I Don't Speak The Language

Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Firstly within your lessons do always use English as the language of instruction. You need to speak slowly and you need to reduce the amount of teacher talk time by using gesture and mime as often as possible. Do play games as often as possible but bear in mind that the games that we're suggesting here are interactive communicative games that have some educational purpose. Do try to make yourself aware of any problems that they do have, either within school or outside of school because they can affect the way that the students behave and interact with each other. Do try to change the dynamic of the classroom as often as possible and this can relate to the actual seating...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Many Chinese students face the common problem that although they spent 10 years studying English at school, they can't pronounce an English sentence correctly, and they are not confident enough to communicate in the language. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Mengru W. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Our students struggle to speak in English, they are good at writing and reading, but cannot speak, even though they studied the language from third to 12th grade. Most of the students also study English at a language center, but they still find it hard to completely reach the goal, even when they go to college, speaking English...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Grammar is not only about vocabulary and sentence structure but also can improve our communication and ability of logical thinking. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Meiheriayi M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Some people always ask a question that what is the point of learning grammar? Foreigners never learn grammar, but they speak better English than us when they travel abroad. Also nowadays, more and more young students go abroad to further their studies. Most of them worry that they can't understand what the teacher says or they can't communicate with foreigners. Listening and speaking are indeed very important, but you...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore TEFL Information The nomadic lifestyle is getting more and more appealing for many people wanting to escape the dry 9-to-5 trap back home. More and more people are packing their bags and heading off traveling around the world, making a living on the go. A great way to afford this lifestyle is teaching English, either online, at a physical school or to private students abroad. As this is getting increasingly popular, online English platforms, employers and English students are now expecting their teachers to be TEFL certified. But how do you find the time to study when on the road? Taking an online TEFL course might just be the answer to your problems! Here are 4 tips for getting your TEFL certificate on the road and for staying...  [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]

Gökhan Yilmaz Alumni Experiences After the coronavirus, schools all around the world started switching to online classes. Even before the pandemic, there were a lot of people already recognizing the benefits of the online classroom and when the corona crisis began, more people were convinced of the many benefits of learning online. The first reason I would like to mention is that online learning is incredibly flexible. Students are usually able to choose their own study times. Not only that but online learning also allows you to study at your own pace. This is extremely beneficial for students of different levels and with different needs. Comparing this with traditional schools, it's quite clear that online learning takes the lead here. Maybe at...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Teaching Ideas What are ice breakers and when and where do we use them? In this blog post, we will cover these issues and give actual examples of activities you can use with your classes. Icebreakers are games or activities that are designed to ‘break the ice’. Typically you would use these kinds of games or activities at the beginning of a new school year, when you have a new set of students, or a new class that you don't know and they don't know you. You also can use icebreakers to get your students going at the start of the lesson speaking in English and that's really important as you don't want to come into the classroom and say, “Open your books to page five” and then start studying....  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Here perhaps the first thing we should do is to make a distinction between the two main types of dictionary and that distinction is between the monolingual and the bilingual dictionary. In a monolingual dictionary you have a word and its associated meaning and those two are both described for example in English. So the word and the description of that word are both given in English. However, in a bilingual dictionary the word could be for example, given in English and the explanation given in Thai and vice versa. Firstly within the dictionary itself obviously we can get things like how words are spelled or the spelling of the word. We can also...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Good communication skills, I can say this is an important quality someone can be so educated but communication skill zero so the education can be useless. Communication skills like visual, nonverbal, verbal by using body language, speaking and so many more. The biggest part of the classroom is communication. Also explaining well if there are activities or assignments and also a good teacher through communication will know which student does not understand and will make an effort to talk to the student and help him or her individually. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Qiuyan G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. when you have...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences As we know English is a very important language, which is also very practical and helpful in our lives. If everyone in the world could speak the same language, it would be so convenient for us to communicate with each other, and we could go anywhere without worrying about communication barriers. Here are some of the benefits that I think English globalization brings to us. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ying S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I think that whether it's traveling abroad or reading English magazines at home, you will realize that knowing English language is so useful, even when you go to some Asian...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences In this blog post, we will consider a pre- TEFL interview checklist, so what's really important for you to organize before you do the actual online interview? Every interview is a unique experience so here we offer general advice only. First and foremost you should find a quiet and well-lit spot. Regardless of the time of the interview (day or night) most interviews are via Skype (or similar platforms) so you will be in your home country, at home. You need to make sure that you are in a quiet and well-lit spot in your house, so that the picture and sound quality is great. If you don't have a well-lit place in your house you could buy one of those ring lights for example, they're...  [Read more]

