How To Get Certified To Teach In Another State

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences As both an individual tutor and group teacher of High Beginning Conversational English for the ESL division of Literacy New Jersey, I have become familiar with the benefits and drawbacks of volunteer teaching. While the drawbacks can be challenging, the rewards of volunteer teaching far outweigh any drawbacks that I have encountered. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Charles M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Currently, my tutoring includes students from West Africa and Israel. My High Beginning Conversational English class has students from around the globe including Guatemala, Venezuela, Israel, Liberia and more. This...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Put simply, children think and learn differently than adults. Jean Piaget, as one of the leading psychologists to explore these differences, puts forth the four stages of cognitive development, unified by an overarching idea called constructivism. He specifically focuses on children rather than all learners and, further still, focuses on development rather than learning. His constructivism theory posits that children form an understanding of the world around them and modify that representation based on their experiences and shifting environments that either contradict or confirm what they have built. (1) Therefore, in working with young learners, teachers should be mindful of this as they promote the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences I think to best address this question you need to know why I took this course. I am a USA certified teacher who arrived in China almost 6 years ago after a teacher in the Florida school system for 13 years. I was an ESE (Exceptional Student Education) certified, Middle School Math and Science teacher. When I first arrived, I assumed all the foreign teachers I worked with were also certified teachers. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jennifer K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I quickly discovered this was not true and began to experience working with TEFL/TESOL teachers. There was a distinct lack of understanding in many...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Individuals like nurses, doctors, therapists, and teachers who are employed in the helping professions build positive and trusting relationships with the people that they work with by establishing rapport. Rapport can be defined as a friendly and harmonious relationship characterized by mutual understanding or empathy making communication possible and easy (Merriam-Webster, 2019). This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Toni M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. When rapport is built between two people, they can learn, teach, and influence each other because of the connection and relationship that has been created. Rapport, or a bond,...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Family, in general, has a main role in affecting a child's early childhood, growth, development, and most importantly education. More specifically; the parent-child relationship is very important because the child spends most of his time with his parents, and while many factors affect the child's education, the learning environment at home and parents' attitude toward education contributes most to shaping his development. The child's learning process begins at home and the early years are a good opportunity for parents to build a solid educational phase that can lead to proper education. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Razan A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Over the last few years, Teaching English in a foreign country has become very popular for the younger generation in the United States of America and other countries where English is their primary language. The reason is that nowadays, many people want to travel the world to explore cultural differences, especially among the younger generation. However, not everyone could afford to travel the world due to daily expensiveness when traveling overseas. Many young people have chosen to teach English while they are traveling because it is a good and easy way to make a decent amount of money while they are traveling to different countries. Even though most of the teachers had completed the English Teaching...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Language is the main part of our identities as human beings. It provides us to connect to another person, learn about our roots from the written and unwritten side in the world. Historically, language has been linked to culture, customs, and beliefs. Also, people need to get in touch with each other to communicate and continue their social world. Therefore, they use the language. From the past to today, one of the biggest effects on language is that technology which brings people closer and creating the global world. For instance, emails, digitals photos, e-texts, video files. A person who lives in Dubai can send a message to another person who lives in İstanbul or vice versa. Another example is that internet...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas One common problem the EFL teacher may confront in the classroom is a group of learners who are confused, intimidated, or anxious. In a word, classroom stress has the potential to significantly hinder the prospects of a successful learning experience. What are some techniques the teacher can employ to overcome this obstacle or to prevent it from emerging in the first place? This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Brian J. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. A useful way to begin answering this question is by referring back to the two videos presented in unit 10 of this TEFL course. In the first video, one sees a classroom of confused and...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences When I first made the transition from primary school to university, I knew that my lesson plans were clearly going to have to change. As I began to come up with ideas for my new job, I was disappointed that most of the content I previously used had no place in the university. Games, such as Hangman and Pictionary, worked excellently in capturing the interests of my young students, but I didn’t think these childish games had any place in a university classroom. I found out weeks later how wrong I was when I used Pictionary at the beginning of one of my courses to ‘preview’ the vocabulary we would be covering in class that day. I discovered that day that games can support a lesson if the educator...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas We all know that exciting lessons make you learn things easier and faster. So how do we bring some life into the boring lesson? There are a lot of ways. Some teachers use songs and cartoons, which are great for kids. The others find class discussions and debates helpful. They are a good choice for older students. But what do all of us love? Of course, games! Both children and grown-ups enjoy playing games. They bring fun into the studying process and can be productive. Games can be used at every stage of the ESA lesson. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Oleh K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences A foreign language is a sector of linguistics that is region-based and as the name states are foreign to the country or the person. And this entails that language is part of the culture and personality of every person. As each language is unique and meaningful in its way and turn reflects the culture, values, and behavior. No region or country does not have its language, culture, and beliefs. Overall, when learning a foreign language you are learning not only linguistics but their religion, their way of interaction, their mode of transportation or their way of life. And in the world today, English is considered as the universal language of the world because of globalization and in turn is the generalized or...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas There are a variety of things a teacher can do in a classroom to successfully increase student participation, help learn new vocabulary, breaking the ice with the students, getting to know one another, and so much more. Looking at an ESA methodology model, the activate stage is the stage that usually involves students using any or all of the language they currently know. This is also the stage where the activities can vary from either doing role-plays, debates, story writing, and communication games. All of the activities that were just mentioned have their benefits when used in a classroom but we will be focusing specifically on communication games. There are so many games that can be played in a classroom such...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Second language acquisition is used to refer to any language other than the first language, so it refers to the acquisition of any language after the acquisition of the mother tongue. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Abdelkabir E. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. It functions as a recognized means of communication among members who speak some other language as their mother tongue. For example; English as a second language is learned in the United States and some countries in Africa. There are two types; the learner focuses on communication in naturalistic second language acquisition, In instructed second language...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences In this summative task, I'll describe the best thing I've learned from my TEFL/TESOL course. Firstly I would like to state that the lesson planning learning was the best part of this course for me. For this task, I will include the methods of planning that I have learned about in this course such as materials, songs and movement, and also a short lesson plan I have come up with myself. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Lorna A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The best part throughout this course I have learned how important lesson planning can be and how being organized and prepared for a lesson is. Disorganization can...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Being a teacher is an art that should be learned with a lot of patience, devotion and a great wish. It should embrace many years of constant self – development, training, willingness for knowledge, stable mind and character. It is an interesting profession that takes time and experience to achieve and accomplish. It is not only about finishing a degree in teaching, but it is also a psychological lifetime training. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Tatiana P. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. As a teacher, I can state that working with people is interesting and difficult at the same time, especially when it comes to teaching....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas We are living in a digital era, where technology is starting to become a very prominent existence in our world. It is something that surrounds us daily. With that being said, it is very hard to get away from technology. The only place you would get away from it would be school, but even then, it is starting to get more difficult. I see more and more technology being used in school nowadays. I feel that if we bring technology into the classroom in a safe manner, it will be very beneficial for the students. It will help them learn in ways we would not have been able to in the past while having fun. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Gina J. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas A highly motivated student is one who is goal-oriented, driven by passion and focused. He/she does things from the bottom of the heart. Motivation can be viewed as an internal impulse that brings us to complete an action. Without motivation, there is no action. Motivation is what moves or inspires the learner to achieve set objectives. It's the motor that drives the student to achieve pedagogical objectives. Hence it's an essential tool to equip students with, so that whatever they do it effectively and with perfection. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Owen G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Behavior can be a very close...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas “If you talk to a man in the language he understands, it goes to his head. If you talk to a man in his language, It goes to his heart.” This is an allusion to the effect of language to individuals especially when it has to do with eliciting emotions. One’s first language (L1) will always have a very big effect on how we react because it goes down to our innate desire to reach out. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Isiaka O. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Today, it is generally acknowledged that English has become native to so many countries even when those countries have other spoken languages. In 2015, there were 67...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching English as a second language is a very rewarding experience. It is very rewarding as a teacher to help and watch your students succeed in their lives. The teacher does have to be understanding of several things while teaching in the classroom. One of these things is cultural sensitivity. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nicholas S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Just as the United States has its own culture and cultural values, so does every other country in the world. It is crucially important that a teacher understands the culture of the students they are teaching, even if they are teaching English to students...  [Read more]

