Target Teacher Prep Event 2023

  Many people are unaware quite how accessible a career teaching English as a foreign language is while others are simply not aware that it is even possible to live and work abroad in almost any country in the world. Not only is possible but it is relatively easy to achieve in a short period of time. By following the 6 steps outlined in the video, you could be working abroad as an EFL teacher before you know it. 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. ...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Educators have debated on the topic of classroom management since the first class began. In the same way curricula and teaching cultures vary, as do the intricacies of classroom management. A topic that is, in my opinion, not taught enough in the realm of TEFL, is finding ways to manage a full classroom of young students for an entire day. As the trend for “kindergarten” prep courses rises in China, the void for managing 20+ five-year-olds has been dark and silent. Because many principals in these prep centers refuse to allow Mandarin in the classroom and the fact that these students do not initially understand basic commands in English, this creates a sense of chaos that hampers the learning process. This...  [Read more]

Amanda Stern Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas A preferred method of teaching abroad is the team-teaching approach. This is where two teachers, dubbed T1 (often the “main” teacher”) and T2 (often the “assistant”), work together to develop a syllabus, prepare materials and lessons, teach students, then evaluate the results and make changes whenever deemed necessary. As the base, unless T2 has strong language skills in the local language, T1 will be expected to explain core grammar. Both are responsible for their own contributions to the class in order to create a cohesive classroom for effective English learning. That’s right, you’re on a team which means you’ll be sharing time preparing materials and coursework!...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas I have never met a person who is not interested in languages because of their attraction. Learning a foreign language appropriately, correctly, and faster is the concern of most non-native speakers, which propelled them to seek effective methods for learning languages. This process yielded a new field of research called Computer-Aided Language learning or CALL, which is "the use of computational methods and techniques as well as new media for language learning and teaching." Consequently, most modern learning languages focus on technology applications, where using computers and electronic devices plays an important role in the learning process. In this essay, I will solely...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas TTT stands for Teacher Talking Time, ’of which teachers can't have too little. Teachers will speak more in class, when present knowledge, manage the classroom, correct students’ mistakes, praise students or provide feedback, and set up or demonstrate the classroom activities. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Tang C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Here are some inadequacies of too much TTT. Firstly, TTT is opposite to STT (Student Talking Time), and more TTT means less STT. Teachers are already proficient in using English. Jeremy Harmer[1] believes that: Getting students to speak- to use the language they are learning- is...  [Read more]

Mia Santarelli Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Popsicles, sunscreen, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, watermelon, backyard picnics, riding bikes, and lemonade stands. These are a few images that come to mind when I think of summertime and the magic of relaxing with family in the warmth of the sunshine. As a child, I remember playing with my siblings in the yard, running through the sprinkler, doing arts and crafts projects, and drawing roads with traffic signs on our driveway that we would navigate along with our bikes or scooters. Although plans for summer 2020 around the world have been altered, there are still many opportunities to engage children in unique learning opportunities. Under the circumstances surrounding COVID-19,...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Young children, even when they are learning their native tongue, learn the words before they learn how to apply them correctly and as a result, children often make mistakes in their grammar, however, even when they do, it is mostly the vocabulary or the order of the words which still provides a degree of context which makes the message they intend to convey understandably and thus susceptible to improvement. It is exactly because of this fact that in this essay, I would like to dive into teaching vocabulary. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Johnny B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. About teaching vocabulary, I could say that...  [Read more]

  This TESOL review video was recorded by ITTT graduate Floyd. Floyd is from the USA but is currently living and working as an English teacher in Japan. Floyd took the 120-hour online course with tutor support as well as the teaching business English course and intends to take the Diploma course with ITTT in the future. 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. In this unit, I learned about the usefulness of games in the classroom, and their value as an...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Learning a second language can be difficult, and this is especially true when the learners L1 and their target language are completely different in structure, sound, and tones. An English as a second language student who speaks French, German, or any other European language will have an easier task than one who speaks a language that is not of European origins. One such language is Mandarin Chinese. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ashley L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The areas that native Mandarin speakers most often run into difficulty are pronunciation, tones, tenses, and sentence structure. A Chinese speaker might...  [Read more]

