When Was Valentine's First Celebrated

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! This is a fun Valentine's Day ESL Word Search Puzzle Worksheet you can use in your ESL classroom to celebrate the romantic holiday.   Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching is a very enjoyable job and can also be highly rewarding. I had the opportunity to learn that by having an eighteen-month religious experience in which I shared all my beliefs with the people in Ecuador. Even though it wasn't a job I gave it my full commitment and that might be why I gained so much knowledge and life lessons from it. After returning home, I realized that I wanted to keep having that feeling in my life. I wanted to teach people. Now, the question was what to teach. After talking to some of my close family members and friends, I remembered an old dream that I had when I was younger: Being an English teacher. I started having a passion for this language since elementary school or maybe even earlier. I formally studied English when...  [Read more]

Teaching English abroad is a significant life choice, but it doesn't necessarily mean losing touch with loved ones. While distance can pose challenges, modern technology offers various communication tools, from video calls to instant messaging. Regardless of age or independence, maintaining regular contact with family and friends can alleviate concerns and share experiences. With a bit of effort and the right tools, staying connected is entirely feasible. Who should be responsible for maintaining contact while teaching overseas? How important is social media while teaching English abroad? Should I start a blog while teaching English abroad? What else can I do to maintain contact with home while teaching English abroad? While it is easy to make excuses and pass the buck, it ultimately is...  [Read more]

