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The Functions of an ESL Teacher in Class - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Every English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher desires to successfully teach their students how to proficiently speak, understand, and use the English language. English is a very complex language, and teaching it presents many challenges. Because of this, an ESL teacher must be willing and able to take on various roles throughout the teaching of a lesson. During a typical ESL lesson, a teacher will have some, or all, of the following roles: a manager or controller, an organizer, an observer, an assessor, a prompter, a participant, and a resource or facilitator.
Management
Observation
Assessment
Prompt
Participation
Facilitation
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How to Deal With the Classroom Discipline - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
A dedicated and passionate teacher knows that before a lesson plan and a diagnostic test are made, he/she must produce a classroom management plan. And why is this so vital in the world of teaching?
Listen to this blog post:
Many Personalities in one Class
Get Your Students Familiar With the Rules
Give Love
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jun-Mark S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
The teacher's classroom is full of vibrant personalities. These are individuals who have unique attitudes and behavior which are developed at their respective homes and enhanced from their environment.... [Read more]
Top Tips for Playing Games During the ESL Class - TEFL Blog
Federico Riva
Teaching Ideas
Learning foreign languages is a very exciting and very responsible deal. A significant role in teaching foreign languages, in particular, English, belongs to games in the classroom. Games enhance students' mental activity, helps them consolidate material of the lesson, therefore it's a very important activity. The developing value of the game we can find in itself, because where is a game - there is emotion. Where is emotion, there are attention improvisation and imagination.
How to Implement Games?
Teacher's Part
Examples of Games
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ivan S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions... [Read more]
Secrets of Keeping Your ESL Class Motivated - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
In everything we do in life there is a very important factor to ensure that we complete our tasks successfully. That factor is a simple yet crucial element to the recipe for success. The greatest tool at anyone's disposal for learning anything would be motivation. It is with the motivation that one can find the drive to accelerate their skills and learning capabilities.
Methods of Positive Motivation
Joy and Excitement
Visual Clues of The Progress
Understanding the Consequences
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jarred H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
A great sense of motivation and drive... [Read more]
The Secrets of Learning Proper Grammar in an ESL Class - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Learning grammar is, suffice it to say, one of the most important points to focus on. Equally, for foreign students, they need to know not just about vocabulary but how and why vocabulary "hangs" in a certain way within a sentence. In my teaching experience, grammar has been difficult from the standpoint of getting the student to agree with the fact that it is important. I've found that many clients have been indoctrinated into believing that grammar is "hard", "boring" "dull" and worst of all, "unnecessary". This has been a challenge, to say the least. As a foreign language teacher, I've had to not mention grammar at all and introduce it as "how to use English correctly". This new perspective for a person who has experienced a bad time with English... [Read more]
7 Great Games for Your ESL Conversation Class - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
Teaching Ideas
Teaching speaking skills is an important part of an ESL class. Sometimes, entire conversation classes are established that focus solely on speaking. Here are 7 great games for your ESL conversation class.
1. Mystery Party Guest
2. Choose Your Victim
3. Ice-breaker Jenga
4. 20 Questions
5. Apples to Apples
6. Get to Know You Bingo
7. Create A Game
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Write down the names and key points about five celebrities and assign them to the same amount of students in your classroom. One by one, a student enters a "party" with another student playing the host. The host must then find out the identity of each guest by having a conversation with everyone.
Have your students stand in a circle. Choose a specific... [Read more]
6 Striking Benefits of Games in the ESL Class - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Games are one of the most important components in the classroom. They include activities that have goals and rules at the same fun time. There are lots of benefits to playing games in the classroom. Students can practice important skills by playing an educational game in a small group or with a partner. Whole class games are great means to review skills for a test or at the end of the unit. When students need a brain break or during an inside recess, action games work perfectly. Games can be given for homework to provide fun, engaging and differentiated practice. Games can be played in all subjects and at all grade levels. Games are fun as well as beneficial. Here are important benefits that we should use games in the classroom:
1. Games are motivating... [Read more]
What Games to Use in Your EFL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Federico Riva
Teaching Ideas
Growing up, hearing the word games in the classroom was almost always associated with a lack of concentration on the students' side or maybe just a side note on activities to be done during recess. Today, especially after taking this course, I have come to see just how essential academic games could be! From young learners to mature scholars, everyone always goes back to a classroom at some point and the fact that classrooms are now evolving makes the learning process more and more interesting.
Classroom Games
Importance
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Brianna C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.... [Read more]
Roles That an ESL/EFL Teacher Plays in the Classroom - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
One of my favorite aspects of teaching is the role of the teacher in the classroom. To some, the role of the teacher is only to teach people information that they then regurgitate during a later exam. However, to me, teaching is a fascinating profession because a teacher is many things to many different students.
