Teaching Fun

1. Introduction 2. Benefits of Fun and Interactive English Teaching Activities 3. How to Incorporate Fun and Interactive Activities in the Classroom 4. Resources for Fun and Interactive English Teaching Activities Are you looking for ways to make your English teaching sessions more engaging and enjoyable for your students? Look no further! At ITTT (International TEFL and TESOL Training), we understand the importance of incorporating fun and interactive activities into your lessons to create a dynamic learning environment. In this guide, we will explore the benefits of using these activities in the classroom, provide practical tips on how to incorporate them effectively, and share valuable resources to help you enhance your teaching experience. Engaging students in fun and interactive...  [Read more]

1. Introduction 2. Importance of Teaching English to Children 3. Effective Techniques for Teaching English to Children a. Incorporating Games and Activities Teaching English to children can be a rewarding and enriching experience. As a teacher, it is important to create a fun and engaging learning environment that promotes language acquisition and development. In this guide, we will explore the importance of teaching English to children and discuss effective techniques that can be used to enhance their learning experience. English is considered a global language, and proficiency in English can open up a world of opportunities for children in terms of education, career prospects, and personal growth. By introducing children to English at a young age, we can help them develop essential...  [Read more]

  These 10 teaching ideas for the past simple tense will encourage your students to use the language in fun communicative ways. Grammar lessons can often be quite daunting and boring for students so it is important to have activities that students will enjoy doing. These ideas offer plenty of student-to-student interaction and allow students to draw on their own life experiences as well as encouraging them to use their imagination. 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...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences Learning English as a foreign language can sometimes become overwhelming. When people seek to learn English, their reasons can vary immensely. It could be because they want to travel to an English-speaking country, or it is possible that they are interested in English literature, or maybe it’s their job requirement. In any case, their time in the class is important to them. Besides lots of expectations, there are also many inhibitions to overcome, and little time. Games are the most powerful tool to help release pressure, boost motivation and create a fun, friendly, positive learning environment. We want students to focus and take full advantage of the time they are in the classroom, leaving outside any heavy...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Why are games important? Why do we play games? How do people play games in the class? These are the questions people usually ask. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jessie l. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Normally their concern is what they can learn from the games? In my opinion, playing games in the classroom is not only for fun but also for practicing and reviewing what you have learned. In my class I have always enjoyed playing games, I have used many different games as well. Students may be able to understand a new concept or idea. At the beginning of the class(Engage), you do not have to teach students the grammar in...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Albert Einstein once said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge,” a quote that exemplifies a major quality that a teacher should be able to express comfortably within their classroom environment. While being able to express imaginative ideas within a lesson plan, a teacher of the English language should possess other qualities that will help advance their student's knowledge. A teacher should remain kind and patient, have a dedication to teaching, be imaginative, should bring a positive and fun energy to the classroom, and make a connection with their class. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Dana K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or...  [Read more]

