Teaching English To Chinese Students

William Noble Destinations Teaching Ideas I have been an online ESL teacher to Chinese students for over 13 years, mostly with primary students but also with secondary and adult students. I am also a father and have homeschooled my daughter over her primary years. Like many teachers, I've enjoyed teaching at this level of education as it lays the foundation in English. As it set the foundation, my teaching helped students to overcome common errors in production skills, speaking and writing. Teaching both my daughter and Chinese students at the primary level also helped me also to understand the different expectations between first language and second language students. Speaking Errors Phonetics Dark L Aspiration Consonant Clusters Suprasegmentals Intonation Psychology Writing Errors...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Foreign language experience is complexed on so many different levels, it is a window into a different culture, often a different country and even a different paradigm of thinking. There is a multitude of language experiences people can have, each with their own intricacies and uniqueness. As a native English speaker from South Africa, living in China has provided me with extraordinary foreign language experience. The Most Difficult Language Benefits of Mandarin Experience Do you want to teach English in China? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Marlan S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Mandarin, the national language of...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas After spending five years in China as an ESL teacher, corporate trainer and university lecturer I would like to share a few of the most common problems for Chinese learners and ways for teachers to overcome them. I will focus on problems regarding cultural differences, pronunciation and first language interference. Social challenges Pronunciation First language influence Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Michal W. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Despite China's opening to the outside world in recent decades, it is still a very closed society with only anecdotal knowledge of Western culture (by...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Self-confidence has been seen as a major contributor to a person learning a language. As a teacher and a counselor, I agree with Jack Welch's quote: Giving people self-confidence is by far the most important thing that I can do because then they will act. Confidence exists of three realms: who I am, what I can learn, and what I can do. These are steps that can be taken to help Chinese Business English students improve confidence in these realms. What is self-confidence? Who am I? What can I learn? What can I do? Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate William N. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas If you think of Chinese ESL students it is safe to assume that most teachers would immediately worry about how they should teach phonics to Mandarin speakers. It is also true that the media has portrayed the Chinese accent as one of the most challenging to understand or even get rid of. Personal Experience Phonetical Errors Grammar Challenges Problems Due to Geographical Origin of Students Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Graciela G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Usually, the first thing you will notice as an ESL teacher, speaking from experience, is the difficulty Chinese ESL students face...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas China is one of the leading countries in the world that has been in the search and quest to learn the English language. In recent years the demand to learn English has been on a rise. Every school tries to have a teacher who can teach the language to the learners. However, in this process of learning, many learners encounter a series of problems which make the language learning process not an easy task both for teachers and students. However, we are going to be looking at very common problems students learning English as a foreign language face in China. First Language Lack of Interest Pronunciation Difficulties Ways to Solve The Abovementioned Problems 1. Speak English to Students Only 2. Work on Building Students' Confidence Do you want to teach...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The English language has become so essential in china because the country wants to successfully promote internationalism and keep the lines of communication open for trade and business matters. As one of the global powers, it's in the country's best interest to keep afloat of shifting trends in international matters. Governmental decision Spelling Pronunciation Singular / Plural Aspect Gender Articles Lack of opportunities to practice Word order Individual differences Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ramy M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The government has recognized that English is now...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching English to foreign students can be challenging, yet one of the most rewarding experiences. Providing education on the English language to young, middle-aged, or older individuals can be an eventful experience, shaping an instructor's portfolio and personal life. In this report, I explore possible advantages and disadvantages of teaching English to university students in China from a prospective instructor's perspective. Individual Needs Working on Personal Qualities Listen to this blog post Enjoying The Process Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Dhanisha N. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Teaching, in general, can be an action-packed...  [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]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences This essay answers the question for number 10 "what are the main problems for learners in the country of China?" I am a professor at Jiangnan University in Wuxi, China and share my observations. Our students are in the North American College (NAC), with partners in Canada at Lambton College and Northwood University, USA. Three areas are most interesting to their learning challenges: college preparation, listening and writing. Exam System Lexical Units Digital Autism Writing Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Annette P. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Students enter NAC with a low score on...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Teaching English to high-school students and teaching English to university students are uniquely different and require different skills and teaching methods. High school students are in a period of development known as adolescence. One of the leading developmental psychologists, Erik Erikson, defines adolescence as a period of struggle between identity versus role confusion (Hutchison, 2013). During adolescence, high schoolers are going through many physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes (Hutchison, 2013). They are struggling to define who they are in this world not about their parents. They want to make their own choices in life based on their reasoning. A high schooler may choose on their own to learn English as a foreign language, but...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Most teachers come to China to teach English with only a general idea about Chinese culture and language which they should have to deal with as soon as they arrive in China. The reason I chose this topic is that I am fluent in Chinese and have experienced Chinese culture in all its facets for over than seven years. But let's not beat around the bush and get down to the nitty-gritty. Shyness/lack of confidence: Grammar issues: Pronunciation issues: Th: /s/ instead of /th/ V: /w/ instead of /v/ (mostly with southern Chinese) Lt: /t/ instead of /lt/ Intonation: Lack of learning structure: Do you want to teach English in China? Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Ruben M. Chinese people often seem to be shy or...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Presently, I take care of my ninety-six-year-old father at home and have no immediate plans to teach overseas. Fortunately, I live in a community (Aurora, Colorado) that has over 140 different language groups and ethnicities. Aurora ranks as the tenth most diverse community in the United States. I have worked toward my TEFL certification for the future; however, I have plans to use the training now. Personal Plan Online Platforms Requirements Employment Salaries The Effective Online Teacher Set Expectations Correct Carefully Relationship and Feedback Project (Individual and Group) Resources Closing Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Roland A. Please note...  [Read more]

