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The Struggles of Teaching Difficult English Language Patterns - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
There are many different types of peculiarities when concerning the English language, and this essay is aimed at the difficulties in teaching those peculiarities to learners that are not fluent in the English language. It can be difficult for native English speakers to progressively learn the subtle nuances as children graduating to young adults and navigating complexities of the language as adults; deciphering whether or not these peculiarities warrant further investigation or retention based on usage and context. These oddities of the English language can be exponentially more difficult for those attempting to learn the English language as a second language, having fully grasped the complexities of their own language only to have to navigate the... [Read more]
Specially vs. Especially - What's the Difference? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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In many situations, the two words "specially" and "especially" are used with the same meaning, but this is not always correct. Let's take a closer look at the difference between "specially" and "especially".
The word "specially" means 'for a particular reason' and is used with an adjective in the past participle form, for example:
The word "specially" means 'particularly' and it is used at the beginning of a phrase but never at the beginning of a whole sentence, for example:
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The Importance of a Lesson Plan and its Structure - TEFL Blog
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
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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]
Study Abroad vs. Teaching Abroad - What's Better? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
hello good morning or good evening good afternoon good good whatever wherever you are hi my name is linda i'm from itt um welcome to another live session this week i'm super excited to be here today um and to talk about this interesting topic and before we jump in as always a short intro um please don't forget to like and subscribe if you are interested in interested in teaching english abroad online all things tefl and t-saul i highly recommend liking and subscribing um we are live on youtube and on facebook at the same time so if you haven't liked our page if you haven't subscribed to our youtube channel yet now is the perfect opportunity you're already here you have nothing to lose and we share a lot of interesting and helpful content every day for people who are teachers people who... [Read more]
Is it Difficult to Teach Children Online? - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Most would say it's an almost impossible task, one that requires a lot of patience and repetition. How are you supposed to keep their interest? How do you communicate to them efficiently despite not being physically present? Teaching children may not be an easy task, however, I believe it would be a most rewarding one. Teaching online is something that I have been keen on and would like to venture into after completing this course. We are moving into a digital world where we will all soon be connected over the internet. This is a wonderful opportunity to be able to reach and enrich the lives of children globally.
Is it a good choice?
Cultural exchange
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This post was written by our... [Read more]
What's The Time? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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This is a fun board game for your students to practice the time.
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Why Teaching Business English Isn’t As Difficult As It Seems - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
As a former teacher of English as a foreign language, I have some experience teaching business English. Majority of my classes were for general English conversation. However, as I continued teaching, my workload increased to include a few business-focused classes. At first, I was intimidated and nervous about teaching these students. Did I have enough knowledge about business to teach them? Would I have the information they needed? After a lot of preparation and a few lessons, I realized that business classes are not much different than regular English classes and I need not know much about business to be a successful business English teacher.
Businessmen Are Ordinary Learners
Teacher's Responsibilities
My Experience
Are You Ready to Teach Business... [Read more]
Why English Speaking is Difficult for Many Thai Learners - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Thailand is famously known as " the land of smiles". In some situations, smiling is the way to save face or to avoid conflicts. This often includes the time when Thai people have to communicate with foreigners in English and have no idea what the other meant. They simply smile to get out of a situation instead of making the best out of it by practicing their English speaking skill. On the other hand, they build up a fear of making mistakes and avoid being in that particular circumstance in the future. As English today plays important roles in tourism and the Thai economy as a whole, still, Thai people struggle to communicate effectively. Here are some areas suggested why it is difficult for Thai learners to improve their speaking skills.
Cultural Aspects... [Read more]
Techniques to Transmit New and Difficult Concepts to Students - TEFL Blog
Ramon Perez
Teaching Ideas
Every day, we learn something new. It can happen on the street, at work, at school and even in our home. We can attain new skills and knowledge through our interactions with our surroundings. Utilizing our 5 senses and past experiences to make sense of what is going on, we can ascertain new concepts and make proper use of them in our daily lives. However, as a teacher, we are tasked with transmitting abstract concepts that become difficult to fully grasp through traditional methods. Consequently, some teachers rely on literal translations to bring the point across.
