TEFL Old Forge

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences My experience in teaching English to young learners is based in Japan. At the start of my time teaching, my student group consisted of two children of the same family. The siblings are a boy, age five, and a girl, age three, who participate equally in the English conversation sessions. Three main factors of this situation present difficult walls, preventing forward progress. Those three factors are distracting objects, counter-productive classroom philosophies, and personality conflicts. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Brandon F. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. First, the English conversation takes place in the children's...  [Read more]

Maria Ducha Destinations Argentina is not only the fourth most populated Spanish-speaking country in the world but it also offers great opportunities for English teachers all over the country. Attracted by the vibrant culture, exciting nightlife and spectacular natural wonders, many thousands of people come to live and work in Argentina each year. Find out why Argentina is a great place to teach English abroad in this article. The scenery of Argentina ranges from snowy mountains and blue lakes in the south to the most amazing waterfalls in the northeast near Brazil that will really take your breath away. The “Cerro de los 7 colores” offer picturesque scenery paired with amazing wildlife, and the “Glaciar Perito Moreno”, the largest...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas What if students don’t like me? What if I forget my planning and ruin the whole lesson? What if I trip and fall flat on my face? This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Lizelle K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. What if this and what if that, these are the type of questions that go through a new teacher’s mind before they enter their first classroom. Stepping into a classroom for the first time can be overwhelming and a new teacher can easily feel lost when all the attention in the class falls on them. When studying to become an educator, be it for 3-year olds or 30-year olds, practical exposure to an active teaching environment...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences Learning a second language is an adventure, most people find it fascinating. Some people are intimidated, they take a glimpse, and then walk back to the familiar ground; some embark on the journey, but not all of them can truly enjoy the journey that is full of difficulties, some learners quit in the middle of the adventure; thus, only a small amount of people can finally master a second language. Teachers should be able to know what types of difficulty students might face and how to help them deal with these difficulties. In this post, we shall look into two learning difficulties — poor memory and lack of concentration. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Lijie Z. Take English learning as...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas One of the things we should remember about when coming to the classroom, that this place can become a battlefield: a battle can happen between students, between the teacher and students, with the English language, and the most difficult one - a battle with yourself. These were my thoughts when I started teaching. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Yulia M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. When you just start your career as a teacher you may know (in theory) or may not know (even in theory) what should you do in your first class, what kind of behavior to choose and how to react to the students’ behavior. But every mistake - no...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Being a teacher, you should know that children learn language differently from adults. Although grammar does play an important role in language learning- especially in the early stage of the process where a new language can seem very contradictory, lacking structure and rules and disorganized where grammar teaching comes into its own. So I think we should find “how to teach grammar for young learners?” This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Hien N. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The children can imitate very quickly. With me when we teach grammar for young learners, we must make them funny and feel comfortable. There is a more...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences The majority of children turning 5 years old attend kindergarten for two years in preparation for primary school. Some kids enter kindergarten earlier at the age of only four. This actually varies according from state to state and also from country to country. In China, most kindergartens combine childcare with teaching so that the children will develop physically, morally, and intellectually in a harmonious way to get ready for their formal school education. A good environment is assured for the kids to have a conducive place to learn actively. Teaching English in China can be overwhelming considering that English teachers are also assigned to teach kids as young as one year old or even younger. Chinese parents...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences There is no overemphasizing the importance of the English language in the world. English is likely the most widely spoken world language. Hence, it is of optimal importance that the teachers of English language measure up to the status bequeathed the language in the world. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Abubakar M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. First and most importantly, a good English teacher must be well-versed in the language they teach, the English language. An English teacher who doesn't profess knowledge in the language shouldn't take a classroom in the first place. Knowledge can come from reading and...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Deciding to be a teacher in a kindergarten can be intimidating for some inexperienced teachers in the beginning. In my case, I was quite unsure of teaching very young kids and would rather teach adults. However, I ended up in China and started to teach English in a kindergarten and it resulted to be easier than expected. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Samy H. I would say that the key point in order to be a good kindergarten teacher is establishing a good rapport with the kids since the beginning. Kids at this age are very young and some of them won’t like the teacher in the beginning. Some warmers, songs, and games with them will quickly solve the problem. In a few days, all the kids...