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Knowing when and when not to capitalize is an important part of writing correct English. Most students quickly learn that you always capitalize the first letter of a new sentence, but what are the other rules?   Although mistakes with capitalization do not generally have a big affect on the readability of your written English, it is important to get it right when writing formally for work or study purposes. Fortunately, the most common rules above are quite clear and straightforward to learn. Below are a few more capitalization rules you should be aware of. Capitalize family relationships when used as proper nouns. Capitalize “Uncle Brian,” and “Grandma Betty”. Do not use capitals when referring to a person’s...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences This is my teaching experience so l will tell it in the form of a story. In 2011, l sat for my Advanced Level final exams and then applied for a post of temporary teacher at a school in an area called Date. Beginning of 2012, l traveled to Date from Harare to begin what l call a character building turmoil. I was an inexperienced 20-year-old girl who was about to take on a class that would be sitting for its final exam come to the end of that year, with half the class being my former primary school classmates and the other half not thinking much of me. My Experience Building Confidence The Importance Of Communication Conquering Doubts And Fears Choice Of Assignments Being Patient Are You Ready To take Your TEFL Course? Related Articles: Listen to this...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences Challenges are inevitable especially if you want to be successful at what you do and teaching EFL is not devoid of them. In fact, teaching English as a Foreign Language can be very much exciting but also very challenging as it comes with lots of problems. Among these problems are what to do for the first lessons and how to get students motivated for the EFL course. These problems like many others have solutions and this essay seeks to highlight the problems and provide some practical solutions to them. First impressions are the most lasting Overcoming this issue Getting your students motivated Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Belinda S. What to...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Most teachers come to China to teach English with only a general idea about Chinese culture and language which they should have to deal with as soon as they arrive in China. The reason I chose this topic is that I am fluent in Chinese and have experienced Chinese culture in all its facets for over than seven years. But let's not beat around the bush and get down to the nitty-gritty. Shyness/lack of confidence: Grammar issues: Pronunciation issues: Th: /s/ instead of /th/ V: /w/ instead of /v/ (mostly with southern Chinese) Lt: /t/ instead of /lt/ Intonation: Lack of learning structure: Do you want to teach English in China? Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ruben M. Chinese people often seem to be shy or...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences If you ever find yourself driving in French Canada, you will be stopped by stop signs that say 'arrêt', which is stopped in French. Almost all drivers in North America would know that this means stop because it's the same octagon red stop sign. In Japan it's very different, stop signs are triangular with Japanese script on them but, beneath the Japanese, you can find English subtitles which read 'stop'. In fact, if you travel anywhere in Japan, the majority of signs and announcements related to travel are offered in Japanese and English. English has been taught in Japanese schools since the American occupation after World War Two. However, according to an EF English Proficiency Index in 2017, Japanese English proficiency is 35th out of 72...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences I have had the pleasure of living and teaching in Brazil over the past 2 years and in my time in this country I have learned a great amount about the difficulties that are seemingly unique to native Portuguese speakers trying to learn English as a second or even third language. There seems to be deeply ingrained assumptions within the way Portuguese speakers approach both the pronunciation of words based on their spelling, and their understanding of grammatical structures and the usage of said structures. English is highly analytical, whereas Portuguese is intrinsically inflective Are you ready to take a TEFL course? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Brian P. The first and foremost...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences When learning a foreign language, pronunciation is one of the most important aspects; as well as one of the most complicated ones. Learning pronunciation takes a lot of effort from both the teacher and the students. It's the responsibility of the teacher to find the best methods, techniques, and procedures to make the teaching-learning process as smooth and easy as possible. In the case of the students, they might be facing issues like phonetics and phonology of a language that could either have some similarities with their mother tongue, or none at all. The students will be exposed to new sounds, new intonation patterns, new stresses and new rhythms. These are more than enough reasons for the teacher to pay close attention to this part of teaching...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences As defined through the units of the course and through many linguistic books, pronunciation is to say a word in a language in the correct way. Although the correct pronunciation of words and even the correct intonation in sentences in English, is thought through course books all over the world and thanks to media students are exposed to the natural and correct pronunciation, numerous mistakes are observed inside the classroom and outside. The reasons for the problems in pronunciation might vary depending on the country. I have been teaching English in Turkey for a while and have witnessed many problems with the students which will be explained through this essay. Turkish is a phonetic language. Pronunciation Difficulties with Vowels Pronunciation...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences In recent times, it is safe to say that the English language is one of the most spoken languages and widely preferred L2s according to the Oxford dictionary. For communication to be successful, however, certain criteria need to be met. For instance, one must not only study the forms or shape of things but must also adhere to the formation of words and phrases alike in order to craft well-formed sentences, along with understanding the meaning of each word, phrase or the relationship between two words. Whether they differ or are similar in terms of phonetics and spelling before actually making use of it, it is important to note that anything contrary to this will corrupt the efficient and effective use of the English language. Tribal lingual interference...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences All people are susceptible to boredom and confusion. Either of these or their combination can lead to frustration. Once frustrated, a learner will find it exponentially more difficult to grasp or retain new information. The student's mind will be elsewhere, unmotivated and uninterested. Therefore, an instructor should make it a priority that each and every student can not only understand the created material but be interested in it as well. Materials for learners with different interests Teaching materials for younger learners Teaching materials depending on the topic Where to find useful materials? Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Patrick O. So...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Back in 2014, I worked at a nursery school here in South Africa. I was the English teacher for the three to four-year-olds at this school. There were 32 students in my class. My class was so small that during nap time two students had to sleep on one mattress. There was no space to leave the class once the children had fallen asleep. I had to make sure that all my belongings were out of the class once the students came in for their naptime or I had to leave whatever was forgotten behind once I was one my way to my next job. In unit 3 on page 21, they talk about the whole class grouping pros and cons and that is really explained well where they say "class grouping is suitable for activities where the teacher needs to be in control" or "have the...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences Some may conclude that the correct usage of English grammar only matters to teachers and have no real relevance in day to day life. We have to conclude that this is incorrect because grammar, disregarding the country or the language, is the infrastructure of communication. For instance, in the simplest of examples, when a message is delivered with the correct usage of grammar, it is much more understandable and precise to comprehend the intent and meaning of that message. Knowing proper grammar use is key Grammar in writing Grammar to cultivate habits Improving grammar at its best Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rosendo D. Please note that this blog post...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences I remember taking Russian classes at a local language institute. My motivation initially was my love for Russian culture and a desire to move there. However, actually having the discipline to study the language proved to be a different reality. So with motivation in the classroom, I know from personal experience what can and cannot work - generally speaking. There are three key themes outlined here that address not only providing motivation to the students but also the students having their own motivation. These three themes are teachers motivation, students motivation, and classroom motivation. Motivation starts with the teacher. Many students who learn English do so for opportunity. A teacher you respect and trust can provide a motivation to do good...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences I am pursuing TEFL certification as part of an effort to work in a leadership position in an organization that provides English language training, as well as other technical programs of instructions, throughout the country of Afghanistan. This post addresses some of the specific problems faced by the Afghan English language students and some lessons from this TEFL training course which might help to address and overcome some of those problems. Most Common Problems Solutions to Help The Students Are you ready to start teaching English abroad? Listen to this blog post Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certificate graduate Stephen G. Some of the key problems facing Afghan English language students are among those identified in this TEFL...  [Read more]

