Why Does Halloween Exist

Elizaveta Pachina TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas In this article, our TEFL expert shares a seven-step strategy to gamify an ESL classroom. If you want to encourage students to learn in an informal way, consider implementing such an approach to your lessons. Sahil Gazi TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Lingos are of significant interest to linguists because they exist within the subsets of linguistics, by observing the significance of individual words or sentences through semantics and their meaning in a broader social context through pragmatics. In this scenario, the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nange R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. There exist varied problems plaguing students of different nationalities studying in different countries of the world. These problems might fall within the different categories enumerated below: Language is vital as it is a major tool used in communication. Students face problems when they cannot master the language of communication of a particular country and learning a second language is not an easy task. Most often students do not perform well because of the barrier in language. Most often they rely on translations and interpretations from the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences As many scholarly articles define it, globalization is the idea that the world has become more interconnected. The simple outlook on it is that, in a way, the world has become closer through globalization. This is true in many aspects of the changing world such as economics, world trade, language, business, and education. When it comes to education, one aspect of it that has also changed and globalized along with the world is the ability to get an online education. Therefore, online education is a source of globalization. Globalization makes online education possible through the use of technology and people's desires to stay inter-connected. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Vesa S....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas A large number of obstacles can arise for the students when learning a foreign language. Some of these problems are related to the contrast between the mother language and the learned language. About the differences between L1 and L2, there is plenty of research in the field of contrastive linguistics. Moreover, regarding that topic, many papers can be found comparing English to Japanese with the aim to address the problems of Japanese learners of English. However, other predicaments with the apprehension of the L2 can develop when teachers underestimate the importance of the cultural dimension of the language taught. Concerning that particular impediment, less scientific literature exists. In this essay, the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nange R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. There exist varied problems plaguing students of different nationalities studying in different countries of the world. These problems might fall within the different categories enumerated below: Language is one of the factors that pose a problem to students of different nationalities. Language is vital as it is a major tool used in communication. Students face problems when they cannot master the language of communication of a particular country and learning a second language is not an easy task. Most often students do not perform well because of the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Each student faces their difficulties when it comes to English pronunciation depending on their country of origin. This essay will focus on the pronunciation difficulties facing ESL students in France and will also propose some solutions to help students overcome these difficulties. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Kerri M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The number of English vowel sounds greatly outnumbers those found in the French language. As such, French students will have to produce sounds that they have never produced before. The short ‘ɪ’ used in ‘bit’ does not exist in French. In this case, they will...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Teaching Ideas Our consideration here is going to be discipline within the classroom. From your own experiences at school you will know that some teachers have more discipline problems than others. Whilst there are no set rules which will work for all situations that you find yourself in, there are some things that we can do to stop problems arising in the first place. One of the major causes of problems is when students do not respect the teacher and there are some things that we can do to help build and maintain that respect from our students. 1) It is very important that you are always seen to be fair. 2) You are always well prepared in terms of your materials and activities. 3) You do not...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas I’m a non-native English speaker who never once benefited from an effective ESL program in her entire school years. It’s rather ironic that I became an ESL teacher and taught English for six years, essentially preaching what I had never practiced myself. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Somy L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I was born in Korea, and my family and I moved to South Africa when I was ten. Before 2000, ESL programs were not widespread knowledge and resources were on the limited side. My ESL teacher at the time would just give printouts to the students to color and trace words. The amount of progress I made in...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences A language is a tool that allows us to organize our thoughts as well as to communicate. Since language is unable to be separated from our conscious thought, it can be difficult to imagine how another language can function without the use of the core elements that we employ in our own native language. Likewise, it can be difficult to comprehend the function of a language element completely foreign to us. As a teacher, it can be important to understand the peculiarities of English to understand which language elements may be more difficult for the student. Some elements that may be completely new to English learners are the number system, verb tenses, and locative language. This post was written by our TEFL...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas When native Arabic learners attempt to learn the English language, they are faced with a variety of difficulties since there are fundamental differences between the two languages. Arabic words have a three-consonant root as its base, so all words are formed by combining the roots with either a fixed vowel pattern or and affix. The Arabic language has 28 consonants and 8 vowels which is three times less than the English language in terms of vowel sounds. Due to those differences, Arabic learners struggle in the following areas; writing, grammar, phonology, and pronunciation when learning the English language. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ayman E. Please note that this blog post might not...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Discipline is an important aspect of classroom life when teaching EFL to adults. It affects the teachers and students and can hold a classroom together. Lack of discipline creates chaos and diminishes the ability of students to learn. In this essay, I will seek to explore what kind of discipline problems there are among adults, why a lack of discipline exists, and some strategies to solving a lack of discipline. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Eva A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. In a 2016 study done in Saudi Arabia titled, "The Undesirable Behaviors of Students in Academic Classrooms, and Discipline Strategies Used by...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas The teaching of Business English has a number of differences from teaching regular classes in a school. The student groupings are often mixed and they will be learning English for a whole variety of reasons. In this blog we look at some of the do’s and don’ts of teaching BE. Federico Riva TEFL Information Games can be very useful in all stages of a lesson if used correctly. As most games are not invented for use as EFL activities they will need to be adapted. In this blog we will look at a couple of very well known games and how they can be used for speaking practice activities. ...  [Read more]