  http://www.teflcourse.net This video from one of ITTT's TESOL courses looks at how the future continuous tense is formed and used. Firstly, the structure: Positive: Subject + will + be + present participle. I will be learning to teach English. Negative: Subject + will + not + be + present participle. I will not be coming to the party. Question: Will + subject + be + present participle? Will you be staying for the weekend? Now the usages: Actions in progress at a future time. She'll be playing live at Wembley on the 16th. Predict the present. He'll be getting on the plane about now. Polite enquiries (without influence): Will you be coming to the party? For those wanting to learn how to teach English TESOL courses are great ways to learn the necessary grammar such...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Lesson plans are a guiding document created by teachers for a specific learning objective for a target group of learners. Lesson plans are essential to every teacher, whether you teach young learners just starting or adult students business language. Lesson plans are necessary because they are a guided plan, visual and written documentation to work from, and a historical record. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jennifer C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Lesson plans are guided plans created for your specific students. It starts with a learning...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore TEFL Information Teaching Ideas While you learn about teaching multi-level classrooms when you take a TESOL or TEFL certification course, the reality often looks a little different. It’s true that multi-level ESL classrooms have many benefits for English learners. For example, they have the chance to communicate with each other and learn how to use English through practice and negotiating meaning. For the instructor, teaching multi-level classes can be quite a challenge. It requires more prep time and also involves a high level of classroom management. That’s why we’ve written this post to reveal all you need to know when teaching multi-level ESL classes. It’s not unusual to have a new student with lower...  [Read more]

TEFL Lemon began in 2014 as an ESL blog on the WeChat platform in China, quickly becoming the biggest ESL blog on WeChat. TEFL Lemon provided English teachers with ELT articles to read and share, as well as free ESL lesson ideas, ESL games and fun speaking activities which TEFL teachers could use in their classes. English teachers in China could also download free ESL flashcards on a variety of themes. Following their success on the WeChat platform, in 2018, TEFL Lemon decided to build their own website to offer their ESL Flashcard Games for Kids, ESL Warmers, ESL games and speaking activities for teens and adults for free to TEFL teachers around the world. You can visit their website here. Not only do TEFL Lemon offer teachers brilliant ESL games and teaching ideas, but they also have...  [Read more]

Jon ITTT Alumni Experiences Lesson planning is an indispensable part of successful lessons. Generally speaking, lesson plans have various functions that are conducive to the classes. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Juan W. First and most importantly, lesson plans can help teachers think and deliver classes logically through different stages of the classes. It can also give teachers hints needed. When teachers plan lessons, there are several aspects that need to be taken into consideration, such as lesson objectives, possible difficulties and skill and so on. Second, It’s a record of classes that have been done and materials have been used. On the one hand, even though teachers have good memory, it is almost impossible...  [Read more]

  In this video, we focus on the difference between the usage of "do" and "make". We use the verb 'do' when someone performs an action, activity or task. Some common expression with 'do' include : do a crossword, do the ironing, do your job, do the dishes, and do homework. We also use the verb 'do' when referring to things in general and to describe an action without saying exactly what the action is. In this case, 'do' is often used with the words 'something, nothing, anything, everything, for example ' I'm not doing anything today', or ' He does everything for his wife'.There are also a number of fixed expressions that always take the verb 'do', such as: do badly, do business, do a favor, do good, and do harm, just to name a few. On the other hand, we use the verb...  [Read more]

Mary Blancaflor Alumni Experiences I have been teaching English to local and foreign students and for the most part, I noticed that no matter how much the learners would like to polish their English, some things hinder them to accomplish their goal in speaking the language. Studying a foreign language in a non-native speaking country requires more discipline and motivation. Learning a foreign language is not acquired overnight. It has to undergo a specific type of training and the amount of time to learn. For this reason, I came up with a list of why students find it hard to learn a foreign language and what they must do. Students who feel afraid to commit a mistake never learn. It's easy to understand the fear that might envelop the learner...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas In teaching kindergarten level students, I find that three important aspects must be included in every lesson. Each lesson must contain parts that allow the students to “warm-up” their English skills, they must also have a chance to drill the vocabulary and target language, and lastly, the classes must have activities that give the students a chance to practice using their vocabulary and target language in a relatable activity. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rebecca S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The kindergarten lesson warm-up allows the students the chance to move from their native language in an easy transition...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Lesson planning is an important skill and resource for teachers with benefits for the teacher, the students, and the institution accommodating them. By implementing this technique teachers are equipped with a guide that can instill confidence for themselves, as well as clarity for their students and employers. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jason T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. One of the primary and more evident benefits of lesson planning is that it creates a clear structure for the lesson. This means that the teacher and students are aware of the focus of each session, which would increase the likelihood of successful...  [Read more]

