How To Teach Someone English

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas A classroom is a place where most individuals engage in attaining new information and interacting with others for a particular purpose. Stress, one of the major causes of various illnesses, can arise from both the teacher and the students within the classroom. Often times, when the stress level rises, the level of interest in the task ahead is usually reduced and the task remains undone or the individual simply quits. This end result can, however, be avoided as the purpose for learning in to eventually gain a greater understanding of the information being taught. The essay will, therefore, focus on ways to overcome stressful situations in a classroom. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas In our everyday life we try to teach someone something, as in life we use different methods to explain something to someone, it is the same for a teacher. We spend every day as teachers and learners. We don't have to be students to learn and we don't have to be teachers to teach. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Medha R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The source of learning doesn't have to be one human giving a lesson to another; it can be something new we learned from a book, the internet, a newspaper, etc. However, we owe it to another human being that we have within us the capacity to teach, it can vary from a life skill...  [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]

  http://www.teflonline.net In this TEFL training video we look at one of three teaching ideas for the present continuous tense. English grammar lessons like this are taught on a regular basis and ITTT's TEFL training courses can show you how to use these activities to your advantage in the classroom. /// -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Are you ready to Teach English Abroad? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pcXD_GNR04 -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- 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. ...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Cultural sensitivity is important to bear in mind as we all face situations daily: whether in our working environment or on a personal level. Within the Western English speaking world, we can see that there is the presence of a dominant culture (such as European American, or Western Culture) and a secondary culture (such as African, Chinese, or Eastern European culture). It is always important to bear in mind that while the English language may be widespread over the globe, the differences in culture even between people living within the same country has a profound effect on how interactions take place. In the environment of the classroom, the same examples can be seen. Whether the students are of the same age...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences We must up our game as ESL teachers in the 21st century – both figuratively and literally. I use games to engage students and promote learning in my classroom for a wide range of learning objectives. Below is a short list of icebreaker games that I regularly use in my classroom, and I will discuss the learning target(s) that each game aims to facilitate and deliver as well as the context in which the game is used. Since I work with high school age and adult students, the games are geared for English Language Learners in these age groups. As learning communities become more globalized and data give more information on how people learn, one major challenge I find with gamifying learning in the ESL classroom is...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas 'One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is necessary raw material, but warmth is vital for the growing plant and the child's soul. Carl Jung This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Anamaria P. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Teachers are a never-ending source of experience. They have already gone through all the difficulties that their students are going through, undergone what they will go through, and can pass along lessons regarding subject matters and studies on...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Although students may be in the same class, they may not necessarily have the same ability level. This can be seen in all classes; however, this can become very noticeable in a class designed to teach a language to someone who is not a native speaker. It is up to the teacher to notice these differences in ability levels and restructure their lessons accordingly. There are a few different strategies that will help with gaps in ability levels, which consist of the use of different materials, providing the same materials with a different task, paring weak and strong students together, and even doing nothing. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Brook S. Please note that this blog post might not...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Many non-native English speaking countries only require teachers to have a bachelor's degree, and it can be in any field. It can be a degree in anything at all, thus not having prepared the future teacher for their new job and life. Some other countries don't require a bachelor's degree at all. With the rise in demand for learning English as a second language has come the increased relevance and need for courses such as TEFL. I'm an example of someone who had no background in teaching, and I also didn't take a course before I dove in. I had to "fake it till I made it" and looking back, that was unfair to the students. Even if I wasn't breaking any laws and I was doing everything I could to do a good job, I could...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences “Why should I bother to complete a TEFL course?” is a question I personally had asked many times and a question I have heard many others inquire about. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Crystal N. Since there are programs that allow individuals to teach English in a foreign country without TEFL or TESOL certifications, many see it as a waste of time. I will be honest and say that I was one of those people. I am current teaching in Japan through the JET program and prior to getting this job I didn’t think it was necessary for me to take a TEFL course. But along the way I realized that maybe it would be more beneficial than I thought. Now that I...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I would start by saying that talking about my own experience either as a learner or a teacher it is really important to love what you are doing. As a student, I like a teacher that may help me not understand the subject but also be so interested that I would start doing research and learn more about the topic. We as teachers have a lot of responsibility, we can make the difference between someone who has to learn the language only because of her or his parents told them to learn a foreign way to communicate with people from other places. I want to go further and make them fall in love with this language. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Arturo G. Please note that this blog post might not...  [Read more]

