TEFL Mims

  http://www.teflonline.net The teaching idea in this video is for the past continuous involves students miming an action; however, unlike the mime activity for the present continuous students will not be doing the mimes for others to see. Instead they will stop the mime before the other students open their eyes. The students will then have to say what their classmates were doing before they stopped. For example: You were driving a car. You were eating a sandwich. Being able to come up with interesting teaching ideas for what students often see as boring grammar points is an important skill for any English teacher. Taking an online TEFL course with ITTT will give you an understanding of the grammar points that you need to teach when starting out as a new teacher of English and...  [Read more]

  The difference between the active and passive voice is one of the more advanced topics of English grammar. Therefore, it is important for every English teacher to understand this concept. 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. During this video lesson I could identify some of the attitudes and methods that can help having a more effective class such as, praising the students, providing a smile to the class, and involving a well structured ESA...  [Read more]

Federico Riva Teaching Ideas Let us imagine. How if English teachers only conduct English lessons inside the class? Will the students have fun all the time? Many English teachers reflect on that so, in reality, they try to conduct English lessons not only inside the class but also outside the class. They think that conducting English lessons outside is also needed and important. Therefore, English teachers use some outdoor activities to help when teaching English. By doing so, English teachers believe that they can help their students to increase motivation. They also believe that outdoor activities can give students fun and joy. Here are some interesting activities that English teachers can use to teach English outside the class. This post was...  [Read more]

  There is often much confusion surrounding these acronyms but essentially they mean the same thing. TEFL = Teaching English as a Foreign Language TESOL = Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages The above are generally used interchangeably, however, TEFL is most commonly used within the UK and TESOL is usually preferred in Australia and the USA. Although some countries may favor one acronym over the other, it is important to remember that a TEFL certification and a Tesol Certification are exactly the same thing as the training involved is identical. Although TEFL and TESOL training courses are identical and the acronyms are generally used interchangeably, there is a technical difference between the two. The general perception is that speakers of English as a foreign...  [Read more]

  Another idea for the present continuous tense focuses on the action of miming. Because it's in the present continuous tense, it'll be critical that the student, who is doing miming, continues to do the miming as the students guess what he or she is doing. In order to do this, the teacher will ask one student to come to the front of the class and present them with a card. The card at low levels will just be one word such as 'sleeping,' 'surfing,' 'eating,' or 'playing'. As soon as the student is able to mine any one of those actions, the students continue to guess with 'You are sleeping,' 'You are eating,' 'You are surfing.' Now at higher levels what you could do is continue on from the base of the action and include something like 'You are playing football,' or 'You are playing...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas In my experience as a learner and now a teacher it has become obvious that nonverbal actions play an essential role in the foreign language classroom. I believe that nonverbal communication between the teacher and their students is clearly a very useful tool for classroom management and for creating an effective classroom environment. The main aspects of nonverbal communication I have witnessed as a learner and now use myself as an EFL teacher include: eye contact, gestures and mime, facial expressions and voice projection. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Paolo C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Stories provide a natural and relevant context for the exposure to English language and storytelling built on the children’s innate capacity for fantasy and imaginative play, making it an essential aspect to be integrated into language lessons. Beyond just language skills, students are also able to acquire critical thinking skills such as predicting, hypothesizing, categorizing, sequencing, and inferring meaning through various storytelling activities. Stories are also used to enhance children’s concentration skills and develop moral and emotional intelligence by teaching students to empathize with the characters in the story. Storytelling can be extended to include activities for children to retell, act out,...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Firstly within your lessons do always use English as the language of instruction. You need to speak slowly and you need to reduce the amount of teacher talk time by using gesture and mime as often as possible. Do play games as often as possible but bear in mind that the games that we're suggesting here are interactive communicative games that have some educational purpose. Do try to make yourself aware of any problems that they do have, either within school or outside of school because they can affect the way that the students behave and interact with each other. Do try to change the dynamic of the classroom as often as possible and this can relate to the actual seating...  [Read more]

  http://www.teflonline.net In this video we look at a TESOL teaching idea for the Present Perfect Continuous. This tense is the one we use when we want to say what has been happening. The activity in the video is called "Guess what I've been doing?" It is a fun activity that can generate a lot of student talk time. Students each receive a card that has two pieces of information on it, a past activity and a result. Each student has a turn of telling the class the result and the class then has to guess the activity using the Present Perfect Continuous. For example, the past activity on a card is "You have been driving your motorbike in the rain", the result written on the card is "You are all wet. Your clothes are wet". The other students could ask, "Have you been swimming?", "Have...  [Read more]

