The International Phonetic Association

If you are just starting out on your TEFL journey you are sure to have many questions about the world of teaching English as a foreign language. Here we concentrate on everything related to our courses and getting TEFL certified, whether it is advice on which course would suit you best or information on how the course actually works, you should hopefully find the answers with the help of our FAQs. So, dive in and get your teaching adventure underway with ITTT. How long does a TEFL course take?    We offer a range of TEFL courses to suit different requirements and most do not have a set timetable. The exception is our in-class TEFL course that runs for a set four-week period. All our online courses can be completed at any pace up to a maximum of six months. Can non-native...  [Read more]

We are RVF International, an international and educational exchange company. Our mission is to bridge the gap between travellers, teachers, adventurers, students, dreamers, explorers, and their destinations. We are proud creators of the #1 Teach Abroad program in Spain. We connect our program participants with schools all over Spain, so they can teach English and have the experience of a lifetime. We walk with our participants step-by-step, providing the best support from the very beginning: from applying to the program, through visa application support and guidance, and getting them as well prepared as possible for their arrival in Spain. We are passionate about travel, teaching and helping our participants gain new experiences and perspectives about life. If you want to get to Spain...  [Read more]

Although for many people money is not the main driving force behind teaching English abroad, it is still an important part of the TEFL journey as your salary will often dictate what you can afford to do during your adventures and how much you can potentially save at the end of the month. In our FAQs below we look at the average salaries in all the most popular teaching destinations, as well as any typical perks and bonuses you can expect in different locations. How much can I earn teaching English abroad?    Regions such as the Middle East and Asia offer the potential to earn salaries as high as $5,000 USD per month. Other areas such as Europe and Latin America have less in the way of high paying jobs but are still popular due to the culture and lifestyle. Can I make...  [Read more]

Teaching English online is becoming more popular every year due to the convenience of working from home and the flexibility you often have with setting your own work hours. However, it can sometimes be hard to navigate your way towards the right job as there are so many online platforms and there are new ones popping up all the time. A quick browse through our FAQs below should help answer your questions about teaching English online and steer you towards the right path to suit your preferences. Do I need a TEFL certificate to teach English online?    Although it is possible to teach English online without any formal qualifications, it is definitely recommended that you complete a TEFL course before you get started as many online teaching platforms require applicants to...  [Read more]

Once you have completed your TEFL certification and started looking for potential English language teaching jobs, you will need to consider what visas and work permits you might require in order to start working in your favored location. In some countries it is very straightforward, while others might require you to jump through the odd hoop or two. Take a look at our FAQs below that cover the visa and document situation in some of the most popular overseas teaching destinations. Can I get a work visa to teach English in Germany?    While there are numerous opportunities for language teachers in towns and cities across Germany, it is not always easy for non-Europeans to secure a visa that allows them to stay long-term. However, it is certainly possible if you are able to...  [Read more]

One very popular option when looking for a job teaching English abroad is to join a national recruitment scheme that places teachers into local schools. Several countries around the world have well-established programs that actively recruit teachers before they leave their home country. Another major benefit of this route into teaching is that your visas and work permits will be organized for you and accommodation and flights are often included. Check out our FAQs covering the various options below. What is the TAPIF Program for teaching English in France?    One of the most popular and convenient ways to secure a job teaching English abroad is to apply for a government recruitment program that places teachers into public schools. The TAPIF Program offers a great...  [Read more]

If you are nearing the end of your TEFL certification course or you are already certified but have yet to start teaching, you will probably have a number of questions regarding English language teaching jobs. In our FAQs below we tackle a wide range of questions, from which countries offer the best options to how to go about landing a position in your country of choice. You will also find answers about job interviews, how to prepare your documentation, and a whole host of other job related info. What questions should I ask a TEFL employer?    To decide whether a job is right for you it is essential to get as much information as possible during the interview. You should be clear on areas such as salary, working hours, class size, student's age, and the resources available...  [Read more]

ITTT has been at the forefront of providing high-quality teacher training programs since the 1990s. In that time we have produced thousands of graduates every year who are pursuing teaching careers in all corners of the world, as well as online. We started out as one of the pioneers in in-class TEFL and TESOL training in many different locations around the world and have steadily evolved our range of teaching courses, branching out into online, in-class, and combined training courses. As a market leader in the TEFL industry, we are continuously striving to improve our products and services to ensure that we maintain our position as one of the largest and most highly regarded providers of TEFL training worldwide. All TEFL International courses are validated and credit-bearing by Lamar...  [Read more]

