Does It Matter Where I Get My Tefl Certification

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Isn't this a great question? No matter who you are or what your background is, everyone who reads this question automatically has an opinion on it or might have answered it in their head before they’ve even truly thought about it. The psychology and intricacy behind this question are what drew me to it, so here is what I have found… I have been a teacher for many years, in many different capacities and have had to try and come up with various alternatives to ‘punishing’ misbehaving and uncooperative students. What I’ve found is that the approaches can generally be categorized according to age. Also, that punishment comes in many forms and does not always have to have a negative connotation to it. This...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Having undergone a process of teaching and based on my knowledge and experience, today I can give a sense of an area or topic that I think of any of you. I agree with the same opinion. "Teaching vocabulary" is the topic I am talking about today. As a teacher, I have failed in teaching vocabulary for students, complex because I do not have enough knowledge or knowledge, my students have Remembering a word that day, I was very sad and thinking about my teaching method. I asked myself. What do students need to learn when learning vocabulary? This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Thuy D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I thought about...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas During my career as an educator, I have had the opportunity to teach English as a second language using both classroom and private tutoring platforms. My undergraduate studies at the University of Wisconsin - Madison led me to a major in Communications. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Joseph E. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. One course, in particular, required an internship at a local elementary school where I worked with students of diverse backgrounds. Although I had not majored in education at the university, that one course inspired my desire to teach, especially to children who had language barriers. Before college I...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences About a year and a half ago, I began a part-time job teaching English in Japan. The school I taught at, Sunny Club, was a small cram school run in the first level of a two-story home. The physical space could accommodate only 20 students at a time, and it meant that there was very little room to breathe during lessons. While the small size was a hindrance at times, working for Sunny Club was one of the most fulfilling experiences that I have had. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate MARY T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. At Sunny Club, I taught students whose ages ranged from 5 or 6 to 40 years of age. Working with these...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Students are never on the same proficiency as one another. Whether that would be in Math class, Science class, or English class. Everyone has their own abilities and own knowledge. As a teacher, this can be an exciting challenge. There are many ways that you can improve learning in your mixed-ability classroom. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Bevan S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. One way to do this would be to pair the more proficient students with the less proficient students for an activity or two. Another thing a teacher could do would be to create an activity where the class is forced to move around and discuss with...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The role of the teacher is to guide the student to success. They are the main source of motivation, knowledge of the subject, and plays a key role in the possible atmosphere of the classroom. The vitality of the role cannot be understated because it is the difference between helping the student reach their full potential or failure to learn the subject matter. From the beginning, the teacher must let the students know that they care and all questions are welcomed so that it becomes an open space to create opportunities to learn. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Priscilla L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Subconsciously by the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Even though I am currently teaching, I found lessons from my TEFL courses to help build onto my already growing teaching career. Being a first-time teacher can be stressful, especially if you have no prior knowledge or experience before. Even though I have been teaching for only three months, my courses gave me many insights and suggestions on improving myself to create a positive learning environment. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Angela S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. One of the first things that my TEFL course taught me was my students' attitude...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas In February 2019 I took on a part-time teaching job at a language school close to Toulon, France. I am a Dutch citizen and English isn’t my first language, but I am fluent enough to be able to teach several evening classes. And so, I did. Via this school, I was then approached by another institution to teach English to future hotel directors and hotel receptionists. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Marieke V. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Seeing as I have a bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management, this seemed like the perfect fit. While teaching I realized that being fluent in English and being able to teach English are...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Pablo Picasso once said: “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” Teaching is so much different from many other professions that it would be difficult to define it in its entirety in a few pages of text. A surgeon is skillful in what he does and even though he or she may explain the procedure to a patient, the patient is only interested in one thing and that is to know that everything will be alright after the surgery. The patient may have some understanding of what the surgeon will do, but will never be able to use or repeat the procedure except to remember what had taken place. An experienced motor mechanic may be capable of resolving issues with a vehicle...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Over the years I have pondered whether or not to try and teach English as a career. Watching countless online videos and reading travel blogs of 'wandering teachers' and articles on sites such as ' Dave's ESL Café, I sort of got mixed emotions about ESL teachers. That is of course until I took the chance and became one myself. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Leon G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. In the two years of being a teacher I have certainly learned a lot, I've experienced extreme highs and extreme lows in a country where basic English is a rare find. With no prior experience or knowledge of how to educate, my...