VISUAL AIDS
ACTING/ROLE PLAY
ENUNCIATION AND SPEECH
MIMING
CONCLUSION
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Since the student's exposure to the target language can be extremely limited outside of the classroom, it's... [Read more]
Do & Make: What's the difference? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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The verbs "do" and "make" are among the most used words in the English language. These two words often confuse English learners because they often use one verb for both in their native language (like "hacer" in Spanish). To help your students understand this better, take a look at the following chart below showcasing the difference between "do" and "make".
"Do" and "make" are two verbs that frequently confuse students learning English. The following explanations will help you better understand the difference between "do" and "make" and when to use each one.
1. "Do" is used when talking about work, jobs or tasks:
2. "Do" is used to refer to non-specific activities, for example:
3. "Do" can be used to replace a... [Read more]
What's in My Egg ESL Worksheet - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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This Easter-themed ESL worksheet is interactive and helps your student with their writing skills.
Instructions for the teacher:
Prepare plastic eggs that can be opened for your students. Go thorugh the instructions with your students and also tell them to go through the instructions with their parents.
Instructions for the parents:
Your child has brought home a plastic egg. Please help your child choose something to place in the egg. Next, help your child write three clues that he or she will read to the class. The class will then have to guess what is tn your child's egg.
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What's the weather like today? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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This is a fun worksheet to practice the weather with your beginner ESL students. Have your students read the sentence and draw the correct weather accordingly.
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Older vs. Elder – What’s the Difference? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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Older and elder are two similar sounding words that can sometimes be used incorrectly by both native and non-native English speakers. Let’s take a look at how they should be used correctly.
When teaching the English language you often come across words that sound and look similar. Sometimes these words can be used interchangeably to mean the same thing and sometimes they cannot. In this example older and elder can sometimes be used to say the same thing, but they have to be used differently.
The adjective old has a base form, a comparative form, and a superlative form: OLD, OLDER, and OLDEST.
Examples of the three forms:
These can all be used when talking about things and also people. For example:
However,... [Read more]
Great Ideas for Teaching Writing Skills in the ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Mark Crocker
Teaching Ideas
Image by Alice Bolden via Writix
Listen to this blog post:
Think outside the box
Encourage creativity, not perfection
Encourage students to write about what interests them
Writing doesn't have to be a solo activity
Introduce multi-skilled lessons
Writing games
Are you ready to teach writing skills in your own classroom?
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Of all the language skills that are taught in the ESL classroom, teaching writing skills is often seen as one of the least popular. Some teachers consider these lessons to be a bit boring, hard to evaluate and somewhat limited in what you can incorporate into them. However, this doesn't have to be the case as teaching writing skills to your ESL students can actually be interesting, fun and productive. Take a look at these... [Read more]
Reasons Why Pronunciation is More Difficult for Adults than Children in El Salvador - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
Pronunciation problems in El Salvador is very common, as many know Spanish is the main Language in this country, people in El Salvador tend to speak their native Language all the time because this is what they feel more comfortable with, as there is not any other dialect, other than Spanish, they are taught English in school, English Is the only language taught in El Salvador in public schools, but only for those that can attend one, this is because there are many people that can't attend a school due to economic matter, family problems or due to the work that is done in their household many don't have time to study and there are kids that can't attend school because they have to work, but there are many that do go to school and take English classes.... [Read more]
Further vs Farther - What's the Difference? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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Further and farther are easily confused as both words can be used to say “at a greater distance”. To be sure you are using them correctly take a look at the following explanation.
