Novels For Students

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Stories expose the students to more language, they engage and motivate the learner, they can be used to teach the structure of a language and the concepts about print which may be different between cultures. Stories with images can also help the students anchor their knowledge about the text. Listening to stories also helps the students hear accents and how words are pronounced. However, it is important to choose the correct book or story for the students you are working with. If familiar storylines are chosen the student is more likely to understand the story. It is also important to take into consideration the interests of the students and to find text on those topics. This post was written by our TEFL...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Even in the first language, it can be difficult to get children reading. There are many reasons they may turn their nose up at a book. In some way, I think most of those reasons can be boiled down to boredom. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Bailey N. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I have the privilege of remembering my journey to reading. When I was very young, my parents would read simple books to me, and I would enjoy looking at the pictures. I would enjoy the way they sounded especially when they rhymed. I remember the moment it clicked in kindergarten when I was so excited to understand the correlation between the words...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas One of the most valuable human attributes is imagination. An active and healthy imagination can be inspired by many things. One of the most significant inspirations behind a lively imagination is reading. Alternatively, an image can contribute to valuable characteristics, such as bravery, dignity, and leadership. Reading can introduce people to comprehension, vocabulary, new places, languages, cultures, ideas, perspectives, information, words, and sentences. Speaking and reading are great ways to learn new words of another language, as well as learn how to structure those new words in a sentence. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Tiffany C. Please note that this blog post might not...  [Read more]

Zainab Sadriwala Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Exposure to a language is of prime importance if one intends to excel in it. Like every language, English needs to be practiced in all its integrated skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Vocabulary has always been among a key component of language learning that teachers rely on. The following are 6 great ideas for developing vocabulary in English learners. Students should keep a journal for noting down every new word they learn during the day. It's also a good approach to add example sentences for every new word so that the student knows how to apply it in various contexts. Then, this list of new words should be put into practice by students at the end of the...  [Read more]

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Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences Within the past 20 years we have seen great advancements in technology. Mobile phones and laptops that are thinner than a short novel, voice activated software systems, robotics, high speed internet etc. Much of the world is now technologically developed, but often the ESL classroom is less so. However, in many areas there has been a gradual introduction of newer, more educationally oriented forms of technology in the classroom. From the introduction of the overhead projector and cassette players to modern day equipment such as Smart Boards and laptops. So what has been the effect of this technology in language learning? This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Joshua P. With the inclusion of...  [Read more]