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Discipline in the classroom is a point of concern for any teacher, be it new or experienced. Since it is a learning center, we expect the students to be disciplined, which is correct. However, to expect the same from the students, a teacher's core responsibility is to set the right expectations in the student's mind. The students must be following the same. Every new teacher is worried and split thoughts regarding what to follow and what not to as there is a fine line between being strict and being a disciplined teacher. If you are severe, you are hated. If you are liberal, you are taken for granted. But bear in mind that it is not a...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Any kind of teaching is always a big challenge itself, no matter who you teach what you teach and where you teach. Teaching has been one of the most important and still complex processes for the teachers and students at the same time, especially teaching languages, as it is a sensitive and hard job. Teaching different subjects requires different approaches to it, so does teaching languages, particularly teaching foreign languages. English is one of those demanded languages being taught ages in foreign countries as a second language in educational institutions such as schools, university colleges, kindergartens, etc. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Muhayyo N. Please note that this blog...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas In this topic, I will be talking about my own “Personal Teaching Experience” in two Asian countries that I’ve had the privilege to work in and teach such as, China and Russia. So you might want to ask yourselves, What’s the difference between teaching Chinese and Russian students? Well honestly there is a huge difference so let’s get started. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jhonatan J. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. First of all, let’s start with the cultural differences in the classrooms between Chinese and Russian students. Let me mentioned to you that in both countries I’ve had jobs mostly in private...  [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. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Andrew M. The teacher's motivation needs to be something...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas A new teacher has many things to consider when instructing a new group of students in a foreign country. One of the most important aspects and one that should never be overlooked is the understanding of cultural sensitivity. In this summative analysis, I will speak about the importance this has to the development of the teacher-student relationship and ultimately classroom management. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Matthew B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. In my prior profession, I managed a successful defense contracting firm. I had a very diverse group that consisted of many different ethnicities. In this eclectic group,...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences I consider the TEFL/TESOL certificate as a great opportunity in my life. I see this certificate as a great option for my teaching career in the future. The course has given me a lot of information that I gathered during my online studies. I can use that information to teach students of different ages virtually all over the world. Every single unit gave me something specific and in some sense helped me to improve my previous knowledge and enrich me with a lot of other information and ideas that I will use in the future as a teacher. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Gabriel K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I learned a lot...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Learners, whether children or adults, tend to lack attention in the classroom at some point. Certainly, this problem varies from one type of age-range to the other. Indeed, this issue may be due to different reasons: mature students may be tired from work, whereas youngsters may struggle to keep up with the content. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Debora M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Moreover, additional factors may come to decrease motivation in the classroom. For instance, some learners find the topic being at hand particularly difficult; others may just be bored or going through tough problems at home, and the list...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas In my experience tutoring students in English as a foreign language, the most overlooked learning points were undoubtedly phonetics, phonology, and their connection to pronunciation. Occasionally, there would be a few students who specifically asked for materials that would allow them to perfect or improve their English accent. Some students even requested to receive tutoring in different accents such as the Australian accent. No matter what the request was, it became clear to me over time that the missing link when teaching pronunciation was its connection to phonology and phonetics. From this point on, I became incredibly interested in this topic. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Umutesi...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas “You speak too much in the class,” “you always finish their sentences,” “you answer back to the teens,” “the classroom is a mess,” “your lessons are boring.” That was the feedback I would usually get in college during my teaching practice. So the final questions were always the same, “When am I going to be a good teacher?” What does it take apart from reading the theory?” “Why am I failing?” In this essay, I will briefly describe some of my experiences when teaching and the struggles on the way. I will also mention the importance of applying specific methods and techniques, taking different roles and the relation between lesson planning and the material to be used in class. This post...  [Read more]

