How Long Does It Take To Develop Calp

Mark Crocker TEFL Information Alumni Experiences There are several things that a teacher should consider before entering a classroom and one very important consideration, particularly for EFL teachers, is the topic of cultural sensitivity. Because English classes are often conducted with students from a variety of different cultures and often take place in a foreign country, teachers must ensure that their teaching does not offend cultural or social norms. For example, in a Western classroom it might be quite common to divide the class into mixed-sex pairs, however, in some cultures this could be seen as offensive. So how can teachers prepare themselves for these situations? This post was written by our TEFL certification...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas “The role of grammar is perhaps one of the most controversial issues in language teaching” (Richards and Renandya, 2002, p.145). From the past to the present, there have been so many changes in methodologists’ views on which grammar items should be taught and how to teach them. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Man C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. In the past, in a traditional classroom, grammatical competence and explicit knowledge of language rules were emphasized. Grammar teaching held such an essential part in language teaching that other aspects became either ignored or downplayed. People assumed that if the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Grammar is a very important piece of learning English. Students need grammar as it gives them a handle on the language, helps them to become reflective of the language and to build fluency. The goal of a grammar lesson is to present the grammar, help the students comprehend the main points and to move into practice, which starts as controlled practice and passes to free practice. The goal for the students is to develop fluency through the grammar structure, presenting the grammar in a meaningful context. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Natalja S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. It is important to set up the grammar and the...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore TEFL Information One of the routes you might want to think about taking after your TEFL course is to train other people how to teach English. It can be very rewarding seeing people who have never taught before gain in confidence and ability over a short space of time. What does it take? The first step to becoming a teacher trainer is to complete your TEFL certification course. Don’t feel that only people who do particularly well are cut out to be trainers. You need to empathize with your trainees, and it can be advantageous to have struggled through and only just about passed the course as long as you’ve then developed your skills with experience. Taking an entry-level course is only the very beginning of the journey, but the...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Two years ago, I found myself in a remote village deep into the Himalayan Mountains in northern India. I had traveled there with the intention of volunteering in a daycare center in a Thibetan village. When I got there, I was informed that the daycare did not need help, but would I be willing to teach English to the monastery's young monks? I was very nervous at first, as I had no experience with this! Seeing their need, however, I reluctantly agreed. So I spent the next three months teaching what I could, however I could, albeit in a very disjointed and unknowledgeable way. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Char H. Please...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching young children is one of a great rewarding experience. Young learners are truly natural acquirers of language. They can easily adapt and acquire language being purely taught to them. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Georgios G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. At this crucial stage of these young learners' lives, they simply imitate everything they see especially their significant others. We, their teachers are one of those significant others who they mimic in any possible way they see and can. This is the time where they start to develop holistically. Teaching English to young EFL students are not only merely teaching...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas A lesson plan, developed by a teacher, is a detailed description of the lesson. It can be also considered as a guide providing step-by-step the direction in which the teacher designs his/her lesson. Is it really necessary for an effective lesson? If so, What makes it so crucial? This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Beste D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. As mentioned above, being a teachers' route-map, a lesson plan sheds light on the procedures of teaching in a definite way. It benefits teachers in more ways. First, it maintains perfect time management. As organized teaching saves time. When a teacher comes to the class with a...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Language is a fascinating and unique aspect to the human species: it enables communication using a set of sounds and written symbols, combined in a coherent system. Even though a person can be proficient -to various degrees- in many languages, he or she usually has only one First Language (L1) that is the person's native language, acquired in a subconscious effortless way. On the contrary, L2 (or second language) is usually effortfully learned, involving both explicit and implicit processes. These characteristics may have important implications in L2 teaching methods, in that teachers can help students in both these processes, leveraging similarities and differences to deliver more effective lessons. In this...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching English as a foreign language can be done one of two ways: teaching a group of students or by teaching on a one-to-one basis. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Xiaobing W. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. On the contrary, one to one teaching is made more special by the fact that many teachers have to develop their strategies, approaches, and materials. One-to-one courses are, by definition, tailor-made courses. On the one hand, the teacher not only has a greater opportunity to engage in real interaction and to learn. But no need to worry about the problems of large groups- mixed ability, group dynamics, early finishers,...  [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 Alumni Experiences I briefly remember the first time I recited in front of our classroom during a Public Speaking subject, I was tasked to recite a short story about Florence, the Nightingale. I still remember the words as if it were only yesterday. After finishing the task, our then professor told us about the importance of learning the English vocabulary and consider it as our second language if we wanted to succeed in the corporate world. Eight years after my recitation, I find myself discussing business matters with Italian suppliers in Treviso, Italy and I will not forget the surprised look on their faces: They were amazed at how a middle-aged woman like me, who comes from a developing country, can communicate with them in...