  http://www.teflcourse.net In this video the teacher trainer looks at how the future perfect is formed. This is as follows: Positive: Subject + will + have + past participle I will have qualified to teach English abroad by the end of the month. Negative: Subject + will + not + have + past participle I will not (won't) have started teaching before you arrive. Question: Will + subject + have + past participle? Will you have found somewhere to live by then? The future perfect, along with other tenses, is covered in more detail in ITTT's online TEFL courses. There are many opportunities to teach English abroad at the moment and with the rise of English as a global language these opportunities will increase. However, while it used to be the case that anyone who was a native speaker...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas A lot can be said about the connections teachers make when coming face to face with their students for the first time. Eye contact and smiles are tools teachers should use to immediately create a welcoming environment. There is nothing better to put a nervous child at ease, especially when spoken words are not an option. Can these same tools be effective through a computer screen? Can a child, half a world away, learn from a stranger they can’t understand? Is it possible to convey warmth and a desire to teach through a screen? Is it possible to teach a language? This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Stacey S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or...  [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]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences More and more persons enjoy traveling and even make it their lifetime hobby! More young couples and families are hungry to discover new cultures and love meeting like-minded people. Sometimes mature individuals, who find themselves in different circumstances, either by choice or not, are looking for a change and wish to learn a new skill that would give them something worthwhile to do on their travels. These are only just a few reasons why someone would want to complete a TEFL course. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Genoveve C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. For me personally, completing a TEFL course will give me the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Learning a new skill can be difficult, and applying that skill can be even harder. Now teach that skill to someone else so they can adeptly apply it, and there might be people who become intimidated by such a task. However, teaching is a rewarding skill and there are several ways to improve a teacher’s confidence in the classroom. Although not an all-encompassing list, a few ways teachers can improve their confidence is through proper preparation, building rapport with students and self-reflection. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Courtney N. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. If a teacher is prepared to teach the lesson then...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences For the longest time, people have separated teaching English from linguistics, which tends to include all their subcategories. However, phonetics, in particular, plays an incredibly integral part of the teaching of the English language. Why is an understanding of phonetics important in aiding the teaching pronunciation, articulation, and intonation? Being able to demonstrate how one changes the shape of their mouth, or the placement of their tongue can be the difference between someone speaking correct English and sounding as close as possible to a native speaker. Without at least a basic knowledge of this concept, how can we as teachers properly explain and display the way our language sounds in comparison...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas When teaching English as a foreign language in a country where the native language is not English, it is easy to assume there are going to be some cultural differences between you and the students. The differences could be as little as what you eat for breakfast and which hand you pass things to someone with, or they could be as large as how you address someone and what you are allowed to talk about in public society. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Shana H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Part of learning a language is learning the slang that goes with a particular language. When I say slang, I do not just mean the words...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas There are a myriad of ways to talk about the future in English, so it’s important to have a variety of activities for students to practice what you’ve taught them. Here we’re going to focus on various usages for future simple and describe some fun teaching ideas that match them. One of the most common ways we use future simple in our day to day lives is to make spontaneous or unplanned decisions. For example, when choosing food from a menu, (I’ll have the fish please), or if you have to make a change of plan (a friend calls to say they can’t pick you up to go out and you might say “It’s ok, I’ll take a taxi”). A fun way to practice this is to have card prompts with scenarios on, and have a game of...  [Read more]

  There is often much confusion surrounding these acronyms but essentially they mean the same thing. TEFL = Teaching English as a Foreign Language TESOL = Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages The above are generally used interchangeably, however, TEFL is most commonly used within the UK and TESOL is usually preferred in Australia and the USA. Although some countries may favor one acronym over the other, it is important to remember that a TEFL certification and a Tesol Certification are exactly the same thing as the training involved is identical. Although TEFL and TESOL training courses are identical and the acronyms are generally used interchangeably, there is a technical difference between the two. The general perception is that speakers of English as a foreign...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Good day, today I want to talk about syllabus design. During 3 years of intensive teaching experience in China. I noticed that all students have different behavior and activity in the classroom. At first, I associated it with different climates in families. But many children who were bad in some of the activities have good families. I want to remind you that I work with the first group of young learners. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Aleksandr R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Problems were observed the following characters: the inability to draw elementary objects, difficulties with concentration, perseverance, someone...  [Read more]