{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ [ {"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "SiteNavigationElement","@id": "#nameh0","name": "What qualifications are needed to teach English in Germany?","url": "https://www.tefl-certificate.net/faq/how-do-i-get-a-tefl-job-in-germany/#nameh0"},{"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "SiteNavigationElement","@id": "#nameh1","name": "What does the visa application process involve for English teachers in Germany?","url": "https://www.tefl-certificate.net/faq/how-do-i-get-a-tefl-job-in-germany/#nameh1"} ] ] }   What qualifications are needed to teach English in Germany? What does the visa application process involve for English teachers in Germany? To qualify for most English...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Stefania F. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. English teachers from other countries may think that it is a topic to be skipped or only briefly introduced to students, but it is one of the most important subjects and it should be an integral part of an English course. As a matter of fact, the full understanding of a language and good communication actually depends, to a certain extent, on how correctly words are pronounced. Also, it is not only a matter of pronunciation but intonation. Every language has its own intonation and stress on words, so an English learner could find it difficult to...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences In this blog we discuss some of the fundamentals of the industry, include general terminology, application for teaching posts and typical qualification requirements. As the points are general in nature, some information may not apply to specific situations and you should always do your own research to confirm the current situation. Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Online teaching has much in common with teaching in a traditional classroom. There are however some fundamental differences, particularly in class make-up and the use of equipment. By...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas English has become a worldwide language, leading to early learning of English in the school context is becoming more common nowadays. It has been suggested that children should master their mother tongue before moving on to their second language. However, if you learn a language after the age of seven, you can never turn it into your mother tongue. You should learn it as soon as possible. After that age, they won’t learn it the same way as they do their native language. This is the reason why there are more and more kindergartens teaching English and what does a teacher need to put in mind when teaching EFL for children? This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Tran T. Please note that this blog...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Proper pronunciation is essential to the understanding and communication of a language, and therefore it is an essential component of English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. Students of different nationalities and backgrounds will have different issues regarding English pronunciation depending on their native language. Their pronunciation issues often directly stem from the pronunciation of their native language because of differences between the two languages. This summative task will highlight the most common English pronunciation issues for Italian native speakers. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Lucrezia C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Brazilians are learning English all over the country, for various reasons and with diverse goals. In this text, I would like to approach some very common deviations to standard English dialects, such as General American and Received Pronunciation, by Brazilian speakers. I have chosen to address some problems in phonetics and pronunciation that are the most frequent in my classes. I also give attention to some problems in word linking that generate tough challenges for English teachers. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Linecker M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The country's official language is Portuguese. As a result of...  [Read more]