  Now here's a teaching idea for the present perfect continuous tense. If you remember we use this tense to talk about actions that had been continuing up until the present moment or very recently. In this activity, you'll be giving a student a card. That card will include the past activity as well as some results. This card says 'You've been driving in the rain on your motorbike. You're all wet and your clothes are too.' The results are 'you're all wet and your clothes are too.' You'll present that information to the rest of the class and, therefore, it's up to the class to guess the action that was occurring up until the certain point in time. What will happen in this activity is, the student at the front of the room will express the present results 'clothes being wet; I'm all...  [Read more]

  When considering Teacher Talk Time, we can perhaps look at the major advantage and disadvantage of the teacher actually talking. The major advantage is that you as the teacher are usually the only real model for the language, the source of correct English. So at some stages, your talking time is very important to the students. So when you?re modeling language, that use of Teacher Talk Time can be very advantageous. There are major disadvantages to overusing Teacher Talk Time, however, and perhaps the major one is that whenever the teacher is talking, the students are listening and if the students are listening, then they themselves cannot be talking. So, Teacher Talk Time reduces the opportunity for Student Talk Time. So, we should try to minimize the use of Teacher Talk Time...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Learning English is a continues process and it starts right after the birth of a baby. Parents are the first teachers to the kids. So they must need to understand the importance of the English language. Children are adept at picking up on the family’s’ attitudes. If they realize that in their family it isn’t important they won’t give importance to it. So it’s the parents’ who’s responsible for making the environment at home and let this skill nourish and nurture the kid. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Abdul s. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The first three years’ age of any infant decides the habits and...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas When you select information to teach in your lesson, you need to think about what level the students are at and how well your lesson fits into what they already know and what they need to know. When you begin teaching it can be quite difficult to know what students are likely to comprehend at each level and few EFL teachers follow the same students from beginner to advanced level. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Shorena B. Beginner-level students aren't necessarily children. Many people discover a need or desire to study English later in life. Students at beginner level can't speak or write accurately in the present simple and present continuous tenses. Those who know some words in English...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Engage, study and activate method was put forward by Jeremy Harmer. This method provides flexibility to the teacher inside the classroom. Teachers can do various activities to make the classroom more comfortable and enjoyable for the students and to learn in a much better way. It is much more appropriate for the new teachers or trainee teachers to apply in the classroom. All the lessons comprise of the engage, study and activate stages. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Priyanka Y. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Engage stage is the first sequence in the lesson in which the teacher will try to arouse the student's interests....  [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]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Every teacher in his/her career is faced with the first lesson in a new class. This lesson is vital for the teacher to establish rapport and set the tone for the rest of the course. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Irina B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. First of all the teacher should introduce her/himself and write her/his name on the board, in case the students forget it. After that, ask the students to make a card with their names and put it on the desks. From this time the teacher should call her/his students only by their names. It is a pleasure for every person to hear his/her name. So the teacher and the students have...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Throughout this course, there have been many interesting lessons and tips that I have found useful in different academic settings. For instance, in my tenure teaching middle school students in China, I found that it is better to help the student like a partner as opposed to just giving her or him a worksheet and watching them complete it by themselves. I have also haven’t had a great deal of pair-work that I am trying to implement even now in my Kindergarten classes, though to a lesser degree. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jonathan A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Kindergartens tend to be much more flexible in how...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I used to be a Mountain Guide, I have worked all over the World. I have often found myself with my clients in a mountain refuge where we would stay the night before making a summit bid the next morning. These refugees, usually found in remote and wild places, are manned by a Guardian who looks after the refuge, provides a dormitory bed for the night and cooks a hearty evening meal. The mountaineers who stay come from all over the World and everyone sits together on long tables, sharing food and wine and friendship. English is not always the common language but it would be the language we would try to use on our fellow diners. I can recall many a hilarious evening trying to make ourselves understood by a series of...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The best thing I’ve learned from this course begins with the EFL teacher as an instrument of facilitation. The creative spark that ignites a flame in every student that is trying to master a new language. A teacher doesn’t need to be perfect but must be fully present and prepared with a positive, supportive vibe. The successful teacher is a role model, a subject matter expert, and a skilled conductor of English language learning and immersion. Course books aside, from the very first lesson, a teacher identifies the level of learners and builds rapport with students through engaging activities that aim to reveal the students’ needs and interests. These interests can then be incorporated into future lesson...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Today studying English is one of the most important and prospective goals of the modern world. The age of students has changed and parents are trying to start their children learning a foreign language as early as possible. Preschool-aged children are the most favorable for this activity. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Olga O. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Early education develops the psychological function of the child, meets their intellectual needs, creates a great opportunity to generate interest in the linguistic and cultural diversity of the world; respect for languages and cultures of other peoples. Passion,...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences From the 60-year-old successful businessman who has never studied English to the third grader who is learning it for the first time in a school setting, each student has their own motivation and background. Their unique experiences will dictate what they bring to the table and be a factor in their success or difficulty in learning English. Understanding what brought the learners to the classroom, will help a teacher tailor the lessons to be most beneficial to her students. This includes understanding their culture to a certain extent, specifically as it relates to faux pas or misunderstandings that could arise in the classroom setting. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Lindsey D. Beginners...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching a real class, first, we need to mention the rapport between teachers and students. What makes a good teacher and a good learner are tend to be “student-centered” class than “teacher-centered”, which means teachers’ talking time is less than students’. Being a good teacher will always remind and encourage learners about their learning motivations and interests. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Crystal D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Before teaching a class, we need to plan a class and what you expect students to achieve by the end of the class. In a lesson plan, we need a learning objective what do you...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Flashcards are considered to be an effective means to introduce new vocabulary in the ESL classroom. They are vivid, easy-to-use and they are considered to stimulate active recall method which helps us to retain the vocabulary for long periods. Some teachers consider that flashcards can to be used for young learners only. In my opinion, even adults will benefit from using flashcards. They can help to reduce TTT while introducing new vocabulary, can be used as a revision activity, and when adapted, can even be applied to practice vocabulary in complex grammar structures. Flashcards are easy to find. You can buy ready-made flashcards, use cutouts from old magazines or draw your flashcards. You can even ask your...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences Description: Teaching English as a foreign language in a kindergarten can be a dynamically different experience than teaching students in older age groups. Teaching in a kindergarten has advantages such as motivation, smiles, and the ability to learn the material in short bursts. It also has disadvantages, such as; short attention spans, diapers, and tantrums. Teaching young children can be extremely rewarding and extremely demanding. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate William K. Teaching Children between the ages of two and five has some advantages that can be very rewarding. My first class ever was teaching children between the ages of two and a half and three and a half. I was quick to...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas "A man doesn't learn to understand anything unless he loves it" Goethe The role of the teacher is very important in our lives. A good teacher provides us with knowledge, motivation, and encouragement while creating interest in his subject. He cares about his students and demonstrates patience. An experienced teacher knows what role or roles to take during his lesson. The most important role is the role of an organizer. The teacher instructs the class through daily activities. He may also split students into pairs for role-playing or encourage mill drill exercise, where students come to each other, ask questions, and receive answers. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ekaterina H. Please note...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences I have been working in China for more than six months now and it’s been a very interesting time for me not just to learn more about the country and its people, but also to enrich my teaching skills and grow professionally as a teacher. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Evgeniya S. When I arrived in China, I hardly knew anything about specific features of teaching in that country, so I thought that the knowledge I had was quite enough to handle the classes in kindergarten or primary school. But since my first working day, I have often been surprised and even sometimes perplexed by what I have seen at kindergartens and schools in China. Many teaching techniques and methods that Chinese...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Susan W. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I am Susan and I'm 40 years female from Kenya and I have graduated with a bachelor's degree in Art in Education. I have been teaching young learners in Kenya for two years and I was invited to teach English in southern China and I am ready for the new challenge teaching abroad. I decided to do a TEFL test online so that I can acquire the Certificate and be employed as a qualified EFL teacher. I have learned a lot when studying the TEFL test and as an EFL teacher, I have come to realize that the social environment, age of different levels of students do...  [Read more]

