Hold It Taught

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Teaching English as a foreign or second language in Kindergarten is an optimal opportunity for the children. In addition to the gratifying feeling most teachers feel when working with children, children in Kindergarten are still in the early stages of childhood and are receptive to new languages and vocabulary. There are many benefits that come with teaching children and there are various ways to present oneself as a teacher to effectively get the children focused on the tasks at hand. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Adriadna F. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Children have their advantages as a class to teach. They have...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Planning, planning, planning! Many things in life need to be properly planned, be it a summer holiday or a work presentation. It can be a plan that is formally written down or it can be a plan that you simply keep in your mind. Having some kind of structure in place before doing activities will help put you at ease because you know what to do next and what to expect. Planning will also make you more productive as there will be no ‘guessing’ time, you will know what to do and when to do it. Taking the time to plan your lessons will almost certainly save you time in the long run. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Lizelle K. A lesson plan is a plan of what...  [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 While sentence structure and grammar are the foundation of the English Language, vocabulary is the glue that holds it together. An expansive vocabulary allows students to feel confident in their abilities and communicate more effectively. There are many methods of teaching vocabulary and in each class, the teacher may need to use different methods. This is because each class will be made up of different students each with their own learning style. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Caitlin O. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Vocabulary is important to teach in the very first lessons because it is how students will be able to...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Although a teacher's role seems like a simple topic to discuss, it's far more complicated than most people credit for. The role of a teacher is pivotal to the students for a myriad of reasons. Based on how the teacher holds themselves in the classroom, it will directly correlate with the amount each student learns and the amount of respect each student has for the teacher. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Roman S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The teacher needs to be in complete control of the classroom to ensure they have the respect and attention of...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas This paper will discuss the benefits of teaching slangs and idioms to students learning English as a second language. It posits that both are necessary to fully use and understand the language, and will look at when it would be appropriate to introduce them to different types of students and how they might be incorporated into lessons. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Niall M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Both slang and idioms are natural parts of the English language; however, textbooks are usually lacking in them, due the fact that they cannot be updated quickly enough to keep up with the change of language or because it...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas How do you define who a teacher is? In the general sense and definition, a teacher is a person who helps others to acquire knowledge, competence or values. In an informal scenario, someone who helps another learn something new can be called a teacher while in a formal setting, teachers are seen as educators as they teach knowledge through the curriculum to the learners through lectures for adults, lesson, small group activities or hands-on activities for the young learners. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jackline M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The education that the students acquire is key to determining the future of...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Music-based learning is an effective technique to develop English proficiency within an early youth classroom. Classroom-based singing can create a fun learning environment and lead to the development of musical skills, social interaction, and English vocabulary. This post was written by our ITTT graduate Patrick H. The most effective method for younger learners is the use of various simple rhymes. Rhymes are simple in nature and may easily be adapted to the current material that is being taught. The teacher and students will benefit most from a circular seating arrangement as it allows both parties to interact amongst each other in clear viewpoint. It is important for the...  [Read more]

Pritam Nagrale Teaching Ideas As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world well into 2021 and shows no visible signs of ebbing, there’s an additional burden that teachers have to face nowadays. And that pressure comes from designing effective lessons for online classes. The new normal, as we know it today, dictates that we stay at home and take every precaution to avoid the contagion. This brings us to a question: How to design effective lessons for an online class? Is it that easy? I will try and answer both these questions in this article while providing six topmost tips that might help you create superb and engaging lessons for your online classes. Let’s begin by exploring the reasons for designing effective online lessons. The...  [Read more]

Maddy Payne Destinations TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Assistant Language Teachers in Japan come from different countries worldwide, bringing different kinds of English with them. In my experience, American English is often the most sought-after version of English. Some countries highly value Language Teachers from the USA, which often matches their American-style textbooks and resources. Sometimes people are even overlooked for job opportunities due to their Australian accent and British English background. Well, Japan is no different in this regard. Many Japanese schools hold American English in high regard, so what is it like being an Australian-English teacher in Japan? It's no secret that Japanese...  [Read more]

Federico Riva Alumni Experiences Do you want to make your English lessons more exciting? We have the perfect teaching ideas for you! Here are 7 amazing activities to spice up your ESL classes. This is a great one to practice different tenses, especially the passive voice. Have your students come up with headlines for their class; such as “The teacher’s purse was stolen,” “the students were taught passive voice.” This also works for vocabulary lessons and other grammar structures. This one works well with intermediate and advanced students. Introduce a controversial issue, such as capital punishment, for example. Then, the students choose their “side” and group into teams. They do some research about the topic and take notes that...  [Read more]