When teaching English abroad, the profiles of your students can be diverse, influenced by the teaching location and the type of institution you are associated with. You might find yourself guiding university students, professionals from the hospitality sector, or even top-tier business leaders. On another spectrum, you could be in a public school, teaching a young cohort ranging from five to sixteen years old. Will I be teaching adults when teaching English abroad? Will I be teaching young learners when teaching English abroad? Can I also earn extra cash as a private tutor when teaching English abroad? A large percentage of teachers working in ESL classrooms overseas will find their classes are full of adults of various ages and backgrounds. This is particularly true across Europe...  [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]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Since the opening of China to the Western world, Chinese society and economic prowess have both continued to grow at exponential rates. This has led to its status as a rising power, culturally and economically, and an international power increasingly interconnected with many parts of the globe. As Chinese educational infrastructure tries to match pace with the rapidity of the country's progress, one educational mandate that has persisted in importance over time has been that of English learning for all young learners across the country. The government sees English proficiency as a matter of national economic competitiveness, in fact requiring that English is taught as part of the public school curriculum as preparation for China's 高考 (gaokao),...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Stories serve to be entertaining and educational in most cultures. A nice bedtime story for young children becomes a ritual in a lot of families nowadays, it makes up a sweet memory for a lot of people. When the listener is interested in the story, even when there is no verbal communication between the storyteller and the listener, there is still a bond between them. Therefore, storytelling is such a powerful tool teacher could use. Storytelling could make the lesson more interesting and memorable. To build the bond between the students and the teacher during storytelling, the teacher has to make sure the attention of his/her audiences are fully attracted. To make sure the stories are interesting for students the teacher has to consider several factors...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas These days, young children from non-English speaking countries are increasingly being forced to learn English and many parents believe that their children knowing English will benefit their children's futures. The demand for English teachers, particularly in Asia, is quite high and this has called for many schools and English learning centers in Asia to look to hire native English speakers. As demand is high, there often is a compromise on the quality of the teachers. Working with young children requires specific skill sets that often can be taught but must also come naturally. This essay will address issues and provide recommendations on what is needed to be able to work with young children that are learning English for the first time. Teachers'...  [Read more]

  This video looks at the difficulties students have when learning modal auxiliary verbs. The number of usages and the modal auxiliary verbs that can be used for various usages often bring about problems for the students. Also, the structure of sentences with modal auxiliary verbs can be confusing. Watch this video to understand all the difficulties students face with modal auxiliary verbs. 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...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Sheneil J. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Problems with Consonants Problems with Vowels Problems with Rhythm and Stress Problems with intonation Minimal Pairs Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: Chinese does not have either of the "th" sounds (like "that" and "this"). Most other languages do not have these sounds and they are problematic for most learners of English. The difficulty is the point of articulation- the tongue has to be between the teeth, not behind them. Many people say that English speakers look like they're sticking their tongues out all the time because of the "th" sounds. It...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Teaching Ideas Giving directions as a teacher to non-native English speakers in an EFL classroom often requires a set of techniques to ensure the students truly understand the directions and can follow them how you want them to. The following 10 tips to help your students follow directions when teaching English abroad work for students of all ages and levels but are especially useful for English learners of young ages or low levels. 1. Ask for Their Attention 2. Minimize Distractions 3. Speak Quietly 4. Break Down Instructions 5. Number Your Directions 6. Be Precise 7. Wait Before Repeating 8. Don't Ask "Do You Understand?" 9. Rephrase Questions 10. Use Visual Reminders Listen to this blog post Are you ready to teach English abroad? Related Articles Before starting an...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Teaching is itself a challenging task when it comes to teaching a beginner student. If the student is an adult or young the challenge might be there. There are means and methods of overcoming such challenges for both the teacher and the student. Analysis test Students behavior Lesson plan Developing materials Why should the teachers be more attentive to beginner students? What are the methods and techniques for teaching beginner students? 1. Using the review technique 2. Make a vocabulary journal 3.Technology implementation 4. Engage them Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Sonal L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs...  [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]

