Teach Them Everything About Nothing

  Ruth lives in Nicaragua and took the 120-hour online TESOL without tutor support from ITTT. In this TESOL review video Ruth discusses what she enjoyed about the course. She found the course units to be simple and easy to follow and particularly liked the teaching ideas that the course provided to help her teach language concepts in more varied and interesting ways. She also benefited from the job help provided at the end of the course. 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...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas For years I have been thinking about my own personal experience as a student with the different institutions, methodologies, and teaching styles that I have been introduced to within my life to improve as a teacher in education that didn't work for me as a student. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Maria A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I remember two main experiences that clearly demonstrate the importance of consciously working on building rapport with students. When I was in High School, I really enjoyed reading and learning about why we humans are how we are and I enrolled immediately as soon as I knew that an...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Parents always want the best for their children. It’s an understandable desire. But sometimes they think that they know better and try to influence teachers’ work and set their own rules. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Valeria S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. If you work at some language school and parents pay money for the education they have a strong feeling that they can come and tell teachers what to do. Unfortunately in most cases, they know nothing about teaching. Some of them believe that homework is unnecessary; others believe that a child has to spend hours every day learning English and if there is no...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Children learn fast, that is a fact. Learning a language is their natural skill, which they are born with. We all have gone through that process. There is no teacher needed to teach a kid how to speak, there is no teacher needed to teach a kid how to pronounce e.t.c. Mothers and fathers are not teachers, but they teach their kids how to speak, or maybe kids learn by themselves? In my opinion, communication is one of the very basic needs, which comes naturally. Children need to talk to their mothers, fathers and other people who are around them. Speaking is a result of listening and observing – in this case, family members. Kids learn from people in their environment, that is why it becomes so popular to hire a...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore TEFL Information People have different reasons for taking a TEFL course, but everyone that embarks on the journey surely wants to succeed. It can be a challenging experience, but should also be enjoyable. Here are some tips to help you avoid getting too stressed during the time you spend on the course. Although they’re mainly geared towards on-site courses, many of the points apply to working online too. You will find that teaching English can be fun, and most teachers that students respond to well have a sunny disposition. Try to develop that attitude whilst you’re doing the course. It doesn’t mean you can’t be studious, but avoid being dour. Even if you don’t feel on top of the world, you will improve your own mood by...  [Read more]

Juan Pedro Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas 5 fantastic ways to motivate students when teaching online One of the keys to success in learning a language is motivation. We have come to believe that students need to come to class motivated. However, we as teachers play a huge role in motivating students. Online teaching might be a little bit daunting when it comes to motivating students. We have no real contact with them, and building rapport could be harder than in a classroom. Yet, there’s nothing a dedicated teacher cannot achieve! In this post, I will share five fantastic ways to motivate students that I have used in my years as an online teacher. Come and discover them with me! One of the best ways to keep your students...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I have been working as an English instructor for 8 years at an academy that caters to foreign students such as Koreans, Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese, to name a few, who want to learn and improve their English skills and land a good job in the future. To me, my first year at work was the hardest. At first, I did not have any idea of how to handle students from different cultural backgrounds. I encountered numerous challenges no matter how much I was prepared. Thanks to my perseverance and dedication, fortunately, I was able to overcome the hurdles. I would like to talk about some of the major difficulties I dealt with and how I was able to surpass them. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The role and responsibilities of a teacher are very complex. Teachers are responsible for making sure their learners acquire the knowledge they need but also achieve their qualification by the end of the course in a safe learning environment, so they have the skills and experience they need to start their careers. To achieve that goal a teacher must be creative, professional, flexible and knowledgeable enough to deal with daily challenges and find different ways to help their learners' needs. Establishing a safe and stimulating environment for learners, creating mutual respect and set goals that stretch and challenge learners of all backgrounds and abilities. This post was written by our TEFL certification...  [Read more]

Anna Bondar Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas I’ve had to attend numerous meetings throughout my career, and it wasn’t always a pleasant experience. I’d often get bored, start looking around or doodling. Today, I want to discuss which meetings are the best to attend to ensure one’s personal growth, development, and usefulness. Each educational institution or organization has staff meetings approximately once a week. Some even have it 2-3 times a week, which is a bit excessive, in my personal opinion. Educators need time to reflect, analyze and act upon the received information, so, therefore, three times a week can take some valuable working time. Let’s break down the most common ones. In most instances, one will be...  [Read more]

