Esol Teacher Meaning

If some burly, impatient builder were to shout 'Slab!' at a construction site, and subsequently stare in my direction, what is my reaction to be' As his stare transforms to a glare, his eyes becoming more savage by the second, I begin to feel rather ill at ease. What meaning am I to extract from this single word statement' Am I to ponder the nature of the object just uttered' Am I to shout something equally arbitrary back in his direction' Or am I to fetch this object post-haste' As anyone familiar with the 'language-game' of a construction site might tell me: surely the latter, if I don't want to be thrown from the side of the scaffolding.The term 'language-game' was coined by the Austrian-born philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) to refer to the idioms adopted by and...  [Read more]

  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 focused on the needs and development of young learners in a very brief format. As an adult, it is difficult to remember how I 'acquired' my knowledge around language, so I find the idea of teaching very young learners to be very intimidating. Personally, I feel I need to do some supplemental reading and research on the language development concepts presented, so I have a more thorough...  [Read more]

  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 section goes over the different types of testing and how and when they should be given. We also see the benefits of certain tests. Placement tests and/diagnostic tests are good for a teacher to judge where the students are at and to help plan for future lessons. There are many types of international exams for non-native English speakers to take, but they all have specific areas of focus, whether it be for...  [Read more]

The role of the teacher may not be as simple as people think and is always changing. A role can be defined as an expected behaviour in a given individual social position. (1) In recent years, there has been more emphasis upon student-centred lessons as opposed to teacher-centred. In reality, it is likely that a combination of both is used depending on the type of activity concerned. The role of the teacher can be widely split into three main categories: subject specialist, classroom manager and pastoral role.Teachers should be specialists in their chosen subjects. Not only should they have studied their subjects in depth, they should also be continuously building upon their knowledge. The curriculum is constantly changing and teachers should be aware of these changes and...  [Read more]

The role of the teacher has significantly changed for past few years due to advent of new technology. Although the same qualities of a good teacher are still required from the educators, the style of teaching has fundamentally changed and transformed from teacher- centered method of teaching into student-centered teaching pattern. Nowadays teacher’s personality is still considered an important factor in a process of teaching. Thomas Peacock in his article “Native Students Speak What makes a good teacher'” states that a teacher should possess two kinds of characteristics: teaching and personal. As Peacock indicates “teaching characteristics include having cultural knowledge, being interested in students, listening and understanding to their problems...  [Read more]

A teacher can provide the greatest source of information for many students. In many ways, a teacher is a mentor for whom the students can turn to for encouragement, knowledge, and feedback. Thus, a teacher must be available and receptive to his/her students to provide a support system when conquering a new language. By motivating the students to try the language concepts and to participate, a teacher is building the foundation necessary for the students to gain interest in this field. Many teachers believe in situated motivation, where the teacher is responsible for the environmental and extrinsic conditions (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia website). Without encouragement and motivation, it is unlikely that the students will want to expand their knowledge and be willing to...  [Read more]

When training to teach English as a foreign language, or any other subject for that matter, at some stage the need arises to examine what exactly it is that makes someone a good teacher. After all, if you do not know the qualities you should possess, how are you to become one' The TEFL International handbook provides a summary of teachers' own suggestions of the characteristics required, and lists personality traits such as patience and kindness, and skills such as the ability to motivate, understand and entertain (1). The handbook uses this list to surmise that a good teacher is one who 'cares about his/her teaching, but cares more about the learning of the students' (2). If the students' needs are therefore the number one priority, then self-analysis on the part of the...  [Read more]

Teaching is an age-old profession dating back as early as Socrates and his most famous student, Plato. Integral to this ancient model of education was a give-and-take relationship between teacher and student. The role of the teacher is not merely a bank of mundane facts but rather, that of 'educational guides, facilitators and co- learners' (Redefining the Role of the Teacher by Judith Taack Lanier). Teachers must engage their students and foster a desire to learn. A teacher can not simply rely on dated textbooks to teach their students but rather a teacher must become an artist, creating curriculum that is both interesting and relevant to the students. As Lanier states in her article, 'the curriculum must relate to their lives, learning activities must engage their...  [Read more]

