Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!
Top 5 Free Resources for ESL Teachers - TEFL Blog
Federico Riva
TEFL Information Teaching Ideas
Even experienced teachers have difficulty sometimes thinking of new ways to plan and deliver their lessons. The following list gives a set of 'go to' resources, for new and experienced teacher alike, to use for ideas and activities. These examples have been chosen on the basis that they are actually useful, saving teacher time when looking for lesson ideas and materials at all levels and in a wide variety of teaching situationsEach of the websites indicated were correct for the time of writing. You may need to find alternatives if domain names have changed. Also be aware that over time, popular free website resources are sometimes later monetized, either partly or in full.
The British Council
The Internet ESL Journal
ThoughtCo... [Read more]
What are some useful ESL teaching resource books? - TEFL Blog
Federico Riva
TEFL Information Teaching Ideas
The market for ESL teaching books is very large and all the major publishers have some form of involvement in the production and selling of these resources. There are many different types of books and resources that are used in ESL teaching and we will consider three main categories.1) General teaching theory books2) ESL book series3) Activity resource books
General teaching theory books
ESL book series
Activity Resource books
Are you ready to teach English as a foreign language?
Related Articles:
Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials!
As an ESL teacher unless you spend your entire career teaching kindergarten, you are going to have to teach English grammar. There are many books that cover this well and you... [Read more]
Classroom Management as a Skill in the Modern ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Classroom management is the skill of organizing and managing the class, having a friendly, relaxed manner, and maintaining discipline. Good classroom management allows students to increase their motivation. Motivation has an impact on a student's academic performance. The main purpose of assigning jobs is to teach them some responsibility.
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course!
Related Articles:
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Satinder K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
While they do learn how to be responsible by taking care of their belongings and keeping their desks clean and organized, a classroom job helps students keep the room smoothly.... [Read more]
Songs in the ESL Classroom for Younger Beginners - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
Music-based learning is an effective technique to develop English proficiency within an early youth classroom. Classroom-based singing can create a fun learning environment and lead to the development of musical skills, social interaction, and English vocabulary.
Simple Rhymes
Examples of Suitable Rhyme Songs
Involving the Class
Listen to the blog post
Are you ready to teach English abroad?
Related Articles:
This post was written by our ITTT graduate Patrick H.
The most effective method for younger learners is the use of various simple rhymes. Rhymes are simple in nature and may easily be adapted to the current material that is being taught. The teacher and students will benefit most from a circular seating arrangement as it allows both... [Read more]
The Secrets of Organizing Any ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Effective teachers not only possess expertise in content knowledge but they are also great classroom managers. If teachers cannot manage their students then they cannot teach their students. Learning will only take place when the classroom is well managed. The first day of school is the most important day for teachers to create 'rules' in the classroom.
The Essence of Classroom Management
Teacher Responsibilities
Relationships
Expectations and Directions
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course!
Related Articles:
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nikki D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
Classroom management must happen on the very first day of school... [Read more]
Features of ESL Games in the Classroom - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
A lot of activities can be settled and performed in a classroom to teach a non-native language. From tasks until routine exercises, a wide range of dynamics might be applied for a teacher. But games have different and unique features for a lesson, and its matter and characteristics need to be debated for developing consistent teaching of content.
What is a Game?
What is the Game for?
Game Directions
Sense of Competence
Communication
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course!
Related Articles:
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Fábio A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
First of all, it must keep in mind the concept of a game, which could be described as... [Read more]
Phonetics and Phonology in the ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
What is phonology? Most students have not even heard about it. Whenever I ask my students whether they know or have ever learned about phonetics, the same answers come out, "No, we don't know about it at all". It is no wonder they reply like this because there is no phonetic teaching lesson in English classes from KG to high school here in my country. As for me, I got to study about this only when I attended college. Even then, it wasn't taught comprehensively and I only learned very little. So I couldn't read nor write phonetic symbols very well. Thus I thought it was the most difficult part of studying English.
Reasons to pay attention to phonetics
Phonetics in the early years
Benefits
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course!
