Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Dazhiping Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Enshi Tujiazu Miaozu Zizhizhou? 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.
Learning one’s own language is something we develop unconsciously as we grow up. We are surrounded by people who speak the native language and just acquire it during our formative years. Through one’s family, from friends, in the school and the environment, we learn to adapt to the language widely used in our everyday life. One’s we are fully adapted, learning a new language may seem difficult as it is foreign to us. From the sound, the pronunciation, the diction and intonation, it might seem perplexed and complicated to adapt. As an educator, we need to be aware of the difficulties our students might have and figure out the best ways and methods we need to integrate in our lessons to make the learning experience not only fun and motivating, but most especially effective. Thus, it is paramount for an EFL teacher to learn the effective skills in teaching a new language, English, to non-native speakers. Being in a country were English is widely or commonly use is definitely an advantage. Many Asian countries are fluent in their own native language, however, many of them wants to learn a second language, specifically English. This is true especially for those who would want to study or work in an English speaking country. Thus as a teacher, we need to be able to assess the needs and goals of our students for learning the language. We should know what and how to ask the right questions, in order to evaluate our students’ needs. This is integral to the whole process of the learning experience of our students because if we were not able to, then our lessons and teachings will not meet their objectives. Furthermore, many countries nowadays use english as their universal language. One can witness signages and banners written in both Japanese and English, or Chinese signs with English translations. Although non-english speaking countries may have the "English" subject in their curriculum, many people learn it in a basic and unstructured way. They do not really use it in speaking with their peers. Most of them, if not, all of them will still opt to use their own language because it is for one thing easier and they are more comfortable communicating in their native language as they know exactly what to say without any difficulties. As an ESL teacher, we should always encourage our students to speak in English with their teachers and their classmates and also practice it at home. We tell them that it will not only improve their speaking skills, but it will encourage them and give them the necessary confidence to use it more. We often tell them that the more you use it, the better they will be. As the common phrase -- practice makes perfect. But when you have several students from different nations together in a class, they tend to cluster up with their fellow country friends and continue to speak using their native tongue. So how can we keep them from speaking their language, and how do we encourage them to speak in English instead? We are aware that they are definitely good at their native tongue already. This is where "Teaching English as a Foreign Language" (TEFL) comes in most handy. It teaches and trains one to know the different teaching methods, styles and techniques on how one can be an effective teacher. As an EFL teacher, we should be equipped with the knowledge and skills to be able to teach effectively. But these are not enough. Knowing the ins and outs of the English language will not make one a good teacher. It is paramount to learn and develop the necessary teaching skills.
