Useful Apps When Travelling

  Travelling overseas to teach may be the best move you ever make, but how do you know that the advertised job is legitimate? Thankfully the vast majority of advertised positions are genuine, but to avoid the small number that are not, there are a few rules that you can follow.  [Read more]

  To ensure you have all the information you need before signing up for one of our TEFL courses, download our free information packs. First, check out the ITTT brochure as it contains a wide range of info regarding all our course options. Is the convenience of an online certification course the right option for you, or would travelling to an in-class training center in an exotic destination suit you better? Our free course brochure should give you a clear picture of who we are and everything that we offer, allowing you to make the right TEFL course choice to suit your future plans. Once you have researched all of our various course options, you can download our free e-guide to TEFL which offers an insight into the world of teaching EFL. The e-guide covers a range of topics regarding...  [Read more]

As a TEFL teacher, having access to a variety of resources can greatly enhance your teaching effectiveness and student engagement. Here are some of the best resources for TEFL teachers: 1. **Online TEFL Platforms**: Websites like TEFL.org and i-to-i TEFL offer a wealth of resources including lesson plans, activities, and teaching tips. These platforms often have forums where teachers can share ideas and support each other. 2. **ESL Websites**: Websites such as ESL Library and Breaking News English provide ready-made lesson plans, worksheets, and activities for all levels of English learners. These resources are often updated regularly to keep lessons fresh and relevant. 3. **Teacher Blogs**: Many experienced TEFL teachers share their insights and resources on blogs. Websites like...  [Read more]

Deciding to leave your old life behind and head overseas to teach English is a big move to make and one that can come with a few issues. One that many people encounter is how to stay in regular contact with friends and family. However old and independent you might be, the people you leave behind are likely to have some concerns and it certainly helps them and yourself if you are able to keep everyone informed of your experiences. While it is easy to make excuses and pass the buck, it ultimately is down to you to maintain relationships while you are teaching English abroad. The people you leave behind will have little understanding of the time difference, or your new work schedule, which means it is up to you to find the best time to make a phone or webcam call and to make the necessary...  [Read more]

Incorporating technology into your TEFL classroom can bring numerous benefits to both you as a teacher and your students. Technology can help make lessons more engaging, interactive, and tailored to individual student needs. It can also provide access to a wealth of authentic resources, such as videos, podcasts, and interactive websites, that can enhance language learning. Additionally, using technology can help develop students' digital literacy skills, which are essential in today's world. By incorporating technology, you can create a more dynamic and modern learning environment that can motivate and inspire your students. There are numerous practical ways to incorporate technology into your TEFL classroom. One effective method is to use interactive whiteboards or projectors to display...  [Read more]

  Ben taught English in South Korea for four years before returning to his native California. In this TEFL review he describes how after returning home, he decided to seek out further qualifications in teaching English and found ITTT?s online TEFL course was the right one for him. Despite teaching English for several years, Ben found that the course had several new things to teach him including new methods and techniques. 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. ...  [Read more]

  In this episode, we cover the pronunciation of the word "bunkum". This word is a noun and refers to foolish talk or nonsense. The word came into existence after a representative for Buncombe County, North Carolina, held a speech on an irrelevant subject in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1820. Soon after, the word "bunkum" became known as a synonym for nonsense. 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. Once again the information contained in this...  [Read more]

Pronunciation plays a crucial role in effective communication in English. Poor pronunciation can lead to misunderstandings and hinder students' ability to express themselves clearly. When teaching ESL students pronunciation, it is essential to focus on both segmental features (individual sounds) and suprasegmental features (stress, intonation, rhythm). By improving their pronunciation, students can enhance their overall language proficiency and confidence in using English in real-life situations. One effective strategy for teaching pronunciation is the use of minimal pairs, which are pairs of words that differ by only one sound (e.g., ship/sheep, thin/then). By practicing minimal pairs, students can learn to distinguish between similar sounds and improve their accuracy in pronunciation....  [Read more]

--- Assessing the progress and growth of English language learners is crucial for both educators and students. Regular assessments help teachers identify areas where students are excelling and where they may need additional support. By tracking progress over time, teachers can tailor their instruction to meet the individual needs of each learner. Assessments also provide students with valuable feedback on their language abilities, helping them set goals and monitor their own improvement. --- When assessing English language learners' progress, it's essential to use a variety of assessment strategies to paint a comprehensive picture of their skills. These strategies can include formative assessments, such as quizzes and classwork, to gauge understanding in real-time. Summative assessments,...  [Read more]

