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The Problems That Japanese Elementary Schoolers Face Studying English - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
In the wake of the upcoming 2020 Olympics in Japan, there has been an increase in elementary school level English classes. As an assistant language teacher half into my fourth year, I have had the rare chance to work the entirety of my time in one elementary school where I have had many great memories. However, being present every day I began to notice that some students were struggling or in some cases, not even trying when it came to English class. Talking with my peers and colleagues from other elementary schools as well as my own, there are some common problems that many students seem to experience in an English class. These problems include learning in a counter-productive environment, inconsistent exposure to the language, and a lack of... [Read more]
Why Japanese Students Struggle with Communicating in English - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
During my stay in Japan, Japanese people often told me how they can't communicate in English despite studying the language for six or more years in school. In Japan, students in junior and senior high learn English grammar and vocabulary in compulsory formal English classes. English is also taught in elementary school as foreign language activities. Yet despite spending several hours in English classes, many Japanese people graduate high school with poor English communication skills.
Education system
Class culture
Learning goals
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rachel M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or... [Read more]
How Discipline Affects Motivation In and Out of Japanese Classrooms - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
I work in two schools. I am an assistant language teacher at one commercial (low-level English) high school, and an integrated (high-level English) academic junior high and high school. I have had experiences with different kinds of students, Japanese-English teachers, and classroom atmospheres. In Japan, students take an entrance exam to get into high school. If they scored low on the entrance exam, then they are placed in the lowest ranking class. Each school has a certain number of classrooms for each grade. Both of my high schools have six classes total for each grade. There are usually around forty to forty-two students in each class as well. Teaching forty plus students in a crowded classroom is difficult. And unlike many stereotypes of... [Read more]
The 2 Pronunciation Problems ESL Students Suffer From in Japan - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
There are several pronunciation problems that students of English will face in Japan; however, I will focus on two.
1. Differences in the phonetic systems of two languages
2. Lack of exposure to authentic English resources
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Brandie K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
The first of these problems they face is the fact that Japanese doesn't have some of the same sounds in its' alphabet as English does. For example, Japanese does not have a hard R sound; instead, it has a sound that is a mix of R and L. So, when students from Japan go to say rice, for many... [Read more]
Typical Challenges for Japanese Native Speakers in ESL - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Daisy C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Grammar
Pronunciation
Japanese schools
Japanese culture
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One problem facing many Japanese students learning English is differentiating between countable and uncountable nouns. In the Japanese language, the same word is often used for 'much' and 'many'. In English, 'much' is used to describe countable nouns, and 'many' is used to describe uncountable nouns.
A problem facing many EFL learners, especially Japanese learners, is idioms. The English language has thousands of idioms, which are used in everyday life. These are... [Read more]
Problems Japan Faces in Developing English as a Second Language - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
There are several challenges Japan faces when it comes to learning English as a second language. Japanese culture is a bubble. Everything, including their ad signs, TV, games, government, studies, work and even the internet is filled with one language; Japanese. In a world of globalization, where your goods and services can come from literally any part of the globe. Japan is one of the few remaining homogenous cultures where English is still seen as an optional language. As the global economy becomes more global, the English language will likely become less optional, but essential. In addition to the cultural issues, Japan's English curriculum in the school is largely unchanged from the '60s according to my Japanese cousins and uncles still living in... [Read more]
Personal Teaching Experience: Navigating a Changing Curriculum as a Co-teacher in Japanese Elementary Schools - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
In Japan, elementary schools typically employ an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) to provide support to homeroom teachers during English classes. I have been working in such a capacity for the past two and a half years, first through an international program and currently as a direct-hire via my local city hall. Until recently, mandatory English classes at the elementary school level have been limited to the fifth and sixth grades, but new national requirements are being rolled out that will require mandatory English classes as early as third grade while doubling English classroom hours for the fifth and sixth grades.
