My Culture Worksheet

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Knowing an additional language goes beyond the ability to speak it. It connects people, helps in understanding different cultures and has also been identified as a boost to brain function and increase intelligence. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nagashree C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. In the present age of expanding businesses, capturing markets across the globe, establishing offices far and wide, more and more business are following the model of ‘following the sun’ by having their businesses and services available at all times of the day irrespective of the location the clients are in. For this, one of the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences There can be a lot of difficulties a teacher might face in the future lesson. You might have to manage a class without any help or you might have students from different nationalities, ages, interests or so on. I believe, however, that most of the problems you might have would be solved if you planned the lessons carefully in advance. There are some reasons to support my idea. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Eri S. First, you can find what you should exactly do in a lesson as a part of a whole course by planning the lesson in advance. Otherwise, you go forward with your lesson aimlessly and you might lose sight of the final goal of the lesson. It is important to understand what the...  [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]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas When the aroma of gingerbread and eggnog is in the air, you know it’s time to translate your love for the most beautiful season of the year into your TEFL classroom with winter ESL activities! While this is the perfect time to embrace winter in TEFL destinations with changing seasons, it’s also ideal to educate your students living in places with tropical temperatures and other cultures about the holiday celebrations. Here are 7 amazing winter and Christmas ESL activities your students will love! Tell your students to imagine the following: You wake up in your bed and look out the window when you see a brightly decorated Christmas tree. It’s cold and even looks like snow is slowly falling from the sky. The...  [Read more]

Regan McAllister TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Learning another language can and should be fun. A primary focus as a teacher should be to create an engaging learning environment for students. One of the simplest ways to do this is by diversifying your lessons. Having a variety of teaching styles and activities is a productive way to ensure that you teach a combination of skills and touch on the interests of all students. Monotony breeds boredom. Having different activities and assignments will keep students excited, creating an ideal learning environment that inspires learners to excel. A class that consistently has the same formula can become repetitive, and students may get bored. If...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Lesson planning whether it be for an English lesson or any other subject is one of the most important tasks of a teacher. Lesson planning can be time-consuming for the teacher but will cut out several complications during the lesson and after. In the end, it is worth the extra time to put together a lesson plan or plans. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Shinae P. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Below is a few reasons why a teacher should plan his/her lessons. These reasons are not all the reasons there are as to why you should lesson plan but they are the reasons I believe are the most important: * To make sure you are...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas One of the most vital teaching tools I feel are available to me is games in the classroom. This is one of the most engaging ways to teach a class a subject, especially a new language. Imagine you are in a foreign country, you don't speak the language, and find it challenging to connect with your new class, who don't have as much of a grasp of the concept as you'd like them to. I think one of the universal languages is found in games. Playing a game in the classroom is a great ice breaker for the students and teacher to establish a healthy relationship in a fun and educational environment. This post was written by our TEFL certification...  [Read more]

Jon ITTT Alumni Experiences As English becomes the de facto global language, people all over the world are learning English for schoolwork, career advancement, or the ability to visit English-speaking countries. Even though the content they are learning is about the same, the problems they most frequently encounter are not. In this essay I will focus on the problems commonly encountered by English learners in Hong Kong. The reasons for this choice are twofold—one is that I am a Chinese American and thus familiar with Chinese culture and potential problems in English learning resulting from this culture, the other is that I want to teach English in Hong Kong in the foreseeable future and thus it makes sense for me to focus on the potential...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Enjoying music is an essential part of the human experience, so it follows that incorporating the use of songs in the classroom can be an enriching part of an English learner’s journey. Songs and music can be used in a variety of EFL classrooms, across all cultures, levels of learning, and ages. The benefits of incorporating music in English language study vary from simple vocabulary learning to discover themes about cultures different than the student’s own. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Elizabeth H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The methods of using songs in the classroom will vary across factors, a significant one...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Who was your favorite teacher in elementary school? Mine was my 5th-grade Teacher, Mr. Powers. Not because he was super cool, or cute, or wildly entertaining. It was because he was an amazing teacher. He was a retired Air Force pilot, yet was never very hard on us and I can’t think of a single time that he got upset with us. I believe this is completely due to his amazing classroom management skills. I try my best to model my own teaching skills after Mr. Powers while teaching here in Istanbul, Turkey. Cultural and economic differences are actually the least of my problems while working with these amazing children. The most challenging aspects happen to be making the most of classroom space, ensuring the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Nowadays the ESA method is used all over the world to teach English. ESA is the first letters of the phases of an English language lesson. These three elements are; Engage, Study and Activate. The classic method only included study phase. It wasn’t important to teach how to speak the foreign language in the past. However, it is a big issue now. It is hard to improve speaking skills in a country where English isn’t the first language as the students aren’t surrounded by English and don’t have the opportunity to practice realistic situations. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Safak İ. Although it isn’t advised to use authentic materials for beginners, it is good to use them for...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Enjoying music is an essential part of the human experience, so it follows that incorporating the use of songs in the classroom can be an enriching part of an English learner’s journey. Songs and music can be used in a variety of EFL classrooms, across all cultures, levels of learning, and ages. The benefits of incorporating music in English language study vary from simple vocabulary learning to discover themes about cultures different than the student’s own. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Elizabeth H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The methods of using songs in the classroom will vary across factors, a significant one...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Japan is a country continuously changing at a rapid pace largely due to globalization and marketing. With its growing popularity and necessity, difficulties are sure to arise for people learning English and specifically, in Japan. To fully understand all the problems learners face in Japan, it is important to realize why English is so widely being studied in the first place. Firstly, students must study English for 6 years throughout primary and high school. As well as being part of the Japanese schooling system, the advantages of being able to speak English are endless. The benefits of finding a job or being able to communicate whilst abroad are common motives. However in Japan specifically, more so than western...  [Read more]