Instructor
Friend
Role-model
Conclusion
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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.
The most prominent role of a teacher is the conveyor of information. Whether the class is about learning a second language, mathematical equations, or writing a... [Read more]
ITTT - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ Lesson Planning
Lesson planning is an important part of being a teacher. While experienced teachers may appear to not require a plan it is only because they have probably taught a lesson so many times that the majority of their plan is in their head. They will still have a good idea of how they want and expect the lesson to proceed. Inexperienced teachers will need the structure a good lesson plan provides. A good plan acts as a guide to your planning.
It helps a teacher consider the direction of the lesson and possible pitfalls and diversions. It also helps a teacher keep on track during the lesson but should not be so restrictive that it prevents flexibility in class. A lesson plan also serves as a record of what you have taught before enabling you to easily see what to review at later dates and to... [Read more]
Christmas Mad Libs Printable - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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This is a fun Christmas Mad Libs game that's perfect for ESL students of all ages to enjoy! Use for class parties or holiday get-togethers!
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ESL Speaking Activity about Animals - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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These speaking cards about animals are ideal for teen ESL students to practice speaking or can be used as class openers or finishers and even as writing prompts.
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Great Ideas for Teaching Listening Skills in the ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Mark Crocker
Teaching Ideas
Of the four language skills taught in an ESL classroom, listening skills are often overlooked as teachers can be unsure how to make these lessons interesting and relevant to their students. However, as listening skills are a fundamental part of the language learning process, it is vital that we give them the classroom time they deserve. The good news is that there are many ways to make listening skills lessons both fun and productive. Here are 6 ideas for livening up your lesson plans.
Popular Culture
Secret Phrase
Celebrity Squares
Describe the Picture
Listen and Quiz
Vowel Cards
Listen to this blog post
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One simple way to engage your students in a listening lesson is to use popular... [Read more]
Annoying Habits - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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This is a great idea for a conversation class. Discuss these questions about annoying habits with your ESL students.
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Enhancing Listening Skills: Key Considerations for Adult ESL Classes - TEFL Blog
Federico Riva
TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
Listening is possibly the least covered of the four skills needed by ESL learners in most classrooms. As it is a fundamental skill, teachers should try to create as many listening skills lessons as they do for the other three skills: reading, writing, and speaking.
Challenges of Listening Compared to Reading
The Stages of Listening
The Receiving Stage: Hearing and Attending
The Understanding Stage: Decoding and Comprehension
The Evaluating Stage: Forming Opinions and Thinking Ahead
The Remembering Stage: Processing and Storing Information
The Responding Stage: Verbal or Written Answers
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The Real Story Behind Santa Claus - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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This is a great infographic to introduce the different stories of Santa Claus from around the world to your ESL students.
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At the Travel Agency: A Dialog related to Traveling - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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This is a conversation related to traveling. Read this dialog with your ESL students and create a similar roleplay in class.
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"How often do you...?" Board game - Frequency Adverbs - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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This board game practices the frequency adverbs. It's a fun game to play with a small class as well as a bigger class in groups, for example.
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Why Understanding the Group Dynamics of an ESL Classroom is Important - TEFL Blog
Mark Crocker
Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
Humans are social animals. Throughout history, we've always evolved in communities and societies, where individuals relate with others by affiliating themselves to different groups. They are then integrated into a complex social network, whose members often have a strong impact on each other. Group dynamics represent this impact: they designate the functioning of a group and the relationships between its members. These dynamics also play an important role in the classroom, thus it is essential that the teacher understands them in order to create a productive synergy between themselves and their students.
Tailoring Lessons to Suit the Common Dynamic
Understanding the Classroom Dynamic Can Help With Participation and Discipline
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Why Playing Games in Class is Important? - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
All humans are raised with an innate love for games. Since we were all children, playing games was our pastime activity. When comes to teaching either young learners or adults, in-class games are the foundation stone of learning.
Business English
The Effect of Games
Strategy
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Pavlina M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Teaching Business English (BE) to clients/adults must be a fun procedure. There are many reasons why a teacher must use games when teaching English in class regardless of students' age or occupation.
To begin with, students can learn with... [Read more]
Last posts written by Linda from: 12
Linda is a passionate traveler, language learner and TEFL teacher. After spending some time teaching in China, she moved to Korea in 2015. She now calls South Korea her home.
Linda Dunsmore
Teaching Ideas
Schools are starting again and students and teachers flock back to the classroom. Check out these simple and powerful back-to-school ideas and your students will surely remember this first lesson of yours for a long time!
