Cultural Issues In The Us

As an ESL teacher one of the biggest challenges I have had to face is cultural sensitivity. Not only on my part as a teacher but on the part of my students as well. My first experience on this subject dealt with stereotypes. Not only those held by my students but those that I carried as well. The second issue was how to bridge the gaps between our two cultures. Therefore, the issue becomes how do we increase our level of cultural sensitivity. There have been many studies done on this issue. Most focus on the things the teacher should do to bridge the gap. I believe that it takes effort on the part of both the student and the teacher to resolve this issue. As ESL teachers most of us have left our countries and begun teaching in other countries. In his book The Developmental Model...  [Read more]

As an ESL teacher one of the biggest challenges I have had to face is cultural sensitivity. Not only on my part as a teacher but on the part of my students as well.My first experience on this subject dealt with stereotypes. Not only those held by my students but those that I carried as well. The second issue was how to bridge the gapsbetween our two cultures. Therefore, the issue becomes how do we increase our levelof cultural sensitivity. There have been many studies done on this issue. Most focus on the things the teachershould do to bridge the gap. I believe that it takes effort on the part of both the student and the teacher to resolve this issue. As ESL teachers most of us have left our countries and begun teaching in other countries. In his book The Developmental...  [Read more]

There are common issues that all learners inevitably face. : The complexities of future tenses, modal and phrasal verbs. Aside from this, study habits and memorization of vocabulary are other hurdles that all students must jump. But each country, region, city or village will have its unique set of issues that will make language acquisition more complex. Having lived and worked in the region of Catalonia for the last 3 years a number of complexities of English learning have been brought to my attention Though the problems for learners in Spain/Catalonia may not be altogether unique in all aspects, I will attempt to clarify those that seem of particular issue in my short experience teaching here. The culture of language acquisition has become a larger issue as Catalans have...  [Read more]

  Another TEFL trainee shares his experiences of completing his TEFL/TESOL in-class course in Sydney, Australia. In this TEFL review he talks about some of the course components and why he would recommend others to do the course. ITTT's intensive in-class course meets all international standards and our TEFL/TESOL certification courses are internationally recognized and accredited. No matter which of our training centers you select to complete the course you will receive the highest standards and support. 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...  [Read more]

Like the people of other nations, Thai people face many problems when trying to learn English; some of these problems are cultural and some are more rooted in the many obvious differences between the two languages. Different age groups or students of different levels may not always face the same problems. A class of intermediate children is likely to have different problems to those of an adult class of beginners. One issue that can be quite frustrating as a teacher is rooted in the Thai culture of not wishing to lose face. This often leads to students being shy and unresponsive in class. They are scared of making mistakes in front of their peers as this would cause them to lose face. Another issue that is based on culture and can also be frustrating for a teacher is a tendency...  [Read more]

IntroductionIn this article I will gather the most common problems/difficulties Thai learners have when learning English. I will spot the main difficulties you as the teacher will deal with and I will give my tips/solutions of how you can understand the problems and deal with them.The article is based on own experience and new information I have learned from this course.Some of the major differences between Thai learners and European learners are:Certain students can be reluctant to talk and produce English in class. It can be caused by natural shyness or just the fact that they cannot express themselves in English or it can have its roots in cultural issues.How do we deal with these issues and how do we know if certain behaviour is caused by student´s culture or by natural ...  [Read more]

  In this TESOL review video, Rick from the United States tells us how he has recently completed the 120-hour TESOL course online from ITTT. Despite already working as an online English teacher, Rick found the course to be very informative and helped him to develop better strategies to deal with the language issues his students have. Whether Rick decides to carry on teaching online or to take his career abroad, his experience with ITTT has enabled him to offer better lessons to his English language 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...  [Read more]

Listening to music stimulates students to learn English and works as a change of class atmosphere. Songs make an enjoyable learning environment. Songs have a small amount of information and a high degree of superfluity; they make songs sound simple and this aid to understanding. They contain authentic language, are easily attainable, provide vocabulary and cultural aspects and are fun for the students. They provide enjoyable speaking, listening, vocabulary and language practice both in and out of the classroom. Songs are a good resource for English Teaching; ''They are funny and can be selected to suit the needs and interests of the students. Students think songs are natural and fun. Fun, even silly songs abound in English. As texts, songs are interesting because most do not...  [Read more]

