When Is Three Kings

  In this TEFL review, Fatih in Istanbul, Turkey tells us how he took the ITTT 120-hour online TEFL course after teaching English for three years. As with many of our graduates with prior teaching experience, Fatih found that the course helped to improve his teaching skills. 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 unit gave me an idea of what one needs to bear in mind when selecting the kind of vocabulary you want to teach to students. It was...  [Read more]

  Before looking at the methods or approaches themselves, there are some terms that we need to define. These are the approach, the method or the technique. Basically, these are hierarchical. The approach is an overriding set of principles that a method can actually make use of, whereas the technique are the things that we actually do in the classroom to approach that method. So, these three words are going to appear during the presentation. Again, for each of either the approaches all the methodologies we're going to ask four questions. So be it an approach or a method for each of those things: Where did it come from? What's its background? What does it involve when we're talking about actually in the classroom, in other words techniques? What is positive about it? What appears to...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas As teachers, it is our duty to bring out the best in our students. One way of doing that is inspiring confidence in them. I have listed three simple tips you can incorporate in your class, whether it's online or offline, to achieve that. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Aileen P. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. First, help them overcome nervousness. Some students are too afraid to make mistakes. They get really nervous and think about their answers for too long. You must make them understand that communication is more important than perfection. Being too conscious about mistakes does not only hinder the students to be more...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Before we talk about English as a global language, we should know what global language and how a language becomes a global language. Refers to Mastin, L., 2011, “Global language essentially refers to a language that is learned and spoken internationally and is characterized not only by the number of its native and second language speakers, but also by its geographical distribution, and its use in international organizations and diplomatic relations. ” Global language is the language known and commonly used by most countries in the world when some business relationship happens between two or more than two countries, to promote the development of politics, economy, and culture. However, it doesn’t mean...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas As a children’s English teacher, course materials are very important. There are many kinds of materials that we can use in the classroom, flashcards are the basic one. We can present the new vocabulary and practice with flashcards, and children can understand the word directly through the picture on the flashcard, which is very effective. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate YULUN H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Besides, there are many games with flashcards that we can use as activities in the classroom. Here I will list 5 of these games I often use in my classes. The musical chair is a fun game for group classes which need...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Malaysia is located in South East Asia which occupies parts of the Malay Peninsula and some part of the Borneo Island. These two lands are separated by the South China Sea It was once colonized by the British from the 18th century until it gained its independence in 1957 as the Federation of Malaya and later on formed Malaysia with joining of the North Borneo, Sarawak in 1963. Bahasa Melayu commonly known as the Malay Language is the national language of the country while English becomes the second language. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Karibo B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. In the early 18th century, many Malaysian...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Nowadays, English is becoming more and more popular and significant in China because of globalization. In big cities, parents send their kids to all kinds of organizations/schools to study English in their early three years. Some capable parents even use English as their communicative language from the first day the baby was born. No matter how early Chinese starts learning English, it’s still not our mother language and the atmosphere is still in Chinese, which makes learning English not as easy as those in English countries. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Yixun C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. In my point of view, here...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I am a kindergarten English teacher and teach children English every day. I will teach in small groups in the class. Each group will have 5-6 children to attend classes together, so I can better judge the progress and mastery of their English learning. When a child wants to study again, I will instruct separately to protect their enthusiasm for learning. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jìng H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Vocabulary learning is an important component of early childhood English learning, so I will spend a lot of time teaching this part. The visual image of children in the 3-6 age group is dominant. They...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I have experience in Childhood development. I’ve taught over twenty plus years. My experience ranges from infants to school-age children. I have always taught three-year-olds and up. For almost two years, I have had the pleasure of working with children that are 18 months to 24 months old. I am the Lead teacher for our Toddler program. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Judy N. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Although working in a private preschool has helped me in childhood development, learning strategies are also important. The courses that I have taken have helped me learn so much. One of the most important things to...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Deciding whether to teach individuals or group classes can be difficult. There are many similarities as well as differences. The perusal of these two kinds of classes led to charting each difference and similarity. Many of the differences fell under three categories. These three major differences between teaching one-to-one and groups are the class set up, students’ goals/motivations and available activities. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jade B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Teaching individuals can be nerve-racking itself; the class consists of just the teacher and one student. The traditional dynamics of a...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Apart from cognitive development, there is the moral and social development which are very important as well. Because, very young children do not understand that people have different feelings and experiences, but these perspective-taking abilities develop over time until it is quite sophisticated in adults. Kohlberg’s divided it into three levels. The first one is the conventional moral reasoning which is based on personal needs and determination and other rules to avoid punishments. The second’s called the conventional Moral Reasoning which is based on the family’s expectation, traditional values, the laws of society and loyalty to the country. The third is called the post-conventional moral reasoning...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Flashcards tend to be the most commonly used and popular teaching tool during any of my lessons performed regularly. I come across them so often during my teaching practice that I eventually decided to write my essay on this very topic. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Mikhail E. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. It is basically an ultimate flat piece of paper (carton) usually with fancy picture on it that can be easily touched, carried, thrown, stepped on, folded, hidden etc There are practically no limits to the ways of its usage in the classroom plus most of the flashcards carry sharp, clear and colorful message about a...  [Read more]

