How To Teach Conversational English

  In her ITTT TEFL review video Kelly talks about how she found the four week in-class TEFL/TESOL course both challenging and rewarding. She speaks about how the course gave her the opportunity to teach the local students while being observed by qualified trainers who provided valuable feedback after each teaching session. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching. This convenient, highly structured design means that you can quickly get to grips with each section before moving onto the next. A good lesson that puts rules around conditional and reported speech that is part of normal...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas My friends and I live in a predominantly Indian neighborhood in a suburban Midwest town in the United States. Most of our neighbors are Indian nationals who are in the US temporarily on corporate-sponsored work visas, families where one or both parents work outside the home during the day while their children attend local American public schools. One of my friends, a high school math teacher, was asked by her neighbor to tutor two elementary school-aged children in English, her son in first grade, and her daughter in third grade. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rob Q. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Teaming up to help one...  [Read more]

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 ESL students will receive many formal grammar lessons that will give them a good grounding in proper English sentence structures, when to use who and whom, various verb tenses, the importance of noun-verb agreement and proper punctuation—and much more. Proper grammar will give them a thorough understanding of the elements of grammar and equip them to navigate through formal English-language communication, such as business letters and reports, meetings, emails to clients, and formal assignments in English classes. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Brenda Q. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. But I believe we have a...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Doneika D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I am currently an English teacher living in Japan. I teach both Elementary and Junior High School English Language. Japan’s government allows the students to start learning English sometimes as early as Kindergarten. Most Elementary schools have a designated ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) that possesses a native level of English. Even though English is a compulsory subject in Japanese Junior High and High Schools, these students struggle with achieving even daily conversational English. In this summative task, I would like to highlight the two...  [Read more]

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1. Introduction 2. Teaching English in Costa Rica 3. Requirements for Teaching English in Costa Rica 4. Benefits of Teaching English in Costa Rica Costa Rica, known for its stunning natural beauty and friendly locals, is also a great destination for teaching English as a second language. In this guide, we will explore the ESL opportunities available in Costa Rica and how ITTT (International TEFL and TESOL Training) can help you kickstart your teaching career in this vibrant country. Teaching English in Costa Rica can be a rewarding experience for those looking to immerse themselves in a new culture while making a positive impact on the local community. With a growing demand for English language skills in the job market, there are ample opportunities for ESL teachers in language schools,...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas When I was a university student, my roommate was from Busan, South Korea. I loved spending time with him. We became incredibly close friends, and I also became close to the other students who came through the same foreign exchange program as he did. I helped them learn English regularly, checking and proofreading essays and explaining phrases to them. They left the United States after one semester, but they had already introduced me to other Korean students who would be there for two more years. I enjoyed learning about their culture and the cultural differences that we had. I also learned a lot about the obstacles that my friends faced in learning English, and worked to help them overcome those obstacles. This...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas To begin with, receptive skills that are, reading and listening are important points in any language. Teachers need to be able to use them in their lessons to have a balanced approach when teaching. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate NCHANJI N. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. We read to achieve a purpose that is, to gain knowledge, and attain our aspirations and ambitions. For example, reading instructions for our new smart TV and following instructions. More often than not, we listen to or read the information because we find it pleasurable or enjoyable in some way. For example, reading a novel or listening to music. We may...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Learning the English language during adult years is a specific process when a student has reached a certain age, got some kind of profession (occupation), and decided for some specific reasons to learn (improve) English language. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Dinara Y. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. For example, the first category of students I came across decided to learn the English language and attend lessons because they needed to pass a governmental exam (YDS English), which could provide public officers with certain advantages such as promotion, salary bonuses and /or appointment abroad. The second category of...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The use of reading in the course of language acquisition is valuable and often underrated. Before undertaking a detailed explanation, I will first offer a general example to demonstrate the problem of teaching without it. Imagine you are teaching the word “ball” to an older student. You could ask them to say “ball, ball, ball” in a drilling manner. This can be inefficient and above all, boring for the student. But suppose that you do teach it enjoyably. How many words might they learn? This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Peter C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. For most teachers, they will give one or sometimes two...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Practicing conversational skills is often daunting for students. However, with these awesome activities, you’ll engage your students in speaking quicker as they will like the tasks. Jenga is a favorite stack game to millions of people. Your students will get excited as soon as they see the blocks. For this activity, you need to customize the blocks a bit by writing 1 ice-breaking question on each piece. Students need to pull a block and answer the question before putting it on the top of the stack. You can adjust this game to online classes by using online Jenga. Also Read: Can I teach English as a foreign language online? Before the lesson, brainstorm as many personal characteristics as possible (e.g.: have a...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Through my experience teaching in both a classroom setting and in a less formal setting, for example, teaching swim lessons, I have noticed that age affects how you are teaching materials. Using the swim lessons example, teaching a five-year-old how to swim will be much different from teaching an adult how to swim. You will use different techniques and be required to have a different approach. This is the same as teaching English as a Second Language. Teaching children a foreign language and teaching adults a foreign language will require different skills and energy. Throughout one's teaching career, teachers will likely have to balance between teaching children and teaching adults. Throughout this essay, I will...  [Read more]

