Reasons For Being A Teacher

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Waves are crashing around as their feet sink into the wet sand and they take a deep breath of the salty air. They didn’t think it would be possible to travel anywhere or experience anything outside of their country before they retired, but here they are in Spain at the age of twenty-two. They were able to do this because they decided to get a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certification and teach English abroad. There are many reasons someone may decide to work toward this certification. One reason is to be able to travel the world and support themselves anywhere they would like to go. Another reason to get TEFL certified is to supplement a teaching resume and gain new skills as an already...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences There are many reasons as to why you should get a Tefl. I’m not going to list every possible reason for the simple fact that it would take too long, and it is simply unnecessary to list every reason. My main three reasons as to why you should get a Tefl is because it helps anybody learn more than anybody thinks they may and or may not have known, it is highly beneficial to whatever kind of students anybody may teach, and it also helps you learn whether or not if this is a job that you truly desire to have. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Andrew G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. To start, many people (that study...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Teaching Ideas In this blog post, we are going to have a look at some of the reasons why we plan lessons. We suggest there are three main reasons why we need to plan our lessons. First and foremost perhaps, is that it's going to create a logical sequence for our lessons. If we didn't have a lesson plan it is quite possible that we could go all over the place and it would become confusing for the students. By having this plan, what we've created is a structure that we can work from. In effect the lesson plan itself is a working document, which we can refer to it at various times in a lesson. If ever we're not quite sure what we're supposed to be doing next, we can just take a quick look at our plan...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Discipline is an important aspect of classroom life when teaching EFL to adults. It affects the teachers and students and can hold a classroom together. Lack of discipline creates chaos and diminishes the ability of students to learn. In this essay, I will seek to explore what kind of discipline problems there are among adults, why a lack of discipline exists, and some strategies to solving a lack of discipline. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Eva A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. In a 2016 study done in Saudi Arabia titled, "The Undesirable Behaviors of Students in Academic Classrooms, and Discipline Strategies Used by...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Being a teacher is not like any other jobs. For example, if you are an engineer and you don’t like your job, you can still manage to go to work but to be a teacher, you have to love what you do. It is just like being a mother of 20-30 children. You have to take care of them one by one. You have to be their psychologist, mentor, and idol at the same time. It’s not something that you can do just for the money; at least if you’re good at your job. That is why being a volunteer in teaching is an excellent way of making this planet better. There are a few reasons to be a volunteer teacher and this essay will mention some of them. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Elif Ç. Please note...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Establishing rapport with your students is crucial for many reasons. Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines rapport as “a friendly, harmonious relationship especially: a relationship characterized by agreement, mutual understanding, or empathy that makes communication possible or easy.” This means that establishing rapport is like laying a foundation for understanding and communication. One of the most fundamental purposes of any language is to provide a way to understand and communicate with other people. Taking the time to establish rapport is simply the first step to laying a foundation for teaching and learning a language. A true teacher does not teach a subject, they teach students. As a...  [Read more]

  ITTT graduate Iryna recorded this TEFL review video. Iryna took the 120-hour online TEFL course with tutor support and videos. Iryna found the course materials to be simple, clear, short and practical and she enjoyed studying each of the 20 modules. Each module is followed by an online test that evaluates how well you have understood the material covered in the unit. As a result of taking the online TEFL course with ITTT Iryna found that her professional confidence has increased. 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...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas As with any subject, a student’s motivation can affect their interest in the subject matter. English is no different, in fact, I believe that motivation is the key difference in students who continue to progress and improve in English and those who don’t and discontinue English in their future. Now, this is not to say that all students with low motivation do not pick up any English through their learning, nor does it mean that a student with motivation will find English learning to be easy. However, I believe that motivation plays a key role in ensuring that a student remains engaged with the English language and eventually progresses into fluency. I wouldd like to present ideas that can add to student’s...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Many non-native English speaking countries only require teachers to have a bachelor's degree, and it can be in any field. It can be a degree in anything at all, thus not having prepared the future teacher for their new job and life. Some other countries don't require a bachelor's degree at all. With the rise in demand for learning English as a second language has come the increased relevance and need for courses such as TEFL. I'm an example of someone who had no background in teaching, and I also didn't take a course before I dove in. I had to "fake it till I made it" and looking back, that was unfair to the students. Even if I wasn't breaking any laws and I was doing everything I could to do a good job, I could...