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Ramon Perez Destinations Alumni Experiences The prospect of working in a foreign country can be an exciting experience for any person seeking a change a pace. Every country has a unique adventure to offer, and many times we ask ourselves, “Which is the right place for me?”. Here, we are going to discuss on how to gain access to the bountiful opportunities China has to offer for English language educators. Despite some strict governmental policies China has in place, the English language labor market is open to native and non-native speakers.   Before you can embark on your new and exciting journey to China, there are some steps we must follow before we are eligible to work there as a non-native English speaker. Take an...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences This is my teaching experience so l will tell it in the form of a story. In 2011, l sat for my Advanced Level final exams and then applied for a post of temporary teacher at a school in an area called Date. Beginning of 2012, l traveled to Date from Harare to begin what l call a character building turmoil. I was an inexperienced 20-year-old girl who was about to take on a class that would be sitting for its final exam come to the end of that year, with half the class being my former primary school classmates and the other half not thinking much of me. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Trish A. M. So here l was, in a rural and remote school, teaching a class of forty students with no...  [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 Teaching Ideas Type in "teaching grammar effectively" into Google and the reader will be confronted with pages and pages of advice/frameworks/theories on how to effectively teach grammar. Most of the content does acknowledge that there is no "golden rule" for effective grammar teaching before imparting their particular key rules or areas that should be incorporated into teaching grammar. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Joe S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Also Read: Top 7 Spanish Speaking Countries for Teaching English Abroad There's a lot of theory around, much of it contradictory. It can be valuable, but I sometimes feel, to quote Mark...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Five years ago, I didn't have the experience, nor the knowledge to teach English. However, I have the skills to speak like a Native Speaker. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Amina C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. At first, I have 3-4 students between 2-3 years old. I was given lesson plans to follow and instructions on how to teach this group and I simply followed it. Teaching 2-3 year's old non-Native speakers were both difficult and fun. It's difficult because they are not familiar with the English language. Moreover, I am not familiar with their native language either. It is fun since typically all they want is to...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker Visa and Legal If you have completed your TEFL certification course and are getting ready to head overseas to teach, you are certain to have plenty of things to organize. One area that often causes unnecessary stress is ensuring you have all the documents you will need to make the move. Luckily, this process is not as difficult as you might imagine. Although the exact requirements will vary from country to country and job to job, if you follow our straightforward breakdown you should find you have everything you need when you need it. It might seem obvious but many new teachers have got on the plane to start their new life abroad only to find that their passport’s expiry date is a real problem. The bottom line is that most...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences Teachers who walk into a new classroom are never sure what type of students will be there. Many times, they will get a class that has a mixed ability. Some of the students may have a stronger grasp of the English language than others. An experienced teacher would know what to do. But what about an inexperienced teacher? This post will describe some of the steps and strategies that would assist them. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate James O. On day one, the teacher does not need to use the text. The teacher’s job on the first day is to develop a rapport with the students. This would include getting to know the students, what they are interested in, what their level of English proficiency...  [Read more]

Jon ITTT Destinations As a TEFL teacher it is important to make sure you have a good understanding of the language point you are teaching. It is equally important to have a good understanding of the country and culture you intend to teach in. While many aspects of behavior and etiquette may seem quite similar, each country has its own particular quirks that should be understood by a TEFL teacher. In this post I look at some important aspects of etiquette in different countries in Europe that any TEFL certification graduate should keep in mind. Each country has different attitudes which govern what is rude and what is not. Good posture is important in Switzerland so you should avoid slouching. Habits such as chewing gum and cleaning fingernails...  [Read more]

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Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences All people are susceptible to boredom and confusion. Either of these or their combination can lead to frustration. Once frustrated, a learner will find it exponentially more difficult to grasp or retain new information. The student’s mind will be elsewhere, unmotivated and uninterested. Therefore, an instructor should make it a priority that each and every student can not only understand the created material but be interested in it as well. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Patrick O. So how does one create engaging and educational material for groups of vastly different people? I believe that the first step is always the same: getting to know the students. On a very fundamental and...  [Read more]