Federico Riva Teaching Ideas The teacher’s role is to catch the interest of the students and to give them confidence. Getting the students involved in the lesson will also help to prevent most of the disciplinary problems. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Marie Alice C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The first thing is for the teacher to try to know his students. Knowing their name is, of course, necessary to get their attention or indicate who is to answer the question, but the teacher should also try to know their surroundings. The students will be more willing to participate if the topic has been carefully chosen to fit their interests. Making sure that...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The ESA lesson structure is a useful method for formatting lessons. It has a high level of in-built flexibility and a logical sequence beneficial for both students and teachers alike. It consists of three distinct phases - Engage, Study and Activate - each meant to serve a particular function but working together to ensure effective communication and application of new information. 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. The first stage of an ESA lesson format is the Engage phase. The goal of this part of the lesson is to get the students thinking and speaking in English. At the beginning of a...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences For two years I have been teaching Italian children in a nursery, a group of 5,2-3 years old. They are still not able to speak well their mother tongue and have a short vocabulary. They have no experience yet in being taught traditionally, may still use pacifier and diaper, so how can you teach so small children English and is it even worth it? Shouldn’t they first learn their native tongue? Many parents think so. I am sure they benefit from being exposed to English vocabulary and getting used to the sound of English as young as possible. But of course, it must be done in the right way, they are not going to study English but going to “play English” It must be a funny experience for them. This post was...  [Read more]