Being A Substitute Teacher With No Experience

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences The role of a teacher is constantly changing throughout the day. The teacher’s role can be influenced by: the lesson, the students, and the circumstances that might arise during a classroom session. Teachers frequently perform various roles when teaching students, some of these roles include: instructor, facilitator, mentor, psychologist, counselor, and policeman. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Giuseppe T. The role of instructor is the role most people associate with teachers of any subject – sometime referred to as the expert or the “knower” of a certain body of knowledge. This portrays teachers as being all-knowing figures, with the expectation of having access to a...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Lesson planning is at the heart of being an effective teacher. It is a creative process that allows us to make our understanding of second language acquisition and language teaching pedagogy with our knowledge of our learners, the curriculum, and the teaching context. It is a time when we foresee the learning we want to occur and analyze how all the pieces of the learning experience should fit together to make that learning a classroom reality. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Eddy P. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. There are several benefits to writing a lesson plan. First, lesson planning produces more unified lessons It...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences This blog post was written by recent ITTT graduate Kaitlin F., who shares her 10 years of teaching experience with us talking about the many different jobs in the English education field she was fortunate to work in. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Katilin F. An educator by definition is a person who provides instruction and/or education. In my own personal experience, educators in my life have not always been individuals that have gained their qualifications via professional schooling, but also by training or from their own experiences. This has transcended into what I believe an educator truly is. My first experience with teaching began at the tender age of thirteen at my dance school....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences A lesson plan is the instructor’s road map of what students need to learn and how it will be done effectively during class time. Then, you can design appropriate learning activities and develop strategies to obtain feedback on student learning. Having a carefully constructed lesson plan for each 3-hour lesson allows you to enter the classroom with more confidence and maximizes your chance of having a meaningful learning experience with your students. A successful lesson plan addresses and integrates three key components: Learning Objectives, Learning Activities, Assessment to check for student understanding. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Elorm D. Please note that this blog post...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I have traveled throughout Asia for some forty-five years, Vietnam is now my home. I always found the younger generations had a thirst for knowledge, particularly English as a second language. The difficulties of acquiring the knowledge under what was a repressive regime have diminished somewhat, but the major stumbling blocks to acquiring good English are the lack of experienced Vietnamese teachers, interaction with English natural speakers, and knowledge of the outside world in general. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Christopher M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Learning English as a second language has now become a...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences Why complete a TEFL course? For me there was never a question, never a doubt on why I should complete this TEFL course. I want to be the best teacher possible and with the help of the TEFL course, I know I can achieve my goals. Though no substitute can be given for actual classroom experience, what I have found throughout this course is that TEFL shows and explains the core basics of nearly everything. Any topic and any subject and aspect that comes with or accompanies teaching within a classroom is covered through this course and to a degree I found to be most astonishing. Not often have I read things this accurate and with this much detail. Its reputation proceeded it well, though at times I did have my doubts....  [Read more]