Anastasiia Ovchinnikova TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Let’s travel back in time a few months, when all schools and universities were closed and moved to teach their students remotely. Educators worldwide had to adjust their teaching methods to the new circumstances by moving their cozy, inspiring classrooms into the digital world. That was quite a challenge for many foreign language teachers to modify their offline routines to face the standards of distance learning and still be able to provide personal help and assistance to their students. This situation has proved that, unfortunately, teachers lack professional development and resources to address the challenges of distance learning....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate BUSAYO J. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Planning our teaching “backward” from desired performances on rich, authentic tasks helps teachers focus on what matters most. With this performance orientation, teachers are less likely to simply march through lists of content objectives or pages in a textbook, or to have their students complete worksheets on discrete skills. When genuine performance is the goal, we can emulate the practices of effective coaches and sponsors of extra-curricular activities by following a general instructional process like the following: * Once the performance task...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Teachers teach children to much more. They use games, videos, computers, and other tools to teach children different subjects. Teachers show students skills. They also explain the information. Teachers plan their lessons before they teach. Planning takes a lot of time. Teachers try to make their lessons easy to understand. Teachers might use a chalkboard, a projector, or a computer. They make posters or worksheets before class starts. Teachers plan the schedule for the day. Most teachers have to teach what the principal tells them. Teachers also assign homework and class projects. They often have students work together to do projects. When students are not doing as well as they should, teachers help them....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Lesson planning is perhaps one of the most core fundamental things that a teacher must do. It should never be anything that is overlooked. Of course one can not plan every little detail of each minute of class, nor should they try. However, coming to class with a solid outline with goals and activities is crucial to teaching effectively. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Justin S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. There will be countless factors that will affect how you plan your lesson. Things such as age, culture, different language levels, student goals, class size, are just to name a few. There can never be a “one size...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Music is an important element in our lives. When you’re on your way to work, you turn on the radio. When you’re too tired to do anything, you choose a song from your playlist and play it to make you feel relaxed. Human beings are emotional by nature. Music offers encouragement and the strength that one needs. Its importance cannot be taken for granted. It is a tool that connects people of all ages, nationality, and culture. It’s not odd to see a child listening to an old rock musician’s song. Also, it’s not surprising to see an Indian woman listening to Taylor Swift despite the differences in their cultures. I believe using music as a tool to teach English to foreign students have many advantages. This...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences A teacher, in general, has the direct opportunity to make a difference and to change the future. As a teacher, you will expect every one of your students to want to learn and more importantly to understand. You want your students to fight over the seats in the front row as if they were attending a concert, not elementary school. You want to make your students wonder, make them question, make them think critically, make them write and of course to make them read. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Tebogo Z. Being a TEFL teacher exposes you to a world of different nations, cultures and the greatest diversity of personalities. It will broaden your sociological insight through learning from your...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas A student learning English as a foreign language will likely find it difficult, slow, but ultimately rewarding. The key to success is experiencing these rewarding moments regularly throughout their English-learning journey. It can be hard to recognize your progress when learning a new language, and this can be demotivating. To overcome low motivation, regular 'rewards', or encouragement, can make it easier to notice milestones and remain motivated. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Alisha D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. While some students may naturally possess these attitudes and skills, a lot of these traits can be...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Walking into a classroom for the first time can be an intimidating experience! It can be even more intimidating if the teacher has moved to another country to teach English, as communication can be quite a challenge. Also, the teacher is often in an unfamiliar environment and dealing with cultural differences. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Janet K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. So what makes a good teacher? Well, personality-wise, a kind and patient person who loves teaching and has a lively and entertaining personality would be an ideal candidate. Of course, a good knowledge of the subject and an ability to create a good...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences As a teacher who has many years of experience working in kindergarten, I can surely say that teaching English as a foreign language is fun but requires special skills. At that age, children are yet to have their abstract thinking developed, hence teaching should mostly be based on visual aids and games. We must also consider that, apart from their young age, we are dealing with a large group who are very active, unable to stand boredom and are overwhelmingly thirsty for fund and play. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Joseph Niifio T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. There is also one more important thing to note: This may...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Most people who backpack the world will mostly find themselves on a budget once that budget has been reached they have a few options one is to return home or the other is to find work. Asia, in general, is a very easy continent to find a job teaching English. English teachers are high demand in Asia and it has an attractive salary thus why many western travelers decide to relocate to a country of choice for a maximum of 6 to 12 months. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Georgina C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Teaching abroad is not only for broke backpackers but for people who would like a change of scene and are generally...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas When a class is managed well, there is a minimum of disruptions that distract from learning. This is more of an issue in a class for children, as opposed to adults. Nevertheless, in all classes, maintaining the comportment of the group to facilitate learning is the objective of sound classroom management techniques. Furthermore, it is also important to develop cordial and friendly relations with learners on an individual basis, and with the class as a whole. Having a rapport with students, and creating a classroom community that is based on shared rules and norms that are understood and reasonable for everybody, is an essential part of classroom management. When accomplished, this creates a classroom culture that...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas A critical part of learning a language is being able to understand and use slang and idioms. However, spoken language by native speakers, or language used in authentic material, often does not follow the strict rules and formulas that are taught in textbooks. Also, by their very nature of already being published, textbooks are unable to keep up with the changes in the language as they slowly evolve to incorporate new concepts and ideas. Thus, to be able to effectively teach slang and idioms, the teacher may have to expend some additional preparatory time to select the idioms to be taught and develop appropriate course materials. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Clark C. Please note that...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas When I envision myself in a classroom full of new English learners, I see myself striving to encourage and motivate students through positive student-to-student and student-to-teacher relationships. One of the key components of successfully learning a new topic is to enjoy it and to see a purpose in doing so. Creating a safe and welcoming environment is one of the most important things a teacher can do to ensure student learning by building confidence in every individual. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Bristol L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. As someone that is also learning a second language by have taken classes in High...  [Read more]

