Teaching English Abroad University Level

Jon ITTT TEFL Information Business English falls under the umbrella of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), and is an area of English language teaching that focuses on the language students need in order to function in an international business setting. It is a popular sector for qualified TEFL teachers to work in and one that can be financially rewarding. Students taking business English classes will generally already have a reasonable level of English language ability and course books tend to be aimed at pre-intermediate level students and above but there are books aimed at lower level students. There are several publishers involved in producing course books for the business English classroom. Two of the main publishers are Oxford University...  [Read more]

Jon ITTT TEFL Information Teaching Ideas TEFL teachers both new and experienced will benefit from having a range of course books to draw on for their lessons. General English course books for young learners differ from those for adults in a number of ways. Obviously the types of topics will be geared towards the interests of younger people but there are also differences in the way the language is presented. Course books for adults will generally have sections with explicit presentations of a grammar point,whereas books for young learners do not usually cover grammar in detail. There are several publishers involved in producing general English course books for young learners. The main publishers are Oxford University Press,...  [Read more]

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Jon ITTT TEFL Information Teaching Ideas As a newly qualified TEFL teacher the chances are you will be working for a school which supplies its teachers with all the resources needed to teach successful lessons based on a set course. This article shows a selection of the course books that are available for teaching general English course to adults from a number of publishers in the TEFL industry. There are several publishers involved in producing course books for the TEFL classroom. The main publishers are Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Pearson/Longman and Macmillan. These publishers produce course books across a range of EFL sectors including, young learners, adults, business English, and English for...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas In my years of teaching, the experience of teaching high-school and university students can be somewhat similar. This is because as students who are learning English as a foreign language, all students, regardless of their age group, are likely to face similar struggles in the basic skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking, albeit to varying degrees. As such, there are teaching strategies that can be used for these disparate age groups, but with some changes in the level of complexity to account for the ages of the students in question. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Sher L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. That...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas There are six factors to consider when analyzing the differences between teaching English to high-school students and university students. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Anh N. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Firstly, one of the most noticeable distinctions between college and high school is the role of self-study. Self-study means self-awareness in learning and is regarded by some researchers as an initiative in thinking and assimilating knowledge. Self-study allows training not only in the classroom but also outside the school. Traditionally,...  [Read more]

Jon ITTT TEFL Information English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is an area of English language teaching and learning that encompasses business English and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) as well as courses that teach English needed for specific jobs and industries. As a qualified TEFL teacher you will likely teach ESP in some form and in this post I’ll look at course books aimed at teaching English to those in certain professions such as finance, law, tourism, medicine and aviation as well as books used for teaching EAP. EAP focuses on the language and skills needed for students to study in English at university level. As with other English teaching, EAP deals with reading, writing, listening and speaking, as well as vocabulary and grammar...  [Read more]

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Jon ITTT TEFL Information A large number of EFL students study English to pass exams that will enable them to gain a visa for a particular country, go to university abroad or to prove their English ability for a job. The Cambridge English exams are some of the most popular in the world and include exams tailored towards young learners, general English skills, academic English and business English. Throughout your career as a certified TEFL teacher you are likely to have students that need help in preparing for one of these exams so familiarizing yourself with them is an important part of being a successful teacher. These tests are designed for children in primary or lower-secondary education. There are three tests in total and these are:...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Teaching English to high-school students and teaching English to university students are uniquely different and require different skills and teaching methods. High school students are in a period of development known as adolescence. One of the leading developmental psychologists, Erik Erikson, defines adolescence as a period of struggle between identity versus role confusion (Hutchison, 2013). During adolescence, high schoolers are going through many physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes (Hutchison, 2013). They are struggling to define who they are in this world not about their parents. They want to make their own choices in life based on their reasoning. A high schooler may choose on their own to...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences In China, there is the option to teach in either private or public institutions. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Public institutions such as universities tend to be well resourced with time set aside for lesson planning but are less well paid than their private counterparts. Although this appears to be balanced, as those who work at the universities receive more benefits and a more generous holiday allowance that allows the university teachers to make the most of being in China with ample opportunity to explore. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Emma R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. To teach at a university...  [Read more]

