Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in ShuAngmiao Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Bayannao'er Shi — Bayan Nur? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language.
It is easy to have a passion for teaching English, but more difficult to know how to teach effectively and convey that passion to your students. This is why getting a TEFL certification is so valuable. Completing a TEFL course helps immensely with learning the broader fundamentals of teaching, as well as with getting familiar with the more detailed aspects of the English language and how to troubleshoot potential classroom problems. One of the most noticeable ways completing a TEFL course can help English teachers is with learning proper classroom management. After completing the TEFL course, I have paid more attention to how I explain the rules of activities or games to my students, and they have responded well to my efforts. I have also tried to reduce teacher talk time, resulting in my students’ noticeable improvement. Important things that I never thought much about before taking a TEFL course, such as the theories behind and uses for different seating arrangements, became part of my regular class planning after completing a TEFL course. Completing a TEFL course also allows teachers to learn the linguistics behind English in order to teach it more effectively. As native English speakers, most TEFL teachers do not start out being familiar with English phonetics, the International Phonetic Alphabet, or complex grammar rules like various tenses and aspects. Because native English speakers do not have to learn grammar concepts like these formally, it is important for TEFL teachers to learn the rules behind them and be able to explain how to use and construct sentences using these grammar concepts. A TEFL course will provide game and lesson ideas, which is useful especially for new teachers. I have personally found the “Engage, Study, Activate” lesson plan model to be useful in improving my lessons. This TEFL course also taught me how to properly use resources in the classroom. It is important to understand when to use manufactured English such as textbooks or storybooks specifically created for children learning English as a foreign language, and when to use “real” English resources. I have tried to incorporate more “real” English into my lessons after completing a TEFL course. For example, I use short and interesting snippets of English news articles to get my students warmed up, and I have noticed that they are more interested in how English is really used in the world rather than the curated “easy” English given to them in their textbook. Through a TEFL course, teachers can also learn how to write a convincing resumé, how to market their skills effectively to perform well in interviews, and how to be more successful in their career in general. This is just as important as learning pedagogical concepts or English grammar, because without being able to sell their skills to potential employers, teaching and language skills become useless. Completing a TEFL course is incredibly valuable. I completed the iTTT TEFL certification course after already having been teaching English in Japan for one year. I was debating whether it would be worth it, but I can say without a doubt that completing a TEFL course was the right decision. It has made my classes more well thought-out and my activities more enjoyable for both me and my students. It has made me more confident as a teacher both in my current job and for future job opportunities, and I would recommend completing a TEFL course to anyone who is interested in teaching English as a career.
