Level 1 Teaching Assistant Certification

Linda Dunsmore Destinations TEFL Information Teaching English abroad is now a popular career option for many people of all ages. While there is a strong demand for TEFL certified teachers in many different regions of the world, there are certain countries who have implemented government-funded programs to attract foreign English teachers. Through these programs, qualified English teachers are placed into schools around their countries where they are employed for a set period of time. Here is a list of the best government programs for teaching English abroad. The EPIK program in South Korea is one of the largest and most popular teaching programs and stands for “English Program in Korea”. This scheme is run by the South...  [Read more]

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Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas During the second half of my undergraduate career, I had the opportunity to serve as an English Language Assistant (LA) at the English Language Institute (ELI) at my alma mater, the University of Florida. In this role, I worked with another LA and one faculty member (often a Linguistics professor) in leading a class of roughly 15 students every semester. One of the first pieces of information the first professor I worked with gave me was on the importance of assessments at the ELI. Students at the ELI were placed in classes based on their proficiency level in the language, which included evaluations in speaking, listening, reading and writing. The most beginner level students started at level 10 and the most...  [Read more]

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1. Introduction 2. Qualifications and Requirements 3. Teaching Opportunities in France 4. Language Proficiency and Work Permits Teaching English in France can be a rewarding and enriching experience. Whether you are looking to immerse yourself in the French language and culture or simply want to share your knowledge of English with others, there are ample opportunities for qualified individuals. In this guide, we will outline the qualifications and requirements needed to teach English in France, as well as the various teaching opportunities available in the country. To teach English in France, you typically need a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) or TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification. These certifications demonstrate that you have the...  [Read more]

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Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences In the wake of the upcoming 2020 Olympics in Japan, there has been an increase in elementary school level English classes. As an assistant language teacher half into my fourth year, I have had the rare chance to work the entirety of my time in one elementary school where I have had many great memories. However, being present every day I began to notice that some students were struggling or in some cases, not even trying when it came to English class. Talking with my peers and colleagues from other elementary schools as well as my own, there are some common problems that many students seem to experience in an English class. These problems include learning in a counter-productive environment, inconsistent...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences What do you think of when I say the word “teacher”? When I think of this word, I think of the “teacher when I was a child. The person who talked and I listened. The person who gave me instructions and I followed. I think in today’s environment this word has changed. What does the word “teacher” mean today? We’ll look at what the roles of a teacher are in today’s ESL world in Japan, where I’ve taught for over 14 years. We use many synonyms for the term “teacher”. In elementary schools, junior high schools, and high schools in Japan we use the term “ALT” (assistant language teacher) or “AET” (assistant English teacher). In business courses, we use the word “instructor”. In...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas As an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) working at an elementary school in Japan, I have to mainly work with seven different teachers and teams to teach the English lessons together. The number of teachers I work with more than doubles if I include the grades that I only teach occasionally and also the classes at the other school that I go to only once a week. It is no surprise that ‘flexibility’ is often mentioned as one of the most important traits to have to be an effective ALT. In this summative task, I would like to share some of my experiences and how I have learned to work with multiple teachers with different teaching styles. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Seong H. Please note...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas In the next year, I’ll be working as an English Teaching Assistant in Zadar, Croatia on a Fulbright grant where I’ll be working with university level students as well as with middle school students. I’ll be hosting workshops for middle school students on life and culture in America. I hope to utilize storytelling activities to both engage the class and provide an opportunity for language acquisition. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Gabrielle K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. For the engage phase, I might ask students to tell the class, in English, about their favorite Croatian holiday, having them include descriptions...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Learning difficulties can found in all teaching environments, be it a classroom of mixed ability students, a one-to-one tutoring session, teaching EFL or online teaching. Learning difficulties affect all age groups, both genders, and all languages and cultures, therefore a good teacher must be able to both foresee and prepare for supporting a student’s learning difficulties. This is even more important when teaching EFL students as unless these difficulties are met and coping methods are established then the student will struggle to make any progress in their learning English as a second language. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Tammy T. Please note that this blog post might not...  [Read more]

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Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teachers are experts, tutors, mentors, superiors, masters, organizers, models, etc. that “rule”, lead or guide students in their learning. They bear the important responsibility of leading the learning of their students towards success (meeting goals). They have a position that requires constant attention and responsibility, usually towards a group and they always need to adapt themselves to the classes and cultural differences. In the many roles and responsibilities that teachers may face, how can they not be nervous about the multiple approaches they could take and the multitude of problems that could appear in their future classes? Especially new teachers, how can they increase their confidence in the...  [Read more]

1. Introduction 2. Teaching English in Greece 3. Qualifications and Requirements 4. Opportunities for English Teachers Are you passionate about teaching English and looking for an opportunity to work in Greece? Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) or Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) can be a rewarding experience, especially in a country with a rich history and culture like Greece. In this guide, we will explore the best practices for teaching English in Greece, the qualifications and requirements needed, the opportunities available for English teachers, and important cultural considerations to keep in mind. Greece is a popular destination for English teachers due to the high demand for English language education. Both private language schools and public...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I have taught in a Japanese high school for the past four years as an assistant language teacher, which gives me a particular insight into the problems and advantages of EFL in that area. This will naturally require some generalizations. Individuals have very different problems from one another, but broader shared issues do crop up. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate William L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. For context, I work in two Japanese high schools as an assistant language teacher in Toyama prefecture. I go to one school four days a week, which caters to students who can only study part-time. I also work at a farming...  [Read more]