Linda Dunsmore
Teaching Ideas
As an ESL teacher, getting your students talking can be one of the most difficult things to accomplish. English learners often lack the necessary confidence to speak openly and freely in English. The following activities are perfect for getting your students out of their shells! Here are 7 go-to activities for your ESL conversation... [Read more]
The Benefits of Using Songs and Music for Warm-Up Activities - TEFL Blog
Mark Crocker
Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
Although all parts of a lesson are important, the engage phase (or warm up) may be the most important. The engage phase is the departing point of the lesson, where you need to draw the attention of the students away from other occurrences of the day and make them focus on learning the English language. Choosing an activity to grab the students' attention can be a challenge, as it needs to work within just a few minutes. Through various studies, music has shown to be an activity which utilizes many parts of the brain at once, and therefore is a great activity to "jump start" the brain, and get students to focus more quickly.
Why Music Activities are Great for Language Learners
Music to Make Things More Challenging
Music Activities Using... [Read more]
Drilling as an Effective Learning Technique in the ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
The word 'drilling' in education refers to a teaching technique in which the teacher creates a certain pattern or structure to be practiced repeatedly by the students, for them to ultimately develop a system where they may identify and use the pattern or structure independently. Drilling as a technique has been put to use in teaching almost all subjects, but its efficacy has been particularly acknowledged in the field of language teaching, for training students in both pronunciation as well as grammar. However, just as it has been lauded for being a foolproof system of making students 'practice' a language, drilling has also been criticized for being a mechanical and largely monotonous process of memorization, followed by reproduction that is often... [Read more]
Class Photo Day Reading Comprehension - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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This is a fun worksheet to practice description and the present simple tense.
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Simple Techniques to Maintain Discipline in Your Class - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Nowadays, the role of teachers is changing differently from the past. Teachers in these days are required to be kind and patient, be lively and entertaining, have a good rapport with students, and so on, it seems like the teachers are likely to be friends of students. It is good to have these qualities, however, teachers could become easygoing or too forgiving to omit the students' mistakes when they do something wrong. It is worse when teachers becoming targets and even victims of students' aggression. Therefore, it is quite difficult to teach students the boundaries between what they could and could not do. In this writing, there are two questions will be discussed. The first question is why the discipline in the classroom is important, and the second... [Read more]
Simple Flashcard Activities to Have Fun During the Class - TEFL Blog
Federico Riva
Teaching Ideas
Throughout this course, my favorite units have been the ones that teach us how to lead an effective lesson and have a fun classroom environment. I love all the suggestions and teaching ideas they give, and it excites me to think about using those for my future lessons. For that reason, I chose the topic of five activities with flashcards. This essay will be a perfect opportunity for me to delve further into my favorite part of this class and plan some fun things to do. When I move abroad I plan on teaching young children, mainly kindergarten-aged, so my five activities will be geared towards young learners. They need way more energy, fun, and excitement in their lessons than teenage or adult learners because their attention spans are so short, so I tried to... [Read more]
Challenges of Teaching a Monolingual Class in Italy - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Teaching English as a Foreign Language to adult Italian students within the corporate environment presents a variety of specific challenges, both for the teacher and the students. These include issues about the actual language acquisition and problems relating to particular company dynamics.
Learning Experience
English Environment
Shaming
Women vs. Men
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Flavia C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
First of all, we must consider the students' specific learning background: in Piemonte, a region in the North-West of Italy, people who are now in their forties and... [Read more]
Possessive Pronouns Test - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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Here's a useful ESL grammar test around the subject of possessive pronouns. You can use this test after teaching possessive pronouns in your EFL class.
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Top Tips for Ensuring Effective Administration of a Classroom - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
For a class to function properly it necessitates the teacher to put his /her student in a confident position, in this sense the teacher must know when to be firm with students and when to give them liberty.
What is the classroom?
Main methods of work organization
Grouping
Working on behavior
Instructing
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate CHIFON R. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Classroom here refers to a room in a school or an establishment where a group of students is being taught by a teacher or a group of teachers. Classroom administration, on the other hand, is the process of ensuring... [Read more]
Motivation in Class as it is - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
According to the Cambridge dictionary, motivation is the need or reason for doing something. Motivation is a way to get somebody to complete something that they might not aspire to execute on his or her own. Teachers have been using different forms of motivation in the classroom for years, which has been positive and negative. My parents used to tell me stories about their school time when the teachers would smack their hands with rulers if they didn't do their homework. They would also use the same rulers to smack the students' buttocks when they were misbehaving. When I was in school our motivation to perform satisfactorily in the class was to get decent grades.
Personal Story
Key to Perfect Lessons
Teacher's Responsibilities
Do you want to teach... [Read more]