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Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences When approaching formal and non-formal language it's imperative to keep in mind that people are by nature designed to be different, therefore arguing which is more important is a waste of time. Based on cultural upbringing and life experience both play an important role in regards to teaching a student. Formal and informal language are used daily, though, both habituate different societal spaces and their ratios change. Either can bleed into each other when language becomes really interesting. The Use Of Formal Language The Use Of Non-Formal Language Things to Keep in Mind Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post This post was written by our ITTT graduate Thomas H. Defined simply formal language avoids "I",...  [Read more]

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Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas ESL classroom is quite a sensitive place. Students can quickly get excited about what they learn if a teacher finds the right key to their motivation. However, sometimes ESL teachers may unconsciously use words that could hurt students intensely. Listen to this blog post: 1. You are not good at English. 2. Stop! You're doing it all wrong! 3. Good Job! You tried your best! 4. Don't give up! Keep trying and you'll understand English grammar. 5. Have you noticed your mistake? 6. It's ok if you can't do it. 7. Someone is better than you in English. Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! Read on for the top 7 things that ESL teachers...  [Read more]

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  Sairi from Mexico was already teaching English when she took the ITTT online course. In this TESOL review video she talks about how the course has helped her develop her teaching skills. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching. This convenient, highly structured design means that you can quickly get to grips with each section before moving onto the next. Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! This was a very easy unit to get through, though I enjoyed learning about the various materials available to teachers in the lesson planning process. I enjoyed learning...  [Read more]

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  Heinz from Germany has been an English teacher abroad for several years when he decided to take his in-class TEFL training in Chiang Mai. He spent some time in Thailand in the 1980s and thought it was a good idea to return and take the TESOL training course. He thought the course was well balanced with easy modules and more challenging ones. Even though he had been teaching for years, he was still able to pick up new things during the course and was also able to improve his existing teaching skills. Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Destinations Lunar New Year is one of the most important holidays in a variety of Asian countries. This holiday marks the beginning of a calendar year whose months are cycles of the moon. Typically, the Lunar New Year is celebrated in January or February depending on the lunar calendar. Here are 8 amazing places to celebrate Lunar New Year in Asia. 1. China - Chinese New Year 2. South Korea - Seollal 3. Japan - Shōgatsu 4. Mongolia - Tsagaan Sar 5. Tibet - Losar 6. Vietnam - Tết nguyên Đán 7. Singapore - Lunar New Year 8. Laos - Pi Mai Are you ready to teach English in Asia? Related Articles: Teaching English in Asia is a great way to experience Lunar New Year celebrations and different customs in the various Asian nations. Chinese New Year is the most...  [Read more]

  In this TEFL review, Mohammed talks about he was looking for a change in career when he signed up for an online TEFL course with ITTT. Many people seeking a change in career turn to teaching English and ITTT's courses are a great way to take your first steps in an exciting new career. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching. This convenient, highly structured design means that you can quickly get to grips with each section before moving onto the next. Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! The attitude of the teacher influences the class behaviour and...  [Read more]

  In the TEFL review, Matt describes how he was living and working as an English teacher in Japan when his employer asked him to get TEFL certified which he did through an online TEFL course with ITTT. Policy changes around the world mean that many countries now require their English teachers to have at least a 120-hour TEFL/TESOL certificate. ITTT's online courses are a great way to gain certification without having to take time off work. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching. This convenient, highly structured design means that you can quickly get to grips with each section before moving...  [Read more]