Questions To Ask Tefl Advisor

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas We all know what it’s like to teach a class with reluctant students who don’t want to talk. It’s like pulling teeth. However, with these 7 awesome ESL conversation activities, you can really get your students talking! For this activity, you simply use a tumbling block game such as Jenga and write 1 simple ice breaker question on each block. Before a student places a block on the stack, they must first answer the question on the block. This activity is especially great for small ESL classes or for small groups in a big class. Also Read: The 5 Best Ways To Build Rapport With Your TEFL Students First, take a few minutes to brainstorm characteristics a person might have. This could be something like “has flown in an airplane” or “has a younger...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas Teaching speaking skills is an important part of an ESL class. Sometimes, entire conversation classes are established that focus solely on speaking. Here are 7 great games for your ESL conversation class. Write down the names and key points about five celebrities and assign them to the same amount of students in your classroom. One by one, a student enters a “party” with another student playing the host. The host must then find out the identity of each guest by having a conversation with everyone. Have your students stand in a circle. Choose a specific grammar point and have the first person asks a question using the grammar structure. The student then throws a ball to another student who answers the question making sure to use the correct grammar. If...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Rapport according to the Cambridge dictionary means “a good understanding of someone and an ability to communicate well with them”, it can also be defined as a close and harmonious relationship in which the people or groups concerned understand each other's feelings or ideas and communicate well. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Kudzai K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Establishing rapport with your students can make a great amount of difference when teaching, especially in a second language. It increases the bond between a teacher and his students and thus more often than not makes learning interesting and more fun for everyone. It also promotes more student...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas Liven up your business English classes and encourage high student talk time with these fun and creative activities. In pairs students role-play a negotiation. Each side will be given a sheet listing demands and concessions. Each side of the negotiation is awarded points for the type of concessions they get from the other side. For example, if one side manages to get a 25% discount, they get 10 points and the other side gets 0. Also read: 7 Great Resources for Teaching Business English Telephone role-plays can be used with a variety of different topics such as leaving and taking a message, placing an order, arranging a meeting, making a complaint etc. The main point is to give students the chance to practice communicating in English without the visual clues...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Practicing conversational skills is often daunting for students. However, with these awesome activities, you’ll engage your students in speaking quicker as they will like the tasks. Jenga is a favorite stack game to millions of people. Your students will get excited as soon as they see the blocks. For this activity, you need to customize the blocks a bit by writing 1 ice-breaking question on each piece. Students need to pull a block and answer the question before putting it on the top of the stack. You can adjust this game to online classes by using online Jenga. Also Read: Can I teach English as a foreign language online? Before the lesson, brainstorm as many personal characteristics as possible (e.g.: have a brother, go abroad, etc.). Students fill...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Classroom Management is the skill of organizing and managing the class, having a friendly, relaxed manner and maintaining discipline. Keeping a classroom under control is often my biggest challenge mostly with the pupils. With the help of the ITTT 120-hours TESOL/TEFL course, I've finally found some classroom management strategies that actually worked and eventually turned things around. These strategies apply to all levels of learners and even to new and existing classes. I can now say things have got to the point where my classes are now under control, focused, on task, and learning effectively. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Cheng Y. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Learning a new language can elicit stress/fear responses in students. This is especially prominent in speaking as it can make people feel vulnerable/ashamed in front of their peers. It is very common for students to feel shy, especially if they are one of the weaker students in English or don’t have the motivation to learn the language. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Daniela A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I have experienced intense stress in learning Arabic (my father’s mother tongue) because I was afraid of judgment from my family about how poor my speaking abilities were. Hence, I fully understand that the initial hump of fear can affect the learning...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The main goal of reducing teacher talk time or TTT is to have the teacher speaking less and the students engaging more. This essay will explore the benefits of doing this for the teacher and student, complications that could arise and how to deal with them, and how this can be implemented into any ESL lesson. It will cover a few key areas in an ESA lesson such as planning, questioning, student participation, silence, and instructions. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Benjamin R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. One of the first things as teachers that we can do to reduce teacher talk time is to give clear instructions. Instructions are needed throughout the lesson...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Today, as English teachers, we have better equipment and materials, improved teaching methods and techniques, endless ideas and tips on how to maintain discipline and keep our students motivated. Sounds impressive, doesn’t it? It seems that we should just enjoy our classes and drink some nice tea during the breaks. However, along with all these improvements come greater demands. Each year more and more parents would like their children to learn English to ensure a better future. In our time, knowledge of English no more is your advantage, but the number one requirement for a good position. That is why our students are getting younger, sometimes to a point when they don’t even speak their native language. The first and the main...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas There is no agreed definition of a large class in the dictionary, nor should there be. One person’s large class is what some others consider as ‘regular’, ‘small’ or ‘normal’. Some simply define "large" as "too many students to learn names by the end of the term or semester." Whether something feels like a large class is partly a matter of the resources put into teaching it and of the skill employed by the. A large class is one that feels large. A sign that a class is ‘large’ can be: the resources can no longer cope with the number of students if you desire individual attention for the students. Here are some tips to help with teaching large classes. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Michael E. Please note that...  [Read more]

