Comprehensible Input Meaning

When teaching English as a foreign language, it is crucial to understand the importance of students' language input. Language input refers to the language that students are exposed to and interact with during the learning process. This input plays a significant role in shaping students' language development and proficiency. Understanding students' language input involves recognizing the different sources of input, such as teachers, peers, textbooks, and multimedia resources. By understanding the nature and quality of the language input students receive, educators can tailor their teaching strategies to maximize learning outcomes. There are various techniques that TEFL teachers can use to address students' language input effectively. One approach is to provide ample opportunities for...  [Read more]

  In most cities across China there are more available positions than teachers to fill them, meaning you are often able to pick from a range of options. To entice teachers, employers generally offer a generous salary by local standards that can range from $1,000 to $2,000 USD per month.  [Read more]

  How will I teach English if I don\'t speak the local language? To teach English in a foreign country without speaking the local language, you can rely on the following strategies: Total Immersion: Create an English-only environment in your classroom, using gestures, pictures, and realia to convey meaning. This immersion technique helps students associate English with real-world objects and situations. Visual Aids: Utilize visual aids such as flashcards, charts, and videos to help students understand vocabulary, grammar, and concepts without the need for translation. Use of Context: Teach English in context by providing meaningful examples and situations that help students understand the language without needing translation. For example, use role plays, games, and real-life...  [Read more]

  In this episode, we cover the pronunciation of the word firebrand. This word has two different meanings. The first meaning is quite literal and describes burning wood. The second meaning is rather figurative as it refers to a person who is usually inflicting change as a result of being passionate about a certain topic or cause. 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. I learnt about the three topics involved in teaching a new language (vocabulary,...  [Read more]

When teaching English to beginners, it is essential to understand their unique needs and challenges. Beginners often lack confidence in speaking and may feel overwhelmed by the new language. Patience and encouragement are key in helping them overcome these initial hurdles. It's important to create a supportive and inclusive learning environment where students feel comfortable practicing their English skills without fear of judgment. Additionally, focusing on practical language skills that are immediately applicable in real-life situations can help beginners feel more motivated and engaged in the learning process. Visual aids and realia are powerful tools in teaching English to beginners as they help make the language more comprehensible and memorable. Using pictures, flashcards, gestures,...  [Read more]

Immersion programs are language learning experiences where students are fully immersed in an English-speaking environment. This means that all communication, instruction, and activities are conducted in English, providing students with a constant exposure to the language. Immersion programs can take place in various settings, such as schools, summer camps, or study abroad programs, and can cater to learners of all ages and proficiency levels. Teaching English through immersion programs offers numerous advantages to language learners. Firstly, immersion accelerates the learning process by forcing students to communicate in English constantly, leading to improved fluency and comprehension skills. Secondly, immersion enhances cultural understanding and appreciation, as students are exposed to...  [Read more]

1. Unveiling Phrasal Verbs 2. Significance of Incorporating Phrasal Verbs in TEFL 3. Effective Approaches to Teach Phrasal Verbs 4. Enhancing Teaching Skills with TEFL Certification Courses Phrasal verbs consist of verbs and particles, forming unique meanings distinct from their individual components. They play a vital role in English language acquisition, prevalent in daily communication and texts. Mastering the nuances of phrasal verbs is pivotal for learners striving for fluency and proficiency in English. Within TEFL, teaching phrasal verbs holds paramount importance for various reasons. These expressions are ubiquitous in spoken and written English, demanding learners' accurate comprehension and usage. Proficiency in phrasal verbs enhances learners' language skills, enabling them to...  [Read more]

  This video covers the difference between 'aisle' and 'isle'. As these two words have a similar pronunciation and spelling, their usage is often confused. The word 'aisle' is a noun and describes a passage between rows of seats in a church, in a theater, an airplane or between shelves in a supermarket. A suitable example sentece for the word 'aisle' would be: The aisle was crowded with people looking for seats. The word 'isle' is also a noun but has a very different meaning. It usually refers to a small island, such as here: The pirates were in search of the lost isle for buried treasure. As you can see, once you know the meanings of the two words, you will not confuse them as their meanings are very different. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one...  [Read more]

In a TEFL classroom, language barriers can manifest in various ways, such as limited vocabulary, pronunciation issues, or difficulties understanding grammar rules. It's crucial to recognize that these barriers are a natural part of the language learning process and are to be expected, especially in multicultural classrooms where students come from diverse linguistic backgrounds. By understanding the specific challenges that students face, teachers can tailor their approach to address these issues effectively. There are several strategies that TEFL teachers can employ to help students overcome language barriers. One effective approach is to incorporate visual aids, such as pictures, videos, or realia, to provide context and support understanding. Additionally, using gestures, body language,...  [Read more]