Jon ITTT Alumni Experiences I have been a teacher with 51 Talk for three years now and to improve my career and teaching skills I have learned some things on this TEFL course that will help me brush up my skills in teaching. Though I have been a teacher’s aid before, as well as a bright student who used to tutor others during my school years, it was now that I realized how hard teachers used to work for us to become good learners in school and understand the subjects. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Saba S. Also read My Experience Taking the 50-hour Teaching English to Young Learners TEFL Course from ITTT I used to not really like tests that much but now I realize how important they are for teachers to learn about where...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Learning English as a foreign language in preschools have become an increasing trend in many different countries across the world. Parents are willing to invest money for the kids to start learning English at a tender age as their ability to grasp the language will be easier. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Diana N. There are various ways of transferring knowledge based on fun EFL activities. Various techniques and numerous tools are the main methods of imparting knowledge the children. It has been scientifically proven that children at the ages of 3-6 have a strong potential to acquire new information, especially when English is made interesting. ...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Not only in an imaginative sense and for pleasure but also in the development of important literacy skills. Reading provides growth of knowledge, a pleasurable hobby to escape from our busy lives and the development of critical thinking. Developing a love for books in the early years will set your child up for reading readiness and help lay the basis for your child’s success inside, outside and beyond school. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Wang P. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Choose books that are kid-friendly and have topics or stories that are relevant to them. Select books that are age-appropriate, such as fabric...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching styles can vary drastically and no one style is king. Over time and in different parts of the world different styles have risen to prominence while others lose favor. The effectiveness of a teaching style depends on the students, their need, the language they are being taught, the language they are being taught in, and many other factors. Effective teachers will be familiar with different styles and the various methods introduced in each style. They will be capable of creating their own unique style based on what is most effective for their situation. The following methodologies of teaching all have their strengths and weaknesses, most are found to be outdated or overly flawed but we can still learn and...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Teaching styles can vary drastically and no one style is king. Over time and in different parts of the world different styles have risen to prominence while others lose favor. The effectiveness of a teaching style depends on the students, their need, the language they are being taught, the language they are being taught in, and many other factors. Effective teachers will be familiar with different styles and the various methods introduced in each style. They will be capable of creating their own unique style based on what is most effective for their situation. The following methodologies of teaching all have their strengths and weaknesses, most are found to be outdated or overly flawed but we can still learn...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Teachers play a number of very important roles in the education process. Education forms a significant part of everyone’s lives as it can contribute directly towards future possibilities and the roles we can play in society. This essay will discuss three of the most important roles played by teachers. The first is the role is that of a facilitator of learning and education, the second role is that of the role model, and the final is the role of the mentor and motivator. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Monika G. The most widely acknowledged role played by the teacher is that of the educator - to teach knowledge, typically academic in nature. This includes literacy, numeracy, as well...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences What is classroom management? Classroom management refers to all kinds of activities and measures taken by teachers in order to make effective use of their time, to create a good learning environment and to reduce bad behavior. In classroom teaching, in addition to the task of "teaching", the teacher also has the task of "managing", that is, coordinating and controlling all kinds of teaching factors in order to ensure the smooth progress of teaching activities. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Shufang H. We all understand the importance of classroom management, so what can we do to effectively manage the classroom? Teachers' facial expressions, head movements, gestures, and body...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The Chinese language is a tonal language can make learning English a real challenge for my students. The one thing I have on my side though is the fact that they are brought up to be dedicated at anything they do and hardworking. Although it's been mentioned that pronunciation is not the most important aspect of TEFL, it is to The Chinese Government. It’s something we’ve been told we need to cover deeply along with reading and comprehension. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Paula S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. As just mentioned the Chinese language is tonal, meaning words with different “tones” which are like...  [Read more]