Federico Riva Alumni Experiences Do you know what is the largest language by several speakers in the world? Yes, it is, in fact, English, so according to wikipedia.org, over 2 billion people speak English(1), now that statistic might have sounded huge but the real fact is that nowadays, since we live and depend on global economy, almost every country in the world is worried by the fact their people can’t speak English, this is basically because almost every country makes business with the United States. Now, based on that fact, a lot of foreign Governments are implementing English teaching methods in public schools from the early stages of the study. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Alex D. Please note that this blog...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Teaching Ideas Student feedback and correction are an integral part of our teaching methodology. In this blog post, we introduce some general concepts. Many teachers either neglect giving appropriate feedback or they are not sure how to do so. In this blog I'm going to share some opinions and some data so that you can think about it and maybe implement some strategies of giving effective feedback. Our students actually need it and the whole learning process is aimed at getting some feedback. When you start thinking about your feedback and thinking about the whole concept of giving feedback you have to consider what effective feedback actually is. In general, is it correcting all students’...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences Vocabulary has a direct impact on written and spoken language comprehension. All students come to school with differences in their vocabulary knowledge, and part of teaching them how to be successful in English is to teach them vocabulary. Vocabulary development plays a critical role in helping English language learners increase their ability to communicate in the receptive and expressive domains in English. This is why vocabulary must be explicitly and systematically taught. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Gina A. Research suggests the following three big ideas about teaching and learning new words: Also read: 4 Super Easy Tips for Teaching Vocabulary to Young Learners There are two main...  [Read more]

Kavinna Batra Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas English is a fun language to learn; however, it can even throw off the most professional learner with complex spelling rules and difficult grammar. Learning English quickly could seem difficult, even though it is considered to be accessible and reasonably easy for many to learn. I'm here to tell you that as long as you have the right plan, you can learn English quickly and easily. If you start to feel like you're not making ground, which at some stage happens to all learners, don't say, "I don't speak English," or "I'm never going to get this." Honestly, ban those words from your vocabulary! They just blur your comprehension of the progress you are making and remind you that it is...  [Read more]

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Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Panama is a small country located in Central America with few people, but a bold culture and unique historical background. It is most notoriously known for the Panama Canal, which was controlled by the United States until quite recently. Naturally, because of the USA’s role in Panama, one would presume there are many English speaking citizens in the country. However, there is a large number of Panamanians who never had the privilege of being able to speak another language due to a wide variety of factors embedded in Panamanian society. Contrasting division of social and economic class, tough labor, and the mark the USA left on the country, are three of the biggest factors that cause problems for English...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Pronunciation problems in El Salvador is very common, as many know Spanish is the main Language in this country, people in El Salvador tend to speak their native Language all the time because this is what they feel more comfortable with, as there is not any other dialect, other than Spanish, they are taught English in school, English Is the only language taught in El Salvador in public schools, but only for those that can attend one, this is because there are many people that can't attend a school due to economic matter, family problems or due to the work that is done in their household many don't have time to study and there are kids that can't attend school because they have to work, but there are many that...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching beginner students is a very challenging task for anyone. Personally, I have always found teaching English to beginners as a tough prospect, whether it is monolingual group and you know nothing of their language or it’s a multilingual group and the only common language is English. However, with some work and knowledge, everything is possible to teach beginners the English language. And I believe this is one of the most rewarding to teach. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Melinda K. The question now is How to teach English to beginner students? Here are the basic tips and techniques. In making instructions clear and simple, don’t use or say ten words if you can say or use only...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Here we consider some of the things you should do and some you should not do within the Business English setting. Firstly you are not going to know everything about their particular business and you could actually use your ignorance of that to your advantage. For example if you're teaching a group of banking employees you may not know about some vocabulary of their particular areas of work. When they're using terms that are used within the banking system then you can say, “I'm sorry I don't understand, can you explain that to me?”, so they're actually getting more language practice using the terms within their role. Secondly it's very useful...  [Read more]

