I Don't Speak Japanese Translate

Absolutely, teaching English in Thailand doesn't necessitate fluency in Thai. In fact, most language schools in Thailand prefer that ESL instructors use only English in the classroom to promote full immersion, regardless of their Thai language proficiency. Is there a need for English teachers in Thailand? What are the requirements for teaching English in Thailand? Thailand has seen a surge in demand for English teachers, driven by its expanding economy and an increasing eagerness among its population to master the language. As English education gains prominence, those with TEFL certifications generally find more lucrative opportunities. The shift towards long-term contracts has led schools to prioritize instructors willing to commit for extended periods, rather than brief stints. With...  [Read more]

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 Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: 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]

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 Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: 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]

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]

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 Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: 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]

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 Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: 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]

Linda Dunsmore TEFL Information Teaching Ideas So you have got your TEFL certificate in hand and are about to set foot into your very own classroom abroad. You have planned your lessons, created your teaching materials and marked the right pages in your textbook. There's only one more thing to consider: challenging students! Here are the 5 common types of EFL students and how to deal with them in the classroom. 1. The Dominator 2. The Class Clown 3. The Silent Student 4. The Translator 5. The Arguer Listen to this blog post Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Every teacher loves students who are eager to learn and enthusiastic about your lesson. However, there's often a student in a class that demonstrates his/her eagerness in a destructive and disruptive way. This...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Grammar is the rules governing the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in a natural language. Simply put, grammar is the general rule of a language. Language is logical; grammar tells us in which order we say words. It's about how words become phrases; how words and phrases become sentences and how sentences become language. The Essence of Grammar Different languages have different grammar rules How to teach grammar (EFL: how to teach Chinese students English) Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Yang S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Some of these rules are acquired naturally in...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences The following blog post is about an ITTT graduate who shares his story on how learning Chinese helped him to become a better English teacher in China. What do you call someone who speaks only one language? "My insights into their language and culture were incredibly helpful." "Many Chinese are anxious about speaking English with natives - more so than is to be considered normative." "The best ESL teachers are the ones with experience with the native language of their students." Listen to this blog post Now it's your turn to get TEFL certified! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Joseph S. A common saying imparted to me by one of my professors goes like this: "What do you call someone who speaks three languages?...  [Read more]

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]

Linda Dunsmore Destinations Teaching Ideas Japan is a country facing rapid change. Due to an aging population and a scarcity of workers, Japan is opening its borders to foreigners, many of whom speak English. This, along with the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, has led to an increase in demand for English teachers. I currently work in Japan, and have had the experience of teaching English to high school Japanese students for the past year. Over the course of this year, I've learned of many problems that students in Japan face when learning English. Of those, the top three problems for students in Japan are pronunciation, shyness, and large class sizes. Listen to this blog post: Differences in Phonology Students' Reluctance to Speak Class Size in Japanese Schools Are you ready to teach English...  [Read more]

Laura Payne Destinations TEFL Information The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program is not the only means to teach English in Japan, but it is one of the most popular programs out there both for aspiring teachers and those who wish to pursue other fields. I first joined this program a little over a year ago. In the short time since then, I've gained incredibly valuable experiences through my work as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT). The History of JET Duties of an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) How to Apply for the JET Program Remuneration and Living Rewards of JET Common Challenges for ALTs The JET Community Listen to this blog post What are you waiting for? Related Articles: Local prefectural governments and larger government bodies, including Japan's Ministry of Foreign...  [Read more]

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]

all right hi hey everyone hi as you can see it's not only me this week welcome to our live stream we have guests today i'm super happy about it hi maddie hi georgia hello hey so yeah back here another for another week and i'm live on a different day i usually go live on fridays so today is very special and also because we have guests so i'm super happy about that and yeah if you are watching if you can see us if you can hear us please just leave a high in the comments that would be really cool and where you're watching from i'm always really curious about where people are watching from and um yeah i'm in south korea my name is linda from itt if you don't know me and i'm yeah about an hour and a half south of seoul at the moment it's 6 30 on a thursday evening and i think it's the same...  [Read more]

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]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences When it comes to learning a new language, the way that we make it comfortable for us is to try and relate it to our language. How many times have you met someone from another country and you ask them how to use swear words or how to say something is cool in their native language. Since English is very commonly spoken all over the world, for students to learn idioms and slang is for them to not only learn how to say certain things but get a deeper cultural understanding. With that deeper understanding comes relativity to their own lives, which means they see the ways that we are more similar instead of different. Learning Goals When to Start Teaching Slang and Idioms? Learning Cultural Context Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course!...  [Read more]

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]

  Zouhaier just completed his 120-hour online TEFL certification. He enjoyed working closely with his tutor who guided him along the way. He also recommends this course to anyone wanting to teach abroad or enhance their professional portfolio in teaching. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching. This convenient, highly structured design means that you can quickly get to grips with each section before moving onto the next. Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! Unit 16 explains about cultural issues that teachers should be aware of when they work in different countries...  [Read more]