Anna Domiczek Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Songs and music are such an important part of an ESL preschool curriculum. Not only are they fun, but they are also very powerful tools to help young students learn English in a fun and entertaining way. Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Does a year abroad teaching English hurt your career prospects back home? Quite the contrary! In this live session, we discover exactly how teaching English abroad enhances your career prospects - back home and around the world! Shirin Sophy Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas ...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas For many kindergarten students, their English classes are likely the first time being introduced to and interacting with a native speaker. As such, the experience that the children have in the class can have a huge impact on their future outlook of learning English. It will be my job as a teacher to make the class fun and engaging so that the kids associate English with fun. The importance of the formative years in learning means that there are several aspects to consider when approaching English teaching in a kindergarten, many of which I picked up throughout the course. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Eleanor R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I am an English teacher. I am teaching beginner students who are aged from 3 years and a half to 8 years old. My students are very young learners who normally have shorter attention spans, and have not even completely mastered their mother tongue. They are generally amenable to fun games, singing, and drawing. For my students, they start from zero knowledge of English to a very basic knowledge that cannot be quickly or easily activated, but with these levels, success is easy to see and usually good fun. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Yuan P. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. From what I have learned at TESOL training and day...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Children are creative. Bringing games into an English language classroom to incite young learners’ attention and creativity is vital to keeping them motivated and entertained. Several games promote English grammar, memorization, and sentence building. These games can be reproductions of current popular games or manufactured by a teacher. Whichever method is chosen by the teacher there are still simple rules to follow. The game must be explained clearly and concisely, so the students have a full understanding of the game. An example round with the students is an effective way to ensure complete understanding. They can be a useful warmer activity to get students engaged in the lesson plan and bring a level of fun...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas We live in an ever-changing world that is becoming smaller, more connected. Communication is faster and more diverse than ever. Computers, cell phones, and social media have increased the speed of communication. Therefore, the need for people to respond quickly and the language that has become synonymous with international communication is English. Thus, the demand for learning the language is increasing at a constant rate. But though people may have the need, they may lack the confidence to take on a new language fully. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Katherine R. Please note that this blog post might not...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Games are one of the most important components in the classroom. They include activities that have goals and rules at the same fun time. There are lots of benefits to playing games in the classroom. Students can practice important skills by playing an educational game in a small group or with a partner. Whole class games are great means to review skills for a test or at the end of the unit. When students need a brain break or during an inside recess, action games work perfectly. Games can be given for homework to provide fun, engaging and differentiated practice. Games can be played in all subjects and at all grade levels. Games are fun as well as beneficial. Here are important benefits that we should use games in...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences I came to China 4 years ago to teach English. I have not managed to learn Mandarin in that time frame but I did learn quite a bit about the differences in pronunciation between Mandarin and American English. The most common errors made by Chinese students generally come from the habit of translating to their native language. English and Mandarin share some similarities such as word order and sentence structure which also complicate the issue. In this essay, I will discuss teaching pronunciation, the problems that can occur when teaching pronunciations, and the issues that occur with Mandarin speakers learning English. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Paris S. Please note that this blog...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences My teaching experience began in a whirlwind. I graduated from college a semester ahead of my class, married, lived with my husband in my sister’s basement for two months, and moved to South Korea. We had no idea what to expect. Sure, we’d read the blogs, talked to the director of our school, and even talked with people we know who had lived and taught in Korea. It still didn’t fully prepare us for what to expect, how amazing it would be, and how hard. We lived in South Korea for 19 months teaching three through seven year olds daily and first through third graders several times each week. This post was written by our ITTT graduate Sarah S. When we first moved to Korea, our head teacher had to teach us how...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences During my Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification, I learned several valuable lessons. While knowing the English language and how to relay that to those who are learning the language is important, the most important lesson I learned is how a teacher’s attitude directly affects student interaction and class rapport. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Annie H. Being open and warm as well as using a smile has an extremely beneficial effect on a classroom. When students view the teacher as someone who is judgment-free and wanting to help, it elicits positive interaction and performance. Although this seems to be common sense, I’ve had several teachers (including language...  [Read more]

Michela Coticone TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Teaching a new language to children can come with many challenges because there is limited time and sometimes limited attention spans. To effectively teach a new language, children need to have a feeling of confidence in the fact that they can perform what they are being taught, and the element of having fun while learning. Children, just like adults, need repetition to effectively learn a task. Repetition Repetition alias Drilling: Is it an Effective Way to Remember Language Points? will allow a child to mentally prepare themselves for a task that will happen at a certain time of the day, therefore they can begin to anticipate what their...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas There are many interactive tools that can be used during teaching to enhance a lesson and keep students engaged. There are also a few tools that are a teacher’s lifeline during a lesson. Course materials that range from props and pictures of vocabulary words to simple worksheets and lesson plans are integral to teaching a good lesson. They can provide basic aid to a teacher or help keep the students’ attention. But, when overused or used during the wrong times, course materials can become problematic and disadvantageous. Different things that a teacher brings to a lesson can make or break an ESL lesson. This post was written by our ITTT graduate Emma H. There are some course...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas It is a tough task to master management skills for any age, especially the younger ones. Most activities for young learners are games and songs that require an exciting, fun atmosphere for students and an energetic teacher. Therefore, in order to produce a good lesson with lots of fun but still to keep students in the discipline, the teacher must work harder and be very careful and clever in any situation. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Trang Nguyen D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The teacher takes part as a leader, guide, and monitor to manage all activities as well as how much fun/excitement or quietness should be in...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas Having to organize and hold a winter camp is a daunting task, especially for new teachers who haven’t done it before. For these kinds of English camps, teachers typically create up to 10 lesson plans for the duration of the camp. Winter camps can last anywhere between one week to a month or even longer. The main goal of an English camp is to have a fun and memorable time with the students while practicing their English. However, there is a lot more to an English camp than just playing some games. Since most teachers need to create and prepare their lessons in advance, we have compiled a list of games and fun activities for teaching English winter camp abroad. Props will make your winter camp a lot more fun and...  [Read more]

