Learner Oriented Teaching

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) involves dynamic, cross-cultural English language instruction, requiring a level of intentional, service-oriented cultural sensitivity and awareness with new English learners that may not be so readily understood or relevant with native speakers from the United States of America. Beyond the memorization of rote grammar, language proficiency, public speaking, reading comprehension, and other elements of linguistic aptitude, there must first be a deliberate recognition of the unique challenges of a non-native speaker of the English language. While our units do not suggest that instructors allow learners to speak in their native tongue regularly, its use does not...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) involves dynamic, cross-cultural English language instruction, requiring a level of intentional, service-oriented cultural sensitivity and awareness with new English learners that may not be so readily understood or relevant with native speakers from the United States of America. Beyond the memorization of rote grammar, language proficiency, public speaking, reading comprehension, and other elements of linguistic aptitude, there must first be a deliberate recognition of the unique challenges of a non-native speaker of the English language. While our units do not suggest that instructors allow learners to speak in their native tongue regularly, its use does not...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences I began my TEFL/TESOL experience not having had any prior teaching experience. Therefore, teaching was something that I was learning step-by-step, reading the units and using Internet resources for additional examples when needed. Even though there is no straightforward answer to this question, the ITTT course taught me that being a teacher is so much more than just transferring knowledge to someone else. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Sofija A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. It helped me pave my path of self-discovery as a teacher. There were many areas in which I felt I was strong in theory but lacked the practice....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences With English being one of the most widely used languages in the world, many individuals are learning English in China. The learners include children, businessmen, etc. Although the learners have their own reasons for studying English, there are three main problems that the Chinese learners face while trying to learn English. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ning G. The first issue is that learners pay too much attention to memorizing a new vocabulary while ignoring the phonetic symbols. In China, memorizing English words is the ‘standard ’approach to learning English. However, this learning approach is not a comprehensive technique for learning English. In the memorization-oriented...  [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 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]

Jon ITTT Alumni Experiences Learning is something essential in anyone's life, not only as a human being but as a species. As humans we start learning about everything in our environment the moment we come into this world and this experience of learning proceeds with us throughout our lives till the moment we leave this world. The more we learn the more knowledge we accumulate, which will help us, as individuals or societies, to improve our lives in every way possible as long as we use this knowledge that we have learned and apply it correctly in our daily lives. It is evident that learning happens through communication and interaction between an individual and his/her environment and the main tool for interaction and communication for humans is...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Age is one of the most decisive factors in language learning. The first thing foreign language teachers should pay attention to here is how young learners differ from adult learners. First of all, young students learn better through play, while adults are highly advanced in using their abstract and analytical intelligence. The second distinction that can be added is that young students can be bored very quickly and easily. Usually, after 10 minutes, attention and attention disappear. Young students are also very egocentric and need special attention more. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Seçil B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas In the past, the emphasis on teaching a foreign language was, amongst other older techniques, Grammar-Translation, and is still used in some situation today. This method helped the student to learn ‘about’ the language instead of learning the language (ITTT Unit 3,3). Over time, and continuing today, more and more attention and research have been placed on the question of what makes a good language learner. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Cliff G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. There are considerable differences in age, gender, motivation, attitude, and culture. Different students assimilate differently. The environment...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Have young English learners in other countries faced the same problems as those who are in Vietnam? Some may appear alike but the others may occur differently. Personally, each individual may engage in varied private troubles. On a small scale of this little essay, it is advised to discuss three main objective factors that the majority of young learners may encounter. They are passive learning style, less communication practice yet heavy-grammar structure, and attitude towards education. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nguyen V. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. One of the most controversial reasons that take the blame for...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Many language learning theories are proposed based on certain linguistic theories. In fact, knowledge in linguistics lies at the root of understanding what language learners can learn, how they learn and what they learn ultimately. Therefore, linguistics has always played an important role in the studies of language acquisition and learning. For example, as Ellis (1994:1) points out, “whereas much of the earlier second language acquisition work focused on the linguistic and, in particular, the grammatical properties of learner language and was psycholinguistic in orientation, later work has also attended to the pragmatic aspects of learner language and, increasingly, has adopted a sociolinguistic perspective....