Related... [Read more]
The Best Resources For Finding A TEFL/TESOL Job - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
You completed your TEFL/TESOL course - now how do you find that dream teaching job? In this live event, TEFL expert Linda goes over the best strategies and resources for finding a TEFL/TESOL job. #TEFL #BestTEFL #TeachEnglish Are you ready to teach English abroad or online? Click here and get started today: bit.ly/37gs5vO What is TEFL Certification? Where is it valid: bit.ly/36ma2Fg Check out our wide range of TEFL Courses: bit.ly/3ltqt73 Teach English online from anywhere you want: bit.ly/3ltqEPL
Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!
[Read more]
Teacher Roles and Responsibilities in an ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Teachers play an intricate role in children's formative years, both intellectually and socially. For schools to have a positive effect on children, they will be dependent on good teachers. A good teacher has many specific attributes with some being professional roles they have and others being embedded in their personality.
Management
Evaluation
Organization
Attitude
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course!
Related Articles:
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Shelby W. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
During the class, the teacher must be able to manage and control the students. This means the teacher needs to be able to stand in front of the class as a... [Read more]
Evaluation and Testing of Students in the ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
Teaching Ideas
Evaluations are the useful tools or techniques that provide insight for modification, planning and in some cases re-designing a course. Student evaluation also provides the opportunity to address issues regarding student learning while the course is still in progress. There are different ways a teacher can assess a student's language level:
Listen to this blog post:
Tests
Placement Test
The Diagnostic Test
Progress Test
Practice Test
Tutorials
Evaluation by the Students
Are you ready to teach English abroad?
Related Articles:
Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials!
a) Testsb) Tutorialsc) Evaluation by the students.
This post was written by our ITTT graduate Michael O.
Students can be tested from time to time during the course.... [Read more]
Songs In an Early Childhood ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
It is a very well known fact that English is a very melodic language, it sounds very soft and children love singing in English. When you keep a certain rhythm, rhyme, and pace, it is very likely to learn faster and better almost any topic.
Listen to this blog post:
Young Learners
The objective would be to sing and to touch the body parts at the same time.
Both engage and practice stages are important during the lesson as they will have to be well balanced and guided.
More Ideas
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today!
Related Articles:
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Valeria T. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
For a group of very young... [Read more]
The Many Roles of the Teacher in the ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
Alumni Experiences
The role of a teacher is constantly changing throughout the day. The teacher's role can be influenced by: the lesson, the students, and the circumstances that might arise during a classroom session. Teachers frequently perform various roles when teaching students, some of these roles include: instructor, facilitator, mentor, psychologist, counselor, and policeman.
Listen to this blog post:
A teacher can act as an instructor.
A teacher can act as a facilitator.
A teacher can act as a mentor.
A teacher can act as a psychologist.
A teacher can act as a counselor.
A teacher can act as a policeman.
Are you ready to teach English Abroad?
Related Articles:
Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials!
This post was written by our TEFL... [Read more]
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
Are you ready... [Read more]
Helping Students Conquer Stress in the ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Learning a new language can elicit stress/fear responses in students. This is especially prominent in speaking as it can make people feel vulnerable/ashamed in front of their peers. It is very common for students to feel shy, especially if they are one of the weaker students in English or don't have the motivation to learn the language.
My Personal Language Learning Experience
Ways to Support Students
1. Classroom Dynamics
2. Attention to a Group, not to an Individual
3. Team Building and Peer Work
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course!
Related Articles:
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Daniela A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
I have experienced... [Read more]
Tips & Resources for LGBTQIA+ English Teachers Abroad - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
Destinations TEFL Information
Teaching abroad is an exciting and enriching opportunity for anyone, but as an LGBT individual, there are additional challenges and considerations to keep in mind. Moving to a new country means adjusting to a different culture and navigating questions about discrimination, safety, coming out, and handling public displays of affection. While there has been significant progress in LGBT rights globally, including the legalization of same-sex marriage in more countries, there is still work to be done. Therefore, finding a place to teach abroad that is accepting and welcoming to the LGBT community becomes crucial.
