TEFL Websters Crossing

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences For a student learning English as a second language, one thing they may notice is the difference in the accents between British English and American English, the difference is rather pronounced considering it has been less than two hundred and fifty years since the American Revolution. The American accent is likely to be more familiar to many students, thanks to many American movies from Hollywood. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Anthony B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Unfortunately for students, the accents are not the only differences in the language but where did these differences come from? In England, in 1755,...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences One of the most useful decisions that a teacher can make is the choice to know his or her limitations. Realizing one's shortcomings does not excuse an instructor from conveying the lesson. Instead, this determination means that a teacher needs to employ supporting tools to help reach the students. One such possibility is the use of teaching aids. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Derek G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Teaching aids can provide an educator with an active choice for classroom lecturing. When used correctly, an instructor can use teaching aids to stimulate, engage, and develop a lesson plan in a way that he...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences When it comes to learning English, non-native speakers can feel quite torn on whether they should learn British English or American English. They have their similarities, but can contrast each other strongly. The differences can be confusing for English speakers as well. The diversity in spelling, pronunciation, and vocabulary can really throw you off. In this article, I will be focusing on these three topics. Let’s explore spelling, shall we? This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Tabitha C. Growing up in the USA, I learned to spell in a simplified form. American English focuses on how the words are pronounced, therefore the words are spelled according to their sounds. Kələr in the British...  [Read more]

{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ [ {"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "SiteNavigationElement","@id": "#nameh0","name": " What visa do I need to teach English in Costa Rica?","url": "https://www.tefl-certificate.net/faq/What-type-of-visa-do-I-need-to-teach-English-in-Costa-Rica/#nameh0"},{"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "SiteNavigationElement","@id": "#nameh1","name": " What should I do on arrival in Costa Rica?","url": "https://www.tefl-certificate.net/faq/What-type-of-visa-do-I-need-to-teach-English-in-Costa-Rica/#nameh1"},{"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "SiteNavigationElement","@id": "#nameh3","name": " How do I get a tax number for teaching English in Costa Rica?","url":...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Language is rarely uniform. Especially when spread out over a great distance, rifts form in a language which causes dialectical differences, which are sometimes extreme. Such is especially true of the English language: several qualities divide American, British, and Australian English. Many of these differences developed inevitably over time, due to geographic and cultural separation. However, several factors contributed to the language differences between these areas. This paper will examine these differences and the reasons for them, focusing on the dialects of Britain and America. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rachel B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences British versus American English is a subject that encompasses a number of fields, including linguistics, history, archaeology, geography, and the study of the history of the English language. British English has a deep foundation that stretches back into time to the advent of the Indo-Europeans, and while America can claim this as well, the language was, for the most part, very close to its modern form by the age of exploration. That being said, many archaic forms of words and grammar were still in use during the age of exploration and spelling was not standardized when the great voyages and colonization of the Americas began. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Aaron T. Please note that...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas British English versus American English always sparks a lively discussion. I have read some articles so far as to compare these 2 languages and gather the information from the online resources. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Zahra J. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I am Iranian and have many American and British friends and I have been living abroad for about 6 years. As an English speaker as a second language, it took me a while to learn what is British and what is American English. As I have done some friendly interviews, the English spoken in the USA is different from the English spoken in the UK not only in pronunciation...  [Read more]

  This video covers the difference between 'desert' and 'dessert'. As these two words have a similar pronunciation and spelling, their usage is often confused. This is such a commen mistake made by both native speakers and English learners that we simply have to cover it. The pronunciation of the words is slightly different so most mistakes occurr in writing. Let's take a look at the two words. 'Desert' spelled with one 's' refers to a waterless, dry and empty area. A suitable example would be: Crossing that desert is dangerous. 'Dessert' spelled with double 's', on the other hand, has a very different meaning. It refers to the sweet course usually served at the end of a meal, such as cake or ice-cream. A good example would be: I had some ice-cream for dessert today. Keeping this...  [Read more]