Jon ITTT Alumni Experiences When starting a career in teaching, regardless of age,gender and nationality, a prospective teacher should always bear in mind one fundamental skill:patience. This particular talent is what I personally believe distinguishes a competent teacher from the incompetent one, and is crucial in establishing the overall success of each and every student. So, how patient should teachers be and, particularly, how patient should the teachers at beginner levels be? This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Katarina K. I have been a TEFL certified teacher for a short time. However, I have been teaching for the past 5 years. I distinctly remember how every level of teaching used to be hard when I lacked the proper...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas We all remember our favorite stories and tales as children; Goodnight Moon, Where the Wild Things. Are, Stella Luna, and others more advanced like The Hardy Boys and The Magic Tree House. Simply mentioning those titles elicits some of my earliest memories. It's rooted in the foundation of my learning. Oftentimes, stories are read or told to children from infancy throughout their most formative and impressionable years. Children, from a very early age, are exposed to wide ranges of concepts and dialogue. At such a young age, a child typically does not have a grasp on the lexicon of the language being spoken to them, but ideas begin to form. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Stephanie T....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Spanish is my mother tongue; however, I also managed to learn English and French at a young age. Both of these languages stuck with me even years after I had left the countries where I learned them. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jorge P. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Despite staying in those countries for a short time (less than a year), it surprised me how, when comparing myself with people who had had similar experiences, my language skills were much better than theirs. Looking back on those days, I believe that it’s because I was not learning the language for itself, but rather as a means to an end. I was using those...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences I first understood the role of a teacher during the second grade and knew then that I wanted to be just like my teacher, Mrs. Atkinson. She was the first to see my real character and hidden potential through the windows to my world, my eyes. I believe that teachers were made with eyes that would not only see things for what they are but for what they could become and could achieve. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Michelle S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The teaching profession is seen as a very noble profession, as it represents positive change and growth. Teachers on a whole have gained the respect of others to the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I think of myself as having been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to learn other languages at a young age. I was taught French in primary school and at home, I learned or acquired Spanish. At school, I remember my language teacher being very textbook-oriented and she focused and followed the book to the “T”. I picked up easily on the grammar because I had already learned Spanish at home and I was also very keen to learn foreign languages, especially French. The grammar didn’t seem difficult or boring to me at all because I had already been exposed to the language at a very early age. However, many students didn’t feel the same way I did and had difficulty with the subject and therefore,...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Becoming a teacher of any nature requires a good amount of skills, but becoming an English as a foreign or second language teacher requires a special batch of skills. All types of teachers should have the same general qualities; communication skills, patience, good listening skills, the ability to connect and build relationships with students, hard work ethic, preparation, and organization, and be friendly, personable, and approachable. Being a teacher means interacting with people for most of, or part of the day, and understandably sharing your knowledge, with the students. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Bailey E. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas A method of teaching contains the techniques used by teachers to impart knowledge to students. These strategies are determined partly on the subjects to be taught and partly by the nature of the learner. In this task, I will give some examples of different teaching methodologies, compare these techniques, and explain why it is important that teachers, mostly who are teaching in a foreign country should know these methods. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nathalie L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. One of the most effective methods of teaching is ESA (Engage, Study, and Activate); this teaching method allows your student to be...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences As a Spaniard in love with languages, I can’t start this essay without saying anything other than, "it’s not who the teacher is, but the will of teaching that they have". Through all these years of learning English, I just know for sure that a learner learns more when they live in and with the language throughout each day. They need to become hooked to it, and it does not matter if the person who transmits this feeling is a native speaker or not. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Andrea M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Nowadays we have much more information and knowledge anywhere we go. It has become easier to learn...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas It is critical and necessary, that as purveyors of educational content, a teacher ensures they undertake periodic analysis of their methods, rationale, and motivations for the job. Periodic self-analysis is important, as it can be one defining factor in what separates a “good” from a “great” teacher. In my experience as a teacher, I have often used a teaching log to note my findings and experiences in the classroom. Brookfield (1995) defines a teaching log “as a weekly record of the events in a teacher’s life that have impressed themselves most vividly on his or her consciousness”(p.72). In this paper, I present four main ideas, based on experience, in favor of a critical self-analytical method and...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences At the cafeteria during lunchtime, a student of mine approached and asked me, “Why did you become a teacher?” Dumbfounded by this brazen question, I did not know what to say. I could have chosen motherhood statements like “I want to make a difference in the world,” “to have a positive impact on my student’s lives, “or that “I love children.” I ended up saying to him, “Well, I am good at teaching.” However, the truth of the matter is, I needed a job and there was an opportunity so I took it. You can say it was fate that called me to be a teacher. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine myself being a Grade 3 homeroom teacher! After having experienced a variety of jobs in my life from...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Hi, I am back for another live session this week. My name is Linda from ITTT. I took a break last week, I was traveling a little bit in Korea, not too far but I got to enjoy the cherry blossoms. That's why there was no live session from me last week. But I'm back this week and I'm super excited. Today we're going to have a Q&A session, so you guys can ask me questions about TEFL and TESOL, teaching abroad, teaching online, whatever you want to know about. So something a bit more casual, let's have a chat. I would like to get to know you guys better and you can get to know me, ITTT and TEFL. If you can see me and hear me please drop a hi or something into the comment box so that I know that everything is working...  [Read more]