Dan Sloat Destinations Alumni Experiences Volunteer teaching in Nepal is thoroughly rewarding! The need for engaging and enthusiastic teachers is so great and the positive impact you can make, even in a short period, is significant. Personally, I had a modest classroom of 16 students comprising a broad range of ages and competency. Those kiddos were quite a handful, but being their teacher was an incredible privilege. Their maturity was striking and yet, at the end of the day, they are still growing boys. They would get rowdy at times and often pulled pranks on each other. I loved their curiosity, their excitement for learning, and their playful spirits. Between lessons they would often draw pictures for me. I suppose I’m the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences English has its place as the most frequently required subject of mostly Philippines’ school and universities. This is because of the belief of most Filipinos that the mastery of the English language is the most important demands globally. We grew up believing that learning a second language is not an easy task, although other nationalities find that it is easy for us to imitate and practice the language. However, that is not the case. The problems of teaching and learning a foreign language, specifically English, have suggested some studies of the errors made by most Filipino students. In spite of the knowledge of English of the Filipino, there are times that most students make errors serious enough that a...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Lesson plans are a guiding document created by teachers for a specific learning objective for a target group of learners. Lesson plans are essential to every teacher, whether you teach young learners just starting or adult students business language. Lesson plans are necessary because they are a guided plan, visual and written documentation to work from, and a historical record. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jennifer C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Lesson plans are guided plans created for your specific students. It starts with a learning...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences A child’s first contact with the world is the parents before anyone else, then the people at home where he/she lives. Parents or guardians are the, therefore, the first teachers and are the key role players in the building of the child’s character. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Malama M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Striking a balance between education at home and school should mold a child’s actual learning process. Being helpful to the child in terms of helping a child with the learning process will build a strong foundation for the child’s ability to learn new things. Such a belief does both the child and...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Teaching can be a gratifying career, but with it comes great responsibility. Possessing a high grasp of grammar, teaching theories, techniques, etc., will hold you in good stead. However, there are many other wide-ranging characteristics required to be a great teacher. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Elicia B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. A great teacher needs to be adaptable as they are not just a teacher. They are a motivator, organizer, entertainer, prompter, corrector, and participator, to name only a few. It is essential that the teacher can...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Lesson planning is, at least to some degree, a vital function of teaching. The degree to which a lesson plan is necessary is often directly proportional to the teaching experience of the teacher. The less experience the teacher has the more necessary and beneficial the lesson plan is and vice versa. Lesson plans give the class structure, hold the teacher accountable, and function as a helpful aide, overall adding to the effectiveness of the class and the student’s opportunity to learn. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Katie A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Unit 9 from this course points out that lesson plans can range...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences The advancement in video technology has proven wonders in furthering education. For teachers specifically, it has allowed for them to be trained and professionally developed from anywhere in the world. Video technology for teacher training has several benefits, of which I’ll name a few. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Benjamin D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. One of these benefits include the cut down of added cost for the teacher or their school of employment. Having video technology, teachers can do training without leaving their home to travel somewhere else in the world to get the needed training sessions. Another...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I chose this topic for my essay because it is not something I had ever given much thought to. As a native speaker, I don’t recall studying correct pronunciation in school along with other aspects of language learning such as grammar and vocabulary. Correct, or at least acceptable and understandable, the pronunciation was something that just happened. I was initially somewhat surprised when I saw that an entire online module had been devoted to the topic, but as I read the module, I realized that it is a rich and complex component of language learning, to which serious students of English as a second language should be exposed. And the sample lesson video demonstrated to me that teaching phonetics could also be...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas English is, without a doubt, the global language of business, and the ever-increasing globalization of the world economy means that the vast majority of people working in the business world today are required to show some fluency in the language to communicate effectively with clients, partners or colleagues. Business English commonly refers to the formal English language that is used in a business context, encompassing all types of communication (presenting, reporting, discussing, negotiating, communicating via phone/email, etc.) as well as any business-specific vocabulary. However one can learn it only after having achieved a decent fluency in general English. Knowledge of informal language including slang and...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I will never forget my first day in front of a class of students, and especially the night before the first lesson. I did not sleep much and spent the night planning and organizing every single detail, I remember even training the “teacher face” in front of the mirror. The morning the crucial moment arrives, and I find myself in front of sixty eyes looking at me and waiting. There are probably stress and expectations from both sides. It is at this precise moment we do not want to misstep, and want to start the lesson confidently. The confidence is a quality expected from an adult in the position to lead a group of students, but is it indispensable? How important is confidence in the classroom? Should we...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences “Some theorists suggest that lesson planning is not a good idea as it creates a more fixed, teacher-centered lesson” (ITTT TEFL 009 Lesson Planning, pg 1). However, I would argue that without a lesson plan many inexperienced English teachers may often lack direction. I will discuss how to best use a lesson plan to achieve the greatest successes in each lesson. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Melissa B. There are many important functions in a lesson plan. The first being, it is an aid to planning. It allows you to consider what the students should be achieving in each lesson and how you can make this possible. It allows you to logically move through the engage, study and activate...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Lesson planning is a significant element of everyday life as a teacher in English as a foreign language. A lesson plan acts as a step-by-step guide providing the structure for your lesson. However, too much planning can make lessons rather rigid and stop the teacher being flexible to the needs of the students. This post was written by our ITTT graduate Mariska F. Before planning a lesson, it is essential to classify the learning outcomes for the class. This is crucial as it helps the teacher maintain a standard teaching pattern and does not let the class deviate from the topic. Pre-planning helps the teacher to be better equipped in answering questions asked by the students...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences As a developing country, Vietnam currently has an urgent need for the international language English to attract foreign investment and to promote the economy, especially after becoming a member of the World Trade Organisation (Nguyen T.T, 2007). With this growth of international trade and an increasing number of foreign tourists, the ability to communicate in English has become a passport to a better job for many Vietnamese. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Stuart B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. English is taught in schools, universities and foreign language centers across the country. There are now more teachers and...  [Read more]

Mudita Yajnik TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Classroom setup is an important part of setting up a welcoming and friendly environment. It is the foundation on which a teacher can build strong relationships with their students, and build a more student-centered class while incorporating their passions into their work. The way a classroom is set up is a great first impression for students, which means it’s important for teachers to put in an effort to make their classroom a welcoming environment. Moreover, a fun classroom set up can reflect your personality or what you’re passionate about as a teacher, and it can be a fun way to introduce yourself to the students. Even having speakers so that you can play music in the...  [Read more]

William Noble Destinations Teaching Ideas I have been an online ESL teacher to Chinese students for over 13 years, mostly with primary students but also with secondary and adult students. I am also a father and have homeschooled my daughter over her primary years. Like many teachers, I’ve enjoyed teaching at this level of education as it lays the foundation in English. As it set the foundation, my teaching helped students to overcome common errors in production skills, speaking and writing. Teaching both my daughter and Chinese students at the primary level also helped me also to understand the different expectations between first language and second language students. Since English is very different from China, many Chinese...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas For many years, drilling has been used in foreign language classrooms. This approach to language teaching places an emphasis on repeating structural patterns through oral practice. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jazmin W. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. When using the technique of drilling, if used appropriately, it can be a very productive and proactive way for students to memorize and retain vocabulary and structural context within a sentence. It could be argued that when learning a foreign language, the thought that repeating phrases correctly lots of times can lead to master that language. Yet, it dials down to a far...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences A resource I found invaluable for this essay was the website Cyborlink (2019a), a reference provided in the TEFL Young Learners course (ITTT, 2019). The TEFL course (Unit 6) discusses how cultural considerations are important when teaching abroad. This includes cultural sensitivity when interacting with the young learners themselves, as well as in interacting with parents and school staff (administration/teachers). This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate David B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Cyborlink is aimed at a more general audience of people doing business in other cultures, though of course has implications for TEFL...  [Read more]