I feel compelled to write about this topic because as a teacher, I feel a need to express some of my ideas, hopes and concerns, in a realistic and candid manner.The completion of this course of study opens a very exciting door for me. I always had a passion for teaching little children. After spending my life as an Engineer and a designer of airplanes and oceangoing ships, the time has come for me to realize my dream.At times, I have asked myself if I am really gifted to be a teacher. But, deep in my heart I know I am a teacher. Earlier in my life I have been a flight instructor and a teacher of Engineering Applied Technology to adults at a business level. Not until now, have I had the opportunity to realize my dream of possibly teaching young beginners.I believe a person needs a...  [Read more]

Teaching is not merely sharing of information or knowledge, but also an expression of values and attitudes. What teachers usually get back from their students is what they themselves have brought to the teaching-learning process. The role of the teacher is multi-faceted and diverse. Just some of the roles that a teacher must take on are that of motivator, mentor, decision maker, coach, facilitator, psychologist, parent, speaker, actor/actress, assessor, organizer, model, observer and disciplinarian amongst others. Ultimately in the world of TEFL, the teacher teaches language, reading, writing, speaking and listening. To be able to do this, the teacher must take on many other roles which make it one of the most challenging professions. To put it mildly, teaching is not for...  [Read more]

I have been teaching now for about one month, so I thought I would sit down and take advantage of this TEFL assignment to really take a good look at myself. I teach English level 3 (out of 10) integrated, integrated meaning that it involves grammar, speaking, writing and listening. In my course I have a text book which I use as my main material. The text book supplies me with a CD for listening exercises, various lesson plan ideas, quizzes and tests. The book is very useful and is called World View 2. My students are all Spanish speakers and the majority are Costa Ricans.To begin positively, I would like to analyze the things I believe I do well as a teacher. In the classroom it is my goal to always get every student involved. I constantly am calling on students and asking...  [Read more]

Whenever the discussion arises 'What makes a good teacher'', various theories and suggestions concerning a teacher's personality and his/her relationship with pupils are laid on the table. The TEFL International handbook summarises what many teachers and students suggest are the main qualities of a good teacher: 'Should be patient and kind 'Should really love teaching 'Should be lively and entertaining 'Is able to motivate learners 'Has a good knowledge of his/her subject 'Should have a good rapport and interaction with the class 'Should be able to involve all students equally throughout a lesson 'Should be able to correct students without offending them or affecting their motivation 'Should know students' weaknesses and try to give help and individual attention where...  [Read more]

  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 emphasizes about the professional development needed in applying or searching for teaching jobs. It includes guides or points to consider when searching for a job especially in other country considering it's culture. It also gives a guide in making a resume, the important things to be considered to include in your resume. It also includes organisations related to teaching english, sites for job...  [Read more]

There are many different paths on the road to becoming a teacher. As a college student in the United States it seemed there was only one: get certified in your state and start teaching. However, as I explored the idea of teaching internationally I found that as many teachers as there are, there are almost that many different paths to becoming, and developing your career as, a teacher.There are a few ways to become a certified teacher in the United States. Someone looking to be a teacher can get certified in college with only one year of student teaching after graduation, or she can enroll in a post-graduate masters program at a university. Either way, extra work beyond a simple undergraduate degree is necessary. In order to teach in the International School community, a ...  [Read more]

The role of a teacher has changed more dramatically in the past half century then in anytime in previous history. Schools are changing from a period where information was held by few to dispense to many, to a period where the flow of information freely exchanges between all varieties of media, most noticeably TV and the Internet. Therefore teachers are no longer needed as the supreme dispenser of knowledge but rather as a guide to learning who understands their student's unique needs and barriers to learning.Traditionally, teachers have had the responsibility to dispense historically relevant information to students sitting obediently in rows. Although this model has worked in the past it often creates a distant relationship between student and teacher and places the bulk of...  [Read more]

Since the meaning is an important device in teaching grammar, it is important to contextualize any grammar point. Songs are one of the most enchanting and culturally rich resources that can easily be used in language classrooms. Songs offer a change from routine classroom activities. They are precious resources to develop students' abilities in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. They can also be used to teach a variety of language items such as sentence patterns, vocabulary, pronunciation, rhythm, adjectives, and adverbs. Songs also give new insights into the target culture. They are the means through which cultural themes are presented effectively. Since they provide authentic texts, they are motivating. Prosodic features of the language such as stress,...  [Read more]