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Imagine this, you walk into the classroom and your students don’t know you don’t know the students. You want to create an environment of safe learning, but you don’t know-how. Well, one of the things you can do to create this type of environment is to establish rapport with your students. When you establish rapport with them you are creating a connection or relationship with them. When someone has rapport, they have a connection with someone else, a harmonious understanding. It could be with an individual or a group. Sometimes rapport can happen naturally but often it needs to be built up especially in the classroom. So why is it important to establish rapport? There are several reasons why an English...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences There are many reasons why a person might be interested in becoming TEFL certified. Initially, I only really had one reason, is that it’d be an interesting way to start my career as a teacher and would determine if this was something I wanted to do with a big portion of my life. One of my major life goals is revamping the American education system and making it more efficient, especially on the public-school level. I’ve learned a decent amount about how education is handled in several countries outside of America and while no system is perfect, there are things we could be doing better. By finding a TEFL job in another country I’d be able to gain experience as a teacher as well as study teaching methods...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Within a classroom, you will have an assortment of students with different abilities and different styles of learning which can hurt the ability for these students to work and learn together. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate jon k. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. As a teacher, it is essential to ensure that all students feel inclusive when in the classroom. If a student feels like they are not learning, or feel like they are not part of the class, they are more likely to not take part, which in turn, slows down the rate in which that student can achieve the objectives of the class. Also Read: The new ITTT Specialized Course...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Over the last month and a half, I have been completing a TEFL course. I am currently working as an assistant language teacher at a Japanese high school. Overall, I have found the experience to be very useful. The following reasons are why a TEFL course should be completed. Firstly, you gain a better understanding of how English grammar works. Secondly, from my perspective, it has reinforced and improved my current teaching strategies and practices. Thirdly, it gives teachers a structural theoretical framework to create lessons. Finally, completing a TEFL course gives you lesson ideas and activities. For these reasons, it is important to complete a TEFL course. This post was written by our TEFL certification...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker TEFL Information Alumni Experiences When I looked at the choices of where and how to take a TEFL course, there were two factors that played into my decision-making process. These factors were time and money. I needed to find the quickest, most convenient way to take a TEFL course, and at the same time stay within my budget. And for these reasons, taking the online option was clearly the best way to go for me. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate David K. I had to find the best way to finish a TEFL course, as fast as possible, so that I could start to use it to make some money while I was traveling. Having plenty of free time, and being able to work at my own pace, made the online offering the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences About the question of why has English become or is perceived to be the current global language, it is important first of all to take a step back and look at some context. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduateJustin S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. As a schoolboy up to O level, I learned Latin for fourteen years. Although generally speaking, if one wishes to pursue a career in medicine or botany, for example, a broad knowledge of Latin is important as it is still used to this for the classifications and individual plant and animal names. Some might argue that this is an elitist use of the language, but Linnaeus' reasoning...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Teaching can be a gratifying career, but with it comes great responsibility. Possessing a high grasp of grammar, teaching theories, techniques, etc., will hold you in good stead. However, there are many other wide-ranging characteristics required to be a great teacher. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Elicia B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. A great teacher needs to be adaptable as they are not just a teacher. They are a motivator, organizer, entertainer, prompter, corrector, and participator, to name only a few. It is essential that the teacher can...  [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 Teaching Ideas Teaching is an opportunity that all of us can learn and benefit from. Teaching expands across all nationalities, genders, religious, racial and age groups. Education among different age groups has is similarities and differences that have evolved throughout civilization. Throughout my time teaching, there are several pros versus cons when it comes to teaching children and adults. Both are an absolute joy to teach in my opinion, however, some strategies must be implemented that both can benefit from. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Vivian M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Some of the similarities that teaching children versus...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences There are a variety of reasons why students may or may not be motivated to learn English. For many teachers, especially teachers who are just beginning their English teaching careers, a lack of motivation in their students is one of the biggest obstacles that they face [1]. Luckily, there are many methods for cultivating motivation in English language students. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ryan L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. One of the reasons a student might have a lack of motivation is that they are daunted by how far they seem to be from ever achieving fluency. This may cause them to want to give up before they...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences If you're a native language speaker, you've likely heard the phrase, “You can't teach an old dog new tricks”. There has been little evidence found to support this claim, but the belief persists. Many adult learners believe that it is too late for them to learn a new language. If you are teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language you may find yourself teaching a class of adult learners. Adult learners differ in many ways from young learners, and one such issue you may encounter is a doubt from the learners that they are capable of picking up a new language now that they are no longer children. Though the style of learning and the issues encountered will inevitably differ from those of young learners,...