  In this episode, we cover the pronunciation of the word "hobbit". This word was invented by J.R.R. Tolkien for his 1937 novel "The Hobbit". Today, the word is widely known because of the immense popularity of J.R.R. Tolkien's books and the movies made from them. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching. This convenient, highly structured design means that you can quickly get to grips with each section before moving onto the next. I have learned the importance of paying attention to sentence structure format. This will make it easier for me to prepare lessons for my non native...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences The term business English is used to cover the English language taught to a wide range of professional people, and students in full-time education preparing for a business career. There’s a lot more to learning a second (or third or fourth!) language than just vocabulary and grammar because languages are used differently in different contexts. This post was written by our ITTT graduate Rupanpreet K. Business English is the type of English used in business contexts. Some types of English, like novels or law briefings, welcome long, sophisticated vocabulary. Business English isn’t like that. Good writing is direct and to the point. There is less focus on grammar in conversations and more emphasis on...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Throughout the course of this TEFL course, many factors were discussed that can lead to potential success or failure within the ESL classroom. One factor that was constantly highlighted was the teacher’s attitude and ability to build a good rapport with their students. Student engagement skills are vital for motivating students. Teachers in a classroom should develop a relationship with their students where the students can be comfortable in his or her classroom environment. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jheanelle M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. For that relationship to happen a teacher needs to possess the right...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching grammar is one of the most challenging things for a teacher of English. As a student, it is essential to learn grammar as this gives you accuracy both in writing and speaking. This applies to every language, not only to English. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Adrian D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. In many ways grammar can be compared to Mathematics; they both have a set of rules and exceptions that have to be known and practiced until you become so familiar with them that you don’t have to think about them when solving problems in everyday life (for example when you make a simple calculation like 7x8) or,...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I have been teaching English in an education center for three months. Even though it’s not a long period but I have seen several challenges that these Chinese native students are facing while learning English. Especially for younger learners aged roughly between three and eight years old. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Elsa C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. While learning the alphabet, I have witnessed most kindergarten students have difficulty differentiating between “G” and “J” and their respective phonetics. Moreover, many young learners are not used to rolling their tongue to pronounce “L” and “R”. To...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas In my classroom, I often hear many of my students saying, "I want to be good at English." At the same time, I am aware that most of them almost lose their motivation for learning English. After studying English hard to pass the entrance examination, they are free from the "obligational" study of English. Now in college, no one in the classroom speaks out that English is unnecessary. On the contrary, they answered that they need to study English because it is a global language. More importantly, the ability to command the language strongly influences the success of their job hunting. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Milos O. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the...  [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 Teaching Ideas Learning is always hard especially learning something new such as English learning. English is a different new language compared with Chinese, so when we are learning, definitely we will meet all kinds of difficulties in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate XIAO J. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Due to the lack of vocabulary, beginners can not get the main idea of a story. They usually expect to know every single word and if they miss some words, they will become extremely nervous so that they lose their confidence at all. The best way to avoid it is to pre-teach some potentially...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas There are many views about learning English grammar. Many people think that learning English grammar is not important and unnecessary. This idea is not wrong because it depends on the purpose of your English learning. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate May T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. For middle and high school students, learning English grammar is very important because it accounts for the highest score in the English test sections. Confirming that, to learn English well, you need to start from learning and consolidating English grammar. Thereby, we can see that English grammar is not a prerequisite and the most important...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I chose this topic for my essay because it is not something I had ever given much thought to. As a native speaker, I don’t recall studying correct pronunciation in school along with other aspects of language learning such as grammar and vocabulary. Correct, or at least acceptable and understandable, the pronunciation was something that just happened. I was initially somewhat surprised when I saw that an entire online module had been devoted to the topic, but as I read the module, I realized that it is a rich and complex component of language learning, to which serious students of English as a second language should be exposed. And the sample lesson video demonstrated to me that teaching phonetics could also be...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas To begin with, receptive skills that are, reading and listening are important points in any language. Teachers need to be able to use them in their lessons to have a balanced approach when teaching. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate NCHANJI N. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. We read to achieve a purpose that is, to gain knowledge, and attain our aspirations and ambitions. For example, reading instructions for our new smart TV and following instructions. More often than not, we listen to or read the information because we find it pleasurable or enjoyable in some way. For example, reading a novel or listening to music. We may...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences While English is a popular language used globally, people learn and use the language differently, a feature that informs the techniques employed in teaching the language. A Chinese immigrant living in the United States with his parents, for example, will learn English as a Second Language (ESL). Such a learner would learn in an environment where English is the primary language for interaction. The case is different with a French boy learning English in a school in Paris. The boy in this context learns English but is likely to continue using his French mother tongue while out of class. As such, he learns English as a Foreign Language (EFL). The two learners in this hypothetical case have unique needs in their...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Benjamin Franklin quoted “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” Verbal communication is one of the most essential abilities that a student can lead both for social and educational achievement. It can consider the introductory stage of learning. It is indispensable to cultivate communication skills for the development of young learners so that he/she can carry out of articulating him or herself. Throughout the day students process and convey in a diverse means such as making requests, asking questions, receiving and exchanging new information, expressing ideas, sharing opinions, giving instructions, and interacting with peers. This post was written by our TEFL certification...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences Stepping onto my flight from Miami to Santiago, Chile, I was confident in my Spanish skills. After all, I had taken nearly seven years of Spanish classes in middle and high school. However, when I landed I found, not only did I not understand 80% of what my host family said to me, they couldn’t understand me either. Over the course of my two months there, I came to appreciate the significance of slang in understanding and mastering a language. Even though slang words and usage can vary tremendously throughout the English speaking world, this is not an excuse to avoid introducing slang in the classroom. Being able to identify and understand some common slang words and phrases will help English learners reading...  [Read more]

Zainab Sadriwala Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas “The most challenging of the tasks during this COVID era has been to make my children read” states a frustrated Amena; a mother of two children, one in the primary years and the other in middle school. “It was much easier for me to monitor them and ask them to read and follow the schedule when they knew they had to report to their teacher. The school environment is just so integral for sustaining discipline in young people” she continues. Like Amena, there have been many parents worldwide trying to strike a balance for their children to maintain their healthy habits, which not only helps them develop academically but also grow in every aspect. Reading is one of such...  [Read more]

