Teacher Centred Instruction

Teaching grammar can be one of the most frustrating aspects of an English teacher?s job description. Teaching grammar can be divided into two categories, declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge. Declarative knowledge can be summed up as knowledge about a thing such as the rules of grammar whereas procedural knowledge is being able to apply the knowledge to communicate effectively. To illustrate the difference declarative knowledge would be being able to understand the instruction manual on how to assemble a bicycle where as procedural knowledge would be what you demonstrate when you actually put the bicycle together. Being good at one does not necessarily make one good at the other. Many of us native English speakers can use our native tongue correctly but...  [Read more]

Teaching grammar can be one of the most frustrating aspects of an English teacher’s job description. Teaching grammar can be divided into two categories, declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge. Declarative knowledge can be summed up as knowledge about a thing such as the rules of grammar whereas procedural knowledge is being able to apply the knowledge to communicate effectively. To illustrate the difference declarative knowledge would be being able to understand the instruction manual on how to assemble a bicycle where as procedural knowledge would be what you demonstrate when you actually put the bicycle together. Being good at one does not necessarily make one good at the other. Many of us native English speakers can use our native tongue correctly but...  [Read more]

Today, all teachers are faced with the ongoing challenge of working to make their teaching more effective. Whether they teach traditional students or EFL students, teachers must develop their skills to best meet students´ educational needs. We have a fairly clear idea today of the skills teachers should seek to develop. According to Robert Slavin, "research on teaching has made significant strides in identifying teaching behaviors associated with high student achievement" (Slavin, n.d.). These teaching behaviors include "essential teaching skills," which are "basic abilities that all teachers, including those in their first year, should have to promote order and learning" (Eggen & Kauchak, 2004, p. 579). The Key Teacher Skills include Preparation, Attention, Clarity,...  [Read more]

Our course takes place in the city of La Antigua, a thriving former capital popular with both tourist and locals alike. La Antigua is famous for its well preserved Spanish colonial buildings and fascinating ruins and has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is situated 1,500 metres (5,000 feet) above sea level in the central highlands of guatemala. This location makes La Antigua the perfect place for exploring the wider area, with the Pacific coast, Tikal and Lake Atitlan just a few hours away. During your course you will receive high quality instruction from our experienced teacher trainers following rigorous academic standards. On graduation you will receive an internationally recognised TEFL certificate and our lifetime employment assistance. La Antigua has an...  [Read more]

At our TEFL training centre in the Canary Islands you will have the chance to explore the world as you work towards your TEFL certification on the beautiful island of Gran Canaria, also known as The Little Continent! You will be forgiven for believing you are in the Sahara Desert when you explore Gran Canaria’s sand dunes by camel or in a dune buggy. You’ll also be forgiven for believing you are in Peru, as you hike through the island’s rainforests. Such is the diversity of Gran Canaria’s landscape that it has become known as the Little Continent. Immerse yourself in the history and culture of the island in the city of Las Palmas; the largest city on the island and one of the few in the world with its own beaches. You can enjoy scuba diving at the hundreds of dive sites where...  [Read more]

  Leslie is a Canadian English teacher at a junior high school in the Japanese countryside. In this TESOL review, Leslie tells us she is looking to open her own English language day care centre at her home and with this in mind she took the 120-hour certificate course with ITTT as well as the 50-hour young learners course to bring her qualifications up to date. Hopefully for Leslie this will be the first step on a rewarding career as the owner of a successful English language school in Japan. 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...  [Read more]

Cambodia is one of the most exciting countries in Asia and it is not hard to see why. The country is blessed with rich culture, natural beauty, and ancient structures. One of the most-visited sites in the country is the temple complex of Angkor Wat. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992, Angkor Wat attracts over 2 million tourists annually. Gateway for the temples of Angkor, Siem Reap was always destined for great things. Visitors come here to see the temples, of course, but there is plenty to do in and around the city when you are templed out. Siem Reap has reinvented itself as the epicentre of chic Cambodia, with everything from backpacker party pads to hip hotels, world-class wining, and dining across a range of cuisines, sumptuous spas, great shopping, local tours to suit both...  [Read more]

