Free Teaching Materials For Teachers

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas When thinking of course materials, one summons the image of textbooks and related worksheets. These are just a small part of what can be considered as course materials. With this in mind, course materials are anything the teacher brings with to the classroom to aid teaching. This essay will cover the two different groups of course material: authentic and non-authentic, created materials, and the combinations of materials as important aspects of the classroom to provide a rounded lesson for learners. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jade B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Authentic material can be just about anything that...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Online English teachers are divided into two groups. The first group is online ESL teachers that work for an education company. The second group is online ESL teachers who freelance. I will explain the two types of teaching materials, authentic and created materials, and how materials are incorporated in teaching English online to students. The focus of this article will be young learners as that is my personal career goal. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Dora E. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The first group of teaching materials is authentic materials. Authentic materials are defined as “anything a native speaker would...  [Read more]

Laura Payne Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Authentic materials are media that native speakers of a language encounter in their everyday lives, which are not specifically created for language students. TV programs, newspaper articles, books, songs, YouTube videos, and more all fall under this term. Incorporating authentic materials into ESL classrooms has numerous merits, but the high language level required to understand these materials often causes teachers to rarely or never include them in classes below an intermediate language level. However, the difficulty of language in authentic materials does not necessarily mean that they have no place in lower-level classes. With some research, planning, and creativity, any teacher...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The importance of having proper course materials should be one of the first things a new teacher should consider when they are preparing to start teaching new or experienced learners, without having picked or created proper course material which is appropriate for the learners, they could become lost, confused, uninterested or bored during lessons. When picking course materials, you must know your target audience. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Guthrie T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Things you must take into consideration when identifying the most effective way to target your students are age, level of English knowledge,...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas Business students are most likely already familiar with using computers and particularly the Internet for learning English. The Internet can provide a teacher with an enormous array of teaching resources from non-authentic and authentic materials to lesson plans and ideas. Here are 7 great resources for teaching business English at no cost to the teacher! This post was written by our ITTT graduate Shannon S. This is a website that features hundreds of free online non-authentic teaching materials such as vocabulary exercises, grammar quizzes, listening comprehension videos, and reading comprehension articles. The materials are related to such business areas as accounting, sales and marketing, project management,...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Education is not only the process of preparing individuals for life but also life itself. It is a fact that education environments are intertwined with life. At this point, teachers have an important role in regulating the educational environment and providing it to the service of the student. To accomplish this task, teachers need to have some critical skills and characteristics. At the beginning of these skills is the regulation of teaching environments by the needs of the students and real life. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Miraç G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Effective regulation of teaching environments is not...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Course materials are the foundation of an English as a Second Language class, as they are a key component for moving the course forward and are essential for the student’s success. Thus, the materials that an educator selects significantly impact the outcome of the course for teachers and students. Whether choosing a textbook, authentic materials, or created materials it is important for the teacher to consider the benefits, disadvantages and how best to use the materials they have selected. This ensures the creation of an engaging program where they, as educators, may grow along with their student’s English language abilities. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rachel M. Please note...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas When I think of materials in terms of English Second Language (ESL) teaching, I think of a broad range of items, from worksheets to pictures, flashcards to figurines, exercises, tests, and so on. To put 'materials' more in perspective, these are materials needed to deliver an ESL course. I have created course material and training material since 1995, firstly for training artisans in development projects in South Africa, and later from 2001 to 2006 in Wales, training Voluntary Sector groups. For one employer, I created a 'Behavioural Based Safety' course for North Sea Safety Standby Vessels (Offshore operations), which included four...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas It is said that textbooks are either embraced or feared by a teacher. Attitudes aside, a textbook is often used as core material for the classroom in carrying out the syllabus. After the selection or assignment of a textbook, the teacher’s next task is to figure out how to effectively use it. The common ways of adapting a textbook to suit a specific class include omission, replacement, adaptation and supplementation, with the latter two being the most effective. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Katrina T. The first way a teacher can adapt the textbook is through omission, that is, either through cutting out a whole activity, lesson, or parts of it....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Most if not all courses make use of materials, regardless of the topic being taught. In ESL courses materials are crucial to the learning processes from the beginning to the end of a student’s education in English. Whether the materials used are authentic, non-authentic, realia, or media, they aid the students by testing, reinforcing, and improving the learner’s knowledge. Course materials also provide learners with a reference other than the instructor in the case of dictionaries and other reference materials. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ryan R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The term “course materials” refers...