Are you looking to enhance your English language skills from the comfort of your own home? Look no further! ITTT (International TEFL and TESOL Training) offers a wide range of ESL online resources for self-study, designed to help you improve your English language proficiency at your own pace. Whether you are a beginner looking to build a strong foundation or an advanced learner aiming to refine your language skills, our online resources have something for everyone. 1. Introduction to ITTT 2. Benefits of ESL Online Resources for Self-Study 3. ESL Online Resources Offered by ITTT 4. How to Get Started ITTT is a leading provider of TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification courses worldwide. With over 20 years of...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences At one time, in my role as a Speech Pathologist, I taught Foreign Accent Reduction. In assessing and treating individuals with a foreign accent I soon came to realize that the “culprit” interfering with communication was not so much the foreign accent (unless it was phenomenally strong) but rather the limited and poor grammar and vocabulary demonstrated. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Fay B. Over the past several years, in the acute care medical setting within which I work, this belief has been reinforced. Customer satisfaction surveys returned by recently discharged medical patients reveal that one area of discontent in received hospital care has to do with the difficulty...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences When you think of a TEFL teacher you immediately expect it to be a native speaker, but I think it will be surprisingly interesting to have a non-native speaker as a teacher. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Reem A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. English is not their first language so in order to become fluent they would have had to go through the process of learning the language. This means that they have done the exact same thing their students are doing. They will understand how the students are feeling, what problems they may be having and how to keep them interested and motivated to learn. Having a non-native speaker...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Today studying English is one of the most important and prospective goals of the modern world. The age of students has changed and parents are trying to start their children learning a foreign language as early as possible. Preschool-aged children are the most favorable for this activity. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Olga O. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Early education develops the psychological function of the child, meets their intellectual needs, creates a great opportunity to generate interest in the linguistic and cultural diversity of the world; respect for languages and cultures of other peoples. Passion,...  [Read more]