Although the benefits of learning foreign languages are undisputable, the implementation varies around the globe. When should we introduce it' Should we go for a bilingual education, foreign language classes or immersion schools ' Immersion elementary schools started to appear in Canada in the early sixties (CRAWFORD, 1989). In Europe, after a long tradition of a second language learning in secondary and high schools, the European Centre for Modern Languages conducted, in 2002-2003, a project called 'Janua Linguarum - the Gateway to Languages' in ten European countries to promote the introduction of language awakening at the end of primary schools. There are a number of arguments in favor of early language learning. Noam Chomsky, a 20th century linguist, referred to a...  [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]

ITTT’s TEFL course in Taiwan is located in the capital city of Taipei, a thriving metropolis that is the political, economic, academic, and cultural center of Taiwan and is a significant hub in the East Asia region. Taipei is a town of many contrasts brought about by its fascinating history. Modern skyscrapers soar above ancient Chinese temples and colonial buildings. Taipei’s most noted building is the Taipei 101 building, which was the tallest building when it was built in 2004. It was only knocked off the top spot in 2009 by the Burj Khalifa. The culture and history of Taiwan can be discovered in the many interesting museums around the city such as the National Palace Museum where you'll see a large assortment of ceramics, carvings, paintings and calligraphy from ancient China. One...  [Read more]

There’s only a handful of cities in the world that truly deserve ‘must visit’ status and Hanoi is certainly one of them. While most people can only dream about a fleeting trip to Hanoi – if they’re lucky – ‘living like a local’ and working as EFL teacher in this magnificent city is a realistic proposition for anyone with a sense of adventure. Hanoi is Vietnam’s capital city and the seat of government. It’s noticeably smaller than Ho Chi Minh City in the south, but the pace of life is similarly frenetic. While Ho Chi Minh City is often referred to as Vietnam’s ‘engine room’, Hanoi is more of a ‘grand old lady’. It’s tough to pin down what makes Hanoi such a special place. Is it because there’s history, culture and art on display in seemingly every street...  [Read more]

If you crave adventure and a lifestyle that’s out of the ordinary, Phnom Penh, Cambodia is the perfect location to launch your ‘teach English abroad’ journey. The transformation of Cambodia over the past three decades from a country characterised by occupation and trouble, to a Southeast Asian powerhouse, is phenomenal. There’s an insatiable demand for English language skills in Cambodia - and a chronic shortage of TEFL qualified people to teach English. What does this mean for people just like you? Simple! It means opportunities galore. Phnom Penh is the capital city of Cambodia and the nation’s international gateway. With a population of around 2.5 million people and a relatively confined central business district, it has a noticeably slower pace of life than you’ll find in...  [Read more]

Over the past four decades it appears that the advanced development of computers and the ready availability of this technology have led to an interest in a lexical approach to second language learning versus the more traditional grammar based approach. The Oxford dictionary defines lexical as 'connected with the words of a language', and grammar as 'the rules in a language for changing the form of words and joining them into sentences'. Two additional terms that are relevant to understanding this new approach is concordances, 'a list produced by a computer that shows all the examples of an individual word in a book', and collocations, 'a combination of words in a language that happens very often and more frequently than would happen by chance'.One article researched suggest...  [Read more]

Over the past four decades it appears that the advanced development of computers and the ready availability of this technology have led to an interest in a lexical approach to second language learning versus the more traditional grammar based approach. The Oxford dictionary defines lexical as ?connected with the words of a language?, and grammar as ?the rules in a language for changing the form of words and joining them into sentences?. Two additional terms that are relevant to understanding this new approach is concordances, ?a list produced by a computer that shows all the examples of an individual word in a book?, and collocations, ?a combination of words in a language that happens very often and more frequently than would happen by chance?. One article researched...  [Read more]

Toronto makes a perfect venue for our training course as it’s a multicultural and cosmopolitan city that is safe, welcoming and fascinating to visit. As it is canada’s most populous city, Toronto is generally considered to be at the very heart of the country’s business and finance sectors, as well as an important center for culture and the arts. It is also well-known as one of the most pleasant cities to live in anywhere in the world, according to numerous polls and surveys. If you are looking for an interesting destination with a friendly atmosphere, then our course in Toronto might be for you. With a population drawn from countries all over the world, modern day Toronto has become one of the most diverse cities in North America. It is said that up to half of its current residents...  [Read more]