How to Use Further
Further Examples:
How to Use Farther
Farther Examples:
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Teaching ESL vs. EFL - What’s the difference? - TEFL Blog
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]
What's included in the TEFL course cost? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
When evaluating the cost of a TEFL course, it is important to know what is included in the fee. At ITTT, our TEFL course prices transparently cover all necessary components for your training. Unlike some providers, the advertised price on our website includes all essential resources, examination fees, and the cost of your certification. You won't encounter any hidden charges. Simply put, our fee ensures you have everything you need to successfully complete your training and receive your TEFL certificate.
What is included in an online TEFL course?
What is included in an in-class TEFL course?
Are there any extra fees I might need to pay?
An online TEFL course with ITTT provides a comprehensive training package for aspiring English teachers. Upon enrolling, students receive a unique login... [Read more]
Weather vs. Whether - What's the Difference? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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Weather and whether are a pair of homophones which means they sound the same, but they have different spellings and meanings. Here we explain how to use these words correctly.
WEATHER Definition and Examples
Weather can be a noun or a verb.
WEATHER Examples:
WHETHER Definition and Examples
Whether is a conjunction, which joins two words or phrases together.
WHETHER Examples:
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Everyday vs. Every day - What's the Difference? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
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The two expressions "everyday" and "every day" are frequently used in English but often confused. Take a look at the below infographic to find out the difference!
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Study Abroad Vs. Teaching Abroad What's Better? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
Do you want to live abroad and experience a new culture? Studying abroad and teaching abroad are both excellent ways to do this! But which one of the two options is better for you? Let's find out in this live session! #TEFL #BestTEFL #TeachEnglish Are you ready to teach English abroad or online? Click here and get started today: bit.ly/37gs5vO What is TEFL Certification? Where is it valid: bit.ly/36ma2Fg Check out our wide range of TEFL Courses: bit.ly/3ltqt73 Teach English online from anywhere you want: bit.ly/3ltqEPL
Register now & get certified to teach english abroad!
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How long does it take to get a TEFL job? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
The duration to secure a TEFL job varies for each individual and depends on multiple factors. While it is challenging to provide a definitive timeframe, it is encouraging to note that most of our graduates secure English teaching positions shortly after completing their certification. Factors like the chosen country's job market competition and the applicant's qualifications can strongly influence the job search duration.
How does the destination impact on TEFL job recruitment?
How do hiring seasons impact on TEFL job recruitment?
How can an individual teacher boost his TEFL job prospects?
One of the biggest factors is where you choose to work, as the demand for teachers varies greatly from region to region and country to country. China has such a huge demand that there are often not... [Read more]
Great Ideas for Teaching Listening Skills in the ESL Classroom - TEFL Blog
Mark Crocker
Teaching Ideas
Of the four language skills taught in an ESL classroom, listening skills are often overlooked as teachers can be unsure how to make these lessons interesting and relevant to their students. However, as listening skills are a fundamental part of the language learning process, it is vital that we give them the classroom time they deserve. The good news is that there are many ways to make listening skills lessons both fun and productive. Here are 6 ideas for livening up your lesson plans.
Popular Culture
Secret Phrase
Celebrity Squares
Describe the Picture
Listen and Quiz
Vowel Cards
Listen to this blog post
Are you ready to teach listening skills in the classroom?
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One simple way to engage your students in a listening lesson is to use popular... [Read more]
Specific Challenges of One-to-One teaching and Ways to Overcome Them with the Help of the TEFL Course Content - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
I have taught English in a classroom setting to large groups of adults for 4 years through a non-profit agency located in a mixed-race urban area of the United States. More recently, I have been teaching English to foreign learners on a one-to-one basis via video chat, also for four years. Given this background, I can speak from a wealth of personal experience to the differences, advantages, and disadvantages of each. As my goal is to continue to teach individuals online, I was admittedly skeptical of what I might gain from a TEFL course, as most certification programs are geared toward classroom teaching abroad. Having completed the ITTT course, I find myself very satisfied with having gone through the process, as I have gained many new resources for my... [Read more]
Where is the best place to teach English in Spain? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
For TEFL-qualified teachers seeking the best places to teach English in Spain, top cities to consider include Madrid, the vibrant capital; Barcelona, known for its rich art and architecture; and Seville, the heart of Andalusian culture. Other noteworthy options include Granada and Palma de Mallorca, both of which offer unique cultural experiences and teaching opportunities.