In terms of supporting and sustaining successful and high achieving students, parents play a significant role. Parents provide guidance, role modeling, and make decisions about every aspect of their child's educational experience. In fact, there is an abundance of research and evidence that point towards the key role parents play in a child's success in school (NYIM, 2004). Research has found that regardless of family background, students who have parents that are active in their education are more likely to have; higher grades, better school attendance, good social skills, and go on to postsecondary education (Barton, 2006). While there is no one single definition of parental involvement, generally it is defined as, 'when parents actively, critically, resourcefully and ...  [Read more]

I am a ?Purist? at heart. For me the only acceptable, the only correct, the only ?propah? way to speak (and spell) English is as illustrated in the Encyclopedia Britannica ? the British English, so to speak. I have always been a staunch champion of Dr. Doolittle and all the other guardians of the English language. However, being a teacher of the English language, I can no longer turn a blind eye to the ?globalization? of English, which is - ?now a mish-mash of words incorporated from over 350 languages, and is still undergoing constant change, with hundreds of words/phrases coming into existence every year, some fading away, but many finding their way into dictionaries and thesauruses! One can pronounce words in many different ways and still be understood!! The...  [Read more]

I am a 'Purist' at heart. For me the only acceptable, the only correct, the only 'propah' way to speak (and spell) English is as illustrated in the Encyclopedia Britannica ' the British English, so to speak. I have always been a staunch champion of Dr. Doolittle and all the other guardians of the English language.However, being a teacher of the English language, I can no longer turn a blind eye to the 'globalization' of English, which is - 'now a mish-mash of words incorporated from over 350 languages, and is still undergoing constant change, with hundreds of words/phrases coming into existence every year, some fading away, but many finding their way into dictionaries and thesauruses! One can pronounce words in many different ways and still be understood!! The emergence of so ...  [Read more]

  This TEFL review is from Karyna who is currently teaching abroad. She is from the Ukraine and recently took our 120-hour online TEFL/TESOL course as she is a young teacher and wanted to gain a new qualification for your professional development. She enjoyed the course a lot and was able to use the new skills in her classroom abroad while taking the course. This way, she saw quick improvements in her teaching skills and, thus, recommend this course to all new teachers out there. 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]

Discipline is a complex issue to handle in the classroom--occasions will always arise when it is necessary, and a teacher who is unfamiliar or unskilled in discipline does a disservice not only to himself, and to the students, but to the parents, the school administrators, and, in a far distant future, society in general. Discipline is not just intended to put a stop to a currently occurring behaviour, but to teach the misbehaver why it was wrong and to show him to prevent its repeat himself. Several different methods of discipline exist, from the strictest to the most lenient, and there is a delicate balance in being an authority figure who is capable of holding discipline and having the rapport with the class that is so useful for teaching: authority must be joined to ...  [Read more]

For some teachers, Saudi Arabia offers the ideal destination for teaching English abroad as salaries and benefit packages are as good as you will find anywhere in the world. Demand for qualified and experienced teachers is strong in cities such as Riyadh and Jeddah, where universities, colleges, international schools, and private language academies offer a variety of teaching positions. While Saudi Arabia is one of the most attractive teaching destinations in terms of income, it is important to be aware of the cultural situation before you decide to head there. The country's conservative laws and traditions mean it is not an ideal destination for some teachers. Alcohol is forbidden and interaction between unmarried couples is not permitted, including between foreigners. Female teachers...  [Read more]

'English' Who needs that' I'm never going to England.'-Homer Simpson from The Simpsons Homer Simpson's brief yet brilliant delve into an analysis of the English language might go unrecognized by some, but I feel it succinctly introduces some of the language's most current, hot- debated questions. The first question sounds like a simple one but has in fact recently proven itself a slippery monster. What is English' The dawn of ultra-globalization begs for the answer to this question as more and more people all around the world attempt to understand each other better using the new lingua franca. As mega conglomerates deal and governments negotiate (this just being the most obvious end of the spectrum) we must also ask can there be any room for misunderstanding' But English is...  [Read more]

Completing a TEFL certification course brings many benefits and one of the most popular is that you get to choose exactly which country or region you want to live and work in. As the demand for English language instruction is so strong in many parts of the world, there is never any shortage of job options for TEFL qualified teachers. From tropical countries in Asia to the cooler climes of Northern Europe, there will be something to suit everyone. Whether you prefer a bustling major city or something more off the beaten path, there is sure to be the perfect destination out there waiting for you. This vast continent is home to the largest number of TEFL jobs of any region in the world. Countries such as China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan all have thriving markets for foreign teachers with...  [Read more]