  Our next consideration is going to be how we actually group our students. There are perhaps three types of grouping arrangements that we can consider and within those we'll have a look at the potential positive and negatives of those particular arrangements. So firstly, what arrangements can we use? We could arrange our group as a whole class so all of their activities will be done as a whole class. They could be working as individuals and the final grouping arrangement we'll consider is that of small groups or indeed the use of pair work. So for each of these types of arrangements what are the potential positive and negatives with that type of arrangement? For the whole class certainly one of the main positive features is that it gives that class a sense of belonging. Secondly the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Throughout this course, it was mentioned that language does not happen in isolation. It is a product of the various aspects of culture, values, and context that make up the environment in which the language is used. Language can be used in vastly diverse and varied manners, and within different contexts have unique meanings. In the same way, slang and idioms are created based on specific contexts that exist within a society or group within a culture. Cultural Awareness Creativity and Fun Motivation Aspect Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Temi O. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Proverbs,...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Over the past three years, I've had the privilege of teaching English as a foreign language online for a company called Education First. The format would normally be an internationally diverse group in an audio-only platform. During these sessions, I found that my students from China would have specific challenges in pronunciation that many of my European and Brazilian students would not. I recognized their tendency to add an "a" at the end of words that clearly ended in a consonant. Unfortunately, I was not educated enough in the specific challenges that Mandarin speakers faced in their attempt to learn English. I'm scheduled to begin teaching in China later this year, and it has become clear to me that I need to drill into the specific challenges faced...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas A highly motivated student is one who is goal-oriented, driven by passion and focused. He/she does things from the bottom of the heart. Motivation can be viewed as an internal impulse that brings us to complete an action. Without motivation, there is no action. Motivation is what moves or inspires the learner to achieve set objectives. It's the motor that drives the student to achieve pedagogical objectives. Hence it's an essential tool to equip students with, so that whatever they do it effectively and with perfection. Behavior and Motivation Efforts and Motivation Get to Know Your Students Get Your Students Involved Vary Your Activities Choose The Best Strategy Find Perfect Materials Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related...  [Read more]

Federico Riva Alumni Experiences In today's world, technology has evolved in a way that makes everything so much more accessible. Even in areas that are less fortunate, or have less access to certain resources, it is still possible for them to have access to education because of the availability of online resources. There are many companies nowadays that donate computers, laptops, and facilities to these areas to give them a better chance of having a good education. Teachers from all over the world are now able to provide classes and one-on-one lessons to these areas because of this. Aside from the fact that having online classes gives access to students from all over the world, it is also much more convenient and cost-effective. Overview of Online Possibilities Choice of Resources...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas In January, I stood in front of a class of breakthrough English students at a university in Bogotá, Colombia. I'd never taught students in an ESL classroom before, but I was pretty confident having seven years of experience under my belt and a degree in literature. I was naive. I began the lesson with the class that my co-teacher had lent me for the first time. The objective of the lesson was to practice using past tense through storytelling; five minutes into it, I called on a student with his hand in the air. " What up, My Nigga!" He said it and I almost lost all of my composure on the first day while I should have been thinking about building rapport. Tool for communication Pronunciation peculiarities Advanced level of vocabulary Do you want to...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas For students to be able to communicate effectively, they need to be proficient in the four language skills. Productive skills are known SPEAKING and READING, then you have your receptive skills known as READING and LISTENING. All four language skills are of importance and should be combined during lessons as they are all of importance to teach students to communicate with others. Goals Speaking Writing Integration Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Natalie B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. If a student or a student comes to a language teacher, it means he/she has a clear goal to be excellent...  [Read more]