Federico Riva Alumni Experiences TEFL Reviews & TESOL Reviews For ITTT, our community of students and alumni is the most important to us. That’s why we’d love to share what our course grads have to say! This will not only have others make a better decision in whether TEFL/TESOL is for them, but it will also help the ITTT community grow bigger and stronger! The below answers were given from real ITTT alumni who have agreed to share their thoughts for our blog section. Sabrina Oliveira I am from and currently residing in Brazil. I took the course to be able to teach and live abroad. I thoroughly enjoyed learning new techniques and methods to help the students. My dream is to look for jobs in my country, then open my options...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Visa and Legal Destinations Work in China is very appealing for several reasons like traveling, good salary and working conditions. However, there are some pitfalls expats should know. If you desire to work in China as an ESL teacher, here are some things to take into consideration: visa status, passport country of issue, as well as age, education and experience. For more details about teaching in China, check out our "Step-By-Step Guide to Legally Teaching English in China"! Many people think that it is appropriate to arrive in China on a tourist or business visa and start working in a company. In fact, it is not. Any type of visa but the working one is considered to be illegal by the authorities. Police...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences In this essay, I will not only take a closer look at how to deal with difficult students and how to properly react to and solve challenging situations in the classroom but I will also highlight possible solutions outside the classroom. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Dennis S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. First of all, teachers need to be aware of cultural differences that might spark conflicts within the classroom. So it is vital to study the local culture in-depth and make sure one is familiar with the dos and don’ts of the particular society before starting to teach. This also includes gestures that may be normal...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore TEFL Information Teaching English as a Foreign Language, also known as TEFL certification, is widely used and accepted around the world and the training to become certified is highly diversified. TEFL can occur either typically within state school systems, privately at a language school, or with at tutor. Teachers usually are native English speakers; however this isn’t a requirement and there are many certified instructors whose native language isn’t English. Teachers who want to become certified must go through a teacher training course, also known as a TEFL or TESOL course. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Eric P. A few years ago, in-class TEFL certification courses were the only way to become a...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences British English (BrE) and American English (AmE) are two of the main varieties of the English language. There are other different varieties of English that exist such as Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, South Asian and African English. Although English was introduced to America through the colonization period by the British, the two varieties of English have evolved to be quite different from each other in certain areas. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Shanique H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. One of these areas is vocabulary, which is one of the most notable differences between the two varieties. For instance,...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences The best thing I have learned from my TEFL course is the ESA method. I discovered this method in Lesson 2 of our course which, for me, is one of the best and useful lessons in the whole course. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Horacio A. In my previous experience, I had learned most of the methodologies explained in Lesson 2, but I had never had the chance to know about this method before. ESA stands for Engage-Study-Activate, the three stages or phases of this method. This method was introduced in 1998 by Jeremy Harmer. It is the most dynamic and creative method, suitable to any level. It is an eclectic method, because it combines the best of previous methodologies used in language...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas A lesson plan is a working document that serves as a reference point for teaching. A lesson plan is also a record; it can be referred to in any future lesson by the teacher. It also serves as a guide for a teacher who is covering an absent teacher. It helps the teacher to know how to carry out the lesson. This means that a lesson plan has to be simple and clear for another teacher to understand. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Esther O. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. It is important to know the number of learners you will be teaching. It helps in planning how to pair or group learners in an activity. The planning for a large...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Behind every successful company or sports team, there is an efficient leader. One who is capable of executing the team’s goals and vision to the maximum capacity. A teacher is no different. A successful teacher is capable of elevating the performance of his or her students. In this summative task, I will discuss the different roles a teacher must perform and why they are essential to the job. 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 former profession, I was a successful manager of a defense contracting firm in Virginia (USA). In my role as a supply chain manager, I wore many...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The parent’s role in education is important because the root of the development of every human started in the family. It is important for our society that parents be the primary role models for their children because children can easily be inspired by what their parents do. When parents become involved in their children’s education, the teacher can focus more on the educational content, and teachers, parents, and students can work together to help the students to succeed. From birth to adulthood, education can come from a mixture of different sources of influence, such as family, school, church, neighborhood, and social media. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Pamphile Y. Please note...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Learning and teaching process requires awareness of types of intelligence and learning styles. Some people use a mnemonic device Method of loci, or memory palace, to recall information. This method is based on spatial memory to learn by heart names, numbers, or objects. Others may need to move or use the so-called Total Physical Response that helps them to start thinking. Every student is unique and uses different learning strategies. One of the reasons is the variety of intelligences. Multiple intelligences concept helps to develop the abilities of different students. For example, the focus is on children learning English as a foreign language. If a teacher wants to design diverse and interesting lessons,...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences There is a grander purpose of education in a society and a community. Education is the cornerstone of any social community or society. When you have the education you can understand and have a basis for political, religious, and economic points. Knowing is the basis of existence, remembering holds a legacy. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jessi H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The role of the teacher is to teach students how to think critically and objectively about the world around them, and to have an influence on the world around them. Another important role the teacher has is to teach the methods of learning so that...  [Read more]