Carrie Kellenberger Visa and Legal TEFL Information Learning how to answer common questions in an ESL interview is easy if you’ve researched and prepared in advance, even if you’ve never had a formal job interview before. Before we head into answering the top 15 most asked questions in a TEFL interview, there are a few things to check off your to-do list before interviewing: 1. Tell me a little about yourself. This is an icebreaker question that gives you the opportunity to sell yourself. Be positive and tell the interviewer about your good points, especially the parts of your personality that make you a good teacher. Explain why you are interested in moving abroad to teach and focus on the care and attention you will give to your new job. You can also talk about previous travels,...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Charos H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I’ve designed this lesson for beginner students in the ESL new language class. There are 6 students in a small group classroom. The students are between 6-7 years old. My goal is to provide opportunities to explore and personalize a new language. I chose the “Straight Arrow” ESA methodology to teach the topic, Do you like Fruit? Also Read: Who will my students be when teaching English abroad? I will start to play the “Do you like Broccoli Ice Cream?” Kid’s song. We will sing and dance together. I’m sure they will like it and follow along actively. After the song, I will use the...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker Teaching Ideas As every TEFL certified English teacher will know, it is all too common to find you have completed the lesson but there is still time left before the end of the class. While first-time teachers might panic in this position, experienced teachers will always have a few go-to activities to use in these situations. To help you out we have put together the following suggestions for fun, educational activities that can be brought out with little or no preparation. This is a classic old classroom game that is still great fun to use today. First, you need to arrange the students in a circle. To get the game going, the teacher or a student comes up with a relatively long sentence (ideally using vocabulary or grammar points learned in the lesson) and then whispers it...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas A teaching job abroad is another level of everyday challenge but is a fulfilling one. With my teaching experiences, I started crafting my own ways on how to develop the English-speaking skills kindergarten level students, especially the non-native speakers. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ruffy M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Routine is one of the most vital things a kindergarten teacher should keep in mind while teaching kindergarten learners. A well-established routine helps the learners follow instructions effortlessly and remember the things you taught easily, such as instructions and songs. Being lively in class adds up to the interest of the children in...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas ESL teachers often encounter difficulties when teaching grammar patterns to students abroad. The following 7 activities for teaching the simple present for the ESL classroom will help your students pick up the tense in an easy and efficient way. This is a very good activity for when you start discussing the simple present and how it’s used for routines and regularities. You can place the students into groups or pairs and have them discuss their daily routines. What do they do in the morning? In the afternoon? In the evening? You can then also have them write up a schedule of their daily routines and share their findings with the class later on in a class discussion. Also read: Top Online Lesson Plan Resources for New and Advanced Teachers This activity is...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker TEFL Information Job interviews are traditionally one of the most daunting prospects that we face in our working lives and interviews for TEFL jobs are generally no exception. Although no one looks forward to a job interview, the whole experience can be made less intimidating if you have some idea of what to expect. As with any type of job, interviewers for TEFL related positions have certain areas that they want to cover to assess your suitability for the position. Because these areas are normally much the same worldwide, it is possible to have a rough idea about the kind of TEFL interview questions you need to prepare for. Armed with this knowledge you should be able to enter the interview room feeling positive and in a good position to show you are the right person for...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Managing a class involves organizing and controlling a class. It also involves having a relaxed manner and a sense of discipline. The class has to be interesting for the learners. A large class can be fun if managed well by the teacher. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Esther O. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I would suggest an orderly row arrangement for a large class. This will enable the teacher to move back and forth. This arrangement also enables the teacher to keep eye contact with the learners. A large class requires a confident voice and changes based on the stage of the lesson. Learners can sense a teacher that is not confident. It is important to be...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas In this essay, I am going to talk about how students can be motivated, more specifically, how to encourage shy or reluctant students to participate in class discussions. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Bertram R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. With the possible exception of mental "problems" such as being a mute, most of the time I find that a student who is unwilling to talk is either not confident in their abilities, or waiting for somebody else to answer the question. Also Read: The Benefits and Pitfalls when Teaching One-on-One What I have found to be a good way of encouraging students to talk who are shy is to teach them the sentence structure or grammar I...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Classroom management is an important part of a good learning environment. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Priscilla E. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. One of the first tasks you can do to achieve managing your specific class is choosing which desk seating method to use in the classroom. There are multiple ways to set up the desks for each specific class. The way I would set up my class test would be shoe horse shape this is because this is more intimate and the class I will be teaching is a small number of students. With the shoe horse shape of the desk, the teacher can keep an eye on all the students, and continually make eye contact with all of them, and is also...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences A major consideration for any teacher is going to be building and maintaining rapport. The importance of rapport is that within our communicative activities we're asking the students to talk to each other and if they feel comfortable with each other and with us, then that interaction is much more likely to be useful. One approach is to consider two stages of the teaching we are involved in. The first stage could be called “the start of the course” and the second stage called “throughout the course”. Considering the first stage, to help build rapport at the start of the course, it's very useful if we ask the students to create a name card and to make that name card visible to everyone. We should encourage everyone to use names as...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The more a teacher speaks the less attention the learners will pay. Decreasing teacher speaking time can be done with a few practical steps and wonderful teaching methods. It all starts with proper planning. When designing a lesson plan be sure to include assignments and activities that will engage your students and do not call for a teacher dominant role. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Johnelle M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Using activities in the classroom that engage the students is very important. For example, instead of going right into a lecture, using a pass the ball activity allows the students to get engaged and the teacher to observe strengths and...  [Read more]