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Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Near the end of my senior year at Oberlin College in America, I was selected to participate in the Oberlin Shansi Fellowship at Beijing Normal University. The main goals of the fellowship were to increase my Chinese language proficiency and to teach English to master’s students in the department of Chinese Language and Culture. Reflecting upon the experiences that I had this past year has illuminated many things that I would like to improve upon as a teacher next year and has reminded me of some of the key moments that inspired me to continue teaching. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Andrew B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of...  [Read more]

  Zouhaier just completed his 120-hour online TEFL certification. He enjoyed working closely with his tutor who guided him along the way. He also recommends this course to anyone wanting to teach abroad or enhance their professional portfolio in teaching. 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. The content of this unit is good. I have learnt about the important thing the students need to know about learning the vocabulary, the grammar, and the...  [Read more]

1. Introduction 2. Benefits of studying ESL in France 3. Top ESL schools in France 4. How ITTT can help you with your ESL studies in France Studying English as a Second Language (ESL) in a foreign country can be an exciting and rewarding experience. France, with its rich history, diverse culture, and beautiful landscapes, is a popular destination for international students looking to improve their English skills. In this article, we will explore the benefits of studying ESL in France, highlight some of the top ESL schools in the country, and discuss how ITTT (International TEFL and TESOL Training) can assist you in achieving your language learning goals. Studying ESL in France offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the language and culture of one of the world's most iconic...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences My attachment to teaching starts when I was a child and observing my mom teaching private lessons. I have grown to love teaching. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Roza A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. My first experience was while I was in my third year of university volunteering to teach my classmates the subjects they were weak at. Then I volunteered in one of the offices of American Corner in my city part of the American Console in Iraq and opened a course there teaching English as a second language. The two earlier volunteering experiences I had were great, mostly because the students were adults and highly...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas When I started teaching English, I've always experienced imposter syndrome because my major was Linguistics. I had no idea about teaching itself, although I knew a lot about how the language works. To change this situation, I've started working on my teaching skills to build a successful ESL teaching career. In this blog post, I want to share five ways to start ESL teaching career development that helped begin my English teaching career, even though I had no degree in education. As I've already mentioned, I studied linguistics in university and was quite advanced in English when I graduated. Right after that, I jumped at the opportunity to...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences My teaching career started fifteen years ago. It began as a whim. I left a very successful career in the healthcare corporate business sector to teach on the university level. Teaching and advising students has been my dedicated profession since then. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Betsy R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Five years ago I was allowed to teach as part of a learning consultant team hired to work with manufacturing workers of many different ages and international backgrounds. A large medical device company wanted us to hold classes and workshops on various manufacturing topics including safety and basic...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Which ESL/EFL students should learn the formal language, and how much should they learn? How much emphasis formal language should have in different students' curriculum depends upon several factors and is an objective consideration, as we'll see below. Teaching English as a formal language, to varying degrees, is standard in virtually all ESL/EFL curricula. Most aspects of English are taught at graduated levels of complexity and at appropriate times. For example, all ESL/EFL students will learn very early on what a noun most basically is -a person, place, thing, or idea. Pronouns might be taught next, followed perhaps only eventually by what a noun adjunct is. Formal language is taught similarly, beginning perhaps...  [Read more]