When teaching English vocabulary in a TEFL classroom, it is essential to use a variety of techniques to cater to different learning styles. One effective method is the use of context, where new words are introduced in sentences or texts to provide students with a better understanding of their meaning. Another technique is word association, where students connect new words with familiar ones to aid in retention. Additionally, using visuals such as flashcards or realia can help make vocabulary more memorable for students. Incorporating engaging activities into vocabulary lessons can make the learning process more enjoyable and effective. Vocabulary games like word bingo, charades, or Pictionary can motivate students to actively participate and practice new words in a fun way. Collaborative...  [Read more]

  In this ITTT video former trainee Ben talks about his experiences during the final week of his four week TEFL/TESOL certification course and what he plans to do now that he has gained his teaching qualification. 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. Pronunciation is one of the most difficult part of English language. Many of us doesn't think about intonation even in our native language. Unit brings us very useful methods and techniques how to...  [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. This was an extremely...  [Read more]

1. The Importance of Teaching English Language Skills 2. Strategies for Teaching English Language Skills 3. Tools and Resources for Teaching English Language Skills 4. Benefits of Developing English Language Skills English is the global language of communication, business, and travel. Proficiency in English opens up a world of opportunities for individuals, allowing them to connect with people from different cultures and backgrounds. As an English teacher, you play a crucial role in helping students develop their language skills and achieve fluency. Whether you are teaching English as a foreign language or as a second language, using effective techniques can make a significant difference in your students' learning outcomes. There are various strategies that you can employ to enhance your...  [Read more]

  This video covers the difference between 'in' and 'at' when used to indicate a location. They often cause confusion for English learners as they both refer to a location in a sentence. However, 'in', as a preposition of place, is usually used to talk about the position of someone or something inside large places such as countries, continents, big cities and similar, while 'at' is used to refer the position of someone or something inside small and unimportant places such as villages or small towns. 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...  [Read more]

  In this TEFL review, Boh discusses his experience on the 120-hour online TEFL course without tutor support from ITTT. He found that the course exceeded his expectations with plenty of information covering both grammatical features of the English language and strategies for dealing with different students. 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 ways to identify differences in constructing verb tenses. Like in present continuous how to make...  [Read more]

  Even though many people use "may" and "might" interchangeably, they actually have slightly different meanings. The word "may", for example refers to a possibility, while "might" conveys slightly more uncertainty. In the example "There are dark clouds in the sky. It may rain later", we use "may" because the dark clouds suggest the possibility of rain. The sentence "I'm sick but I might come to the party" uses "might" because it is not certain the person will go to the party. This means, you should use 'may' when there is some kind of a sign that predicts or indicates future happenings. You should use 'might' when expressing something a little more unlikely or uncertain. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification...  [Read more]

Learning the local language when traveling is important for several reasons: Learning the local language is essential for enhancing cultural immersion and understanding in several ways:  [Read more]

Incorporating language technology in a TEFL classroom can significantly enhance the learning experience for students. Language technology encompasses a wide range of tools and resources that can be used to facilitate language learning, such as online platforms, apps, virtual reality, and interactive whiteboards. By integrating these technologies into teaching practices, educators can create more engaging and interactive lessons that cater to different learning styles and preferences. There are numerous benefits to incorporating language technology in the TEFL classroom. Firstly, it can provide students with access to authentic language input through multimedia resources, allowing them to engage with the language in a more dynamic and immersive way. Additionally, technology can enable...  [Read more]

Technology has become an integral part of modern education, including TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). Integrating technology into your TEFL lessons can enhance student engagement, provide interactive learning opportunities, and offer access to a wealth of resources. In this guide, we will explore the benefits of using technology in TEFL, practical ways to incorporate it into your classes, and strategies to overcome challenges that may arise. There are numerous benefits to incorporating technology into TEFL lessons. Firstly, technology can make learning more interactive and engaging for students. Interactive whiteboards, educational apps, and online platforms allow for a more dynamic and personalized learning experience. Additionally, technology provides access to authentic...  [Read more]

  In this TEFL review video Mike describes his experience with ITTT. He successfully completed his four week TEFL/TESOL Certification course in Phuket, Thailand. He also talks about how he now looks forward to taking up a teaching position in a new country. A TEFL/TESOL Certification from ITTT entitles you to unlock the door to any one of a number of TEFL/TESOL jobs worldwide. Teaching overseas allows you to experience many different cultures and you will be paid for that experience. To find out more about teaching English as a second language and the courses that are available at ITTT visit our web site or follow the links above. 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]