Mudita Yajnik TEFL Information Teaching Ideas What’s the best way to find out what your students know? Or, how much they’ve been paying attention, or what you need to revisit? Tests. Tests can be a great way to find out if the class is ready to move forward or if they need to revisit some ideas. They can be a great tool for finding out what your students need and how much they’ve been paying attention to. However, tests can be very stressful for students, especially if they have been asked to memorize information. Of course, I understand the argument that in “real life,” they won’t be able to use their notes, or they won’t have time to pause a conversation so that they can look up the correct words. Of course, that argument makes sense, but it won’t inspire students to...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Flashcards on its own is an easy method to apply when teaching beginners, teenagers even adults because they can match the words to the pictures and it's an easy way to remember new vocabulary. I think this is the best way of acquiring a new word of a second language because identification and recognition is the key. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Sombong V. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The whole class can take part in this activity. The objective is to use sight words to make up questions. How to play: Photocopy and cut apart the word and picture cards. Layout the word cards face up. Mix up the picture cards and place them facedown in a pile. Seat children in a...  [Read more]

Simon ITTT Teaching Ideas The number of combinations of modals and usages is enormous, so TEFL certified teachers often spend a lot of time trying to find an activity that suits their particular teaching point. Here, we give you some adaptable ideas which should save you time thinking or searching, assuming you already have good grammatical knowledge of the subject and a little bit of creativity. It’s often better to spend a bit of time creating your own material rather than looking fruitlessly on the internet. You will also be able to personalize the content for your students, improve your own skills, and build up a great resource bank. If you need to improve your knowledge of modal auxiliary verbs, look at your ITTT course materials. A standard ESL classroom game that students,...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Placement tests are designed to put students in their appropriate ESL level band. What are the levels and how do the tests do this? ### Watch the video about this topic One type of test we commonly use for our ESL students is called the placement test. They're also called level tests and as the name implies what we're trying to do is to place students in a particular level of class. Typically there are five levels, these being, Starter (Level 1), Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate and Upper- Intermediate (Level 5) Some of the more common features of these tests are that; 1. All four skills are commonly tested that means, reading, writing, speaking and listening and 2. They tend to be what's called progressive. By progressive what...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Let’s remember the latest class you’ve had. What were you doing? Were you explaining a new rule? Were you answering your students’ questions? Were you telling a story from your life? Weren’t you talking too much? Let’s discuss how to decrease teacher speaking time (TST) and increase student speaking time (SST). This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate DALER R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. According to the communicative approach, TST shouldn’t be greater than SST, moreover, it must be much less than the last one. Why? There are several reasons. First of all, we have to mention that the more a teacher talks the less time for speaking and improving their...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Imagine a classroom where the teacher is lecturing the entire class time. Student’s attention span starts to flee, they begin looking for any source of entertainment. They are now distracted and unable to apply the lesson the teacher is demonstrating in the real world. Teacher lecture time should be supplemented with other methods of teaching. Students need mental breaks and activities to engage them in the lesson. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Abigail A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Learning a new language is an engaging activity, it needs to be practiced and repeated for communication to become second nature. The more the students interact with one another...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Speaking is one of the most important skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing). We do not only help students to understand, write and read it, but also speak it fluently. Teaching speaking skills for a mixed-ability classroom is not easy. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Huyen N. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. When we are teaching a class with has students who are clearly of different levels. They may have different starting levels of English or they may learn at very different speeds. the teacher easy to get frustrated in a class of mixed ability. The students also feel bored and frustrated. The stronger students may feel held back, weaker students may feel...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The content of online courses and onsite courses is similar. As for the effect of learning, it varies from person to person. Some students like online courses. Because online courses do not need to go to the site to attend classes, they can go to class directly at home, which is convenient and time-consuming. It is more flexible, you can choose the time of the lecture, and you can listen to it repeatedly during the validity period. In particular, most of the users of our drop-out network are in-service personnel, and they can use the time to watch the video to learn. Face-to-face courses are convenient，some students prefer onsite courses because the courses are more direct, and they can communicate directly with teachers on the spot. Any incurable...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas No matter how well-prepared a teacher may be, every classroom is different, which means each student is different, and each teacher needs to be able to adjust and be able to establish rapport with the new class. For some teachers, working in a foreign country may cause them to feel uneasy; however, a teacher needs to overcome this feeling to be successful in the classroom. Indeed, building rapport with all students will help. Although this is a continuous process throughout the term, the key to establishing a friendly learning environment starts on day one. Thus, the best way to build rapport is to know the students’ names and interests by the end of the day or week (depending on class size). This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate...  [Read more]