Songs That Teach A Lesson

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas To begin with, I have been teaching English for more than 30 years. I teach groups of students and individuals of different ages and abilities. That is why I have always had a problem how to raise my students' motivation, how to make my lessons interesting and exciting so that the bell at the end of the class would be for me, not for my students. I have always wanted them to be upset that the lesson is over. As a result of this research, I concluded that along with having different games, quizzes, puzzles, crosswords and project works, learning and singing songs is as challenging and helpful as doing grammar exercises. The results of learning English songs by heart is stunning. Do not think that I do this activity only for entertainment. It is a big...  [Read more]

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]

  Hello. This presentation is going to cover this section on lesson planning and what we're going to do is to have a look as to why we go about planning a lesson, what do we actually put in it? We'll create an empty lesson plan pro-forma and then having done that what we'll do is to fill in that lesson plan for a particular teaching point. So, our starting position is going to be: "Why do we plan lessons at all?" There are a number of reasons why we need to plan a lesson. The first and foremost perhaps is that it's going to create a logical sequence for our lessons. If we didn't have a lesson plan, it is quite possible that we could go all over the place and it would become confusing for the students. By having this plan, what we've created is a structure that we can work from. So,...  [Read more]

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]

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]

Jon ITTT Alumni Experiences We all probably know, that music has no language. It is kindly welcomed by all nations equally, as well as all races, ages and cultures. So how can music or songs help us to teach English and to do it more effectively? Music aids memory Songs can teach vocabulary Music provides clear patterns to follow Using songs and music build rapport Do you want to teach English around the world? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Alena A. Music lets us go deeper into conscious that anything else, it is much more memorable, so the words and grammar structures may be remembered much faster. It also helps to relax and to feel happy, so using songs in the classroom is not only a good idea, but it is also an...  [Read more]

Federico Riva Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas Teaching writing skills to elementary English learners can be an exciting and rewarding experience. With a well-structured lesson plan, you can engage students, introduce key concepts, and provide opportunities for practice. In this blog post, we'll walk you through a sample one-hour straight arrow ESA (Engage-Study-Activate) writing skills lesson plan, tailored for an elementary English class. Engage (10 minutes): Study (25 minutes): Activate (20 minutes): Summary (5 minutes): Are you ready to teach English as a foreign language? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials! To kickstart the class, begin with a lively warm-up activity that activates students' prior knowledge and generates interest...  [Read more]

  So, the document itself needs to contain some general information about the class, for example the name of the teacher, the date and time of the lesson, what level of class is being taught and in what room, how many students are we expecting, this is important, when we've got things like photocopying and materials to do, what is the context of the lesson, in other words, what is the lesson actually about, what vocabulary or grammar point is this lesson covering and sometimes it's also useful to write out what the focus of the lesson is. So, in effect, the context of the lesson is telling us the grammar point, for example, that might be the present continuous tense, whereas the focus is telling us how we're going to go about teaching it. Another example to illustrate this: Let's...  [Read more]

  Okay, so we're going to use this pro-forma as our lesson plan and we're going to fill one out as though we were planning for an actual lesson. So, we start off with some basic information about the class. So, the name of the teacher, date and time and the class level. In this particular case, our class is going to be an elementary class and the room will be room 3. Having looked through the registers we see that the expected number of students for this particular class is going to be 10. This will help us in creating our worksheet copies. The context of the lesson for this class is going to be present continuous tense and it may well be the first time that this particular level of class has been introduced to this tense. So, our focus is going to be fairly general and it's going to...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore TEFL Information Having a form of structure has always been a vital element in order to perform any task to my best ability. Therefore, lesson planning was a subject which I knew would be a large factor in order for me to become a successful teacher. Listen to this blog post: 1. A lesson plan keeps a check on time within a class. 2. A lesson plan is a written record. 3. A lesson plan allows the teacher to be prepared. Other things to keep in mind 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 certification graduate Jessica M. The two main principles of a successful class are direction and flexibility; flexibility relies strongly on the teacher's experience and...  [Read more]