  And now we'll take a look at a few teaching ideas for the present continuous tense. The present continuous tense is quite a visual tense. We use it to describe actions that are happening at the present moment. So, we could give our students a picture, such as the one seen here. It is important that in the picture there are many activities going on. The teacher can give a time limit to pairs or small groups. In that time limit, the pairs or small groups will make various sentences based upon what they see in the picture. These sentences may include 'He is taking a picture,' 'He is throwing a boomerang,' 'They are playing with the ball,' 'He is digging a hole.' At the end of the time limit, the teacher will ask for some feedback and get feedback from the pairs and the groupings to...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching on a one to one is a real skill and one that takes many months and even years of experience to be able to become proficient at. It is true to say that no matter how long someone has been teaching on a one to one basis, they will always find new strategies to employ. So, how can one-to-one teaching be effective? This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Tammy T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. As a learning support practitioner for the past 18 years, I have had the privilege of teaching countless students on a one to one basis. It is my favorite part of my job as it gives me the chance to get to know my students well, to have...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas While slang and idioms may not be essential to clear communication, especially when their meanings are very different from their packaging, they do communicate something more subtle: ‘I’m trying to observe the nuances of your language to better connect with you’. Slang lets you come across as casual, intimidating, clever, or whimsical in ways that straightforward language can’t. FluentU English Educating Blog puts it this way: “Teaching Idioms Is Teaching Fluency”. Communicating your personality is easier when you are more fluent, or at least when you have more idioms under your belt. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Bailey N. Please note that this blog post might not...  [Read more]

1. Introduction 2. Benefits of TESOL Certification 3. ITTT's Online TESOL Certification Programs 4. How to Choose the Best TESOL Certification Program Are you looking to kickstart your career in teaching English as a second language? A TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification is a valuable qualification that can open up a world of opportunities in the field of education. With the rise in demand for English language teachers worldwide, having a TESOL certification can give you a competitive edge in the job market. In this article, we will explore the benefits of TESOL certification, introduce ITTT's online TESOL certification programs, and provide tips on how to choose the best program for your needs. Obtaining a TESOL certification can benefit both new and...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences What’s the most difficult part of learning a new language? Is it writing? Perhaps it’s the reading or memorizing new vocabulary? Well for some it’s speaking the new language, specifically when it comes to pronunciation. Every language has its unique ways or pronouncing their vowels and constants as well as how they form their sentence structure. Especially this write up will focus on Japanese English as a Second Language (ESL) students and the difficulties they face while learning English and its pronunciation. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Zachary B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. First, it helps to understand a...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas It doesn't matter what industry you're in or what position you hold, knowing how to build rapport can bring you countless opportunities. Generally, rapport is characterized by positive thoughts and feelings of closeness. Some people might argue that this is all a natural gift, either you can build rapport with people or you can't. However, this is not certain. Rapport can develop naturally, but anyone can also nurture and improve rapport, just as they can any other skill. Rapport forms the basis of meaningful, close and harmonious relationships between people. Connection senses that you get when you meet someone you like and trust, and whose point of view you understand. It's the bond that forms when you discover...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Every person living in modern society has the first language; this is the language which we have learned fluently without conscious effort, it was taught to us as children by the people in our immediate surroundings, usually parents or caregivers. Not everybody, however, has a second language. Unless raised in an environment where there is more than one language spoken regularly (by multilingual parents or others whom we are in regular contact with), for most people a second language takes conscious effort to acquire, for a range of motivations, and usually through at least some form of study and education. Learners of a second language may, for example, live in a country in which multiple languages are spoken but...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas When one imagines an English language lesson, one probably pictures vocabulary drills, dictionaries, and verb conjugations. While these are all aspects that one will most likely find should they sit in on a class, perhaps there can be something fun, useful, and entertaining to be found as well, something like a lesson on slang and idioms. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Devin R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. While this type of language is mostly used in informal conversation, it is also often seen in books, commercials, and other forms of media. Slang and idioms are an essential part of how native English speakers...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Generally, it is thought that education is going through a major overall, this includes but is not limited to the structure of how education is provided to students from both the perspective of classrooms at educational institutions and online teaching. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Niki S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Online teaching has the added benefit to educational institutions in the way that it has the ability of lowering business costs such as overheads where the institution does not need to pay for basic utilities such as electricity, oil, air-conditioning, rent and other expenses such as drinking water,...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Of all the hard jobs around, one of the hardest is being a good teacher. So how is it possible to become a great teacher? And how can a teacher become great at helping young learners in a kindergarten class who have little to no experience learning in a classroom setting? Although challenging at times, it can be done. There are a few keys to being a great kindergarten teacher. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Julia W. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The first key is to develop the right mindset before entering the classroom. It is important for a teacher to cultivate a sincere desire to care about each student in the class and...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Good planning allows for more effective teaching and learning. The advantages of planning a lesson are having well-organized lessons with a confident teacher. In the unforeseen circumstances that a replacement teacher needs to be called to cover a class, everything is documented and planned so the objectives are clear and the substitute teacher knows how to teach the lesson. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jemma W. A planned lesson should include the time allowed for the lesson and the time allowed for each section, part or activity. The materials that are needed to execute the class should be clearly listed. The objectives of the lesson should be outlined showing what the aims of the...  [Read more]