Jon ITTT Destinations As a TEFL teacher it is important to make sure you have a good understanding of the language point you are teaching. It is equally important to have a good understanding of the country and culture you intend to teach in. While many aspects of behavior and etiquette may seem quite similar, each country has its own particular quirks that should be understood by a TEFL teacher. In this post I look at some important aspects of etiquette in different countries in Europe that any TEFL certification graduate should keep in mind. Each country has different attitudes which govern what is rude and what is not. Good posture is important in Switzerland so you should avoid slouching. Habits such as chewing gum and cleaning fingernails...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences There are many reasons why a person might be interested in becoming TEFL certified. Initially, I only really had one reason, is that it’d be an interesting way to start my career as a teacher and would determine if this was something I wanted to do with a big portion of my life. One of my major life goals is revamping the American education system and making it more efficient, especially on the public-school level. I’ve learned a decent amount about how education is handled in several countries outside of America and while no system is perfect, there are things we could be doing better. By finding a TEFL job in another country I’d be able to gain experience as a teacher as well as study teaching methods...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences The following blog post is about an ITTT graduate who shares his story on how learning Chinese helped him to become a better English teacher in China. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Joseph S. A common saying imparted to me by one of my professors goes like this: "What do you call someone who speaks three languages? Trilingual. What do you call someone who speaks two languages? Bilingual. What do you call someone who speaks only one language? American." I have found this to be extremely true for the majority of cases, and, as a young student, it spurred me to want to learn as much of other languages as I possibly could. I grew up in a monolingual home, however, as a child, I spent much of...  [Read more]

  In this video Linda discusses the difference between two words that are often confused: "borrow" and "lend". Because the two words have similar meanings it makes it hard to identify the correct word, especially for non-native speakers. The difference is solely down to perspective. "Borrow" is a verb that means to receive something from someone with the expectation that you will return it to them. While "lend" is also a verb, it means to give something to someone with the expectation that they will give it back to you. Therefore, you need to make sure you use the right word depending on the perspective. 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...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas As a teacher, we often find ourselves daunted with the task of capturing our students’ interests and also equipping them for the future. Not only do we seek to train better students, but we also want to produce better citizens, workers, and future teachers. Teaching is still held the same purpose throughout all these years: bettering our future through the lives of our students. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Madison R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Although our methods need to continually be more thought-provoking, entertaining and motivating, our objective has not changed. We need to incorporate storytelling into...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching English as a foreign language may seem easy when English is your native language or even when it is the language that you’ve used most of your life. Therefore some may assume that a teaching certificate is not necessary because how hard can it be to teach your language? But knowledge of the language alone is not enough to successfully teach a class. Do you know how to plan a lesson for young learners? Do you know the most effective method for teaching drilling? Do you know the difference between teaching business English and teaching English for elementary students? All of these questions can only be answered once you’ve taken a Teaching English as a Foreign Language course. Not only will you acquire...  [Read more]

  Brian took the 120-hour online TEFL course from ITTT so he could teach English abroad. In this TEFL review he tells us that as well as the many topics covered by the course he appreciated the flexibility that allowed him to complete it at his own pace. 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. This lesson by far is the most difficult, obviously it takes time to comprehend and store all the tenses. It is somewhat more difficult I would say for someone...  [Read more]

Amanda Stern Alumni Experiences Globalization has been changing our world. Once foreign cultures have become more and more familiar, and some even hit the global mainstream, such as Bollywood film and the recent wave of K-pop. One thing aiding in bridging this gap would be the rise of interest in bilingualism and multilingualism. Many children are in education systems where a second language is mandatory to study from a young age. For example, In Canada, my home country, French is taught in the Anglophone provinces from grade 4 (about 10 years of age). In Japan, my current address, the English curriculum is changing, and now students will begin learning from 三年生 sannensei, about 9 years of age. Of course, many more curriculums of multitudes...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas In my life, I had the opportunity to work in several different jobs. I use to work as a physical education teacher, swimming coach for kids, fitness instructor, supplement salesman, and many other roles. In all those jobs and also in personal relationships establishing and building rapport was from the critical importance, and being an English language teacher and establishing rapport with the students is no different. The answer is simple. If someone likes us, respects us and trusts us they are more likely to be motivated to do what we are asking them to do. In teaching English that would mean that they will be motivated to come to our class, they will feel comfortable with us as their teachers, they will pay...  [Read more]