Presuming that you have already done a bit of research into teaching English as a foreign language, you will probably already be aware of the basic role of an EFL teacher, i.e, to teach non-native speakers to speak, read, and write in the English language. However, there is a whole lot more to the role of an EFL teacher than simply standing in front of the class and teaching vocabulary and grammar. Your exact role will depend on the individual employer and the environment where you are actually working, but there are several things that will be expected of you in most situations. For many teachers the most time consuming aspect of the job is planning and preparing lessons in advance. While teachers with plenty of experience can often get by with minimal planning as they will have taught...  [Read more]

The high demand for English language teachers worldwide offers English speakers from all walks of life exciting opportunities to live and travel abroad. In most cases, you do not need any prior teaching experience to teach English overseas. Moving to another country to live, work, and travel, on the other hand, will necessitate careful planning and foresight. Good research is also essential to ensuring that you do it correctly. Teaching English abroad, like any new endeavor, can present challenges, and you will most likely be nervous at first. However, your TEFL certification training will provide you with the skills necessary to lead your own classroom, where you will teach the fundamentals of grammar and conversation, as well as prepare lessons and manage a classroom. You must meet...  [Read more]

Before discussing the demand of different TEFL teachers we must first be aware of the different roles that these teachers can take. Perhaps the first distinction or grouping would be between online and onsite teachers. What are the different roles TEFL teachers take? For online teaching there are a few types of teaching jobs that you can undertake. These include: For onsite teaching there are also a few types of teaching jobs available, such as: There is no single answer to this question as it depends very much upon whether you want to work online or onsite and if so, which country you are considering. It will also depend to a certain extent on your qualifications and experience. In general, the minimum qualification is a 120-hour TEFL certificate and this immediately gives you access to...  [Read more]

When training to teach English as a foreign language, or any other subject for that matter, at some stage the need arises to examine what exactly it is that makes someone a good teacher. After all, if you do not know the qualities you should possess, how are you to become one? The TEFL International handbook provides a summary of teachers? own suggestions of the characteristics required, and lists personality traits such as patience and kindness, and skills such as the ability to motivate, understand and entertain (1). The handbook uses this list to surmise that a good teacher is one who ?cares about his/her teaching, but cares more about the learning of the students? (2). If the students? needs are therefore the number one priority, then self-analysis on the part of...  [Read more]

Reading is a process by which a reader gives meaning to text. The reader relies on a series of skills which they, depending on the age of the English language learner, may already possess in their native tongue. An older child or adult reader will read text knowing its purpose and meaning i.e. to give or request information, persuade, criticise, to give pleasure to or entertain. Further, they can make logical predictions as they read because of pre-existing experience or knowledge. All these skills are used by fluent readers, and as such, will be second nature to an older child or adult. A young English language learner may not have these skills or are developing them at the same time as learning a new language. This will necessitate the adoption of differing texts for reading....  [Read more]

Before we answer this question we will first look at the three most common routes towards TEFL qualifications. A TEFL qualification is usually a prerequisite when looking for TEFL employment of any kind. These are: 1) Online courses: a 120-hour TEFL certificate course is the entry level qualification for most jobs. This type of course is conducted 100% online. 2) In-class courses: this type of course is conducted 100% in-class at a location somewhere in the world. Typically these courses also involve teaching practice. 3) Combined courses: this type of course is conducted by a combination of online study followed by a short in-class attendance to complete teaching practice. Once you have completed your chosen TEFL certification course, there are three common working options for TEFL...  [Read more]

Most of Europe has a very strong demand for TEFL qualified teachers and there is usually a big queue of people hoping to take advantage of every vacant position. People from all parts of the world dream of living and working in the UK and many see teaching English as a way to achieve that dream. However, non-UK citizens need to consider a few things before booking a flight to London. There is plenty of demand for English language instruction across the UK as the country has relatively high levels of immigration and a significant refugee population. Government, private, and charity run organizations operate in many areas where they help newcomers and their families to improve their English skills so they can get by on a day to day basis. However, most of these positions will go to local...  [Read more]

