My English Teacher

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Ever since I was a little girl, education has been a huge part of my life. My mother was a teacher at the elementary school I attended and also taught me and my sisters Japanese after school in our home. I have always been inquisitive, constantly asking questions to my parents and teachers about topics I was interested in and about things I didn't quite understand. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Kim S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I always enjoyed learning and loved the feeling of accomplishment when I received high scores on tests and other assignments. My favorite subjects were reading, writing, and spelling....  [Read more]

Anastasiia Ovchinnikova TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Back in the days when I was living in China with my British boyfriend, who was born and raised in Oxford, we would always make our friends smile talking about our careers. We always felt it was a bit ironic that out of the two of us, it was me who ended up as an English language teacher. I started to wonder whether he would have been a better English teacher than me, had he decided to work at one of the international schools in China. I feel like it is a common misconception that non-native English teachers (short: NNETs) are not as qualified or skilled in teaching as native English teachers. I've recently gotten disheartened when looking for job openings where they...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences From my heritage of teachers to multicultural experiences, I feel that events in my life have prepared me to be an effective English teacher. Teaching is something I’ve always enjoyed doing and I have wanted to become a teacher for much of my adult life. Teaching English will be a new experience for me, but I’m at a point where I am ready to take on this exciting chance to not only make a difference in students’ lives but to also see new parts of the world. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Joseph Brent W. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. My grandmother was a school teacher and some of my earliest memories are of her...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Although I have never formally been a teacher, I have had the opportunity to teach and tutor in an informal way. As an international student at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, I was not allowed to work off-campus, so in my second semester, I joined the tutoring center and began to help a variety of different students with the various subjects I had studied in previous semesters. I assisted students with retail math, writing, textile science, and a few other subjects. I did this during my second semester, and then again in my fifth semester when I returned from my exchange program in Florence, Italy. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Mira S. Please note that this blog...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences As a native English speaker, my first major foreign language experience began in 8th grade, where I had the option of studying either Spanish or French. I chose Spanish, as I’d always been drawn to the language and Latin American culture, and hoped to one day live in a Spanish speaking country. I studied the language throughout high school, but in the years afterward, it wasn’t much of a priority and wasn’t something I used on a regular basis. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Lauren M. In high school, our language classes were mainly structured around learning grammar and following the textbook. From time to time, we would listen to and translate songs in Spanish, or watch a movie in...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Lately, I have been hearing the question “Can a non-native English speaker teach English?” and my answer to this is “YES” but in certain conditions. My answer is based on my experience as a non-native English teacher that is why I chose this topic. I would like to tell my story of being a non-native English teacher. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Maricor B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Way back in the Philippines, there was no hard time for me to apply to schools and companies because, in our country, almost all of the English teachers are Filipinos. I grew up learning English through my Filipino- English...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences I might not have realized it before since I was busy studying and just trying to achieve my short term goals but I believe that my mother has been an inspiration for me to become a teacher. I could remember seeing kids at home being taught by my mom and she used pictures to identify certain shapes and animals. My mom was a regular housewife then. She taught only for fun and to make my brother and I be more engaged in learning things with the company of our friends, our playmates. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Marie M. I remember how I strived hard to be able to be the best in my class when I was in elementary school. My mom would always prepare review lessons for me before my periodical...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Lately, I have been hearing the question “Can a non- native English speaker teach English?” and my answer to this is “YES” but in certain conditions. My answer is based on my experience as a non-native English teacher that is why I chose this topic. I would like to tell my story of being a non-native English teacher. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Maricor B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Way back in the Philippines, there was no hard time for me to apply to schools and companies because, in our country, almost all of the English teachers are Filipinos. I grew up learning English through my Filipino- English...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Growing up I always had an interest in learning and teaching a language. Of course, English was my best subject and I always made sure I was part of the drama club playing one of the big roles. During my kindergarten days, our teacher used to play musical chairs as we waited for our parents to come to pick us up. It's interesting that now as a teacher I really love using it for my lessons and have tried to upgrade it just a little bit more. I am currently teaching at a kindergarten in Shanghai, China. I really love my job and my workmates who have become more like family and friends. When I started working there, like any other teacher, I was scared, felt vulnerable and wanted to do my best. I kept asking...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences My first language was French –-the language of my Cajun-born mother. She wanted to pass on her cultural heritage and therefore spoke to her first-born child, me, only in French. However, once I was put into kindergarten and was unable to communicate or understand any of my teachers or classmates, my parents reverted to English because they feared to set me back in school. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Madeleine K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Despite understanding their fear, I did not appreciate my parent’s decision. I was very vocal about that fact, in true teenage fashion, especially when I had to spend hours...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences I decided to write about the subject I’m an expert in, my personal teaching experience. The focus will be on what I’ve gained from the last nine years as an EFL instructor. I’ll begin by telling you about my first teaching position in rural South Korea. Next, I’ll share my experience taking the TEFL course. Finally, I’ll discuss my efforts to become an independent online English instructor. I hope my experience can provide some insight into some of the many options for EFL teachers. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Karissa B. After too many hours in an airplane and another two hours in a taxi, I finally arrived at my new home. My co-teacher was there to meet me. He would become...  [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 TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas hy is learning proper teaching skills necessary, you ask? I'll tell you why! This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Joshua D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. At the moment, I am teaching at a training school in Changsha, Hunan, China. I came to China with no previous teaching knowledge and no desire to teach or plan any suitable lessons. After my almost two years of teaching, a lot has changed. I now know how to manage my unruly classes properly, plan lessons, be assertive and patient and friendly when needed, and much much more. Secondly, the difference...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The key things from this course for me can be summarized under the following topics: teachers and learners; theories, methods, and techniques; teaching a new language, and teaching special groups. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ewa T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. People are all about connection. For a teacher to be able to teach effectively and students to get the most out of a course learning English as a foreign language, is for students and teachers to connect. Therefore, a teacher needs to show her passion for teaching and build a good rapport with her students. From my teaching experience, I was able to build a...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences I choose" establishing rapport" as the topic of my summary, cause that's my priority and very important to me.establishing rapport is often overlook and undervalued by teachers.basic my own experience, building rapport with your student makes your student value the class more. they more motivated, they participate more. and their focusing class is much better.why? because of the experience I had.in my mind we all can pass the exam to be a teacher if we study hard. but that doesn't mean you can be a "qualified" one. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Doris M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I'm from China, I'm still here. We...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences According to my experience, there are two stages when learning a foreign language. I am a Mandarin native speaker. Learning English is my foreign language experience. The first stage of my English learning experience was in my childhood. Learning English is an obligation in primary school, secondary school and high school. In my opinion, in this obligatory education, our learning curve is limited. The second stage of my English learning process was as an international student in England. It was a tremendous improvement in my English learning path. I would say it is like the ESA lesson but it lasts longer than one lesson! This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nina S. Please note that this...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. In high school, I was inspired by my English teachers and the way they were able to make material interesting and motivating. I remember telling myself that I would not be the person who changes the world, but perhaps as a teacher, I would be able to inspire the person who would. From the beginning, my motivation was to help others in a meaningful way. My goal was to improve the lives of others. When I entered university, I found myself studying philosophy to become a professor in the future. However, the reality of being a university professor was a lot of presenting and publishing, with very little teaching. Because teaching was my goal, I decided to leave my Ph.D....  [Read more]

Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences Teaching English to non-English speaking students can be a big and challenging task. You need to be full of patience, understanding and passion if you decide to enter this vocation. I worked for ten years as a kindergarten teacher in the Middle East and at times it seemed like I was in a “jungle survival” competition. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Alona J. I was really in shock when I entered into the classroom on my first day as I had students with zero-English and it was really hard to understand them all. There were also many parents sitting around with their children who were crying and having tantrums. Normally, each class should have an Arabic Assistant Teacher but at that time...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Even though I am currently teaching, I found lessons from my TEFL courses to help build onto my already growing teaching career. Being a first-time teacher can be stressful, especially if you have no prior knowledge or experience before. Even though I have been teaching for only three months, my courses gave me many insights and suggestions on improving myself to create a positive learning environment. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Angela S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. One of the first things that my TEFL course taught me was my students' attitude...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching is a very enjoyable job and can also be highly rewarding. I had the opportunity to learn that by having an eighteen-month religious experience in which I shared all my beliefs with the people in Ecuador. Even though it wasn’t a job I gave it my full commitment and that might be why I gained so much knowledge and life lessons from it. After returning home, I realized that I wanted to keep having that feeling in my life. I wanted to teach people. Now, the question was what to teach. After talking to some of my close family members and friends, I remembered an old dream that I had when I was younger: Being an English teacher. I started having a passion for this language since elementary school or maybe...