English Language Tests
Designing Activities
Team Building
Group Lesson Planning
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL... [Read more]
Contributing to the Classroom as an ALT in Japan - TEFL Blog
Asia Ridley
TEFL Information Alumni Experiences
English education in Japan has been prominent for decades and starts in elementary schools. It is in high demand as the relationship between the U.S. and Japan as well as the abundant amount of tourism. Last year straight after graduating from university in the United States, I moved to Japan and began teaching English. I was fortunate to pass the interviews and become part of the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme {JET}. Being an assistant language teacher {ALT} in the Japanese education system versus a conversation school has its differences. Therefore I will be diving into how one can contribute to the classroom as an ALT.
Japanese Elementary School
Collaborating with your Homeroom Teacher
Outside of the classroom
Conclusion
Are you... [Read more]
Teaching in Japan: Problems of Local Learners - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
In this essay I will be discussing the problems for young Japanese learners of English, and what problems Japanese learners often encounter as well as explaining some of the reasons why teachers can run into problems while teaching in Japan. I will be referring to the book "The Smart Guide to Teaching English in Japan' by Charlie Moritz and Martin Bragalone, as well as drawing from my knowledge and experiences of studying and volunteering in Japan. Japan can be a challenging but rewarding country to work in, despite stereotypes of Japanese people being polite and studious so it is important to consider that reality can be different when teaching in Japan.
Eikaiwa
Juku
ALT (Assistant Language Teacher)
Kindergarten/International preschool
Do you want... [Read more]
Tefl reviews - Tesol Tefl Reviews Video Testimonial Leslie - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
Leslie is a Canadian English teacher at a junior high school in the Japanese countryside. In this TESOL review, Leslie tells us she is looking to open her own English language day care centre at her home and with this in mind she took the 120-hour certificate course with ITTT as well as the 50-hour young learners course to bring her qualifications up to date. Hopefully for Leslie this will be the first step on a rewarding career as the owner of a successful English language school in Japan.
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... [Read more]
Where is the best place to teach English in Japan? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
Deciding on the best place to teach English in Japan depends on individual preferences. Tokyo, the bustling capital, offers the allure of city life and the most job opportunities. Osaka combines vibrant urban experiences with rich history, while Kobe is renowned for its international atmosphere. Beyond the main cities, there are countless towns that provide an authentic cultural immersion. Regardless of location, teachers can expect a competitive salary and a unique cultural experience.
Tokyo
Osaka
Kobe
Sapporo
Fukuoka
Unsurprisingly, Japan's most densely populated area, Tokyo, tops the list. It is a realm of its own, brimming with teaching opportunities thanks to its nine million-plus residents and offering the country's highest salaries. Although the cost of living is notably high,... [Read more]
What is the JET Program for teaching English in Japan? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
The Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET) is a prestigious initiative, established by the Japanese government more than 30 years ago, aimed at enhancing English language proficiency among Japanese students. Annually, the program recruits approximately 5,000 international participants, placing them in schools across Japan.
Beyond its educational goals, JET uniquely prioritizes fostering cultural ties between participants and the Japanese community. Given the competitive salary and array of additional benefits, securing a spot in the JET Program is highly sought-after, making the application process quite competitive.
What are the requirements for the JET Program?
What teaching positions are available through the JET Program?
What are the benefits of the JET Program?
The Japan... [Read more]
TEFL Japan - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ Preschool English Teacher
Date posted:2024-04-01 | Writer: B-cause Bangladesh., Ltd | Email: [email protected]
B-cause, Inc. provides translation service from English, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, and other major languages into Japanese, as well as translation from Japanese into other foreign languages.
B-cause features over 50,000 registered native speakers both in Japan and around the world.
B-cause also deals with foreign staff fluent in Japanese from around the world. We are an employment agency for highly specialised job-hunters with successful placement in industries and fields of every sort. Get in touch with our exclusive experienced advisors.
The Role
Teach English to preschool children
Work location
Utsunomiya Tochigi, Japan
Working Hours
09:00 – 18:00
Working Condition
1 year contract,... [Read more]
British English vs American English. Which is Better? - TEFL Blog
Jon ITTT
Alumni Experiences
As more and more countries place a growing importance on its people to learn English as a secondary language, for work purposes or for general use, there is a growing debate about which is the better English to learn - British English or American English.
Both versions are essentially the same
Prioritise teaching "Good English"
Certain students may need specific versions of English
Points to consider when choosing a version to teach
Exploring the differences can be an interesting lesson
Don't get obsessed with minor differences
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Max E.