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Playing games is not only for fun, but we can use it to make students more understand about the topic of the lesson. Games also can build rapport between student-student and teacher-class. How a game is important to make students understand the topic of the lesson? This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Umi H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. For some students, playing a game is a fun thing. It also can kill boredom and increase the attention of students. Games also can make students more understand the lesson in class. For children who always want to play even in class, they have a short span of attention, playing games are...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences As an international study major in college, I learned that the United Nations, a non-governmental organization, officially recognizes six world languages: every meeting, written document, and speech are translated into these languages. English is one of them. It is spoken and written by billions of people around the world. Having traveled in eight countries myself, I was surprised to have seen how commonplace it was for countries to translate directional signs in both the official language and in English. A student’s mastery of the English language, or in any language, can be a difficult journey to venture. Therefore, this essay will explore what factors may motivate a student to learn English. This post was...  [Read more]

Anna Bondar Destinations Alumni Experiences Being in China for over ten years, I've worked at more than 30 places, combining schools and training centers, kindergartens and private classes, etc. For the past five years, working as a recruiter, I would like to give you a few valuable tips on getting hired for your dream job. Moving to a new country could be stressful enough, so make sure to do your research about the schools and places before signing the contract. First of all, I'd like to ask you, mainly as a new teacher, to think about what kind of school is suitable for you? Keep in mind that different institutions have different requirements. There are several institutions you can choose to work at, for example: Before you...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching can be difficult or very easy, but either way, it is fun. As a tutor, I have experienced teaching beginner students for the past two years. Beginner students have a huge difference between classmates. Some have already known many words when they even have not started their primary school life. Some of them do not know the 26 alphabets when their primary school life has already started, so when you put them into the same class, it is quite challenging for teachers to prepare materials. However, on the bright side, younger students tend to learn fast so they can easily catch up with other students. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Cheuk Y. Please note that this blog post might not...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas English is not the native language of those who begin to learn English. For children in Vietnam as a country using English as a second language, learning English grammar is difficult for children to learn. So how to teach children grammar effectively and children remember and use it most naturally. Young children have a habit of imitating and following quickly and not selectively, so if we understand this point, we should teach them how to develop naturally. There are many ways to teach grammar to children. Here are some ways I recommend when teaching grammar to children. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Le N. Please...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences To begin with, I’ like to say that I’m pretty excited about writing this summary since this course was an interesting online journey and there are some things to share, indeed. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Denys L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The games play an extremely important role in teaching and particularly/especially during my classes! I consider this to be not just one of the teaching techniques, but the solid, essential, natural, and extremely useful part of the whole world of education. All of us, no matter how old we are, find ourselves enjoying the game. We have a playful nature either it is on the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas There is an ancient Chinese quote which says: "Tell me, and I forget. Teach me, and I remember. Involve me, and I." - We can apply this old quote to our days, even though our challenges may be more extensive. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rodrigo O. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Today anyone can go through the web and seek information; this made the task of teaching a bit harder since we have to deal with an immediate gain of information. It is easy to open a Wikipedia article and just read what happened 100 years ago somewhere, but it is the teacher's task to involve the students, to connect the facts, to know details...  [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 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]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Children are the future, our future, the generation that will take the world, and all it encompasses the next age of the world; whatever that may be. Children are the future. This phrase is repeated all around the world, in different countries, continents, and even across the vast array of cultures that exist on planet Earth. One would be hard-pressed to find any one person who would disagree with this statement. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nisaa S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. What, then, do we do about this? We educate them, we teach them all we know, share all the knowledge and information that we have accumulated...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Being an ESL teacher is not an easy task, especially if you work as a freelancer TEFL teacher online. In this case, you have to be even more organized to provide better services to your students. This blog post offers you 3 apps for digital ESL lesson plans that will save you a lot of time. I know that many teachers still prefer to write their notes and plans on paper because it's the best way to make imagination flow. However, there is a considerable disadvantage with this approach: even if you are a very organized person, in time, it becomes challenging to figure out your thoughts on scattered lesson plans. A digital planner can help you...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas This essay seeks to discuss the possible disadvantages of negative reinforcement, specifically corporal punishment, as a means of discipline, when used by educators teaching young learners. Also, positive reinforcement, such as praise and feedback, as an alternative method to discipline young learners will be discussed. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Desriel G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. As mentioned, the negative reinforcement measure that will be discussed in this essay is ‘corporal punishment. The definition for ‘punishment’ when referenced herein, follows that of The Committee on the Rights of the Child, 2001,...