Lourien Prinsloo TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teachers are usually seen as welcoming, empathic, and, more often than not - enthusiastic creatures. Ready to change lives with the power of education. Students and parents often idolize them, leading exemplary lives that show they have it "together." They radiate positivity, and for some people, teachers are picture-perfect, the epitome of a human being. Understatement of the year! Although teachers may be seen as the superhumans of modern civilization, they are not superheroes. They are emotional beings who also experience various mixed emotions every day for a significant portion of my life. I witnessed fellow teachers navigating through negative emotions they experience...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas It is important to know what is to be done when half of your class speaks a different language. And being a teacher of English, it is almost impossible to communicate with your students in more than one language at the same time especially when trying to communicate different ideas. This can be very confusing for the students and create disorder in the classroom. By teaching a linguistically diverse classroom the teacher may face some challenges along the way such as reading and writing as well as speaking and listening. However, there do exist some methods that can help the teacher make the learning process much more beneficial to the students. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Alice M....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Even though native speakers claim that it’s always possible to understand people speaking English regardless of their accent, sometimes it might be extremely difficult. My native language is Russian and I can tell for a fact that Russian and English are very different in multiple things – but right now I’d like to focus on pronunciation. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Viktoriia Z. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Russian learners of English tend to make the same mistakes due to peculiarities of their native language, which results in the infamous “Russian accent” we sometimes see on the movie screens. One of the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas To effectively teach it is widely considered important that a plan is in place before commencing a lesson. This essay will provide evidence for this statement. First, the structure of a lesson plan and its effects will be examined and then contrasted with teaching by improvisation and its effects before presenting a final cost-benefit summary. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Christopher B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Lesson planning simply refers to the practice of structured preparation before conducting a class. The form that this take is not set and while many templates exist to assist one in the planning of a lesson,...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences During nine years of teaching English as a Second language, I have discovered how important phonetics is in learning the correct pronunciation of the English language, and in fact, in any language. Derwing and Munro (2005) emphasize, “It is essential to have an accurate understanding of the target language phonological system to enhance the quality of pronunciation". This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Mark B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. A vast majority of language books are aimed at L2 learners from all over the world and don’t necessarily cater to the “localized” needs of a particular country. These books...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Sheneil J. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Chinese does not have either of the “th” sounds (like “that” and “this”). Most other languages do not have these sounds and they are problematic for most learners of English. The difficulty is the point of articulation- the tongue has to be between the teeth, not behind them. Many people say that English speakers look like they’re sticking their tongues out all the time because of the “th” sounds. It can be difficult to get learners to do this because it violates a cultural proscription against sticking out one’s tongue. Confusion...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Most researchers agree that the learner’s first language influences the pronunciation of the target language and is a significant factor in accounting for foreign accents. So-called interference or interference from the first language is likely to cause errors in aspiration, stress, and intonation in the target language. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Vesna A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Some Chinese students tend to have difficulty with English sounds because they are deeply influenced by similar Chinese sounds. However, they are very different from each other. A particular sound which does not exist in the native...  [Read more]

Sahil Gazi TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas How can being a linguist help you when teaching English as a foreign language? This blog post will explore this topic. Gianluca Costa Destinations Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Hong Kong is a popular destination for EFL teachers from across the world. If you are interested in joining the thousands of English teachers in the city, check out this blog post about what it's like teaching English to young kids in Hong Kong. Sahil Gazi TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Are...  [Read more]

Ahmed Taha Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas This blog post explores what criteria should be used to evaluate activities in an ESL classroom. Federico Riva TEFL Information Teaching Ideas One of the most important concepts to cover in the use of the board is that of “dead time”. This is the time we are writing on the board and nothing is being said. Here we look at 7 top tips to reduce the dead time to a minimum. Federico Riva TEFL Information Teaching Ideas In any lesson the four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking are important. When we focus our...  [Read more]

Ahmed Taha Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas This blog post explores what criteria should be used to evaluate activities in an ESL classroom. Federico Riva TEFL Information Teaching Ideas One of the most important concepts to cover in the use of the board is that of “dead time”. This is the time we are writing on the board and nothing is being said. Here we look at 7 top tips to reduce the dead time to a minimum. Federico Riva TEFL Information Teaching Ideas In any lesson the four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking are important. When we focus our...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Destinations Alumni Experiences Korean learners of the English language face numerous challenges in acquiring the language on a proficient level, although English is introduced to children at an early age. English is incorporated into the primary school curriculum from the age of four, yet only a small minority master the language on a proficient conversational level. Unfortunately, the reasons seem to stem from cultural and social differences, the significant differences between the two languages; Korean and English, and the Korean Educational System is also a contributing factor. This post was written by our ITTT graduate Beatrix N. To begin with, cultural differences seem to be a central reason why Koreans...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas English is a unique and fluid language, its usage changing rapidly throughout surprisingly short periods, throughout different socioeconomic groups, and across different regions. Therefore, it is widely understood that proper English and spoken English have different rules, importantly including the use of popular slang terms and idioms. This means that when someone is learning to communicate with native English speakers, they must learn expressions that will provide a certain context. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Remington T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Someone employed in a primarily English-speaking business will...  [Read more]