  In this video we'll be looking at the international phonemic alphabet and how it's used in the classroom. There are other phonemic alphabets but this is the most popular and the system, which is most widely used. You may have seen some of these symbols before as any good dictionary will supplement standard English spellings with the phonemic spellings to aid in pronunciation practice. Here we have a situation where we have what are called phonemes and each phoneme represents a sound within the English language. How is this helpful? Well, what it does is help students understand how to say words rather than simply relying on the often archaic English spellings. To illustrate this point let's for a moment put ourselves in the shoes of our students when trying to understand how to say...  [Read more]

  There are two issues that need to be stressed when working with the international phonemic alphabet. First is the fact that we are no longer concerned with how a word is traditionally spelled. Additionally we need to stress that we are only concerned with the sounds needed to correctly produce a word. So rather than numerous spellings, which can often be pronounced in different ways, we have one symbol representing one sound. Once we can isolate a sound, rather than juggling various spellings, we can work with our students on how to say that sound. Doing that successfully is related to manner and place of articulation, which will be covered shortly. To get a better understanding of the phonemic alphabet, let's take a look at our chart. In the bottom half of our chart we have our...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Speech has been used to communicate and express many things since the dawn of man. When we look at wildlife, we can see a pattern in a speech similar to human communication. To truly understand science speech, we must look deeper at the concept of communication. Why Speech is Important? Word Stress Speech and Communication Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course today! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Dan S. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. World leaders, actors, entertainers, successful businessmen and other professionals all have one major thing in common, their speech. We look at presidential talks and product release conferences...  [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]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas This will be a discussion aimed at presenting both the advantages and disadvantages of teaching phonetics. We will show how teaching phonetics help create approachability and reinforce language similarities. Inversely we will look at how English suffers from inconsistent phonetic rules and the conflict between words as written and words as said. We will also look at methods to mitigate these issues. Self-awareness Noticing language similarities English rules Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Mitchell D. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Teaching phonetics help create an approachability towards...  [Read more]

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]

Your experience of teaching English abroad depends on the location you want to teach in. Our infographics will not only prepare you for the new country you will be living in, but also provide useful information on the global ESL market itself (best destinations, salary, benefits, etc.), as well as interesting resources you can use in the classroom regardless of where you are teaching.  [Read more]

  A better way to go about imparting how to make sounds or what sounds are utilized in a word, is this international phonemic alphabet. Now we have as mentioned one symbol being used in all the words which share that same sound. Now once we get a little bit more familiar with our phonemic alphabet we can also show how different our different sounds can be as in this symbol for ?ooh?, this symbol for ?ow? and this symbol for ?uh?. 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...  [Read more]

Trainees attending our classroom based TEFL courses are assessed and evaluated in a number of different ways. Trainees are assessed and evaluated in the following areas with percentages given as per the weighting of each area: TEFL Course Locations Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences As a teacher of grade 2 at an international school in Shenzhen, China, my classroom management has many components. Educators require both teaching skills and classroom management skills because strong classroom management creates a safe environment for students to learn with joy. Setting up Rules Classroom Safety Considering Learning Difficulties Reward System Do you want to teach English in China? Related Articles: Listen to this blog post: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate YunXiang C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. First, a classroom agreement is a component of my classroom management plan. At the beginning of the semester, students collaborated and agreed...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Phonemics according to the Merriam Webster dictionary is a branch of linguistic analysis that consists of the study of phonemes. In other words, it could be explained as the study of the sound system of a given language and the analysis and classification of its phonemes. Phonemics awareness, on the other hand, is the ability to examine language independently to its meaning and to manipulate its component sound[1]. Difference between phonemes and phonics Universal way of acquiring a language Why phonemes are important? Correlation between phonemic awareness and spelling ability Teachers' Role Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Lystra H. Please note that...  [Read more]

Date posted:2024-03-29 | Writer: Panyaden International School | Email: [email protected] 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰-𝟮𝟱. Panyaden International School is an exceptional learning environment where students are encouraged to be lifelong learners and critical thinkers through internationally recognised education programmes like the British Curriculum and IB Diploma Programme. We strive to nurture the whole person and help them develop into confident, compassionate, and responsible global citizens for every student from Nursery...  [Read more]

