuning in and taking the time, we really appreciate it. If at any time during this live session you have any questions, feel free to drop your comments in the comment section from whichever platform you're watching from. We are streaming live on Facebook and on YouTube at the same time. If you can see me and hear me just leave a hi in the comment box, that would be highly appreciated so that I know that...  [Read more]

The Peak Hiring Seasons for Teaching English Abroad 02/20/2023 hello welcome Linda here from ITT back this week with another live session welcome welcome today we're going to talk about the top hiring seasons for teaching English abroad so we're going to cover different regions Europe Asia Latin America Central America um and different countries specifically in these regions and the top hiring seasons for each of those countries so you know exactly when to apply for the job for an English teaching job in the country that you want to teach in so um a couple weeks ago we talked about um tefl interviews and how to find jobs Etc so now this is kind of part of this series and just to yeah give you an overview of the top hiring season so that you know exactly when you should be applying for...  [Read more]

TEFL TALK: Open Q&A Session about all things TEFL & Teaching 01/21/2021 hello everybody hello and welcome we're actually also going live on instagram today so i'm gonna check that out as well so when i look here hi this is on instagram and when i look here this is on facebook and youtube so hopefully everything will be working fine i hope everybody can hear me well and can see me as well so this is the first time that we're actually live on instagram and on facebook and youtube at the same time so i have a lot of screens here in front of me hello there i see somebody tuned in on instagram and a couple of people here as well on facebook and youtube so i hope everything is going well today hi great okay so unfortunately if you're watching on instagram um you won't be able to see...  [Read more]