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Establishing rapport with your students is crucial for many reasons. Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines rapport as “a friendly, harmonious relationship especially: a relationship characterized by agreement, mutual understanding, or empathy that makes communication possible or easy.” This means that establishing rapport is like laying a foundation for understanding and communication. One of the most fundamental purposes of any language is to provide a way to understand and communicate with other people. Taking the time to establish rapport is simply the first step to laying a foundation for teaching and learning a language. A true teacher does not teach a subject, they teach students. As a...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Many language learners will have the difficulty of creating something new in the targeted language. Reading something written out loud is not as challenging or rewarding as reading your own work. When a language learner starts creating her own work, then she can start feeling productive and confident in the targeted language. There are many different ways of teaching productive skills such as speaking or writing. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nalan F. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. First of all, the skills of speaking and writing are more authentic than teaching any grammar subject or reading. It requires motivation more...  [Read more]

Zareena Younis Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Is it possible to do something without passion, commitment, and enthusiasm? Some choose a career path purely because it leads to great material wealth and security. It means the norms of the so-called expected and society’s accepted way of life for each age is fulfilled, such as buying a car, getting married, house, holidays, etc. Others choose to do something because it places them in a high position in the so-called social class system in society. Many careers are perceived to be the best because they are paid highly, also come with a lot of respect and pride within the community and society. Then you have those individuals that simply choose to do what they love with their...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Foreign language experience is complexed on so many different levels, it is a window into a different culture, often a different country and even a different paradigm of thinking. There is a multitude of language experiences people can have, each with their own intricacies and uniqueness. As a native English speaker from South Africa, living in China has provided me with extraordinary foreign language experience. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Marlan S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Mandarin, the national language of the People’s Republic of China, as many would attest to is extremely challenging. One could argue...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas For a class to be interesting and beneficial to both the teacher and the students, quite a lot of things have to be taken into consideration. Smooth sailing of the classes and success of the students in acquiring the English language can largely be attributed to the teacher’s character and/or behavior. The confidence of a teacher has great meaning as it gives birth to students’ confidence in learning English. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Tendai K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The Cambridge English Dictionary defines confidence as the quality of being certain of your abilities or of having trust in people. The last...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Coming into any unfamiliar classroom situation, for newer and experienced teachers alike, can instill a level of apprehension. There are many circumstances where a teacher could easily feel overwhelmed, whether it is butterflies in the stomach on the first day, a sudden syllabus change, malfunctioning equipment, an extremely large class, unmotivated or disruptive students, or unfriendly coworkers. Fortunately, there is a multitude of simple strategies that can help equip a teacher to face even the most nightmarish classroom situations. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Linda K. One essential technique for teachers to increase their confidence is to keep the focus on the teachings. In...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Every student requires something different to learn English successfully. Aside from one-on-one lessons, teachers usually will not have the time to dedicate extensive attention to each student, though. Not every English-learner will be given a unique lesson catered to their needs. However, teachers can develop plans that fit best for general types of students based on their profiles. Factors such as students' age, language level, and motivation for learning helps teachers identify a student profile and thus develop the best lessons to get them engaged. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jake E. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Teachers play a number of very important roles in the education process. Education forms a significant part of everyone’s lives as it can contribute directly towards future possibilities and the roles we can play in society. This essay will discuss three of the most important roles played by teachers. The first is the role is that of a facilitator of learning and education, the second role is that of the role model, and the final is the role of the mentor and motivator. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Monika G. The most widely acknowledged role played by the teacher is that of the educator - to teach knowledge, typically academic in nature. This includes literacy, numeracy, as well...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Learning a language is acquiring the ability to produce the language and to produce the language accurately, a student needs to learn the grammar of that language. So, what is grammar? This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Sheila A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Grammar is the study of the way words are used to make sentences. It is a set of rules that provides the structure we need to organize our ideas and convey our messages fully. It determines how words are arranged in a sentence for understanding. It gives us the ability to comprehend and produce language. When trying to acquire a language, learning the grammar of that...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The purpose of this essay is to explore the differences between child and adult learning styles. Much has been already written about brain development. Throughout the human life span, the early ages, one through ten years is the human brain's most efficient time for learning. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ralph D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Children are then like sponges soaking up the language. Motivated by the enjoyment of movement, bright colors and selfless goals they do not feel social pressures or are self-critical. Their needs are simple. There is no self-worth to damage and every new experience is a joy....  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore TEFL Information Having a form of structure has always been a vital element in order to perform any task to my best ability. Therefore, lesson planning was a subject which I knew would be a large factor in order for me to become a successful teacher. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jessica M. The two main principles of a successful class are direction and flexibility; flexibility relies strongly on the teacher's experience and personality, but the former is attained by a structured lesson plan. A primary function of a lesson plan is to keep the class on target with the lesson goal, however, it has other important functions which I will elaborate on below: This does not mean that every teacher will be...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas TTT stands for Teacher Talking Time, ’of which teachers can't have too little. Teachers will speak more in class, when present knowledge, manage the classroom, correct students’ mistakes, praise students or provide feedback, and set up or demonstrate the classroom activities. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Tang C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Here are some inadequacies of too much TTT. Firstly, TTT is opposite to STT (Student Talking Time), and more TTT means less STT. Teachers are already proficient in using English. Jeremy Harmer[1] believes that: Getting students to speak- to use the language they are learning- is...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences One of the most crucial roles of the teacher is to improve students’ performance. In daily lessons, teachers are engaged in different classroom scenarios, performed teaching duties, and rendered extra effort to help maximize students’ learning. Another thing that adds to this noble task is the diverse roles of the teacher he/she has to play. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Glen Mar L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. With this, I thought of three basic roles that teachers need to portray in the 21st century. This Engager-Servicer-Activator (ESA) teacher roles serve as an important reminder for the teacher to this...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Most would simply say that a teacher is that person standing in front of a classroom "teaching", and they wouldn't be wrong. If a little more thought is actually given to the question, people would begin to understand that a teacher is much more than someone reading out of a book or simply following a syllabus, flipping through the pages just to get from cover to cover. The role of a teacher as it has always been being something often overlooked and taken for granted. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Brendon S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Teachers play a vital part not only in the development of children but in society...  [Read more]

Amanda Stern Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas A preferred method of teaching abroad is the team-teaching approach. This is where two teachers, dubbed T1 (often the “main” teacher”) and T2 (often the “assistant”), work together to develop a syllabus, prepare materials and lessons, teach students, then evaluate the results and make changes whenever deemed necessary. As the base, unless T2 has strong language skills in the local language, T1 will be expected to explain core grammar. Both are responsible for their own contributions to the class in order to create a cohesive classroom for effective English learning. That’s right, you’re on a team which means you’ll be sharing time preparing materials and coursework!...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Learning English is now an undeniable requirement is this modern world and students experience an enormous amount of stress when acquiring this new skill; communicating in a new language. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Annette T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Regardless of their age, whether they are young learners, adults or perhaps students with specific purposes they may all experience anxiety and stress along the way. Some of them may have a lot of pressure from their parents who expect them to learn the language. Others may feel rushed to master the language since it is necessary for their professional development....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Throughout the modern and ancient world, across all cultures and empires, generations have been inspired, entertained and educated through the process of storytelling. Before such modern practices of documentation, word of mouth was used to keep the spirit of generations alive, these served as a purpose of entertainment, education, cultural preservation and to instill a sense of morality into their young. Since the written word, our desire for storytelling has evolved and allowed us to reach and inspire further audiences on paper. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate florence c. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. To separate and...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Many factors can impact students’ motivation such as social, psychological, educational, economical, etc. However, a teacher can still play an important role to keep the students motivated. In Afghanistan’s educational tradition, students are often compared to each other, and they are ranked based on tests and exams throughout the course. Additionally, the teacher corrects every student’s assignment. Notice the word “correct” has been used instead of “mark” or “assess.” The teacher will try to point out every single mistake or error. Having six years of English language teaching experience, plus observing my colleagues’ and students’ behaviour, and studying the methods of foreign language...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences I came to China 4 years ago to teach English. I have not managed to learn Mandarin in that time frame but I did learn quite a bit about the differences in pronunciation between Mandarin and American English. The most common errors made by Chinese students generally come from the habit of translating to their native language. English and Mandarin share some similarities such as word order and sentence structure which also complicate the issue. In this essay, I will discuss teaching pronunciation, the problems that can occur when teaching pronunciations, and the issues that occur with Mandarin speakers learning English. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Paris S. Please note that this blog...  [Read more]