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Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences There is no right way to do the lesson planning, each teacher adopts the way he or she thinks is best for him/her, it can be done with some notes in the notebook or a formal lesson plan. Whatever the way you do it, it is still essential for the preparation of the classes and for them to succeed. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Eloize C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. To have satisfactory results in the teaching-learning process, lesson planning is of fundamental importance. When the teacher plans absolutely nothing, he or she may lose course, leaving the content disorganized and resulting in totally lost and discouraged...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore TEFL Information In recent years, more and more classrooms have become more technologically advanced and more and more teachers are using digital teaching materials. However, you don’t always need to hand out tablets to your students or have a fancy digital whiteboard to take advantage of recent advances in digital teaching materials. Here are some great apps to have on your phone while teaching English abroad that you can use to enhance your lessons and really engage your students in the classroom. This app allows you to create an interactive whiteboard filled with instructional videos that can be watched as a class or at home. You can also annotate and animate your content to make it more fun to learn for your students. The...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences How to maintain motivation and communicate instructions with beginner students, whilst avoiding their native language is definitely a difficult thing for teachers. First, we’ll discuss how to motivate beginner students of the English language. Second, we’ll see how to communicate instructions in a new or foreign language and the benefits of using the language you are teaching over the students’ native language(s). This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Mitchell R. There are a number of strategies that the teacher can use to motivate beginner students of English. Some effective strategies for boosting and maintaining student motivation in additional or foreign language classroom are the...  [Read more]

Regan McAllister TEFL Information Alumni Experiences As the influence of English grows and the language continues to develop as a lingua franca, the demand for English teachers worldwide is increasing. Equipped with a TESOL certificate, teaching English abroad is becoming easier and more accessible. Your English teaching endeavors may take place within your home country or may take you around the world to a completely unfamiliar region and culture. Living and immersing yourself in a new country can be beautifully exhilarating and full of self-discovery. It can also come with adjustments and challenges. When it comes to teaching English, fully immersing yourself in the country you are in will certainly improve your influence and...  [Read more]

  Take a look at any online TEFL forum and there is a good chance you will come across stories of unscrupulous employers taking advantage of their teachers. Due to the huge number of English language training providers operating in countries all over the world, it is inevitable that there are some that are badly run. The good news is that by asking a few simple questions you should be able to avoid the jobs you don't want and greatly increase your chances of landing the right position to suit you. Whether you are an experienced EFL teacher looking for a new challenge or a newly qualified TEFL graduate looking for that all important first teaching position, it is vital that you ask the right questions during the job interview process. Although you can never guarantee that any job...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker TEFL Information Teaching Ideas For many EFL teachers online teaching provides a convenient opportunity to earn a good income without having to leave your own home. For many others it is an unexpected reality due to recent global events. Whatever your reasons for teaching English online, you will probably find that your students are often tired and lacking in motivation due to too many hours in front of the computer screen and not enough variety in their learning. Unfortunately, the same also applies to many teachers. If you feel you are struggling to keep motivated when teaching online, don’t worry as you are not alone. Take a look at our simple tips for maintaining motivation when teaching English online and...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Ever since online English teaching became a common means of delivering lessons, every online English teacher must strive for excellence to guarantee their students' best learning experience. In this article, we will consider ten common mistakes that English teachers make when teaching online. This problem is fundamental to both in-class and online teaching. When it comes to distant learning, it is more challenging to choose a suitable approach. Some teachers tend to include too much information, which influences the overall quality of the materials. Others prefer to focus on more particular points in terms of one session but finally realize...  [Read more]

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Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Determining the best route to take to become TEFL/ESL certified can be a daunting task. A myriad of questions and doubts raced through my head as I researched all the different options. Will it be worth the money? Why is this one valued differently than that one? Which materials are the most up to date? Should I take an onsite or an online course? What is the big difference between the two!? It's a lot. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Tony D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. However, I have no just completed the online course and have come to a revelation. I now understand the one big difference between an online TEFL...  [Read more]