  Roman is a business communications trainer in Malaysia. Originally from the Philippines, he completed his 120-hour certificate course with ITTT as his first step towards starting a career in English language teaching. In this TEFL review Roman discusses how he found that he learned much more than he expected from the course, including information about classroom management, lesson planning and phonology. Roman also appreciated the great flexibility an online TEFL course provides meaning he was able to study while maintaining an active social life in his spare time. 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...  [Read more]

  This video covers the difference between 'affected' and 'effected'. As these two words have a similar pronunciation and spelling, their usage is often confused. 'Effected' means executed, produced, or brought about. On the other hand, 'affected' refers to the action of making an impact on something. Some example sentences would be: "The BP oil spill adversely affected marine wildlife in the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding areas." or "After the BP oil spill, the government effected sweeping environmental regulation." Both words are used in the past tense in these examples but can also be used in the same way in the present tense as 'affect' and 'effected'. They are also often used as a passive, such as 'was affected by...'. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate...  [Read more]

Many fully certified teachers choose to teach abroad rather than stay in their home country. Some newly qualified teachers may find it difficult to find suitable employment, so they travel abroad to obtain useful classroom experience, while others may simply be looking for something different. Whatever your motivation, teaching is one of the few professions that allows you to develop your skills and knowledge, gain experience, and increase your employability while traveling the world and seeking out new countries and cultures. If you believe this is the right path for you, the next step is to consider how you will differentiate your CV/resume when applying for the best opportunities in the most exciting locations. A TEFL certificate is required in many cases, even for qualified teachers....  [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]

  Our next consideration is that of giving instructions to our students. In order for those students to effectively carry out an activity, we need to make sure we have given clear and unambiguous instructions. It's also very important to check that the students understand the activity before you start. If you've done that work correctly then the teacher shouldn't need to say anything once an activity has started because the students are very clear about what they're supposed to be doing. So some ideas when giving instructions. As we've mentioned use simple language. Secondly, rather than trying to explain an activity, then do a demonstration which is visual. Thirdly, try to use wherever possible common words that come up within every activity. These would be things like ?look?,...  [Read more]

  We'll begin our examination of all the tenses by first looking at the present tense. There are four present tenses and we'll begin with the present simple tense. It's the most common tense in the English language as it talks about things in general, general facts, routines, habits. Those are usages that we'll look at in a little while but first let's focus on the form of the tense. Here, we've got our subjects 'I', 'you', 'we', 'they' and the base form of the verb followed by the rest of our sentence. Here for the 'he', 'she' and 'it' subjects, we have to conjugate our verb and in this case we've added an '-es' for 'teaches' followed by the rest of our sentence. With subjects 'I', 'you', 'we' and 'they' the pattern stays the same throughout we use the base form of the verb....  [Read more]

  Rory Cripps describes his own experience as a TEFL/TESOL learner in Beijing, China. ITTT is a professional training organization dedicated to raising standards of teaching and professionalism in the EFL industry. ITTT is committed to: Providing a wide range of courses and services to cater to individual needs. We aim to help you choose the right course for you. 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 has been an extremely useful course to me. I...  [Read more]

Teaching pronunciation in a TEFL classroom is crucial for effective communication. Clear and accurate pronunciation helps students be understood by native speakers and improves their overall confidence in using the language. Without proper pronunciation, students may struggle to convey their ideas and thoughts accurately, leading to misunderstandings and frustration. Additionally, focusing on pronunciation early on can prevent students from developing bad habits that are difficult to correct later. One effective strategy for teaching pronunciation is to focus on individual sounds in isolation before moving on to words and sentences. By practicing the sounds of a language separately, students can develop the muscle memory needed to produce them accurately in context. Another useful...  [Read more]

  In this episode, we cover the pronunciation of the word bowdlerize. This word is used to refer to the act of removing improper or offensive material in order to make it weaker or less effective. Some synonyms for bowdlerize include censor, expurgate or edit. 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 encompasses evaluation and testing of ESL. I was surprised to learn there were so many tests designed to test for English ability of varying...  [Read more]

  In this ITTT TEFL review video Leanne talks about her experiences in completing the challenging and rewarding TEFL/TESOL certification in-class course. ITTT's courses have been developed over time to ensure that we offer the best professional, practical and effective course as possible. We are confident that our TEFL/TESOL certification will assist in making you a suitable candidate for prospective employers. 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. ...  [Read more]