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Keeping students motivated to learn can be one of the biggest challenges a teacher may face. Without motivation, the students can become bored and complacent; they may even start to act out and disrupt the class. A few ways a teacher can keep their students motivated are by participating in games and physical activity, reward, and praise, and having a good attitude as a teacher. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Victoria O. Also read: Top Online Lesson Plan Resources for New and Advanced Teachers Games and activities are a good source of motivation because they are fun. Students are usually excited to play games, especially younger students. Games get students physically involved in a...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences We live in the age of technical progress and globalization. Both these trends require people to get together, unite, share ideas to come up with new inventions, discover other cultures. This is why thousands of people all over the world take up studying English every day. They turn to language schools, private teachers, speaking clubs or any other resources they can find, excited to start and be able to speak fluently in a year or so. However, reality shows that only half of those students get the result they wanted. So, possible obstacles and complications which face Ukrainian adult students while learning English will be discussed in this essay, possible solutions will be suggested. This post was written by...  [Read more]

Are you looking to embark on a rewarding career in teaching English as a second language (TESOL) in Taipei, Taiwan? International TEFL and TESOL Training (ITTT) offers comprehensive certification programs that will equip you with the skills and qualifications needed to succeed in this dynamic field. With a growing demand for English language teachers in Taipei, now is the perfect time to pursue your passion for teaching while experiencing the rich culture and vibrant lifestyle of this bustling city. In this article, we will explore the various TESOL career opportunities available in Taipei, the benefits of obtaining a TESOL certification through ITTT, and how you can kickstart your teaching journey in this exciting city. Additionally, we will provide insights into the unique cultural...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas How can I be a good teacher, that is the question that we, as prospective teachers should be working on and should never stop asking ourselves. It is important, first of all, to know what makes for a good teacher. What kind of skills do you actually need to succeed in your goal and what things should you keep in mind walking towards it. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Vjorela P. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. You should want to improve yourself otherwise everything else might become pointless. Be kind and patient with your students, don’t make them feel inferior, rather make them see mistakes as a way to improve and learn....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences In loco parentis is the perfect phrase to describe the teacher’s role in the classroom and the responsibility they have towards their students. Young children spend many hours in the classroom – an atmosphere created primarily for learning, teaching, and socializing – and many more hours in the home – a different learning atmosphere inhabited largely by family members and, sometimes, friends. In a bygone era, the teacher’s role was seen as sacred and their knowledge as unquestionable, in some cases; given that a majority of the pre-baby boomer population may have been uneducated, it was felt that their knowledge was not like the teacher’s and therefore they trusted their children over to the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Motivation has become a big subject in recent years. What does it mean to motivate? For me to motivate does not mean to scream on somebody or push somebody. To motivate simply means to provide a motive. Provide a reason WHY. When we look at motivation from a more scientific perspective we shall not ignore the concept of external and internal motivation. As teachers, we should be able to understand the basic psychology of our students. If we understand what are the motives and the drives we are more likely to adjust our teaching to their needs. To be able to understand the real desires and fears, we should listen carefully, only with the good analysis we may help to better articulate their WHYS. This post was...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences A Turkish proverb infers: "One who speaks one language is one person while one who speaks two languages is two people." It refers to the cultural influences of language learning. It signifies the fact that with learning a new language comes a change in the way the mind works. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Isiaka O. The process of transmitting pre-learned, coded, audible and inaudible messages from one person to another and receiving acknowledgment, understanding, and most times, elicit a response in kind. It is unique to humans. Also Read: Guide to Teaching Receptive Skills in the EFL Classroom 1. Directive Use They are special forms of communication that mostly include a body of...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Language is an organism that changes as the people using it changes. No living language sounds as it did 1,000 years ago, nor does any use all the same words that were used within it 100 years ago. Just as it is a very different experience to live in a body than it is to study one, so is it powerful for students of a foreign language to be invited to live in a language rather than only learn about it. The endless auditory phenomena of English, such as the “hootin’ and tootin’” interjections of Appalachian people or the booming discourse of an African-American preacher, cannot be understood by other peoples unless they are exposed to the context these phenomena were nurtured in. Students of English...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Early childhood is the period from 0-8 years old, it is a time of remarkable growth with brain development at its peak. During this stage, children are highly influenced by the environment and the people that surround them. We can say further that Early childhood education is a branch of education that relates to the teaching of children from birth to the age of eight, therefore covering infancy, kindergarten and the early school years up to grades 3. So how does storytelling come in? Well, storytelling does a lot here because this stage is very crucial to a child’s early physical, socio-emotional, cognitive and linguistic development. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Chinenye M. Please...  [Read more]