The argument stems from the growing influence of America in the modern world. British... [Read more]
From Student to Teacher - My Language Journey - TEFL Blog
Mark Crocker
Alumni Experiences
It was the last day of Japanese class and my teacher's last day of teaching at our school. We were all standing up getting ready to bow him one last time. It was dead quiet but I could still hear sniffles around me and felt the sadness of the moment. I never thought I would care so much about a teacher leaving. To this day, the words and wisdom my Japanese teacher taught me still ring in my head. Flash forward to a few years ago, I went to Japan for the first time, after a hiatus of not studying Japanese, but amazingly I still had all the skills my teacher had taught me in high school. How did this person have such an impact on me? The answer I have come to realize is that because he truly cared about me becoming skillful in a foreign language. The most... [Read more]
How Important is the Difference Between American English and British English for EFL Learners? - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
This summative essay will exam the importance of teaching the differences between American English and British English for EFL learners. I will examine the intention behind teaching these differences, and when these teachings should be applied, and to what effect and purpose. This essay will focus primarily on the problems of pronunciation and spelling, which are the two main differences. I am a British citizen, born and raised in London, England, and currently teach at a public high school in Tokyo.
Spelling
Challenges for Beginners and Intermediate Learners
What do Students Think?
Grammar
Interesting Experience for Adults
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate... [Read more]
How is teaching business English different from general English? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
Business English and General English serve distinct purposes and audiences:
In essence, while General English provides foundational language skills, Business English hones in on the nuanced communication needs of the business realm.
Business English classes
What's the difference between business English and general English?
Business English resources
Business English is a unique area of teaching that comes under the banner of English for Specific Purposes (ESP). Business English courses are designed for employees of any type of company who need to communicate using English in the workplace. Business English classes can cover a range of areas including:
A business English course often includes employees from all levels of a particular company, from salespeople and receptionists, to... [Read more]
English as a Global Language: What Motivates Students to Learn English? - TEFL Blog
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.
English for adults
Ways to learn
English for young... [Read more]
British English vs. American English: 50 Differences Illustrated - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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The differences between British English and American English are always fun to take a look at. Below are 40 differences between the two illustrated.
Learn the difference between American English vs British English.
British vs American English
1. Post ………… Mail
2. Film ………… Movie
3. Rubbish ………… Garbage
4. Football ………… Soccer
5. Chips ………… Fries
6. Rubber ………… Eraser
7. Zip ………… Zipper
8. Sweets ………… Candy
9. Biscuit ………… Cookie
10. Maize ………… Corn
... [Read more]
The 3 Most Important Parts of Classroom Management for ESL Teachers - TEFL Blog
Jon ITTT
Alumni Experiences
Classroom management is one of the most important aspects of teaching and is the key to students' successful learning. Consequently, how to effectively manage and run classroom becomes the central theme and sometimes the biggest concern for English teachers, especially when facing young learners. There are a variety of settings with different scenarios but since I currently teach in Japan, here I would like to focus on the class setting in which all students are Japanese, i.e., of a single nationality who learn English as a foreign language.
The classroom environment
Student behavior
The importance of building trust in the classroom
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Listen to this blog post
This post was written by our TEFL... [Read more]
All Types of Verbs in the English Language - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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Verbs are one of the most important parts of speech in English and incredibly important for learners of English. The below infographic showcases all types of verbs in the English language.
Generally speaking, a verb is a word that shows an action, state or an event. It is an essential part of a sentence and is known as the soul of language. For example:
"They study English grammar." (Action)
"We celebrate independence day." (Event)
"I sleep at night." (State)
Following are the different types of verbs:
When a verb's past tense (2nd form) and past participle (3rd form) is created by adding ‘d’ or ‘ed’, it is called a regular verb. Some examples of a regular verb include:
Walk
Walked
... [Read more]
Which English should be taught in the TEFL classroom? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
In the field of TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), the choice of English variation often depends on the specific preferences of a country:
In conclusion, TEFL teachers should be aware of a country's preference and adapt their teaching accordingly.