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Learning a language begins with developing the receptive skills, either consciously or subconsciously, to get familiar with how the language is used and later for producing the language learned or observed. The sensory abilities include two modules: reading and listening. Of them, reading skills can have a wide variety of impacts not only on the individuals' overall language learning but also on the development of them as individuals. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Md. Mahfujar R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. For the learners of the language to use...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Before starting my TEFL course to gain a more professional basis, I worked as an English teacher in South Korea for about one year. In this short essay, I will explain some of the most prominent difficulties South Korean students seem to face when learning English. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Laura M. First and foremost, the educational structure in South Korea is quite different from those of Europe or the United States. Korean kids usually start studying English from the age of three. However, the average class size of about 40 students is way too big for such young students, making any interaction between teacher and student impossible. Later on, most Korean students become...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Effective teachers not only possess expertise in content knowledge but they are also great classroom managers. If teachers cannot manage their students then they cannot teach their students. Learning will only take place when the classroom is well managed. The first day of school is the most important day for teachers to create 'rules' in the classroom. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nikki D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Classroom management must happen on the very first day of school can be effective and successful. An effective teacher manages to create a 'task-oriented' environment in the classroom. Teachers should...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Language acquisition is a process that engages different skills and is therefore influenced by them. Reading, which is among the four main language skills, is considered to be influential in this process in many ways. In my opinion, it is one of the best contributors to the journey of learning a new language and although its advantages seem to be exclusive to reading comprehension, it involves other skills to a high degree as well. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Faezeh C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. To begin, it is crucial to note that the type of reading material plays an important role in the efficiency of the activity...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences During my Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification, I learned several valuable lessons. While knowing the English language and how to relay that to those who are learning the language is important, the most important lesson I learned is how a teacher’s attitude directly affects student interaction and class rapport. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Annie H. Being open and warm as well as using a smile has an extremely beneficial effect on a classroom. When students view the teacher as someone who is judgment-free and wanting to help, it elicits positive interaction and performance. Although this seems to be common sense, I’ve had several teachers (including language...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Let's think about a definition of the word 'game' and try to find it in dictionaries or encyclopedias. We will see that apart from amusement value, a game is considered to be a valuable educational tool. Undoubtedly different games are used mainly to entertain and bring fun, and only the secondary aim can be perceived as having teaching or educational significance. Whether students can or cannot understand the teacher's hidden purpose in applying games during a lesson, the process will bring fun, relaxation, and interaction. At the same time, the result will be meaningful and long-lasting. This post was written by our TEFL certification...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Thailand is the country located in South East Asia with a population of over 69 million people. Thailand is divided into four regions which include Northern Thailand, Northeastern Thailand, Central Thailand, and Southern Thailand. The official language of Thailand is Thai. But each of the regions in Thailand has its dialect. But the language used for the government, education system or Thai society is the Thai language which Thai people always speak Thai in everyday life as well as in school. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Chadawan S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. English is the international language. It is the medium of...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences There are a vast number of subjects related to teaching, regardless of the language being taught or the age of the learners. Learning techniques, teaching technologies and Computer Aided Learning, correction techniques and grammar related problems are just a few examples. Personally, I believe that learning teaching skills is one of the most important areas for new teachers to focus on as it covers a lot of issues that can add a deeper understanding of teaching to one's knowledge. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Mozhdeh V. When discussing teaching skills and learning about them, the first step would be a vigorous examination of the different skills and discovering what they are and how to...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I am a non-native English teacher, currently living and working in China. Honestly, I was hired by my first school, when I had no experience of teaching English. In my first training center, the absolute majority of students were preschoolers or students of a primary school and I also had a part-time job in the kindergarten. At first, it was hard for me to understand what attracts kids to learn English at such an early age and what motivates them to come to our center twice a week and what keeps them interested. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Oleg P. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. With time, I understood that there are two...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Regardless of the Japanese government’s efforts to increase the number of foreign tourists to be a tourism-oriented country and to have been retaining compulsory English education for decades, Japanese people still have a reputation of being bad at English. The average TOEIC and TOEFL scores for Japanese are one of the worst among advanced nations. South Korea was also one of the worst in the past, but they are getting better and better these days. However, there are still some obstacles for many Japanese English learners to get over. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate FUTOSHI T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Since Japan...  [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 Alumni Experiences What does it mean to learn a language? Generally, when we talk about learning a language, we mean a process that starts with a person not knowing a language but ends up knowing it, regardless of the number of languages a person might already know. Of course, this is an overly simplified definition, but it gives us a decent starting point. So why are our experiences and the mental image of acquiring our first language so different from one of learning a foreign language? In this essay, I will consider the perceived difference between first and second language acquisition. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Eszter E. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Although evaluation and testing are considered to be a ‘necessary evil’ by some teachers and students, it is quite absurd to call them so. Evaluation and testing should never be seen as ‘evil’, although they are certainly ‘necessary’ within a properly functioning educational system. It can be argued that no serious study is possible without evaluation and testing as they are surely the best way of judging the capabilities and progress of a student, and a serious motivation for reaching new goals. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Hira H. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, it is important to clarify the distinctions between...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences There are many course structures available now for teaching English. However, there are problems there to be solved. Problems are like some students find memorizing words and grammar all the time are boring; some find learning English itself is meaningless; some find they can’t talk and use it after learning all grammar from grammar practice books; some students are so nervous to talk that they kill the “communication and thinking tool” in its cradle; some even hate it after several tries of learning. However, English’s not to blame for the problems. Neither the things described by English nor grammar is. Resources are littered casually within the mind, they need to be kept in personalized rows by...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas By completing the online TEFL courses, I’ve obtained a clear understanding of what factors are concerned when it comes to teaching English. It’s important because it offers a tremendous amount of knowledge as well as benefits to whoever wishes to develop a career in the English education field. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Fengze C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The online TEFL courses provide detailed information on many aspects. I conclude them as following categories for better understanding for myself and other people who might be interested in completing a TEFL. It provided a solid introduction to the world of...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Educational games are methodical tools for achieving a learning goal. A successful learning game should combine motivating player’s life and interesting learning content. Games should not just be practical gaps fillers in the learning process but also serve to impart certain knowledge and to consolidate skills through exercises. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Toufik Z. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Games have a lot of advantages, such as they address sides of students who often lack a predominantly cognitive learning process and the information is taken actively by them, however not intentionally sought but incidentally...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Learners, whether children or adults, tend to lack attention in the classroom at some point. Certainly, this problem varies from one type of age-range to the other. Indeed, this issue may be due to different reasons: mature students may be tired from work, whereas youngsters may struggle to keep up with the content. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Debora M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Moreover, additional factors may come to decrease motivation in the classroom. For instance, some learners find the topic being at hand particularly difficult; others may just be bored or going through tough problems at home, and the list...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Teachers of Foreign Language classes, in which students are not very successful at learning the language, usually find themselves in situations, in which their teaching abilities are placed under scrutiny and they are required to provide viable explanations for their student's failure. As no one likes to be placed under a microscope, the teachers often find a culprit and it is usually the students’ level of motivation. The students themselves, however, are almost always said to be bursting with talent and ability (Chambers, G.N, 1999). This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Olivia L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. If this is...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Type in "teaching grammar effectively" into Google and the reader will be confronted with pages and pages of advice/frameworks/theories on how to effectively teach grammar. Most of the content does acknowledge that there is no "golden rule" for effective grammar teaching before imparting their particular key rules or areas that should be incorporated into teaching grammar. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Joe S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Also Read: Top 7 Spanish Speaking Countries for Teaching English Abroad There's a lot of theory around, much of it contradictory. It can be valuable, but I sometimes feel, to quote Mark...  [Read more]