Etienne Van Rooyen TEFL Information Alumni Experiences There are three types of senior high schools in Japan. Each senior high school (grades 10, 11, and 12) has a different purpose and students attend it. Understanding this helps us learn how English language learning in Japan is differently yet similars each school. With this knowledge, as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) you can adapt your lessons plans, materials and style to fit your school/s. There are three main types of high schools in Japan with sub-categories: Note: There are also Special Needs schools, which teach students with physical and mental disabilities. These schools will be covered in another blog post. Purpose: These schools focus on intense academic...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Teaching English is a challenging undertaking, and your students are looking to you for guidance. I am writing this summative to the reference to my teaching journey in China at a university. I was a master's student in English language and Applied linguistics at Central China Normal University. One day, I have been offered by the dean of the English department, if I can teach English in the department to some group of Chinese students. It was my first experience of teaching abroad and enthusiastically, I accepted and started teaching English. Therefore, I have taught the English language in various levels, ages, and different nationalities such as Africa, France, Bahrain, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas During the second half of my undergraduate career, I had the opportunity to serve as an English Language Assistant (LA) at the English Language Institute (ELI) at my alma mater, the University of Florida. In this role, I worked with another LA and one faculty member (often a Linguistics professor) in leading a class of roughly 15 students every semester. One of the first pieces of information the first professor I worked with gave me was on the importance of assessments at the ELI. Students at the ELI were placed in classes based on their proficiency level in the language, which included evaluations in speaking, listening, reading and writing. The most beginner level students started at level 10 and the most...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Although students may be in the same class, they may not necessarily have the same ability level. This can be seen in all classes; however, this can become very noticeable in a class designed to teach a language to someone who is not a native speaker. It is up to the teacher to notice these differences in ability levels and restructure their lessons accordingly. There are a few different strategies that will help with gaps in ability levels, which consist of the use of different materials, providing the same materials with a different task, paring weak and strong students together, and even doing nothing. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Brook S. Please note that this blog post might not...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas ESL teachers when they meet their class for the first time should learn what students know and what they need to know. Even for General English in schools or university classrooms where students have more or less the same level of English. There should be some short tests to determine students’ gaps in knowledge, personal objectives or institutional requirements. Especially assessment is needed when teaching Business English. This essay will discuss types of assessments in the early stages of teaching Business English to students. ESL teachers are often hired by companies to improve the English knowledge of employees. Every adult student has a different level of language knowledge due to background and learning...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I have traveled throughout Asia for some forty-five years, Vietnam is now my home. I always found the younger generations had a thirst for knowledge, particularly English as a second language. The difficulties of acquiring the knowledge under what was a repressive regime have diminished somewhat, but the major stumbling blocks to acquiring good English are the lack of experienced Vietnamese teachers, interaction with English natural speakers, and knowledge of the outside world in general. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Christopher M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Learning English as a second language has now become a...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Intelligent Computer-Assisted Language Learning (ICALL), the subfield of CALL integrating natural language processing and artificial intelligence, has typically equated language acquisition with the learning of linguistic patterns and grammatical structures. ICALL system, therefore, has focused on identifying and providing feedback to problems in student performance that are exclusively related to linguistic structures. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Omer Shahid R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Some of these systems include learner models to adapt explanations, offer advice or decide on how a given student can advance...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas An obvious difference between teaching English to high-school students and university students in the organization. Class sizes at a school are usually limited to about 25 students and we have to check the attendance because it is compulsory. The timetable and the syllabus are fixed. At a university, the groups are often much bigger, and the teacher can arrange the syllabus more freely. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Mara B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. In my opinion, the greatest difference is the age of the students and how the teacher must adapt to it. Most of the university students are over 18 years old. They are...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Over the years, Chinese universities have opened more opportunities for foreign language teaching, especially with the English language. The growth of the Chinese economic market is a relatable reflection and result of these opportunities. As a teacher at a Chinese university, and conveying my expertise, it is visible for me to see many advantages and the disadvantages. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Barbosa J. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. One of the challenging points of teaching a language at a Chinese university is the cultural differences. The Chinese students portray a particularly shy and reserved style of...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas There are thousands of English coursebooks nowadays, and one might get confused while trying to choose a coursebook for the students. I have faced this problem as well, trying to choose the coursebook for private classes with a 7-year-old student who has already learned some English before. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Elena K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. As far as I am concerned, Oxford University Press is known to be one of the best ESL coursebook «producers» in the world. One of their best courses is «Family and Friends» which had been developed into «Family and Friends 2nd edition», a highly-popular course...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas My interest in ESL began without the intention of becoming an ESL instructor in the first place. It was mostly born out of curiosity and interest in relocating to a foreign country which at the time (2009) was China. At the time I had been deeply contemplating a career living abroad. The contemplation came more from a cultural motivation than from a financial or career-minded motivation. Throughout my childhood and beyond, my parents were both avid travelers. Both my Mother and Father had spent considerable periods traveling in Asia, East Asia and Central Asia in particular. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ethan J. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs...  [Read more]