Federico Riva TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas In this blog post, we'll will delve into phonetics and phonology as described in George Yule's book, "The Study of Language." Phonetic and phonology are two branches of linguistics focused on the sound system. They are critical to understanding how speech sounds are produced, which, in turn, shapes language and communication. This discussion will explore various aspects of phonetics and phonology, breaking down the complex world of sounds in the English language. Phonetics and the Sound System Articulation Points Manner of Articulation Vowels and Diphthongs Phonology: The Sound Patterns of Language Teaching Phonetics and Phonology In Conclusion Are you ready to teach English as a foreign language? Related Articles: Check...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas First and foremost I'd like to address why phonetics issues very early piqued my interest in teaching English for foreigners. Ever since childhood, I was surrounded by people with substantial articulatory and auditory phonetic problems, not so much with the acoustic ones. Natural Problems Study Issues Self-consciousness Firstly, I attended the sign language and lip-reading courses. Are my efforts worthwhile? Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course! Related Articles: This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Asbiorn B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Firstly, those auditory problems were inherited biologically by people around me and couldn't be helped much...  [Read more]

Date posted:2024-03-23 | Writer: Nanjing International School | Email: [email protected] Nanjing International School (NIS) is a leading non-profit international IB World school. Founded in 1992, NIS is the oldest international school in Nanjing and the first IB Continuum School in China. We are proud to be fully accredited by CIS, WASC, and the IB. We offer an innovative International Baccalaureate Pre-K to 12 curriculum that puts students at the centre of their learning. We are the only independent, non-profit international school in the city, with over 600 students from over 35 nationalities - making us the largest and most diverse in Nanjing. Contract Days  195 Starting Salary  US$53,500 - $62,500 (this is paid in Chinese currency) - this is a net amount. Taxes 100%...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Many ESL teachers have never even heard of phonetics or phonology, yet they use these aspects of speech naturally when they speak. Phonetics and phonology are two areas of linguistics that study the sounds of language. Phonetics focuses on individual sounds, while phonology studies the features and combination of sounds (McMahon, 1-3). There are two reasons why ESL teachers need to know phonetics and phonology: first, it helps them to conceptualize English in a way that their students can understand; and second, it helps them to address their students' difficult pronunciation problems. Why Students Suffer from Pronunciation Issues? Lack of Subject Knowledge Sound Awareness Teacher as a Role Model Are you ready to take your TEFL course? Related...  [Read more]

See sample practice teaching sessions which form part of the assessment for our Online Teaching Practice (OTP) course. These videos show extracts from various stages of the trainees course as they learn to put into practice the theories discussed in the course material.  [Read more]

In the video collection below, you will find a summary of the most important acronyms and abbreviations in the ESL teaching sector. Make a great first impression at your new ESL job by familiarizing yourself with these terms.  [Read more]

Absolutely, many TEFL-qualified teachers find opportunities in prestigious international schools. These institutions often serve affluent local and expatriate students, offering teaching environments equipped with advanced resources and state-of-the-art facilities. Opting to teach in an international school can provide a rewarding and enriching experience for qualified teachers. Subjects are taught in English A diverse student body High-quality campuses and facilities Very competitive packages Professional environment and professional development Unlike most English teaching jobs that target local students with lower English proficiency, international schools conduct most of their lessons in English. To tap into this potentially profitable market, you will need qualifications in...  [Read more]

  All ITTT online TEFL certification courses are accredited by leading institutions in the world of English language teaching, including the Paris University of International Education (PUIE). The PUIE is a higher education institute that is recognized by the Paris Academy as a degree-granting organization. In fact, our certificates are the only purely online TEFL certificates out there that are validated, accredited and credit bearing from an internationally-recognized university. Through the PUIE our online TEFL courses have been evaluated and have successfully met all the criteria necessary to be accredited by this prominent and highly respected institute. If you choose to attend an in-class TEFL course at one of our many international training centers, the certificate you...  [Read more]

See and hear our graduates describe their own personal experiences of taking a TEFL course with ITTT. If you have any concerns about your ability to complete the course, or if you are unsure whether you should travel around the world to study for your certificate, then listen to these graduates who give their honest opinions on these concerns and much more.  [Read more]

Date posted:2024-04-04 | Writer: Canadian International School of Thailand | Email: [email protected] Canadian International School of Thailand (IB World School- PYP/MYP) PreK3 - Grade 12 is seeking motivated and enthusiastic qualified teachers for the 2024-2025 Academic Year. Do you have a teaching qualification? (BEd, PGCE, GDipEd, or equivalent from an accredited university) Are you a qualified teacher in your home country? Are you a native English speaker? The following full-time teaching positions are available: - Early Years Teachers (3-5 year old) - Primary Teachers (Kindergarten - Grade 5) - Music/Drama (Primary/Secondary) - Social Studies (Grade 6 -12) Additional Qualifications/Experience/Skills • Must have at least two years of classroom experience • EAL...  [Read more]