Zainab Sadriwala Destinations Alumni Experiences Karachi is a city of opportunities for the citizens of Pakistan and for the people abroad. Professionals from all around the country aspire to make their living in this cosmopolitan city which has so much to offer for those who are ambitious. Hence teaching being no different, Karachi offers a wide array of opportunities to the aspiring young generation to make their mark in this highly esteemed profession. The first reason I'd like to mention is the high demand for qualified English teachers in the city. Good language teachers are scarce as they also seem to have challenges in their educational experience and the vicious circle keeps on repeating. That's why there is a surge in...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences If you're a native language speaker, you've likely heard the phrase, “You can't teach an old dog new tricks”. There has been little evidence found to support this claim, but the belief persists. Many adult learners believe that it is too late for them to learn a new language. If you are teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language you may find yourself teaching a class of adult learners. Adult learners differ in many ways from young learners, and one such issue you may encounter is a doubt from the learners that they are capable of picking up a new language now that they are no longer children. Though the style of learning and the issues encountered will inevitably differ from those of young learners,...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Nowadays, English is becoming popular due to advanced technology and more people receiving higher education. That Goods, capital, services, people and even knowledge travels around the world make a common and standard language necessary. English is an ideal one. However, when people do business, they still talk most. A standard or conceivable accent is the first step towards a successful deal. This passage aims at emphasizing the importance of pronunciation in teaching business English. Generally speaking, teaching pronunciation specifically is good for students learning and career development. It is also good for teachers to earn more popularity as well as the long-term trust of students. This post was...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences The term business English is used to cover the English language taught to a wide range of professional people, and students in full-time education preparing for a business career. There’s a lot more to learning a second (or third or fourth!) language than just vocabulary and grammar because languages are used differently in different contexts. This post was written by our ITTT graduate Rupanpreet K. Business English is the type of English used in business contexts. Some types of English, like novels or law briefings, welcome long, sophisticated vocabulary. Business English isn’t like that. Good writing is direct and to the point. There is less focus on grammar in conversations and more emphasis on...  [Read more]

In today's globalized world, the demand for English language teachers is constantly on the rise. Whether you are looking to start a new career or seeking to enhance your teaching skills, enrolling in accredited TESOL courses can provide you with the necessary qualifications and knowledge to succeed in the field of English language teaching. Cambodia, with its rich culture and growing demand for English language education, is an ideal destination to pursue your TESOL certification. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the best accredited TESOL courses available in Cambodia, offered by ITTT (International TEFL and TESOL Training). We will delve into the benefits of obtaining a TESOL certification, the course structure, and how it can open doors to exciting teaching opportunities in...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences One of the most important problems encountered while learning a foreign language is undoubtedly pronunciation. Knowing a language fluently may not always be enough. Fluency level may be open to discussion if an accurate pronunciation is not used. Therefore as teachers, we must teach our students how to use the correct pronunciation. However, pronunciation can be a nightmare for some students, especially for young learners. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Selin K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. There are some languages, in particular, no matter what language they speak, we understand where they come from by hearing their...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Even though some people might disagree with the idea of praising students in the classroom, I hold a strong belief that it is of paramount importance. Praising assists teachers in making students aware of what they have attained. It can be done verbally, through body language or in writing. Nevertheless, praise should be timely, honest, and measured. It could be mutually advantageous for teachers and students. The former will benefit from cementing a healthy relationship with the latter; and the latter will be able to strengthen his or her confidence. Conversely, it could have a detrimental effect on both. For this reason, I will exemplify the advantages and challenges in praising that I have come across in my...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas There are four basic skills in any language: receptive skills – reading and listening, and productive skills – speaking and writing. Usually, when we learn a new language, we tend to access our learning process and result by checking how our productive skills are and forget that before we can the product, we need to receive first. Data says that the production of every 100 words in writing needs a receipt of 1000 words in reading which means to be able to produce anything, one must get as much as 10 times receipt. Similarly in listening and speaking. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Josephine L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of...  [Read more]