  So, having elicited this particular structure, what I'm now able to do is to move on to the actual study activities. Typically, they will be in the form of worksheets to check that the students actually understand this information. So, I might prepare three activities. They may not do them all but, for example, I could prepare these three study activities. So, the first one is going to be a fairly straightforward matching activity, where perhaps they match the subject to its correct verb "to be" in that part of the sentence. The second one is going to be a gap fill. For example, I might use this verb here and ask them to complete a sentence using that verb, so that I can check that any spelling changes that take place are correct and the final one is going to be an unscramble,...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas When you teach English as a foreign language it’s important to pay attention to details that we sometimes ignore when communicating with other native level speakers, either in spoken or written English. Some people have got into the habit of writing in uppercase/capital letters, use abbreviations, and don’t think much about punctuation. We also tend not to be too critical of people’s spoken English as long as we get the point across. ‘There’s a lot of cars on the road today’ is grammatically incorrect for example. We also tend to enjoy speaking when we should be letting others speak. This is a particular issue in the classroom when you should be maximizing student talk time and minimizing yours. Here are...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Intelligence has been defined in many ways, including the capacity for logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. More generally, it can be described as the ability to perceive or infer information and to retain it as knowledge to be applied towards adaptive behaviors within an environment or context (Wikipedia, 2019). This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Stephen A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. At a cosmetic level, language fluency and accuracy, that segregate socio-cultural groups is inconsistent with contemporary thought of...  [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]