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

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Presently, I take care of my ninety-six-year-old father at home and have no immediate plans to teach overseas. Fortunately, I live in a community (Aurora, Colorado) that has over 140 different language groups and ethnicities. Aurora ranks as the tenth most diverse community in the United States. I have worked toward my TEFL certification for the future; however, I have plans to use the training now. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Roland A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. As soon as I get my certification documents I plan on teaching online and in my community. If I should outlive my father, I plan on traveling and teaching...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas This paper will answer the question, "What are five flashcard activities for teaching English to young learners?" Young learners are defined as students attending elementary school, aged between six and twelve. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Tristan K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. This activity is a great warmer and an effective way to introduce or review vocabulary. This activity works well with both small and large groups. Students sit in a circle with the teacher. The target language is elicited and chorally drilled. The teacher then shows one...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas One of the key elements to being an effective teacher is variety. One cannot teach by using the same lesson structure, the same activities, the same worksheets, the same plan every single time. No matter how effective it may be, students will still tire from the repetition, and their engagement will wane. And that is exactly why teachers have a toolbox from which to draw a wide variety of skills, activities, plans, and ideas to keep the classroom fresh and engaging. Changing scenery, environments, and going outside is all part of this toolbox, and can be used to an effective extent to keep lessons feeling stimulating and varied. And by doing so, the teacher is opening up lessons to a fun and exciting range of...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Teaching Ideas Student feedback and correction are an integral part of our teaching methodology. In this blog post, we introduce some general concepts. Many teachers either neglect giving appropriate feedback or they are not sure how to do so. In this blog I'm going to share some opinions and some data so that you can think about it and maybe implement some strategies of giving effective feedback. Our students actually need it and the whole learning process is aimed at getting some feedback. When you start thinking about your feedback and thinking about the whole concept of giving feedback you have to consider what effective feedback actually is. In general, is it correcting all students’...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas A method of teaching contains the techniques used by teachers to impart knowledge to students. These strategies are determined partly on the subjects to be taught and partly by the nature of the learner. In this task, I will give some examples of different teaching methodologies, compare these techniques, and explain why it is important that teachers, mostly who are teaching in a foreign country should know these methods. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nathalie L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. One of the most effective methods of teaching is ESA (Engage, Study, and Activate); this teaching method allows your student to be...  [Read more]

Brittany Varano Destinations Alumni Experiences For those thinking of teaching English in South Korea, the EPIK program offers one of the best job opportunities in Asia. An acronym that stands for "English Program in Korea," EPIK hires native English teachers to co-teach or lead English lessons in public elementary, middle, and high schools around the country. I got my start in the world of TEFL through the EPIK program and fell in love with the lifestyle of an EFL teacher in Asia - so much so I stayed for two years! The work was enjoyable, my EPIK salary went a long way, the benefits were hard to beat, and the expat community I met through it all helped foster lifelong friendships I hold dearly to this day. To be considered...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Games are one of the most important components in an EFL classroom. Foreign language learning games can be considered as a framework to provide a meaningful context for language acquisition. Students can improve their understanding of written and spoken English via games, as well as learn new words, structures, pronunciation, and spelling, all while having a great deal of fun. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Shiva R. Games can be used to warm up the class before your lesson begins, during the lesson to give students a break when you’re tackling a tough subject, or at the end of class when you have a few minutes left to kill. There are literally hundreds,...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore TEFL Information Many people start teaching English as a means to fund their world travels. Once they have started teaching, they find it to be an immensely rewarding experience and would like to make a career out of it. They’d like to progress within the field but are unaware of the options available to them. In fact, there are many opportunities in TEFL/TESOL beyond the classroom and below we show some of the places a career as an English teacher can take you. Here’s how to advance in your EFL career! After teaching for a couple of years, many teachers move on to this position. A teacher trainer usually works for a TEFL or TESOL language center and teaches the modules part of a teacher training course such as grammar,...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Being a student at the elementary or beginner level in any language, not just English, is not only a challenging task when beginning to learn the target language but also a clean slate to progress the learning in the correct way. Having never learned English before, it can sometimes be a difficult feat of where to begin. However, this allows the teacher to start the student or students off in the correct way so that the challenges for the student will become less and less as they progress through the language difficulties. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Amanda T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Beginner students are the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences I began my TEFL/TESOL experience not having had any prior teaching experience. Therefore, teaching was something that I was learning step-by-step, reading the units and using Internet resources for additional examples when needed. Even though there is no straightforward answer to this question, the ITTT course taught me that being a teacher is so much more than just transferring knowledge to someone else. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Sofija A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. It helped me pave my path of self-discovery as a teacher. There were many areas in which I felt I was strong in theory but lacked the practice....  [Read more]

Tamara Jennings Teaching Ideas While there is great value in learning a second language, it can also be quite time-consuming. It also requires a good amount of patience and determination. Thanks to technology, the bright side is that learning doesn’t always have to feel like work! Continue reading to find out ways to use media to your advantage in assisting students with enjoyable ways to gain their target language skills. I love Spanish, and when I set out to really learn the language in 2019, I started by taking two college-level courses. These classes gave me a wealth of information on vocabulary, rules, and conjugation, but I still had no idea how to really use Spanish. I felt those classes didn’t really do much to teach me much about how...  [Read more]