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas When teaching English as a second language, one can find a variety of pre-made resources. From tried-and-true textbooks to authentic sources, an instructor can find a readily available structure for most lessons. However, to fully cater to one's students and their specific needs, a teacher must creatively produce relevant supplemental materials. For instance, one may encounter a broad range of information covered within a textbook; whether it be vocabulary or grammar, most English books offer a generalized base for students. Sometimes the reader may have insufficient explanations on grammar practices, or perhaps the students request more...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Authentic materials and created materials are some of the most effective materials an instructor teaching English as a foreign language can use. You can use both created materials and authentic materials in teaching a wide variety of students and the result will remain the same. Teachers can choose to use these materials rather than the course book materials. In going through the TEFL certification course, you learn the different group levels of students you could be teaching. In this summative task, I will discuss the benefits for each group level learning English and in using the created and authentic materials to teach the students English. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Meghan M....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The topic of my summative task is ‘Lesson Materials’. In the world of English, there are different types of course materials that a teacher can use. They are usually divided into 2 groups. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Mateo J. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Also Read: The Difference Between Business English and General English For EFL Teachers As a teacher when you want to set some course materials there are a couple of considerations that you must do before you assign them. You have to evaluate your class. This can be things like age, level of English proficiency and also the purpose of the class. For example, some...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Classroom materials are important tools in learning. These can range from books, printed materials, graphs, charts, videos, realia, and a lot of varied materials that aid in learning. It is easy to succumb to using materials that are commercially produced and textbooks that are provided by the school or the education center that a teacher works for. They are available and convenient for the busy teacher. Published materials are level-appropriate, thus, they give good practice for the students. Although sometimes the teacher needs to create his or her material at some point in the learning process. Creating materials that are tuned to the students’ needs gives the learning experience more meaningful. Students can...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas To effectively teach English Language Learners the course must be appropriately structured. To structure a course the teacher or school must first know the language ability of the students. This is necessary to enable the teacher to develop materials suitable to the students’ level of understanding. It is also valuable to ensure that students in the class are of similar levels of development. If they are not some will be left us and the teacher will have to spend time with individual students which will detract from the time spent with the entire class. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Marvin S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas When teaching Business English, it is important to tailor lessons to the maturity and ability of the class. Essential to any lesson is the course materials to be used by both the teacher and the students. By tailoring these course materials to be more relevant to the Business English students, the teacher will hopefully gain a greater level of interest and create a better learning environment. To assist with a teacher with the style and type of course materials to be used with a specific Business English class there are several things the teacher could do. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Peter O. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Different classes have different requirements for appropriate teaching materials. These requirements are influenced by several factors, such as the skill level of the class, their age, ability, their native language they speak, and the unique problems native speakers of that language have when learning English. Cultural factors also need to be taken into account. Course material could become problematic in a classroom if they deal with family relationships or gender in a way that particular culture of a country or the students may find inappropriate. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Joshua W. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Different classes have different requirements for appropriate teaching materials. These requirements are influenced by several factors, such as the class's skill level, age, ability, a native language they speak, and the unique problems native speakers of that language have when learning English. Cultural factors also need to be taken into account. Course material could become problematic in a classroom if they deal with family relationships or gender so that a country's particular culture or the students may find it inappropriate. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Danila E. Please note that this blog post might not...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The most widely used language throughout the world is English. Some countries use English as an official language. English is a major subject In China. Most of the Chinese students start to learn English from primary school or middle school. In recent years, more and more students start to learn English from kindergarten. They put a lot of time and effort into learning English. The majority of Chinese students learn English for over 10 years. But there is a strange situation. They still can’t speak English fluently, even though some simple English conversations. But they can get high scores in the exam. Why is it? Because Chinese students are too stupid? Or not hard-working? No!!! The biggest cause is that...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas One to one lessons offers a big area for unique possibilities and unique challenges at the same time. Nevertheless, many teachers have to teach one to one classes at some point in their career. Teaching to only one person means developing an individual approach, materials, and strategy. This essay will discuss how this type of teaching is different and what are the advantages and disadvantages of it. Also, it will provide some useful tips that will be helpful while teaching one to one. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Danylo O. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Teaching one to one implies no mixed language levels in the class,...  [Read more]