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The 21st century has completely changed language learning around the world. Nowadays, learning a foreign language is a matter of surfing the internet and finding several courses or online apps the make it incredibly easy. In addition, young learners today have developed a series of skills that also give them a higher chance of learning languages compared to previous generations. However, this has also made people more laid-back and less motivated to try and learn other languages. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jairo G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Motivation plays a really important role when learning a foreign language,...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Losing one’s temper in front of students is one of the most problematic scenes in classrooms. I remember being a new teacher in a class filled with twenty-six first graders, nothing ever prepared me for that moment, when they all needed to use the washroom or help to open their lunch boxes. The frustration I faced daily, along with little to no coping strategies were ultimately the key elements that helped me decide to never work with very young learners. There are many reasons why teachers lose their temper in classroom settings, but the good news is there are many ways we can regain control and recreate positive learning environments, as we will discuss in this essay. This post was written by our TEFL...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas My personal opinion is that teachers should not “punish” students for bad behavior. That said, I also believe that if words or actions transpire in the classroom that is not allowed, or are inappropriate or disruptive, the teacher should address the situation to reduce the risk or likelihood of it happening again going forward - however, in a positive, constructive, solution-based way. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Lindsay G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Punishment can take many forms and degrees, from being sternly spoken to, being assigned extra work, having a reward or privilege taken away, being sent to the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas As we all know, English has become a global language spoken as the official one in many countries around the world. Because of its importance, nowadays English is taught at school to children from a young age because it is a skill that it is looked for by many employers and will be very useful in the future. At the moment it is very important to speak and understand the English language, especially because it gives you the ability to travel, work or have connections abroad in different fields and be able to communicate in a language that it is not your mother tongue with colleagues, clients, or customers. For this reason, I think that studying and knowing English will help and enhance a person’s life and career....  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences In 2016, I was given the amazing opportunity to teach English in the beautiful country of Brazil. In my first few weeks there, I learned how to teach by observing a professional instructor at the English language school and then practicing in front of my new colleagues. These were my first steps into the world of teaching. This post was written by our ITTT graduate Kyler J. During my first month at the English school in Brazil, I learned as much about the culture of Brazil and the students who lived there as I did about being a teacher. When I finally began working directly with the students in my second month, I started with the advanced and master classes. Later on, I would begin my work with the intermediate...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences There are many different reasons and obvious advantages of taking the TEFL course. One of the main advantages is the fact that it is a form of validation or certification of your credentials, as a qualified language teacher. This thus makes job interview processes more convenient and increases your chances of employment in the top job markets around the world. With a wider range of options to choose from, this can only make your dreams or aspirations to teach in your potential country of choice, much simpler. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ken Y. On a personal level though, besides the aforementioned rationale, the decision to enroll in this course would be for one other specific...  [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]

Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences There are many different reasons why someone might choose to complete a TEFL course. For some it may be simply to earn a new qualification whilst for others there may be much more to it than that. This post will highlight and explain some of the main reasons why people choose to study and complete TEFL courses. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Connie S. One of the main reasons why people choose to complete a TEFL course is to gain a qualification that will help them to obtain a job in a foreign country where they wish to live and work. Teaching English in their country of choice may not be the only job that is available to them, but it is one of the easiest ways to be able to live in a...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences While attempting to actively assimilate into a foreign language environment overseas, it has been an ongoing journey and challenging adventure in these previous three years. There have been a few noted observations and insightful discoveries indeed. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Angela W. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Through living in a tier three city where English is not commonly used, the role of an English teacher and the position of a Chinese student have been assumed simultaneously. Despite the lack of English usage in people’s daily living, independent vocabularies, phrases and sentences could be seen...  [Read more]

Federico Riva Alumni Experiences In the ITTT course, I was able to learn about the many different roles a teacher may use to assist learners of English in the classroom. However, as more and more teachers are learning, a lot of the students’ ability to learn is based on factors external to the classroom. Some of these include positive relationships at home, extracurricular activities, time spent studying, explorative self-learning and so on. Nonetheless, teachers can affect the choices the students go on to make outside of the classroom. In this way, it is important to think about what type of role might be impactful from a student’s perspective. This paper will argue that a wide range of roles may have a positive effect on a student’s...  [Read more]