'The acquisition of language 'is doubtless the greatest intellectual feat any one of us is ever required to perform.''Regardless of where we come from in the world we all have the innate ability to use language. In the early stages of our lives we will actively seek out ways of interacting with our parents through various methods such as babbling.Over the past 50 years three theoretical approaches to explaining how early language development takes place, namely, behaviourist, innatist and interactionist approaches.It was Noam Chomsky, who in 1983 proposed that language development should be described as 'language growth,' because the 'language organ' simply grows like any other body organ.The vast majority of people are not exposed to 2nd language learning until they are teenagers...  [Read more]

Volunteer teaching can be the most rewarding experience of your life or a total nightmare depending on your expectations and attitude. You need to be realistic about what kind of person you are. Are you the type who can travel the world making your own contacts and decide independently where best to spend your tine? Or are you the type who needs to know exactly where you will be sleeping each night and exactly what your days will hold? Most of us fall somewhere in between. People often ask why should I pay to volunteer somewhere? Aren?t they already getting my time and effort for nothing? Well is most cases it costs the organisation money to have you there, sometimes the benefit outweighs the cost for them and sometimes not. ?In Nicaragua, I often heard the comment...  [Read more]

South Korea is a small but incredibly beautiful country, and during the 4 week TEFL you will have fantastic opportunities to experience the rich culture and history. Not only will you have the chance for local excursions, but based in Incheon, you will be less than an hour away from the lively city of Seoul on the express train. The first week of your program includes in-depth cultural orientations, ensuring you deeply understand the Korean way of life and culture. This includes a welcome dinner, tour of the local neighbourhood and the “Grand” Palace (Gyeongbok Palace), taekwondo class and learning South Korean cookery and language. Incheon is home to Korea’s only official Chinatown, where you can try jajangmyun (noodles with black bean sauce) at the Gongwachun restaurant and for...  [Read more]

Put simply, language is a verbal expression of culture which means that culture clearly has to be seen as an important part of language learning. Although it is important to learn the vocabulary and grammar of English during lessons, to truly grasp what the language means to native speakers it is vital that EFL students learn as much as possible about the culture of English speaking nations. The good news is that students generally love learning about cultural issues, whether it is music, films, books, and TV, or other things such as food or fashion. So, how can we incorporate culture into our EFL lessons to make them interesting and productive? Authentic materials can be anything that native English speakers might use that can be adapted for use in an EFL classroom. This type of material...  [Read more]

Thailand is known as the Land of Smiles. The culture is warm, friendly and genuine. There is a big expat community out there, so you’re in a new and exciting culture but also engaging with many different cultures through the expat network as well. The travel opportunities are wonderful, either around Thailand itself or to neighboring countries. AND the food is delicious and fresh! Hua Hin is a beautiful city on the beach in central Thailand, approximately two and a half hours away from Bangkok. The area has some amazing beaches, mountains, viewpoints, temples, night markets, water parks, and dining experiences for you to choose from and enjoy at any time of the year. Hua Hin itself features a beautiful, powdery sand beach, plenty of waterside seafood restaurants, a lively night market...  [Read more]

I am writing about motivation in the classroom, for the purpose of addressing the problem for teachers and to give some strategies that can be used to assist the teacher to overcome the problems.As a novice teacher I can only imagine the nightmare of having a class room full of unmotivated or demotivated students. This in itself is the motivation for me and why I choose this subject to write about. I believe that if the class is motivated the subject will take care of itself.It is believed by some that the student teacher relationship is that of power and that we should concern ourselves with the fostering of learner motivation, as it is considered to be the most effective and proactive, so to speak, power relationship. Of course levels of motivation will vary from student...  [Read more]

Spain is one of the most popular TEFL destinations in Europe and it attracts thousands of teachers from all over the world every year. However, before you jump on the plane to sunny Spain, you might want to consider what Latin America has to offer. When armed with all the facts, many teachers decide that a country in this region is actually better suited to them. One of the many benefits of teaching English abroad is it provides a perfect opportunity to learn another language during your stay. Many people choose Spain as their teaching destination as they assume it is the best environment for learning the Spanish language. However, the reality is that the Spanish spoken in Spain uses an accent and slang that is very different to anywhere else, to the point that Spanish speakers from other...  [Read more]