Anastasiia Ovchinnikova TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Two months ago, I closed my laptop after a one-hour defense over Zoom of my MA dissertation from the University of Barcelona on mobile-assisted language learning in front of the most highly cited researchers in the field of Applied Linguistics. It was very satisfying and rewarding to know that everything I had done before directly led me to that point. In this article, I am going to elaborate on the following topics that helped me to get into the competitive program in Applied Linguistics: Learning the English language has always been key to my personal development. When I was 15, due to my English level, I won the FLEX grant program...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Business English is considered a specific subset of international English. Business English focuses on studying English vocabulary and topics that can be applied to business purposes such as trade, finance, and even international relations. English in the workplace often requires a specific subset of skills such as presentations, negotiations, and professional correspondence that are typically not covered in general English courses. As the amount of business English learners grows, there is an increasing need to understand how business English differs from general English and what strategies are effective for teaching business English. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Kush M. Please note...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Slang and idioms are an important part of every language and should be taught to ESL students. Colloquialisms are used in daily conversational English, and teaching them to students increases the efficiency of communication and fluency. They also are used in cultural items as well, such as movies, books, and music. Teaching slang and idioms may also prevent misunderstandings between people. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Vania J. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. While slang and idioms may seem inappropriate to teach students, it makes for better communication. Native English speakers use slang and idioms such as "break a leg"...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas In the current world, we live in being able to communicate is a massive factor in the making of one's career success. English is an internationally recognized standard for communication at the workplace. There are many reasons why we should learn English. There are many reasons why being able to communicate effectively and clearly in English can affect a student's future career. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Anwar A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Firstly, when you speak English, whether as a first or second language you're able to look for job opportunities around the world, which will dramatically increase the size of...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching techniques are a crucial aspect within the classroom and encompass all the different ways to take important information that a learner requires in understanding a specific topic and projecting it across a classroom/skype in a way that all the learners will listen, comprehend and apply. Teaching techniques come in many different forms. They can be in the form of simplistic games or the form of choral repetition. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Brendan S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Different teaching techniques target different and specific areas of the subject and in the case of a TEFL teacher, the teaching...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences As a speaker of 5 languages (French being my native one), I’ve been exposed to different ways of teaching how one particular language sounds and why it sounds that way, what kind of meaning is conveyed using what sounds in what order, and so on. Quite often, I’ve noticed that in the school system, not enough emphasis is put on studying the sounds that pertain to the language itself. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Luca D. When learning English in a French-speaking country, the main goal for the teachers and the students alike is generally “to be understood” by the English-speaking person one is having a conversation with. Almost no importance is given to pronouncing the...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Teaching English abroad is a career more popular than ever. However, with so many options and resources about TEFL available online, there is a lot of false information out there. This post uncovers the seven most common misconceptions about TEFL and clears up any confusion! Wrong! While a degree is necessary to secure a work visa in some countries, there are plenty of countries where it’s not necessary to possess a degree. If you are a native English speaker and have a TEFL certificate, you still have a lot of options on where to teach even without a degree. South American countries like Argentina, Ecuador or Peru, as well as places in Asia like Cambodia or Russia, are perfect to teach English without a degree....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I am a South African who has worked in South Korea for more than eight years and one of the most important tools as an ESL teacher from a whole different nationality and culture has been the knowledge and awareness of cultural sensitivity in the classroom. When I meet a new ESL teacher and they ask me for advice this is usually the first thing I recommend: become an expert in the culture. It helps you meet the needs of your students and it creates a comfortable environment in which your students want to learn. In this essay we will look at what is culture, strategies for culture learning and how to assess your level of cultural competence. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Amy B. Please note...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Motivation is perceived to be one of the key factors of any success story we know of today. It implies hope and a desire to act upon a task that may not look so appealing to us, on the contrary, motivation is usually needed when we face challenges. Whether it’s trying to climb a career ladder, get rid of bad unhealthy habits or even force yourself to go to the gym a certain amount of times per week. All these activities require a tremendous level of motivation and the desire to act upon it in the first place. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Vadym L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. For example, studying a new language is no...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences One of the main things to keep in mind at all times as a TEFL teacher is the concept of cultural sensitivity. As a TEFL teacher, many possible scenarios may come up as culturally inappropriate for the country that one may be teaching in at the time. It is important to develop a thorough understanding of how to prepare oneself beforehand as well as the importance behind that understanding of the difference in cultural beliefs and norms. There are many benefits to showing an attitude of acceptance and respect for the cultures. This issue needs to be addressed from all angles to secure a healthy relationship with the students. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Zahra A. Please note that this...  [Read more]

Federico Riva 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. Mark Durston 120-hour TEFL/TESOL Course and 50-hour Teaching English to Young Learners Course I enjoyed the Parts of Speech, Coursebooks and lesson materials, and the receptive and productive skills the most. The fact that TEFL put me in touch with so many online resources was an invaluable...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences I was born in the United States in a big Italian family, where Italian customs and tradition played a key role and influence in my upbringing. My Mom and Dad were travelers of a different kind and would take many hiatus to exotic lands in far off places, leaving us children behind. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rosella P. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. However, one year when I was just a little girl, my parents decided it was time to take the entire family on an 8 months travel excursion throughout all of Europe. On our travels, we were introduced to many different cultures and experiences that ultimately changed the...  [Read more]

Kimberley Dale Visa and Legal TEFL Information We often get asked what the secret to acing a TEFL application is. Is it the initial screening or the interview that is more important? We generally say both! Each step is important, but the CV stage is what gets you to the interview stage – so that is the first thing you should focus on in your application. Here are a few pointers for setting up a killer CV for your TEFL application: We know more often than not that spelling errors are exactly that: mistakes – but you have to think of it from the schools’ point of view. They have never met you before and they are hiring you for an English teaching position. So, a few spelling errors or grammar errors may give them reason to...  [Read more]