LGBTQIA+ Friendly EFL Destinations
Spain: A Top LGBTQ+ Friendly Destination for Teaching English Abroad
Thailand: Embracing Diversity... [Read more]
What Books to Use: An Overview of The ESL Teaching Materials - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
hey everybody it's lisa here and i'm super glad to welcome you to the weekly live stream by itt um if you don't know me yet um once again my name is lisa and i'm a non-native english teacher from russia i've been working online primarily since 2020 and today um i would like to reach out to you and tell you about um some esl course books uh to pick out for your uh teaching i'm not going to dig into details i'm just going to briefly present my approach how i choose the most appropriate materials but anyways i hope that this topic um will be interesting and helpful so uh stay tuned uh and um let me know that you hear and see me clearly because uh right now i i can see that there are seven people watching but i'm not sure if my equipment works well so uh we've got this comment section uh... [Read more]
7 Great Resources for Teaching Business English - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
Teaching Ideas
Business students are most likely already familiar with using computers and particularly the Internet for learning English. The Internet can provide a teacher with an enormous array of teaching resources from non-authentic and authentic materials to lesson plans and ideas. Here are 7 great resources for teaching business English at no cost to the teacher!
Listen to this blog post:
BusinessEnglishSite.com
Busy Teacher
AnnualReports
Infoplease
VOA Learning English
BBC Learning English
UsingEnglish.com
Are you ready to start your adventure and teach English abroad?
Related Articles:
Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials!
This post was written by our ITTT graduate Shannon S.
This is a website that features hundreds of free online... [Read more]
How to Motivate High School Students in the ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
Motivation in the classroom is the biggest reason why I teach students in a high school setting. I am a public-school teacher and I get English as a Second Language students all the time in my classroom. I am a 10th-grade teacher but my students' ages range from 14 years old to 19 years old. The number one factor that I teach is for motivation. My students are already matured and have seen things they probably should not have at their ages. Once they get to my classroom, they are mine to teach. I do my utmost best to teach my students. I have students from all over the world, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Egyptian, Asian, Africa, to name a few countries. I now have wonderful scores. I also have a high likability rating from my students; the... [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]
Peer learning: Is it Useful in an ESL Classroom? - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
What is peer learning and is it useful in an ESL classroom? Let's first define what is peer learning. "Peer learning essentially refers to students learning with and from each other as fellow learners without any implied authority to any individual, based on the tenet that 'Students learn a great deal by explaining their ideas to others and by participating in activities in which they can learn from their peers' (Boud, 2001)" (Gwee, 2003).
Language Level
Grouping within the class
Communication between students
Disadvantages
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course!
Related Articles:
This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Soo Parra C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or... [Read more]
How and When Should a TEFL Teacher Adjust Their Teaching Style? - TEFL Blog
Mark Crocker
Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas
English is one of the most common languages in the world. Knowing English can help people communicate with others from different countries and seek opportunities to have a better job or life. English can bring benefits to everyone, no matter how old they are. Therefore, English is becoming essential in many areas and more people, from kids to adults, are learning it as a second language. To help people learn English effectively, teachers play a significant role in their learning progress. There are many types of students and depending on their needs, ages, and personalities, teachers must learn how to adjust their teaching styles accordingly.
Different Reasons For Learning English
Different Age Groups - Children
Different Age Groups -... [Read more]
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
Are you ready to teach listening skills in the classroom?
Related Articles:
One simple way to engage your students in a listening lesson is to use popular... [Read more]
7 Activities for Teaching Reported Speech in the ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
Teaching Ideas
When teaching reported speech the potential for mistakes, errors, and the general difficulty is enormous due to the number of changes that are made with verb tenses, patterns, pronouns, questions, time expressions etc.. It's important to cover the subject slowly with lots of verbal practice at every opportunity. There are plenty of standard 'change the direct speech to reported speech' activities, but your students will soon tire of these if you overuse them. Here are some ideas which have worked well in the EFL classroom and will give your students a good amount of talk time in a variety of ways.