Anna Domiczek TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Shifting from a traditional classroom to a virtual setting can be daunting for teachers who do not have experience teaching online. This is especially the case if one has to keep young students engaged and motivated. What are the tricks to instill excitement and interest in preschoolers who do not have the intrinsic motivation to perform to achieve good grades? Their parents’ primary desire is for them to speak like the native and one day go off to an internationally renowned US university or work for a foreign company. Young students are motivated by something else- a desire to have fun in a welcoming environment. In the evolving ESL education market, the English teaching...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I will start by saying that, as a Primary school teacher, I am writing this essay from teaching young learners perspective, but it's true that playing in class is also helpful and very important when teaching adults or older students than the young ones. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Blanco S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Games have a very important and remarkable value as a learning mechanism: it’s natural to learn while playing, we do it since we are kids. Boys and girls in young ages use games to learn in many different ways, and they do it naturally. Children don't realize when they learn because they don't make...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas It is effortless to get into a rhythm of teaching a certain way and relying heavily on your resources at hand. As a relatively new teacher, I spend a lot of time with the help (mainly books) I am provided, and in lessons, I teach the content necessary to complete a given objective. I often rely on the readers for additional activities, transitions, and traditional book work. While the students never spend the entire class with their noses in the books, I felt that we were not having quite as much fun as we could. Studies began to feel a bit stale, and interest seemed to be diminishing. So, I decided to conduct a small experiment and...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas A teacher who teaches students in an environment using their native language will play various roles in the classroom. My interpretation of these roles includes their abilities to facilitate and manage learning through their personalities, have an understanding of their student’s needs while also being a genuine messenger. As a manager, it is the teacher’s responsibility to control the environment and organization of the classroom, the students’ behavior, and the class syllabus. As a messenger, it is the teacher’s responsibility to deliver the content on the syllabus to the students to improve their reading and writing abilities. We can, therefore, summarize the main role of a teacher teaching in an...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences When I was younger, I had a dog that played fetch, walked to the park, and learned new tricks with me. Over time, we created a bond that was irreplaceable and unconditional. One day my dog passed away and three weeks later, my family and I decided to get a new dog. This new dog was friendly at first but hardly wanted to learn anything new. However, I was quite distant from the new dog, to begin with, because I always thought about the good times I had with my previous dog. Afterward, I realized that I needed to move on and create a new bond which I then remembered how my previous dog and I became best friends and how we both learned from each other. It was a high relaxed positive energy, spending a good amount...  [Read more]

Mudita Yajnik TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Classroom setup is an important part of setting up a welcoming and friendly environment. It is the foundation on which a teacher can build strong relationships with their students, and build a more student-centered class while incorporating their passions into their work. The way a classroom is set up is a great first impression for students, which means it’s important for teachers to put in an effort to make their classroom a welcoming environment. Moreover, a fun classroom set up can reflect your personality or what you’re passionate about as a teacher, and it can be a fun way to introduce yourself to the students. Even having speakers so that you can play music in the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Doing up lesson plans for my up and coming TEFL classes is something that I am quite excited about. I suppose it is because I see an opportunity for creativity and that gets my juices flowing. I love the engage, study and activate model that was taught to us, both in the TEFL course itself as well as in this course on teaching business English lessons to adults. I would like to share some ideas that I have reaped from this course on how I would prepare a lesson plan for the to engage, study and activate methodology. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Bonnie B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The engaging portion of the lesson is...  [Read more]

Federico Riva Teaching Ideas Throughout this course, my favorite units have been the ones that teach us how to lead an effective lesson and have a fun classroom environment. I love all the suggestions and teaching ideas they give, and it excites me to think about using those for my future lessons. For that reason, I chose the topic of five activities with flashcards. This essay will be a perfect opportunity for me to delve further into my favorite part of this class and plan some fun things to do. When I move abroad I plan on teaching young children, mainly kindergarten-aged, so my five activities will be geared towards young learners. They need way more energy, fun, and excitement in their lessons than teenage or adult learners because their...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas Holding a summer camp can be an intimidating challenge for new and experienced teachers alike. For these kinds of English camps, teachers typically create up to 10 lesson plans for the duration of the camp. Summer camps can last anywhere between one week and a month or even longer. The main goal of an English camp is to have a fun and memorable time with the students while practicing their English. While this might sound easy, English camp is so much more than just playing a couple of fun games. If you want to hold a successful camp session, you’ll have to do a lot of research and preparation. The following games are great activities for teaching English summer camp abroad. Props will make your summer camp a lot...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Learning English is often a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be boring or something to trudge through. By making English lessons fun and engaging, the students will be more motivated to learn the subject matter. Some ways that the teacher can make learning fun include playing games and turning activities into contests with positive reinforcements like prizes or additional game time. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Matthew S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Flashcards are wonderful educational tools in the classroom. Learning with flashcards can be a fun and interactive educational experience for both children and...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences If someone asks me what I think about teaching kindergarten children as a native English teacher (NET), I would say that it is one of the happiest and most rewarding experiences that I have ever received. But, if someone asked me what I thought about teaching kindergarten children when I first started, I would have responded differently. I would say, “I can’t seem to get my students’ attention,” or “Some of my students still have trouble learning new words.” It was after a few weeks into teaching and some wonderful advice from my coworkers I realized that I had overlooked the fact that the students’ age, perception, and interests play an important part in teaching. When I took those factors into...  [Read more]