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Establishing a rapport with my students has been the most ‘natural’ part of my teaching experience. When I started my teaching career about ten years ago, ideas like classroom management and lesson planning were alien to me. I struggled immensely trying to learn strategies to excel in that area of education. Establishing relationships with my students was easy and always seemed to just happen for me. As the years have passed, I’ve been able to reflect on my time in the classroom and I’ve discovered some common denominators relating to me why exactly students are drawn to me (and me to them!). I think other people can learn from my interactions with the students who have passed through my classroom. This...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas In the world, there are many different professions that people dream of. If you ask someone to name some of them, they probably would say something like a doctor, teacher, singer, and so on. When I was a child, my dad wanted me to become a teacher. He thought that becoming a teacher was a great job. Not just him, but many other people also thought so. It has always been like that. Back then, I was too young to understand the reason. But now that I have become a teacher, I am starting to realize why my dad and everyone else liked it. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate OTGONTSETSEG S. Please note that this blog post might...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences I've been teaching English to children for about one year at a small language center. The whole experience is very positive and I really enjoy teaching kids. However, as I wasn’t content with my teaching skills and the lack in lesson-planning, I decided to to improve my skills by taking a TEFL course from ITTT. After taking the popular 120-hour TEFL certification course, I can say that the best thing I’ve learned is the whole concept of teaching! This TEFL certificate course has 20 units covering literally every part of teaching. The most helpful parts for me personally were Unit 5 “Managing Classes” and Unit 9 about “Lesson Planning”. This post was written by our ITTT graduate YongQiang Y. To get...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences I am an experienced teacher, so why should I complete a TEFL course? A personal reflection on my experience, and how it has benefited and informed my teaching practice. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Melanie W. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I didn’t sign up for this course by choice. I was forced to do it by my employer. After many years of teaching experience and a recent job change, I began the course with a sense of dread and couldn’t wait to get it finished. I had worked hard for my Master of Arts in Teaching. I had put in many years teaching across age groups and the globe. I was an experienced teacher, so it...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I started my journey as a TEFL tutor by having classes online. I just tried my luck and applied for some random ad postings on social media. A few days later, I received a call and it turned out to be a phone interview. I got the job soon after that phone call ended and later that day I was introduced to my trainer. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate John K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Next, I was trained for just one day about the tools, the materials and how to handle classes online. Soon, I just need to pass the demo and I’m good to go. Without any background in teaching, I managed my way to become a top tutor with just...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Motivation in the classroom is the biggest reason why I teach students in a high school setting. I am a public-school teacher and I get English as a Second Language students all the time in my classroom. I am a 10th-grade teacher but my students' ages range from 14 years old to 19 years old. The number one factor that I teach is for motivation. My students are already matured and have seen things they probably should not have at their ages. Once they get to my classroom, they are mine to teach. I do my utmost best to teach my students. I have students from all over the world, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Egyptian, Asian, Africa, to name a few countries. I now have wonderful scores. I...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The English Language is globally profound more than it has been many years ago. It has become the international language of the world with most people speaking and understanding. It is taught in schools in different countries all around the world to people whose native language is not the English Language. However, are these teachings effective? Does teaching skills in the classroom have a huge impact on student learning and interest in the language? This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Sandie M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Each school or classroom has a mission and that mission is to enhance student learning through teaching...  [Read more]

Margaret Paton TEFL Information Alumni Experiences So, you’ve got your shiny new TESOL or TEFL certificate in hand. What now? Like you, I’m a new starter to this career of teaching English to non-native speakers, so I wanted to share five tips on what not to do in your early days. In short, having been a K-12 teacher might not get you through, be flexible about your availability, you might need a police check and your skills might not be valued in particular countries. Build up some experience, even if it’s voluntary. Even before I enrolled in the ITTT TESOL course, I was already reaching out to agencies who were hungry for native English speakers for tutoring work. There must have been one too many of these sponsored...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Establishing rapport in the classroom is essential if you are going to have a successful class. In this paper, I will examine some of my classroom experience and compare my successful classes to my less-successful classes. In doing so, I hope to make an observation about “best practices” that I can implement in my English teaching. Along with using my own experience, I will be talking with other teachers that I know and using the provided text that I have been given for this course. The three areas I will focus on are: Beginning the course, student participation, and being positive. Beginning the Course. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Taylor C. How a teacher begins a course will...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The popular saying which states: never judge a book by the cover has once again reminded me to always be optimistic about a new experience. Before I entered the school I had already concluded what a bad experience it would be in this new environment which I would pass on numerous occasions and hear different external noises coming from inside of the school, I imagined how hard the job of a teacher could be. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Chantal S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. On Monday, September 3, 2018, the first day upon entering the second gate I was led by the security to a teacher namely Ms. Hamilton. She was...  [Read more]