Estefany Garduño Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas As an ESL teacher, you have probably found students looking for help to develop their English skills in a particular domain of their professional careers, or they look to increase their knowledge by focusing on language in context instead of grammar structures. Although this is a great opportunity to increase the ESL teaching experience, many of us say: “Oh, sorry, but that is not my expertise area, but I suggest asking this another teacher.” This article will guide you to give the first step with private students and Online English Courses, learning advice to help any student even if you do not have experience teaching English in their professional area. The term ESP...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Course materials are the ingredients of the class, that if implemented effectively, make it taste good. A teacher can be amazing at instructing but the materials are what will help the students apply the lecture and know if they understood it. It reminds me of when I was in class, listening to my teacher, oftentimes I was really under the impression that I understood what the teacher was saying. When I did my homework though, I found it difficult to apply that information to the exercises. This was often the case when the teacher explained things well, but the materials weren’t personalized and came from a textbook that has been out of date for the past 5 years. Here we’ll go over how to implement course...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas There are many interactive tools that can be used during teaching to enhance a lesson and keep students engaged. There are also a few tools that are a teacher’s lifeline during a lesson. Course materials that range from props and pictures of vocabulary words to simple worksheets and lesson plans are integral to teaching a good lesson. They can provide basic aid to a teacher or help keep the students’ attention. But, when overused or used during the wrong times, course materials can become problematic and disadvantageous. Different things that a teacher brings to a lesson can make or break an ESL lesson. This post was written by our ITTT graduate Emma H. There are some course...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teachers often need to spend a considerable amount of time planning and preparing lessons when there is a new study program. The task is exciting, yet somewhat overwhelming, for a new teacher responsible for a completely new course. Experienced teachers often re-use materials from their previous courses, but even they require regular overhauls and updates. Firstly, one has to select and find content to support the coursebook or course materials. Secondly, one has to assess the facilities and classroom equipment to find out what is the best way to use, deliver, and present the supporting materials to the students. These materials can be visual objects, audiovisual files, sound files, paper-based materials, computer...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas “We say Yes more than No. We remain curious and stay open to others’ ideas. We learn by doing. By following an idea. By experimenting with our hands. By taking risks. By trying, struggling and failing forward fast. - City Studio Vancouver Manifesto” This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rachel S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. My teaching experience comes from a background in the visual arts. I have worked as a teacher's assistant for visual artists and designers who facilitate collaborative social practice projects for youth and young adults. Social practice is a theory that attempts to link practice, and context with...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Teaching Ideas In this blog post, we are going to focus on the use of course books, materials and teaching aids. There are many materials that we can bring to our classroom that will help with the teaching of our lessons and these include though they're not limited to things such as, the wipe board, various types of visual aids created or bought, worksheets, the use of cassettes, CDs and DVDs and the use of video. Also in these classroom materials we can include things such as, dictionaries and course books various types of resource book. Other materials such as a photo copiers, computers and OHP's can also be considered. We will take a general look at some of the issues relating to each of these...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching is a creative enterprise and creating your materials is very satisfying. There are many positive reasons for a teacher to create their materials. Purposely created materials are inexpensive, tailored to specific grammar and language topics, adaptable for different language levels, specific expansions on the course resources, culturally sensitive and correct. From my perspective, among the most important reasons for creating your materials are that it adds a personal touch to your class, and it enables you to have a sense of ownership in the curriculum. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Cindy N. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The previous teaching method in Malaysia used to be chalk and talk. Chalk and talk method are much more on teacher talking rather the students. The teacher will be the one who talks and students just to listen or receive the information from the teacher. In this case, it will become a problem for those students with shorter attention spans and the other students will lose attention easily as well. This method also cannot evaluate a student’s understanding of the lessons that have been taught. The teacher should plan a lesson that includes explanations/elicits, activities to strengthen student’s understanding and evaluate student’s understanding. Usually, students with shorter attention spans easily get...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Reading is an integral part of the process of acquiring language skills and can be strong support for the development of listening, speaking and writing skills. We will explore the benefits of the diversity of written material - both in topic and style - the ways it can be utilized or expanded upon. We will also look at its shortcomings and some strategies for overcoming them. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jason T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. A key benefit of written texts is that they provide complete and properly formed sentence structures that are static, allowing students to process the information at their own...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Today’s technology-based society has a significant impact on how English is both experienced and taught. A great number of professionals spend a large part of their day on the Internet and interacting with all that it and ICT, in general, has to offer. Through it, they absorb information, generate knowledge and are both indirectly and directly educated and influenced. Computer-assisted language learning tools provide us with a vast number of resources that we can use both in the classroom when teaching collective language lessons or in a group and individual students assignments. I would like to elaborate on different aspects of Computer-Aided Language Learning (CALL), some of which were highlighted in the ITTT...  [Read more]