As a TEFL teacher, it is crucial to understand that students have different learning styles, and not all students learn in the same way. The three main learning styles are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Visual learners prefer to see information in order to understand it better. Auditory learners learn best through listening and verbal instruction, while kinesthetic learners learn best through hands-on activities and movement. By recognizing and acknowledging these different learning styles, you can adapt your teaching style to better meet the needs of all your students. Visual learners benefit from seeing information presented in a visual format, such as through charts, diagrams, videos, or pictures. As a TEFL teacher, you can adapt your teaching style for visual learners by...  [Read more]

1. Significance of Pronunciation Instruction in TEFL 2. Effective Approaches for Teaching Pronunciation 3. Integration of Technological Tools in Pronunciation Teaching 4. Evaluation and Feedback Provision for Pronunciation Skills Teaching pronunciation within the realm of TEFL holds significant importance in improving learners' communication competency, understanding, and overall language fluency. Proficient pronunciation not only aids students in being comprehensible to others but also bolsters their confidence in utilizing English in authentic contexts. It plays a vital role in comprehension by facilitating students in understanding varied English accents and native speakers. Additionally, pronunciation instruction contributes to enhancing students' fluency, rendering their speech more...  [Read more]

In a TEFL classroom, it is crucial to recognize that students have diverse learning styles. Some students are visual learners, who prefer to see information in the form of charts, diagrams, or videos. Others are auditory learners, who learn best through listening and speaking activities. Lastly, there are kinesthetic learners, who learn by doing and engaging in hands-on activities. Understanding these different learning styles is the first step in adapting your TEFL lessons to cater to each student's individual needs. For visual learners, incorporating visual aids such as pictures, videos, and mind maps can greatly enhance their learning experience. Using color coding for different parts of speech or grammar rules can also help visual learners better understand and retain information....  [Read more]

  Understanding Authentic Materials Importance of Adapting Materials Strategies for Adapting Materials Adapting Materials for Beginner Levels Adapting Materials for Intermediate Levels Adapting Materials for Advanced Levels Incorporating Authentic Materials in Lesson Plans Benefits of Using Authentic Materials Challenges of Adapting Authentic Materials Conclusion: Enhancing Language Learning with Authentic Materials Authentic materials are real-life texts used in the classroom to expose students to language as it is used in the real world. They can include newspapers, magazines, songs, advertisements, and more. ITTT is a leading provider of TEFL and TESOL courses that emphasize the use of authentic materials in language teaching. Authentic materials are real-life texts used in the...  [Read more]

  This video covers the difference between 'principal' and 'principle'. These two words often cause confusion for English learners due to their similar spelling. The word 'principal' can be used as a noun and as an adjective. As a noun, it refers to a person of authority, like a school principal, the head of a school. When used as an adjective, it means 'leading' or 'primary', like a principal cause or reason. The word 'principle', on the other hand, is only used as a noun and refers to a moral or standard, like the principle of free speech. 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...  [Read more]

  In this episode, we cover the pronunciation of the word assailant. This word is used as a noun and refers to a person who physically attacks another person with the goal of doing harm. Some synonyms for assailant can include attacker, mugger and assaulter. 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. This was an enjoyable unit for me. I personally love the past tense, and this chapter gave me greater insight into how the different forms of the tense can...  [Read more]

  Once we're satisfied that all the students have been engaged and that they've been given the opportunity to say something, we can move on to our study phase. Here, it may be necessary or useful to actually pre-teach some gaps in knowledge that have been shown from the engage phase and those gaps in knowledge may include actual grammar structures or indeed useful vocabulary and it's very important that, before we move on to doing any forms of activity, we check their understanding of this material. So, we need to do some study exercises. It's also very useful if you leave this information up on the board through all that study period. Those study activities can just be the normal types of gap fills or matching activities and, as always, we need to demonstrate those activities,...  [Read more]

  In this episode, we cover the pronunciation of the word amphibology. This word refers to the ambiguous meaning of sentence due due to confusing grammar patterns. A good example for this would be He sees more of his children than his wife. This sentence is an amphibology as it has two meanings. It could either mean that the husband sees his children more often than his wife sees their children, or it could mean that the husband sees his children more often than he sees his wife. 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...  [Read more]

  The idiom "cold shoulder" means treating someone with coldness or ignoring someone. Our example is as follows: Anna is giving me the cold shoulder. She must be angry at me. 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. It made me think a lot about the difference between adults and children, and the challenges you will have as a teacher as a result of these. Also, all the different 'roles' played by the teacher. It was also interesting to pin point the...  [Read more]

  In her ITTT TEFL review video Kelly talks about how she found the four week in-class TEFL/TESOL course both challenging and rewarding. She speaks about how the course gave her the opportunity to teach the local students while being observed by qualified trainers who provided valuable feedback after each teaching session. 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. In unit 18, I learned about the modals, phrasal verbs, and passive voice. This unit is very...  [Read more]

  In this episode, we cover the pronunciation of the word esoteric. This word is used as an adjective and refers to something that is either intended for or can only be understood by a certain group of people with a special interest or knowledge. Synonyms for esoteric include abstract, abstruse and obscure. The word originates from the Greek word es?terikos. 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. Really confusing and this is a hard lesson, i really...  [Read more]