{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ [ {"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "SiteNavigationElement","@id": "#nameh0","name": "How long can I stay in the Schengen Area?","url": "https://www.tefl-certificate.net/faq/what-is-the-schengen-area-in-europe-and-how-does-it-affect-tefl-teachers/#nameh0"},{"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "SiteNavigationElement","@id": "#nameh1","name": "Once the 90 days is up, when can I re-enter the Schengen Zone?","url": "https://www.tefl-certificate.net/faq/what-is-the-schengen-area-in-europe-and-how-does-it-affect-tefl-teachers/#nameh1"} ] ] } If you plan on teaching English in Europe you might have come across something known as the Schengen Area. This area is currently comprised...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas G.B. Shaw said, ‘England and America are two countries separated by a common language.’ The common language i.e. English taken by the British to America gradually evolved differently from its root language. Hence, the language spoken in Great Britain became the British English and the language spoken in the United States became American English. It wasn’t just the variation in pronunciation, the vocabulary and spellings for few words also changed. To understand the differences, we should take a look at the roadmap of British and American English. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Kritika T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Whom a student is defined within about same parameters by different sources. The Collins COBUILD Advanced Dictionary also has two definitions of the word student. The Merriam Webster dictionary (online) has two definitions of students which are as reproduced below: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate PAUL D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. For this summative assignment, the second definition by the Merriam-Webster and Collins COBUILD Dictionary will be used. Using the second definition as just stated, a beginner student will be one who is new to the subject and is just beginning to start learning, and in this respect, learning...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas It is clear for a lot of people that American English is a little different from British English, but why exist these differences? Many languages are spoken in all the world, and some of them have different branches, in the case of British and American English, one of the reason for having these differences, for example en the word colour for UK and color for USA is because, British English has taken the original words from French and later in America the spelling has been simplified, here is a list of words that are different in UK and USA: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Juan Pablo S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences As a teacher who has many years of experience working in kindergarten, I can surely say that teaching English as a foreign language is fun but requires special skills. At that age, children are yet to have their abstract thinking developed, hence teaching should mostly be based on visual aids and games. We must also consider that, apart from their young age, we are dealing with a large group who are very active, unable to stand boredom and are overwhelmingly thirsty for fund and play. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Joseph Niifio T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. There is also one more important thing to note: This may...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas First of all, I would like to mention that I am very happy about successfully mastered units. I am sure that the acquired knowledge will help me in further work and upgrade my teaching skills. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Dragan M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I met the importance of teaching skills and what they mean in general at the beginning of my teaching career, a long time ago. I have to admit that at the beginning of my career, I understood the job of the teacher not quite full and in the right way, that is, what is required of me as a teacher. Already after my first classes, I realized that I would be required...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Whether in the classroom or at the grading desk, the word “corrections” might bring to mind an answer list or possibly a red pen. For English language, linguistic and spelling errors are generally the focus of these corrections. However, where English language acquisition is concerned, such a focus can interrupt the natural flow of conversation and even set the learning process backwards. This post was written by our ITTT graduate Petra W. In the classroom, a good first rule is to offer kudos before criticism. During lessons, major errors are best addressed during the portion of the lesson dedicated to study and practice. The nature of the skills being honed, as well as age...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I would say the hardest part about becoming a Teacher is having the confidence to face your students in the classroom. I speak from experience because this was a challenge for me in the beginning when I taught Spanish as a foreign language. My students were primary and high school students, essentially just kids, but this intimidated me the most about my job. In time you will indeed and should become more confident teaching in the classroom, as the saying goes…” practice makes perfect”, right? However, there are some things a new teacher can do or be aware of to help increase their confidence in the classroom. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Genoveve C. Please note that this blog...  [Read more]

{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ [ {"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "SiteNavigationElement","@id": "#nameh0","name": "What are the prerequisites for Teaching English in Chile","url": "https://www.tefl-certificate.net/faq/teaching-english-in-chile/#nameh0"},{"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "SiteNavigationElement","@id": "#nameh1","name": "Who are the prominent employers of English instructors in Chile?","url": "https://www.tefl-certificate.net/faq/teaching-english-in-chile/#nameh1"},{"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "SiteNavigationElement","@id": "#nameh3","name": "What are the visa essentials for teaching English in Chile?","url":...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, a teacher is defined as one who teaches or ones whose occupation is to instruct. A good definition however in today’s society I believe that the teacher’s role has more meaning and is not that simple. And as the years go by it has continued to grow. Before starting my career as a teacher I highly agreed with the first definition but after spending a little over six months inside of the classroom I realize how much more a teacher role can be. The role of a teacher not only fosters the growth in students academically but also provides mentoring, role modeling and several other components. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rorie-Ann H. Please...  [Read more]

Jon ITTT Alumni Experiences Grammar can be defined as the study of the classes of words, their inflections and their functions and relations in the sentence (see Merriam Webster) or grammar is a linguistic tool that determines the rules for presenting sentences correctly. It involves a number of related sub-fields including syntax, phonetics, morphology, and semantics. That is to say, grammar is the system of the language and is the rules that make it possible for us to talk about language. Grammar names the types of words and word groups which could make up sentences not only in English but in any other language. As human beings, we can all do with grammar, even as children. But it is not everybody who is able to talk about how sentences are...  [Read more]

{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ [ {"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "SiteNavigationElement","@id": "#nameh0","name": "Where is the best place to learn the Spanish language?","url": "https://www.tefl-certificate.net/faq/why-should-i-teach-english-in-latin-america-rather-than-in-spain/#nameh0"},{"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "SiteNavigationElement","@id": "#nameh1","name": "What is the cost of living in Spain compared to Latin America?","url": "https://www.tefl-certificate.net/faq/why-should-i-teach-english-in-latin-america-rather-than-in-spain/#nameh1"},{"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "SiteNavigationElement","@id": "#nameh3","name": "How do work visas differ between Spain and Latin America?","url":...  [Read more]

