Culturally Responsive Teaching

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences As far as I can remember, I always wanted to become a teacher in a foreign country. The most thrilling part about it was to convey knowledge to others and extend my own cultural awareness. When I heard about TEFL online courses after graduating from university, I immediately thought it would be the best option for me in order to achieve my greatest dream. After the completion of this course, I will move to Tokyo with the strong will to teach English to all different types of students, regardless of their age or current English level. Now that I am almost done with my TEFL online course, this post will take a look at my improvements and achievements so far. I will particularly focus on what I feel is the best...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences A multicultural world urgently needs a culturally sensitive educational system. In most countries around, schools are filled with students who come from different cultures. The variety of cultural backgrounds of students in schools is beneficial for the academic community as it contributes to their different experiences that provide all students with the opportunity to learn about different aspects of life. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Dainaliz Feliberty H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Students in a multicultural environment learn to be culturally aware and to develop a sense of identity as individuals. Even though...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences When teaching English to non-native English speakers one may often come across a learner from a different culture than one's own. Many certified TEFL teachers may have been drawn to this program because of this exact aspect. Teachers may want to fulfill personal goals of traveling to unique countries and experience different cultural activities. Teachers with their TEFL certificate are extremely likely to find themselves teaching students with a different cultural identity than their own. This is very rewarding for students and teachers alike but comes with certain challenges that should be dealt with appropriately. Every country has subjects and issues that are taboo and not engaged with much in everyday...  [Read more]

Gökhan Yilmaz Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas We have a saying; who knows something very well, cannot teach very well. If you are not a native speaker but you are a teacher in that language, you are well-prepared and working more than a native English speaker to avoid being tomfoolery and embarrassed in front of your students. This takes you one step ahead of someone whose native language is English. So here are 3 main advantages of a non-native English teacher. Non-native English teachers perfectly understand the differences between English and their L1; people always say that, if you want to learn a language, you must first know your language. Then, you can reach the target language by comparing it with your native...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas A student’s journey to learn a new language can be met with a multitude of intimidating aspects. The vocabulary and grammar alone are enough to create a challenge, but add on to that the reading, speaking, and writing components and the challenges can become daunting. With all the difficulties that come with teaching and learning a new language, the last thing that should ever be an area of discomfort or distress should be cultural awareness within the classroom. For the students and teachers alike, the classroom must be a place of tolerance and respect. Cultural awareness should not only guide how the teacher approaches the lessons but should also set the overall tone of the learning environment. This post was...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Urban education can be described as a complicated topic for school reformists in America. With critical issues, such as inadequate funding, lack of resources, and uncertified teachers, the myriad of problems with public education has reached a new high. Many big-city public education systems have turned into melting pots by bringing together members of different racial, social, economic, and ethnic groups. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Crystal H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Per the Bureau of International Information Programs (2011), the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Cultural capital according to French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu is the gathering of knowledge, skills, and cultural traits that a person obtains from their personal, social and educational environment (Bourdieu, 1991, p. 14). The educational system in a Korean society differs from the learning practices in Western society. Asian societies such as South Korea, prioritize a teacher-centered learning style where students are expected to respect teachers and not solicit too much information since communication is often indirect and implicit. This group-focused thinking is a main cultural learning difference from Western teachings where individualism is more emphasized and students can freely interact with the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Classroom management is a term teachers use to describe the process of ensuring that classroom lessons run smoothly without disruptive behavior from students compromising the delivery of instruction. The term also implies the prevention of disruptive behavior preemptively, as well as effectively responding to it after it happens. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Miaomiao H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Classroom management is a term teachers use to describe the process of ensuring that classroom lessons run smoothly without disruptive behavior from students compromising the delivery of instruction. The term also implies the...  [Read more]