1. Introduction 2. TEFL Certification Overview 3. Job Opportunities in Germany 4. Conclusion Are you considering a career in teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) in Germany? With its rich history, vibrant culture, and strong economy, Germany is a popular destination for TEFL teachers looking to live and work abroad. This article will provide an overview of TEFL certification, explore job opportunities in Germany, and offer insights into starting your TEFL career in this dynamic country. Before embarking on your TEFL journey in Germany, it is essential to obtain the necessary certification. International TEFL and TESOL Training (ITTT) offers a range of accredited online TEFL courses that cater to individuals with varying levels of experience. Whether you are a complete beginner or...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Earning a TEFL certificate has the potential to lead a new teacher down a number of paths where the only uniform outcome is the title “English Teacher”. A new teacher could find themselves in a number of situations varying in the nationality and age of the student, as well as level or desired specialization over the course of their career. It is of great importance, therefore, for teachers to be comfortable and confident with this open-ended outcome in order to better plan and prepare for helping their future students, whoever or wherever they may be. An area I find particularly interesting based on my current experience is the dynamic between one-to-one and group teaching. My current job requires a lot of...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas When teaching young learners, one must be prepared to face the challenge with an open heart and respect. Children deserve our respect as much as adults do, and if we manage, as educators, to offer them our respect and moreover, our trust, they will progress beautifully. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Flavia-Ioana S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. To fully explain some of the difficulties and the ways of dealing with them, when teaching kindergarteners, I will start by taking a look at the most challenging part. In my opinion, sparking their interest and keeping them focused for a longer period, is one of the most difficult...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas There are many things I have learned over my thirty-plus years teaching students full time in classrooms, ranging from primary grades 2-5 and in junior high and high school. However, one of the most crucial things a teacher needs in the face of young and older learners is confidence! If the students suspect that the teacher has no idea what they are doing, it can be detrimental to the lesson and the teacher's ability to control the classroom situation. Having a confident teacher brings positivity to the classroom and comfort among the students that they are going to learn something valuable. Throughout my career, I wore many hats to grow...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Formal English education first took root in Japan with the creation of the first English schools in 1865 and has since steamrolled into an aggressive effort by the government to produce an English-proficient population. The Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET) was established to introduce native speakers into English classrooms, and English instruction continues to become mandatory for increasingly younger students in primary schools. Despite these efforts, an English Proficiency Index conducted by the organization English First gave Japan a “low proficiency” score, with the island country lagging not just the multicultural countries of Singapore and Malaysia but also its East Asian neighbors China...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The first job as an English teacher abroad is a challenging change, especially if the country you are choosing to work is culturally different from your home country. There are so many differences between one country and other but usually, those differences look bigger when the place you move belongs to another political and social organization mode. My experience as an English teacher in China has allowed me to see these huge differences between western culture and the Asian world. In the following essay, I will try to point out the main cultural challenges that a teacher I had to face and how this may become a sensitivity source inside the classroom. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Maria...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences I have been living in Japan for the past one and a half years. Needless to say, the experience has been enthralling. This country would have never been my first choice for a country to relocate to, from my home country, India. But if my stay has taught me anything, it is that never judge a book by its cover. When we think of Japan, the first thing that pops up is that it is a country of workaholics; it has zero English presence, and the people are highly prejudiced against foreigners and foreign culture. I was proven wrong. Japan is a beautiful country. It is culturally so rich, it makes me want to live here forever. The people, though tend to be a little distant initially, a warm-up to you eventually, and...  [Read more]

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Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Generally, it is thought that education is going through a major overall, this includes but is not limited to the structure of how education is provided to students from both the perspective of classrooms at educational institutions and online teaching. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Niki S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Online teaching has the added benefit to educational institutions in the way that it has the ability of lowering business costs such as overheads where the institution does not need to pay for basic utilities such as electricity, oil, air-conditioning, rent and other expenses such as drinking water,...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences This blog post was written by recent ITTT graduate Kaitlin F., who shares her 10 years of teaching experience with us talking about the many different jobs in the English education field she was fortunate to work in. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Katilin F. An educator by definition is a person who provides instruction and/or education. In my own personal experience, educators in my life have not always been individuals that have gained their qualifications via professional schooling, but also by training or from their own experiences. This has transcended into what I believe an educator truly is. My first experience with teaching began at the tender age of thirteen at my dance school....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Although I have spent many years as an English tutor and teacher of children, I always relied on my own innate skill and have never been formally trained. Within my circle, I was the resident expert on the English language, as I was one of the few native speakers. From my own efforts and studies, I developed my own program for my students. I often felt unsure if I was applying the right methods and longed for some formal training. Now I can say that I have learned a great deal from studying the ESA method, and have a better understanding of what good lesson planning and classroom management involves. From my own intuition and experience, I learned to apply some of the techniques and methods presented in this...  [Read more]

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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]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Beginner-level students of English offer both challenges as well as advantages. As they are beginners, it is very easy to see quick progress, which is motivating to both the student as well as the teacher. Since they have little to no experience in English, it is you who is introducing them to the language; therefore, you can teach them before they learn bad habits. However, there are also disadvantages. One is that if you are not proficient in their language, it will be very difficult to communicate with them at all unless an assistant is used. Another is that it will be very easy for them to revert to their native language, given their lack of ability to use English. Overall, however, the advantages far outweigh...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Classroom management deals with role flexibility, organizing and maintaining discipline. The student’s confidence and learning effectiveness will depend on the teacher’s classroom management skills. The teacher must know when it is time to be firm or when to leave students alone. The level of firmness depends on the age of the students. Overall, it is best to keep a controlled environment at the beginning then tail it off with a relaxed environment especially with kids or younger learners. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Victoria G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. One of the disciplinary methods of classroom management is...  [Read more]