Karah Musani Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Teaching children can be challenging. If you’re teaching an adult, chances are, they’re there because they want to learn. Most children, however, would much rather be watching their favorite TV show, so it’s important to make the class fun and engaging. One of the best ways to do this is with a reward system. Plan a reward system with 4 to 6 rewards and give one to the student periodically throughout the class when they have done a good job. You can use this to reinforce good behavior and to encourage the student to try harder so that they get more rewards. All of my reward systems rely on a whiteboard the students can see. The rewards will be placed on the whiteboard. Here...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas When the aroma of gingerbread and eggnog is in the air, you know it’s time to translate your love for the most beautiful season of the year into your TEFL classroom with winter ESL activities! While this is the perfect time to embrace winter in TEFL destinations with changing seasons, it’s also ideal to educate your students living in places with tropical temperatures and other cultures about the holiday celebrations. Here are 7 amazing winter and Christmas ESL activities your students will love! Tell your students to imagine the following: You wake up in your bed and look out the window when you see a brightly decorated Christmas tree. It’s cold and even looks like snow is slowly falling from the sky. The...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences To be completely honest with you, I didn´t think that a TEFL course would benefit me significantly or improve my teaching until I took one. I have studied eight languages on three continents and I also speak four languages daily. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Sami T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I have studied in top universities for years and worked as a teacher, coach, educator, trainer, international business manager and team leader for higher education publishers. "Aren't these courses very expensive and what could I possibly learn?", I asked myself… It wasn't until the online company that I have been working...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The word ‘grammar’ is often feared by students and teachers alike. It has an image of being difficult to comprehend and hard to teach. However, with planning and a positive approach to the lesson, it can be a fun and interesting way to improve English skills. Also, students can often feel a true sense of accomplishment by being able to use the vocabulary and sentences structures that they have learned. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Janet K. So where do we start? How to use verbs and the study of tenses is a perfect first step. By dividing the tenses into three sections, present, past and future, and then again into the simple, continuous, perfect and perfect continuous forms, we...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Every child is born with an immense capacity for learning, with an innate sense of curiosity and creativity that are of vital importance for the learning process to become a truly exciting journey. However, as a child grows up he is immersed into the world of formal schooling that tends to be downright tedious at times. As a result, most often the child feels pressed because of the attempts to fit in the way he is being taught. Memorizing, chasing results becomes a habit, while ingrained personal strengths remain barely discovered. Hence, a huge realm of human inborn potential remains unrecognized. But what if the idea of multiple intelligences would be integrated into modern education? What if the educational...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I have been teaching English in Taiwan at a local elementary school, grades 1-6 with three different co-teachers since the end of August 2018. One of the biggest challenges I have faced so far is the fact that each student is very different, and all have different learning abilities and struggles with learning English. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Aria T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. There are many different reasons why students may be reluctant to learn English or why they are struggling as a few units explained. Often, students are fearful of making mistakes and lack confidence in the classroom. This is something I...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences There are many reasons as to why you should get a Tefl. I’m not going to list every possible reason for the simple fact that it would take too long, and it is simply unnecessary to list every reason. My main three reasons as to why you should get a Tefl is because it helps anybody learn more than anybody thinks they may and or may not have known, it is highly beneficial to whatever kind of students anybody may teach, and it also helps you learn whether or not if this is a job that you truly desire to have. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Andrew G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. To start, many people (that study...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Given that grammar is, unquestionably, one of the fundamental pillars of essentially any language, it is therefore of utmost importance to educate learners the correct grammatical rules, and even more preferably, when the learners are of a very young age, so that they can, presumably, have a better grasp of the underlying grammatical rules before they embrace on a pursuit of more advance intellectual knowledge. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate CHUN YAN T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Nonetheless, because English grammar is, by no means, the easiest to fully comprehend, not to mention the numerous grammatical exceptions...  [Read more]

Jon ITTT Alumni Experiences Lesson planning is an indispensable part of successful lessons. Generally speaking, lesson plans have various functions that are conducive to the classes. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Juan W. First and most importantly, lesson plans can help teachers think and deliver classes logically through different stages of the classes. It can also give teachers hints needed. When teachers plan lessons, there are several aspects that need to be taken into consideration, such as lesson objectives, possible difficulties and skill and so on. Second, It’s a record of classes that have been done and materials have been used. On the one hand, even though teachers have good memory, it is almost impossible...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas A teacher may simply be described as a person who helps people to learn. A teacher often works in a classroom. There are many different kinds of teachers. Some teachers teach young children in kindergarten or primary schools. Others teach older children in the middle, junior high, and high schools. A career may also be an occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person's life and opportunities for progress. Development may be looking at by first stating what it means to develop. To develop is to grow or cause to grow and become more mature, advanced, or elaborate. The process of developing or being developed or the state of...  [Read more]