{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ [ {"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "SiteNavigationElement","@id": "#nameh0","name": " What are the requirements for teaching English in Latin America?","url": "https://www.tefl-certificate.net/faq/how-to-teach-english-in-latin-america/#nameh0"},{"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "SiteNavigationElement","@id": "#nameh1","name": " What is the best way to apply for jobs teaching English in Latin America?","url": "https://www.tefl-certificate.net/faq/how-to-teach-english-in-latin-america/#nameh1"},{"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "SiteNavigationElement","@id": "#nameh3","name": " When is the best time to apply for jobs teaching English in Latin America?","url":...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Establishing rapport with your students is crucial for many reasons. Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary defines rapport as “a friendly, harmonious relationship especially: a relationship characterized by agreement, mutual understanding, or empathy that makes communication possible or easy.” This means that establishing rapport is like laying a foundation for understanding and communication. One of the most fundamental purposes of any language is to provide a way to understand and communicate with other people. Taking the time to establish rapport is simply the first step to laying a foundation for teaching and learning a language. A true teacher does not teach a subject, they teach students. As a...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas While learning the second language, we all want to speak fluently as much as we can. What do we need to speak fluently; grammar, vocabulary, structure or other knowledge of language? Let’s think that we know all the grammar rules and structures. How can we speak without a lack of knowledge of vocabulary? The most difficult part of learning a second language is to learn vocabulary because words are easy to forget and are confusable. As a teacher, our role in teaching vocabulary is vital. Teaching vocabulary is the most important part of teaching the second language so we need to use a mix of teaching methods and techniques. In this article, we see how we can use some of the methodologies and techniques...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Today’s classroom is a global entity and unless appropriately addressed, issues of cultural diversity have the potential to severely diminish the success of even the most dedicated teachers and promising students. In order to promote an atmosphere that enables all students to be successful in learning English in the ESL (English as a Second Language) classroom, it is critical that each student feels safe, respected and appreciated. In today’s diverse and multi-cultural climate, this sensitivity has never been more important. In many countries, the administration of schools and learning centers (principals, superintendents, etc.) recognize the importance of cultural...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The purpose of this essay is to explore the concept of grammar by defining it and explaining its role in society. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ralph D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Merriam Webster defines it as: "a: the study of the classes of words, their inflections (see inflection sense 3), and their functions and relations in the sentence. b: a study of what is to be preferred and what avoided in inflection .." Concisely, it is the set of structural rules governing the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any given natural language. ... Thus, Universal Grammar is grammar is the cognitive information...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences English is a language that, like other languages, has a rich history dating back thousands of years. Sort of mash-up of ancient Germanic languages and Roman Latin, English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world thanks to the spread of British and American influence across the world over the last several hundred years. It is a tricky language, infamous for its many exceptions and grammatical nuances. While English, compared to some languages, has a relatively low variation between regional dialects (low enough for speakers of radically different dialects to understand each other at least partially), these differences can be significant enough to confuse someone who is learning English as a...  [Read more]

{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ [ {"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "SiteNavigationElement","@id": "#nameh0","name": " What are the requirements for teaching English in Latin America?","url": "https://www.tefl-certificate.net/faq/How-to-find-a-job-teaching-English-in-Latin-America/#nameh0"},{"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "SiteNavigationElement","@id": "#nameh1","name": " What is the best way to apply for jobs teaching English in Latin America?","url": "https://www.tefl-certificate.net/faq/How-to-find-a-job-teaching-English-in-Latin-America/#nameh1"},{"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "SiteNavigationElement","@id": "#nameh3","name": " When is the best time to apply for jobs teaching English in Latin...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Confidence - how many times we’ve heard about it. That it’s important, that we should have it, that we should build it, that we should help students or any other people develop it. But what does it mean? This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Iuliia S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. It’s been always difficult to explain what is it, as it’s something that comes from feelings of well-being, acceptance of yourself, belief in your abilities, skills, your own experience. I would say it’s a ‘self-power’, that lets you move through any difficulties, helps you to grow and become a ‘someone’. The Merriam-Webster dictionary...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas One of the most important traits a teacher can bring into the classroom is confidence. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary Confidence is “a feeling or consciousness of one’s powers or reliance on one’s circumstances” and “ faith or belief that one will act in a right, the proper, or efficient way”. When a teacher is confident in the classroom it will help create a more relaxed and trusting environment. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Sarah Z. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I have found that when I am confident in what I am teaching I am more flexible in the classroom to be able to truly meet my student's...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences British English (BrE) and American English (AmE) are two of the main varieties of the English language. There are other different varieties of English that exist such as Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, South Asian and African English. Although English was introduced to America through the colonization period by the British, the two varieties of English have evolved to be quite different from each other in certain areas. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Shanique H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. One of these areas is vocabulary, which is one of the most notable differences between the two varieties. For instance,...  [Read more]