  Then, we have a set of objectives and aims. Here, the learner objectives relate to what we're hoping the students are going to be able to do by the end of your lesson and quite often, that can be a useful way of writing out what the objectives are. So, we would start the sentence "By the end of the lesson, students should be able to?" and then a list of two, three or four items that we're expecting the students to be able to do by completing this lesson. The learner objectives are different to the teacher aims the teacher aims are what you are expecting from that lesson itself. Now, when you first start teaching, quite a normal aim might be to complete the lesson successfully, to get through the whole thing without having any problems. As time goes on and you become more...  [Read more]

  The first part of my study phase is going to be the board work and I'm going to use the information that I generated in the elicitation part of my engage phase to move on to the actual board work. What I'm going to do is to show the structure of this particular tense. So, the phase study I'm expecting to take about ten minutes on this particular part and, again, the interaction will mainly be the students talking to me. So, how am I going to achieve that with this information? Well, we could ask the students to have a look at the sentences themselves and to tell us what they can see. If we look at each of the first words in here, then at this level, I should hopefully be able to elicit from my students what each of these words have in common and they may well give an answer that...  [Read more]

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! This is a fun gap fill worksheet for the lyrics of the song "Last Christmas" by Wham.   Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!  [Read more]

  So, now we're going to fill the actual procedure of the lesson plan out itself. We mentioned at the start, the first thing we do, is to get some general information about the class that we'll be teaching and then, in order for someone to be able to cover our lesson, we need to present enough information in our lesson plan that they can actually carry it out. What I'm going to do is for each stage of the lesson, I'll indicate what I'm going to do in the lesson and then, we'll cut away from that to have a look to see how that will actually be achieved. So, our lesson is going to be based on a 45-minute lesson and the first phase is going to be the engage phase and it's going to be a straight arrow ESA lesson. I'm going to take approximately five minutes on my engage phase and in the...  [Read more]

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]

  So, having elicited this particular structure, what I'm now able to do is to move on to the actual study activities. Typically, they will be in the form of worksheets to check that the students actually understand this information. So, I might prepare three activities. They may not do them all but, for example, I could prepare these three study activities. So, the first one is going to be a fairly straightforward matching activity, where perhaps they match the subject to its correct verb "to be" in that part of the sentence. The second one is going to be a gap fill. For example, I might use this verb here and ask them to complete a sentence using that verb, so that I can check that any spelling changes that take place are correct and the final one is going to be an unscramble,...  [Read more]

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 Are you ready to teach English as a foreign language? Related Articles: Check out what our course grads say in our many video testimonials!...  [Read more]

Hi, welcome Linda here, from ITTT. Back with another live session this week. And this week we're talking about the demo lesson and how to hold effective demo lessons for your TEFL interviews so you get hired. Yeah, welcome back, I'm back here again. You know we go live every week. I hope you know by now. Don't forget to like and subscribe so you always stay up to date, you never miss any of our upcoming live sessions. We usually go to go live at this time on this day so please stay tuned, give us a like, give us a subscription wherever you're watching from. We're actually live on Facebook and on YouTube at the same time, so whichever platform you prefer you can tune in. Of course you can leave a bunch of comments as well, please let me know where are you right now, where are you watching...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas A lesson plan is the starting point when thinking of a pending class, it is in the lesson planning stage where you can put your ideas onto paper. The lesson plan is evidence that you have thought about what you are going to do and why you are doing it. A lesson plan gives a teacher a structure to follow, not only in the sense of content but timings of activities and materials they are planning to use, and what learning the teacher hopes will take place. Documenting your work What to focus on? Key points of your lesson plan Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Listen to this blog post Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Yolande D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Generally, anything planned well in advance comes out much better and well organized as compared to something that is just done anyhow in any manner without any planning. As a teacher, it is important to know what you want to teach, why you want to teach and most importantly how you intend to teach. All these questions can only be answered when Lesson planning is done. Teaching Goal Students' Age Lesson Stages Learners' Level Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Lucia F. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. In trying to answer the questions raised above it is clear that the teacher will know...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Every great teacher knows that the secret to a successful lesson is a solid plan. There is more to teaching than what happens in the classroom. Things to Include In Your Plan What Will You Achieve Parts of a Lesson Plan Flexibility Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Madisen H. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Teachers spend lots of time outside of class analyzing student needs and getting creative to prepare the ideal lesson for their students. Many important things should be included in these plans. Lesson planning contributes to both the day-to-day success of a class, as well as its long term...  [Read more]