Also read: How do I find a job teaching English in Spain?
Madrid
Barcelona
Seville
Granada
Palma de Mallorca
The capital of Spain, Madrid, houses over 3 million residents, and its thriving English language learning community ensures an abundance of teaching positions. Both public schools and private language institutes frequently seek new staff, while private tutoring can provide a profitable avenue. On average, Madrid... [Read more]
What's the difference between online courses, in-class courses and combined courses? ▷ Infographic - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ ITTT
ITTT offers three ways of earning your TEFL certificate. These are in-class, online and a combination of the two. But how do they differ and which course is the right one for you? The first option is the in-class course and this is best for those who like a structured study environment and have the ability to attend a four week on-site course. Trainees on the in-class courses benefit from the more than 120 hours of study time the course involves, plus the advice of experienced and qualified teacher trainers.
You will also receive six to ten hours of observed teaching practice giving you the chance to earn valuable practical experience and feedback on your teaching. Upon graduation of the in-class course you will receive an internationally recognised certificate and lifetime job... [Read more]
Top Tips for Online ESL Classes with Younger Students - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Alumni Experiences
In the past few years, teaching English as a second language on the internet has gained a lot of reputation for English teachers around the world. The convenience of only needing a stable internet connection and a computer to go to work sounds far more pleasing than going to a school or other institution to teach a couple of hours per day. Additionally, online teaching provides opportunities for English teachers to travel to new destinations while still being able to work as a freelancer. Consequently, teaching English to children online, in different parts of the world, must be one of the most rewarding aspects of the job. However, many obstacles need to be overcome to be a successful English teacher for children online. Hence, these will be... [Read more]
How Can Knowledge of First Language Acquisition Aid Successful Second Language Acquisition? - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Successful acquisition of a first language (otherwise known as an L1) has almost a 100% success rate. Aside from a few people that are unable to read or write everyone can communicate fluently in their L1. Successful acquisition of a second language, however, does not occur nearly as often. Why is this so and can anything be learned from first language learning to improve second language fluency.
Variations in the English Language Form
Language Acquisition Process
Second Language Acquisition Process
Teaching Ways
Children and Language Acquisition
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Rebekah I. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the... [Read more]
The Challenges of Teaching Business English - TEFL Blog
Elizaveta Pachina
Teaching Ideas
Teaching English as a foreign language presents several opportunities as well as choices for a teacher. Certainly, there are numerous teaching positions around the world in traditional, classroom settings, and most ESL teachers will spend time in those settings. For many teachers, the classroom setting is a fulfilling endeavor; however, other outlets exist for teaching English, including teaching business English.
Business English teaching vs. teaching for other purposes
Teaching experience
Running an Activity
Do you want to teach English abroad? Take a TEFL course!
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This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Robert E. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT.
There... [Read more]
How can I teach online without a degree? - ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ TEFL FAQs
While a degree can be beneficial, it is entirely possible to teach English online without one. Although some employers might prioritize degree holders, many value experience and certifications. To boost your chances of getting hired, it is important to understand employer preferences, continuously upskill, and be strategic about where you apply. Popular platforms for non-degree holders include Preply, Cambly, Palfish, and Acadsoc.
Why do some online teaching jobs require a degree?
What do you need to teach English online?
Which TEFL course should I get for teaching English online?
Normally, employers require a degree in order to obtain a work visa when hiring someone to teach English abroad. Visas are not a problem, though, when it comes to teaching online - so why do they still want... [Read more]