Teaching English vocabulary effectively is crucial in helping students become proficient in the language. There are various strategies and techniques that can be employed to enhance vocabulary learning. Here are some of the best ways to teach English vocabulary: 1. **Contextual Learning**: One of the most effective ways to teach vocabulary is through contextual learning. This involves introducing new words in meaningful contexts such as sentences, paragraphs, or dialogues. By providing context, students can better understand the meaning and usage of the new words. 2. **Word Associations**: Encouraging students to create associations between new words and their meanings can aid in vocabulary retention. This can be done through mind maps, word webs, or semantic mapping exercises where...  [Read more]

  Alina lives in Bucharest in Romania and has been teaching English there for several years. In her TEFL review video she explains how she chose to take the 120-hour Online TEFL Course with tutor support and videos from ITTT in order to receive professional training in English language teaching. After researching online, Alina decided that the online course from ITTT best suited her needs to be able to study while also working, which gave her the chance to apply what she was learning to her classes as she progressed through the course. Alina is looking forward to further study with a course in teaching English to young learners. 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...  [Read more]

  ITTT's online TEFL/TESOL courses are designed to help anyone thinking of teaching English overseas. On them you will learn teaching methodologies, important parts of English grammar and ideas of how to teach this grammar to your students. This video looks at one idea for the future continuous tense. For this activity students are each given a planner filled with different activities on different dates. The planners are rigged so that there is only one day when the students are both free. They have to interview each other to find out which day they are both free. To find out more about how you can become qualified and suitably prepared for teaching English overseas click the link above. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online...  [Read more]

  It also helps us form our tenses. Many of the tenses will use these auxiliary verbs; particularly we have our continuous tense and our perfect tense. There are additional tenses that use auxiliary verbs. We'll get into that when we talk about our individual tenses. Another important aspect of our verbs is that they generally tell us what tense the sentence has been formed in. Take for instance the verb "to live." We could use it as live, lives, living or lived. "I live" or "she lives in Bangkok," meaning the present. "I am living in Bangkok," still the present or "I lived in Bangkok," meaning the past. Another difference with our verbs has to do with whether or not the verb is regular or irregular. With the regular verbs, in order to conjugate the verb into the past, we simply...  [Read more]

There is often much confusion surrounding these acronyms but essentially they mean the same thing. TEFL = Teaching English as a Foreign Language TESOL = Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages The above are generally used interchangeably, however, TEFL is most commonly used within the UK and TESOL is usually preferred in Australia and the USA. Although some countries may favor one acronym over the other, it is important to remember that a TEFL certification and a TESOL certification are exactly the same thing as the training involved is identical. Although TEFL and TESOL training courses are identical and the acronyms are generally used interchangeably, there is a technical difference between the two. The general perception is that speakers of English as a foreign...  [Read more]

  In this episode, we cover the pronunciation of the word tenet. This word refers mainly to princibles of a religion or philosophy. Some synonyms for tenet can include principle, belief or doctrine. The word comes from the Latin word tenere meaning ?he holds?. 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. This really an important unit talking about different ways while teaching different teaching groups. It helps the teachers that how to adopt a teaching...  [Read more]

  The teaching idea for the future continuous covered in this video involves students picking a card with a picture of an activity on it and inviting their partner to join them. The other student then has to think up an excuse not to as quickly as possible in the future continuous tense. For example: Student A: Would you like to see a movie at the weekend? Student B: Sorry I can't, I'll be washing my hair. Ideas such as this are a great way for ESOL students to put the language they are learning to use in the classroom. Teaching ESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages) is a fascinating and highly rewarding career choice and one which has a growing number of opportunities at the moment. One of the best ways to become an ESOL teacher is to take an internationally...  [Read more]

These TEFL/TESOL graduates successfully completed their in-class training in Barcelona and are ready to start working as English language teachers in spain, other parts of Europe or around the world. We provide lifetime job assistance meaning we help all trainees find suitable positions throughout their entire teaching career.   [Read more]

  In this episode, we cover the pronunciation of the word whodunit. This word describes a mystery or detective story that can either be a movie, a book, a play or anything to that extend. It is basically a short form of the words Who has done it?, meaning who is the criminal / murder in the story. 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. This unit was a good review of the the past tense. I especially liked the formatting of the unit as it provided the...  [Read more]

--- Feedback plays a crucial role in the learning process of TEFL students. It helps students understand their strengths and weaknesses, motivates them to improve, and enhances their language acquisition. Constructive feedback provides guidance on how students can enhance their language skills and encourages them to continue learning. Additionally, feedback fosters a supportive learning environment where students feel valued and empowered to take risks in using the language. When providing feedback to TEFL students, it is essential to ensure that it is timely, specific, and constructive. Timely feedback allows students to address their mistakes promptly and not repeat them in the future. Specific feedback highlights the areas where students are doing well and where they need to improve,...  [Read more]