Map created by reddit user Speech500
Source: moverdb.com
How exactly do these forms of English differ?
Spelling Differences
British Grammar vs. American Grammar
Same Word - Different Pronunciation
Differences in word for the same object
Other considerations
There are a number of major differences which we will examine. The following are in no way exhaustive and you should investigate for yourself for more examples.
Mainly due to the influence of Webster (of dictionary fame) American English has focused on how words are 'sounded' to... [Read more]
British English v American English - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ Teach English Abroad
SOURCE: www . lebonbon . co . uk/lifestyle/infographic-you-sound-like-youre-from-london/
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[Read more]
Asking and Giving Direction Phrases in English - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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Asking and giving directions is one of the most useful topics when learning English as a foreign language, or any language as a matter of fact. The following words, phrases and expressions will help you and your students understand how to ask and give directions in English.
Asking for and giving directions is one of the most important English speaking skills. There are many different ways how we can ask for directions and just as many possible ways to respond and give directions. The key here is to be as detailed and precise as possible and refer to landmarks and buildings that make it easier to identify the right way.
How do I get to the library?
I'm looking for...
Can you show me on the map, please?
I'm looking... [Read more]
100 Prepositions List in English - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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Prepositions are one of the most important parts of English grammar. Here is a list of the 100 most important prepositions in English.
Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!
[Read more]
Teaching English to Beginners in Japan - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Japanese is certainly one of the most interesting languages in the world thanks to its three types of writing (hiragana, katakana and kanji).
International Links
Main Challenges: Phonetic System
Main Challenges: Exposure to English
Main Challenges: Grammar
Main Challenges: Beginners
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Desiree I. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
After the outbreak of intercontinental travel (therefore with the appearance of commercialization and missionaries around the world) many terms of different languages, including English ones, also became part of the language of Japan.... [Read more]
Course Books for Business English ▷ Infographic - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
Business English is an area of English language teaching and learning that is part of the wider category of English for Specific Purposes. Unlike general English, business English focuses on the language students need in order to function in an international business setting. Students taking business English classes will generally already have a reasonable level of English language ability and course books tend to be aimed at pre-intermediate level students and above.
There are several publishers involved in producing course books for the business English classroom. The main ones are Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press. These two publishers produce business English course books across a range of levels in British, American and International English... [Read more]
Telling Time in English - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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Telling the time in English is one of the most important skills for any English learner. There are a lot of expressions and phrases used when it comes to telling the time in English and teachers need to be able to teach it in a way that makes sense to the students. Below are five simple steps for telling the time in English.
There are two ways how you can tell the time in English: the 12-hour clock and the 24-hour clock. For the 24-hour system, you use the numbers from 0 – 23 to indicate the hours, whereas the 12-hour system useses only 1 - 12. To indicate morning or afternoon time, you use ‘am’ after the time in the morning and ‘pm’ after the time in the afternoon. Hereby, it's important to... [Read more]
Complete Guide to Teaching English Online - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
hello hi welcome to another live session my my name is linda from itt i'm so happy to be here again this week um if you can see me if you can hear me as always please just leave a quick comment in the comments box below that'd be really really great we are live on facebook and we're live on youtube at the same time so welcome today we're gonna talk about teaching english online and also if you're listening to this as a podcast episode thanks thank you so much for the download we always turn our um live sessions into podcast episodes later so if that's something that you're interested in go check us out we are available on all major uh podcast platforms like itunes spotify google podcasts check us out just type in um tefl and tesol podcast by itt and you'll find us there and you can then... [Read more]
Teaching English Abroad - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ Teaching English Overseas
Your journey starts here. A career in teaching English abroad is achievable for anyone who has a good knowledge and use of English in addition to a TEFL or TESOL qualification. Before you start your training it is important that you have some knowledge of what teaching English abroad entails and what options are available for you to get there. Here we will look at those options and the requirements needed to achieve them.
First and foremost you should choose a course which suits the type of work you hope to undertake and is recognized in the country or countries you hope to teach. All ITTT courses are suitable for teaching English overseas in a variety of settings. The typical minimum qualification requirement for employment is a course covering 100-120 hours of study. This can be done... [Read more]