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]

For those passionate about teaching English and enamored by Spain's rich culture, vibrant cities, and picturesque coastlines, securing a position in Spain can be a dream come true. To increase your chances of finding a teaching job in this sought-after destination, consider these steps: Embarking on this journey not only offers a chance to teach but also to immerse oneself in Spain's rich tapestry of history, language, and culture. What are the basic requirements for teaching English in Spain? What is the best way to apply for jobs teaching English in Spain? When is the best time to apply for jobs teaching English in Spain? Where are the best places to apply for jobs teaching English in Spain? What visa will I need to teach English in Spain? How much money will I need to start...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences As a young child, I was, for some reason, obsessed with the idea of learning French. I tried a couple of languages, including Finnish at some point, but kept going back to French. I have no idea why because I was never exposed to the culture or the language itself at that age. I doubt I even knew anything about the country itself. I think I assumed learning French would make me sound smarter but, the joke's on younger me, I have no skill in French and never have. I tend to struggle with romance languages in general. My Personal Second Language Experience My Choice Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nicole H. Please note that this blog post might not...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences One of the most important problems encountered while learning a foreign language is undoubtedly pronunciation. Knowing a language fluently may not always be enough. Fluency level may be open to discussion if an accurate pronunciation is not used. Therefore as teachers, we must teach our students how to use the correct pronunciation. However, pronunciation can be a nightmare for some students, especially for young learners. Common Errors in Pronunciation /h/ Sound Ways to Fix Errors Articulation Simple Way to Overcome the Problem Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Selin K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences In my experience, many teachers are not really sure about the difference between teaching ESL and teaching EFL in the classroom. In this post I will try to explain both situations and give some insight into each as they are actually quite distinct. The Basic Difference Potential Problems of Both Situations Typical Students of EFL and ESL The Importance of Speaking English in the Classroom Are you ready to teach English in an ESL or EFL classroom? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Amal S. ESL refers to teaching English as a Second Language in a English-speaking country where the student's native language is not English, while EFL refers to teaching English as a Foreign Language in a country...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences I've taken four years of college Russian. Throughout my time at my university, I learned a few things about both learning and teaching a language that have helped me become a better ESL teacher. Creating a Comfortable Classroom Environment The teacher doesn't know everything. Using a Variety of Teaching Aids and Materials Always Be Respectful and Use the Right Language Listen to this blog post Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: This post was written by our ITTT graduate Leif O. One crucial aspect of learning a language is making sure that everyone in the class is comfortable. While this is true with young learners, this is especially true for adults. Adults don't want to make mistakes. Business professionals have devoted their...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas ESL is English which is usually taught to students in an English speaking country. EFL is English which is taught to students in a foreign, non-English speaking country. As it is true of many European countries, where is common to learn to speak more than one foreign language. For these reasons ESL is typically the term used in the United States, an English-speaking nation, whereas EFL is more often the term of choice in countries where English is not the native language. What's ESL? What's EFL? Teaching ESL versus teaching EFL ESL Students Need... 1. Hands-on English lessons suitable for their immediate needs. 2. Explicit cultural instruction. 3. Bridges towards integration. EFL Students Need 1. Lots of practice using English, especially...  [Read more]

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]

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]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences It is not easy to describe a nation or a country simply since people should be considered as individuals, but there are definitely some national characteristics in Thailand that make it very different from any other country. When in the Western world, especially in Europe, we need a lot of space and privacy and are often expected to be able to work unprompted, in Thailand things are done collectively. There are no "I's" in a team, literally. Understanding how these teams work and their sometimes not so obvious hierarchy it is much easier to adapt and be accepted as a part of them. Collective thinking Cultural concepts Good relationships Honor and respect Kindness Understanding and empathy Thailad is a great destination to start your teaching career!...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas As we know in any case when we are going to teach a new language, it is really important to pay attention to some particular skills, that is the root of the language. Types of Skills Types of Reading Approach to Reading Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Gevorg S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. These skills are receptive skills and productive skills. Reading is one of the basic skills of learning a new language. And first of all, I would like to define reading. The process of reading a printed text louder or silently is called reading. For readers, it is important to know and understand the...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas Teaching the English language to total beginners is a challenge for any teacher - but it's so worth it! English teachers abroad are regularly faced with two possible situations: A) teaching English to a class with zero knowledge in English (often young learners), or B) having to integrate a new student into your class who has never studied English before and now he/she has to pick up the language quickly. Assess the Exact Level of the Student(s) What to Teach Absolute Beginners in English Personal and family information Social interaction Classroom and school Time, calendar and weather Body parts Food Home Incorporate Numbers, Colors, and Shapes Teaching the Alphabet Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles Where to start? Many teachers...  [Read more]