From Sumo wrestling, the most authentic Japanese cuisine you’ve ever tasted, ancient castles and Pagodas, skiing in the mountainous north and beach hopping in the tropical south, ancient and bustling cities like Tokyo and Osaka, Japan caters for every type of traveller. Japan is unlike any country you’ve ever been to with the most bizarre but fascinating experiences available throughout the country, and a scenery like no other. A distinct balance between ancient and modern- Japan opens up a whole new world. Nagoya is an ideal destination for an in-class, immersive TESOL course experience in Japan. It is the fourth largest city in Japan, which means that as a TESOL student, you get the full experience of high paced life in Japan, but at a much lower cost than bigger cities like the...  [Read more]

The TEFL International course in northern Thailand is held in Chiang Mai, which was once the capital city of the Lanna Kingdom and is now the capital of North Thailand. Chiang Mai was founded more than 700 years ago, and is one of the oldest cities in Thailand; it’s recognized as having an independent cultural personality of its own. The Thai people love their beloved northern capital; a quaint, walled and moated city surrounded by a beautiful landscape nestled in a valley surrounded by national parks consisting of mountains, rivers, forests, waterfalls, meadows and rice fields. As a location, Chiang Mai offers a unique experience for TEFL International TEFL Courses in Thailand. Many feel that Chiang Mai is an essential part of any visit to Thailand. Located more than 700km northwest of...  [Read more]

To the young ESL teacher, seven-year-old Bobby seems inattentive and unmotivated. He cannot sit at his desk for five seconds and absolutely refuses to follow the logical, sequential steps she lays out for each assignment. She has tried lots of ideas to make her lessons more interesting, however, what she does not realize is that Bobby is an abstract random learner in a concrete sequential classroom. In other words, the teacher does not understand the way that Bobby takes in and processes information. There are at least four major learning styles and a number of other components that influence human learning ability. It follows then, that if teachers can understand and accommodate for a variety of learning styles, they can increase productivity of learning time. ...  [Read more]

If you plan on heading to Europe to teach English it is important that you are aware of the regulations regarding visas and work permits in your chosen destination. The visa situation varies from one country to the next and may also depend on your own nationality. Because of this, we recommend that you visit the relevant embassy website to get the most up to date information before you make any final travel plans. As Spain is a member of the European Union, teachers from other EU member states do not need a visa to live and work legally in Spain. However, you will still need to apply for a residency permit and a tax number on arrival in the country. The application process should be straightforward and you can usually expect your employer to help you through it. For non-EU citizens,...  [Read more]

The Middle East continues to be one of the most popular regions for English language teachers as there are plenty of jobs on offer and the potential salaries are among the highest you will find anywhere in the world. Extra benefits such as paid airfares and free accommodation are also the norm in most cases. However, as the rewards are so good, the requirements and competition for each job is generally very high. There are a wide variety of employment options throughout the country, all of which offer very competitive salaries. Monthly rates start in the region of 9,000 AED (currently $2,500), and rise to over 20,000 AED ($5,500) for those with high levels of qualifications and classroom experience. In addition, most teaching jobs will also include a benefit package that typically...  [Read more]

With world-class surfing and diving, a large number of cultural, historical, and archaeological attractions, and an enormous range of accommodations, Bali is one of the world’s most popular island destinations and one which consistently wins travel awards. Get TEFL Accredited in Bali, the famed Island of the Gods, with its varied landscape of hills and mountains, rugged coastlines and sandy beaches, lush rice terraces, and barren volcanic hillsides all providing a picturesque backdrop to its colorful, deeply spiritual, and unique culture stakes a serious claim to be paradise on earth. Bali is known for tourist hotspots that cater to surfer dudes, budget-backpackers as well as high end luxury travellers. But there is a side to Bali that many do not experience- and the road less travelled...  [Read more]

Before you head to the airport to start your TEFL journey it is important that you are aware of the paperwork required by the country you are planning to work in. The specific type of visa you need to gain entry to your destination country and how you gain the right to work legally there can vary enormously from one place to the next. To ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible, you should visit the relevant embassy website and do a bit of online research well before you plan to leave. Typically, anyone traveling to a foreign country requires a passport that is valid for at least six months. In some situations your passport must be valid for a full year, so the best advice is to ensure your passport has two years or more remaining to allow for an extended teaching contract or...  [Read more]