Listen to this blog post:
The Go-Between Game
The Lying Game
Pelmanism ("Concentration")
Guess Who
Reported Speech "Tennis"
Who Asked What?
Find Someone... [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
Are you ready to teach English abroad?
Related Articles:
Listen to this blog post
This post was written by our TEFL... [Read more]
Classroom Actions - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!
These classroom actions are ideal to teach your beginner ESL students for smooth classroom management.
Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!
[Read more]
Evaluation and Testing in EFL and ESL Classrooms - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Most of us grew up being constantly evaluated by taking a wide variety of tests for all kinds of subjects, all with the goal to show how much you know and how capable are you. Throughout school years teachers evaluate your performance, and your knowledge they based on of on the results from several quizzes, exams, and tests, and commonly based on results they know how to approach each student's needs, or so they assume that the standardized score is accurate. Growing up you learn whether or not you are a test taker, you will find those who do amazing on tests but do not really pay attention in class, you will also find those who get really nervous and struggle but still do well, and you also find the ones who know all the material and cannot test well.... [Read more]
Top Online Lesson Plan Resources for New and Advanced Teachers - TEFL Blog
Mark Crocker
Teaching Ideas
For many new and experienced EFL teachers, one of the most challenging aspects of their career is coming up with lesson plans that are both engaging and effective. Even if your employer provides a specific textbook to follow as a curriculum, you will often find that this can be rather dull for the students unless you spice things up by adding in some fun and original ideas from an outside source. By searching online you will find a huge amount of sites offering all manner of resources of varying quality and relevance. To save you the hassle of searching through them all, we have listed our 5 favorite websites that you can use to find quality lesson plans free of charge.
Using English
TEFL.net
ESL Galaxy
British Council
Bogglesworld/Lanternfish
Listen to this... [Read more]
Top 8 Resources for Researching Teaching English Abroad - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
TEFL Information
So you want to move abroad to teach English and explore a new culture? That's great - but how do you get started? At first, the process of finding a teaching position abroad can seem like a daunting task. Where are the highest teacher salaries? Is it better to teach at a private or public school? Which country hires teachers in advance? China is the largest EFL market worldwide - but is it also the right choice for me?
1. ITTT Country Guides
2. ITTT FAQs
3. Your Local Library or Bookstore
4. Online Forums and Facebook Groups
5. ITTT Alumni Experiences
6. Blogs Written By Real Teachers Abroad
7. ESL Job Boards and Recruitment Agencies
8. ITTT Advisors
Listen to this blog post
Are you ready to teach English abroad?
Related Articles:
Finding out which... [Read more]
Top 8 Resources for Researching Teaching English Abroad - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
guys hello linda here from itt hope you are doing well today um thanks so much for joining today's live stream and as you can see today we're talking about this way top eight resources for finding the right teaching destination that's the topic for today i hope um you're going to enjoy it it's probably going to take about 30 to 40 minutes and then as always at the end there will be a q a part so you will be able to ask your own questions at that time but also feel free to just leave your comments as we go we are live on facebook and on youtube at the same time and if you can see me if you can hear me if you are there please please just leave a quick hi in the comment box that would really mean a lot and then i can see that somebody is here and i'm not just talking to myself that would be... [Read more]
7 Fun Activities for Teaching Vocabulary in the ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Linda Dunsmore
Teaching Ideas
You will find the web full of ideas for teaching vocabulary and, although most of them are undoubtedly good activities, some are only suited to a particular level. Here are some tried and tested activities that can be adapted to suit any level of student and a variety of class sizes.
Listen to this blog post:
1. Hot seat
2. Beat the clock
3. Crosswords
4. Board games
5. Slow Pictionary
6. Vocabulary tennis
7. Pelmanism ("Concentration")
Are you ready to teach English abroad?
Related Articles:
Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials!
This is a great activity that can be used as a warm-up at the beginning of a class, or as a game at the end of a lesson. It's suitable for any class size over 4 students and requires minimal... [Read more]