There are many different practices that could be used for good classroom management and as with all techniques these need to be adapted to your own classroom, taking into account the age, culture, and personality of the class as a whole, and of you as a teacher.'Maintaining good order in classrooms is one of the most difficult tasks facing young inexperienced teachers. The task has become more difficult over the past few decades as young people´s attitudes to people in authority have changed dramatically. Some of the changes have led to greater self-confidence in students. Others, such as the acceptance of violence to achieve ends, attitudes to substance abuse and an increasing lack of respect for authority have made classroom management and life in school generally more...  [Read more]

The role of the teacher may not be as simple as people think and is always changing. A role can be defined as an expected behaviour in a given individual social position. (1) In recent years, there has been more emphasis upon student-centred lessons as opposed to teacher-centred. In reality, it is likely that a combination of both is used depending on the type of activity concerned. The role of the teacher can be widely split into three main categories: subject specialist, classroom manager and pastoral role. Teachers should be specialists in their chosen subjects. Not only should they have studied their subjects in depth, they should also be continuously building upon their knowledge. The curriculum is constantly changing and teachers should be aware of these changes ...  [Read more]

The role of the teacher has significantly changed for past few years due to advent of new technology. Although the same qualities of a good teacher are still required from the educators, the style of teaching has fundamentally changed and transformed from teacher- centered method of teaching into student-centered teaching pattern. Nowadays teacher?s personality is still considered an important factor in a process of teaching. Thomas Peacock in his article ?Native Students Speak What makes a good teacher?? states that a teacher should possess two kinds of characteristics: teaching and personal. As Peacock indicates ?teaching characteristics include having cultural knowledge, being interested in students, listening and understanding to their problems and using...  [Read more]

The word rapport originates from the French word, rapporter, meaning to bring back and the Oxford English Dictionary definition is one of “a close and harmonious relationship in which there is common understanding”. But what is the reality of rapport and is it of any importance in the classroom' With so many teaching methods, practises, aids and testing means at a teachers disposal, do we even need to spend time considering rapport and trying to build it with students' The short answer is most definitely yes. Rapport is a key characteristic of human interaction. It is a commonality of perspective. It is about basic interaction at every level. The relationship and rapport developed between a teacher and their students is a vital ingredient in the success of any...  [Read more]

It was while attempting to wrap my brain around the meaning of the construction "must needs", which I had encountered so often in classical English Literature, that I was incidentally drawn to an inves-tigation of modals. Modals, I learned, are semantic expressions of modalities: which is to say that they are nuanced constructions designed to express the speakers point of view with regards to his subject: be it his degree of certainty regarding the truth of a proposition he is propounding, his expression of permission, obligation, or necessity implicated in a situation, or his opinion regarding someone's- or something's- ability or volition with respect to a potential.Said differently, a modality is merely a point of view, and a modal a linguistic vehicle for expressing that...  [Read more]

According to Webster's Dictionary an idiom is 'an expression whose meaning cannot be predicted from the usual meaning of its constituent elements.' I also like the definition of T.C. Cooper's that 'An idiom can have a literal meaning, but its alternate, figurative meaning must be understood metaphorically.' In the last week, since choosing 'idioms' as a subject for this paper, I have been particularly aware of how many of these phrases are used in everyday speech -' 'It's a piece of cake,' 'I'm fed up!' 'It's raining cats and dogs,' 'Let sleeping dogs lie.' These are enough to make a student who has consulted an English dictionary shake his head and say, 'I can't make heads or tails of what these phrases mean,' which, of course, he cannot do until he has been taught the ...  [Read more]

At ittt we are dedicated to providing all the support you need throughout your TEFL career. We are always available to offer advice on everything from which course to apply for, right through to the application process for the jobs of your choice. Our support services are available for as long as you need us, even after you have completed your certification. Once you have earned your TEFL certificate and find yourself teaching in your own classroom, we will still be available for support and advice wherever you are in the world. You can contact us at any time for help on any subject, including practical assistance with things such as lesson plans and job contracts etc. As practicing teachers ourselves we are well aware of how intimidating your first job in an unfamiliar country can be....  [Read more]