Federico Riva Alumni Experiences There are numerous reasons why a person may choose to read. One of the strongest motivators to read is the ability to gain knowledge and to learn new information. Another common reason why an individual decides to read is for enjoyment and for the chance to use their imagination. All of these factors play a role in how reading aids in language acquisition, whether it be a person’s native language (L1) or a second language (L2). This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Meghan L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Language acquisition means learning how to communicate through reading, with writing, by speaking or with gestures. An...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Over the course of this certification program, I learned an abundance of information and methodologies, but none as important as the ESA outline; the ESA methodology is, undoubtedly, the best thing I’ve learned from my TEFL course. The ESA procedure provides a myriad of benefits, engaging learners in a series of dynamic activities aimed to create a seamless and effective educational environment. Due to the adept and fluid nature of the ESA methodology, it is easily the most important tool taught to me throughout this program and something I foresee utilizing often in the near future. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Richard H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences This essay on the Multiple Intelligences is based on my past 26 years of teaching experiences at the elementary and middle school grades, as well as teaching in teacher education in higher education at the university level. I have conducted much research on the area of Multiple Intelligences, however, this essay will be based on my memory and experiences of teaching utilizing the Multiple Intelligences; thus, references are not included as they have been an accumulation throughout the last 26 years of teaching. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Gahan B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Howard Gardner, a professor in...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore TEFL Information Alumni Experiences This blog post was written by our TEFL graduate Ning Z., who shares their own personal story of learning English after emigrating to the United States from China at the age of 18 and how this personal learning experience helped them to become a TESOL teacher today. This post was written by our ITTT graduate Ning Z. I had emigrated to the US from China at the age of 18 and am delighted to be able to share my language acquiring experience and shed some light on some of the challenges a new language learner might encounter during the course of learning. English is taught in middle and high schools in China as a compulsory curriculum, so, before arriving in the US, I had some prior...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas There is a saying that goes ‘Old dogs can’t be taught new tricks’. However, recent advances in cognitive science prove the concept of brain plasticity or neuroplasticity, which is the ability of the brain to continuously re-wire and change throughout the life of a person. This ability can be observed in the brain healing from injuries and can also be applied to ordinary brain activities like learning. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Cherryl T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. As I have learned in this course and experienced in actual practice, almost all adults learning business English are working and studying at the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Reading affects language acquisition based on the level of the content read, the type of content, and the reader’s external sources of language acquisition. This summative text will explain the different difficulties that can arise when any English learner uses reading as their sole or primary language acquisition mode. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Laura J. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Reading over the level of your speaking and listening skills can cause errors in phonetics, such as mispronouncing words that you’ve only read and have not...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Language acquisition often involves four skills. These skills are further divided into two groups receptive skills (reading and listening) and productive skills (writing and speaking). Not all languages have a corresponding writing system however, learners of English will have to learn all these skills to be proficient in their use of English. Reading is more than just calling words on paper, In this essay, the importance of reading in language acquisition will be discussed on the basis that reading influences vocabulary expansion, facilitates the practice of word pronunciation and finally sparks and improves the imagination. These concepts will be discussed from the standpoint of English language acquisition in...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Just as quarks are the building blocks of atoms and the periodic table of elements, letters are the building blocks of words. And just as the 118 elements are the foundation of our physical life, the 26 letters of the English alphabet are the foundation of the 470 000 words English language (Wikipedia, 2019), so that each word with all its variation and diversity is part of a living and evolving cosmos of vocabulary. Today the English language is one of the most diversified and colorful languages alive and numerous words evolve to enrich this lexicon each year. It is this diversity that allows free and fluent thought in English that is the epitome of native English speakers and it is for this reason the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Fears of declining reading rates have long plagued the United States. In 2007, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) released To Read or Not To Read: A Question of National Consequence, a report showing that reading rates for all demographic factors had declined. The report shed light on the potentially devastating effects that such a decline may have: this was not about mourning the loss of book sales, but about reading’s impact on citizens’ abilities to comprehend written material, improve their socioeconomic standing, and maintain a successful career. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Veronica B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or...  [Read more]