Anna Bondar Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas I’ve had to attend numerous meetings throughout my career, and it wasn’t always a pleasant experience. I’d often get bored, start looking around or doodling. Today, I want to discuss which meetings are the best to attend to ensure one’s personal growth, development, and usefulness. Each educational institution or organization has staff meetings approximately once a week. Some even have it 2-3 times a week, which is a bit excessive, in my personal opinion. Educators need time to reflect, analyze and act upon the received information, so, therefore, three times a week can take some valuable working time. Let’s break down the most common ones. In most instances, one will be...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas When I started teaching English, I've always experienced imposter syndrome because my major was Linguistics. I had no idea about teaching itself, although I knew a lot about how the language works. To change this situation, I've started working on my teaching skills to build a successful ESL teaching career. In this blog post, I want to share five ways to start ESL teaching career development that helped begin my English teaching career, even though I had no degree in education. As I've already mentioned, I studied linguistics in university and was quite advanced in English when I graduated. Right after that, I jumped at the opportunity to...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas There is nothing comfortable than being in your comfort zone, especially when speaking your language (native language). The feeling that comes with it, how you pronounce words, the use of jokes and proverbs, idioms, and other slang within it, no one can take that joy or even compensate it because it naturally comes from within. It makes you feel safe at home and confident even when speaking about topics that you have never seen or heard before simply because your brain is already rich with enough vocabulary. So it allows you to navigate, swim and tackle the issues from all possible angles. As the world is changing and experiencing different...  [Read more]

Charlotte Lam Destinations TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Are you considering teaching in Hong Kong as a native English teacher (NET)? If yes, do you know who you are going to work with? Here are some ways you can effectively prepare yourself and collaborate with the local teachers in school. Most of the teachers are local in Hong Kong kindergarten. Therefore, you are very likely to partner and work with a local class teacher. As a new teacher in school, it's absolutely important to listen to your local partners because each school has its own culture and working style. Therefore, take some time to observe other teachers when you are at work. It helps to observe a lot on classroom management strategies...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Setting a solid foundation for any learner is crucial. There are many different factors to consider. The students' age, culture, religion, learning abilities, and difficulties are capable of reading and writing in the Roman alphabet. This is only looking at the learning as an individual. When you have a group of learners, you need to consider things such as the class dynamic, personality clashes, quiet vs. loud, making sure all students are comfortable. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Megan H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. When setting up a good foundation for students, you may only...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Online teaching has much in common with teaching in a traditional classroom. There are however some fundamental differences, particularly in class make-up and the use of equipment. By considering a number of “Frequently asked questions”, we will look at some of these issues. In this blog post, we will consider four questions that are the most asked questions about teaching online, for those who are just starting out and who don't really have a lot of experience about the topic. Online teaching involves either, one-to-one or group lessons. Most of the time you only teach one-on-one, with one student, but there are also platforms where group...  [Read more]

Jon ITTT Alumni Experiences As a kindergarten teacher working in China I have a lot of experience dealing with students, fellow teachers; Chinese and foreign, management and parents. A few years ago I came to China to learn Chinese. To pay for my living expenses I started teaching young learners. Pretty soon I got a full-time job in a kindergarten and I fell in love with the work and I decided to stay in China and keep teaching. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Paul E. One of the first problems I faced was of course the language barrier. In the schools I’ve worked at so far not many people speak English; especially the schools’ management. It’s always quite a task to find out what is expected of you. In China don’t...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Communication is essential for everyday life activities. It's impossible not to communicate. Even when you don't speak a word, you communicate. That's because communication represents the way we express put thoughts, our ideas, and our opinions. It is as much about effective listening and reading as it is about speaking and writing. Communication is built on these four important skills which are divided into Productive Skills (speaking and writing) and Receptive Skills (reading and listening). This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Valentina D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Of the four skills, speaking is the most important but...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas This year has been challenging for all educators due to quarantine and long-term distance learning. However, it is vital to work on online teaching skills to enhance your students’ online ESL experience. In this blog post, I will share three exciting online ESL teaching ideas that you need to try by the end of this year to help your students learn English with pleasure, even remotely. Although online lessons take place on video chats, there’s still a visible barrier that decreases work effectiveness. To make it more interactive and grab your students' attention non-stop, try a collaborative workspace or an online whiteboard to provide...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Budget and Salary TEFL Information Do you want to live abroad and experience a new culture? Studying abroad is a wonderful opportunity for university students to do just that - but it’s not the only way! Many students are eager to head overseas to study at a foreign university because they think if they don’t they will miss out and never have another chance of living in a foreign country. This is simply not true. The worldwide demand for qualified English teachers is through the roof giving everyone who wants to teach abroad the opportunity to find a position. Here are 5 reasons why teaching abroad is better than studying abroad. It’s no secret that student debt is an incredibly heavy burden for a lot of...  [Read more]