Register now & get certified to teach english abroad! This is an ESL worksheet with gap fill and vocabulary exercises from Dua Lipa's song "don't start now".   Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Standing in front of a class, a teacher procrastinates by asking each student random questions and scribbling on the board, but something is wrong. The students seem restless and the teacher looks uncomfortable. The teacher then springs into action by quickly shuffling through a stack of papers on their desk while the students look around blankly at one another. Their attention is dwindling. "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." - Benjamin Franklin Misconception Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Bryce W. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Be prepared, and be ready! When teaching,...  [Read more]

  Akira is from Japan and he recently took the 120-hour TEFL/TESOL course with tutor support and videos. He learned how to create a lesson plan, interactive teaching activities and useful tips and tricks how to present English lessons effectively. He enjoyed the resources to keep his students interested in his lessons and recommends the course to anyone wanting to live abroad and teach English. Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas A lesson plan is a series of instructions written by the teacher on how to cover his lessonIt is also a working document to refer to during the lesson ad a record of the class content useful for future lessons or for other teachers. Structure Teaching Materials More Things to Consider Anticipated Problems Interaction Are you ready to take your TEFL course? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post: An effective lesson plan should be flexible and open to change. How a lesson plan is written depends upon the teacher. It's complicated because it doesn't exist the perfect way to write a lesson plan. It can be formal following a specific pattern or written in the form of notes but simplicity is essential. This post was written by our TEFL certification...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The lesson plan functions as a roadmap for the teacher, providing an organized framework for the planning, preparation, and execution of the lesson and serving as a record of what has been completed. It should not be a detailed script, but rather a guide that allows for flexibility and adaptation in the classroom. The plan is a living document that may continue to be refined and enhanced after execution, incorporating lessons learned. Basic Class Identification Learner Objectives Personal Aim Language Point Anticipated Problems and Solutions Procedure Information Lesson Review Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Simona H. Please note that this blog post might...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jenny M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. What is lesson planning? Positive outcomes from planning Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: The fundamental of lesson planning is just like how someone would be planning for an upcoming vacation trip. This planning includes an objective, anticipated problems, places to visit, and also the amount of time needed for each activity. Lesson planning is similar where it will lists out how the lesson will proceed step by step through the different activities within different phases and also how much time each step will take. Although planning is required, it is...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas A New Perspective on Lesson Planning Prior to beginning this course, I had only considered lesson planning in the form of worksheets and topics, a brief lecture here and there, and some talk activities placed sporadically throughout the lesson. I also understood the critical nature of talking and listening as a means of gaining proficiency in a new language, but I did not think there would be a way to square this need with other aspects of what I perceived to be my own general education experience. Introducing the Engage, Study, Activate (ESA) Model Engage: Fostering Comfort and Preparation Study: Promoting Engagement and Confidence Activate: Culminating Experience and Real-Time Practice ESA: A Community of Learners Are...  [Read more]

hello everybody it's liza here and i'm super happy to welcome you to today's itttt live session um so i hope that you um have some spare time uh to tune in and uh let's talk about um another exciting uh teaching topic today uh so if you see and hear me clearly please let me know that you are here actually via the chat box and um by the way um i'm super excited uh not only because of this live session but also because of the weather it is super warm in my place today um my hometown is blooming and um it it feels so nice actually um also let me know where are you guys tuning in from uh so i am actually located um in the middle of russia um the city of yekaterinburg um so uh usually it's pretty cold here but may is just the best uh month of the year so if you um think of coming here one day...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The lesson plan is a structure of the course that you will give to your students, a clear guide as to what you want to achieve and how you are going to do it. A good lesson plan generally consists of learner objectives, personal aims, language points, procedure, phase, and interaction, etc. It is of great importance because it can help teachers to have confidence in class, make the class go more smoothly and help to improve the course. What is lesson planning for? Lesson flow Course effectiveness Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Yanfen G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Firstly, it can help...  [Read more]