Teacher Goals

Motivation is the psychological feature that arouses an individual to action toward a desired goal. Motivation can also be the reason for an individual's action or that which gives purpose and direction to behaviour. In other words, motivation is an incentive that generates goal-directed behaviour.Being able to achieve something that you may have thought impossible and making it a reality. If you are learning a new language because your parents want you to might be difficult for you to motivate yourself however if there is a reward at the end of it you may still try hard to succeed. Therefore motivation can come in different forms and when in a classroom students will be motivated by different things. Finding what motivates each individual can make teaching easier, rewarding,...  [Read more]

I suspect that most of us know that having a plan when we walk into a classroom is better than not having a plan. However, we may need to be reminded just how much having a plan can contribute to the quality of the class experience for the students, as well as the learning goals we have set for ourselves.In fact, the lesson plan acts as a framework for the time spent together. It helps us be clear about what we hope to accomplish with this particular class, or a series of classes, and outline how we are going to achieve that learning goal, step by step.Sometimes the plan will get tossed out the window, (figuratively speaking), when an urgent reason to deviate from the plan arises during class. Special situations may make it inappropriate to insist on sticking to a plan, and it...  [Read more]

We both strongly believe that motivating EFL students is one of the most important ingredients to successfully teaching English to foreign language students. The Encyclopaedia Britannica defines motivation as factors within a human being or other animal which arouse & direct goal orientated behaviour. Our research article is presented from an EFL teacher's standpoint. We believe all humans have the same ability to achieve success, but the one big difference that affects the degree of success is an individuals belief in themselves. This is the first key to motivation. The subconscious mind is one of the most powerful instruments in the universe. It can not tell the difference between fact & fiction. It will believe anything you or anyone else tells it. Your brain is...  [Read more]

Although, at the beginning of an English course, students can be very excited and enthusiastic when first confronted with their teacher, the person who will introduce them to a new, fascinating, foreign language, as time goes by the sense of novelty and curiosity that seemed so strong at the beginning, seem to gradually subside in the eyes of the pupils, especially those of young age, leaving the teacher with the sometimes difficult task of re-building their general interest in learning and not least, their level of motivation, which in nearly all warps of life, is the key to success. Motivation, in the field of learning, is a quality that can be more practically viewed by splitting it into three values: ?XPure love of and interest in learning. The more fun and...  [Read more]

As I have progressed up the ladder of education, I have found that the teachers I have experienced focused on presenting the class material exacting as it was stated in the book. I had no motivation to go to class since I could read the chapters in the book at any point. Since the tests were merely a regurgitation of in-class material, I had no interest in paying attention to lectures. Nevertheless, teachers weren?t teaching me how to think, rather what to think. I only learned the material in how it applied to the exam; there was no real connection of how it would apply to the real wold. Somehow, I seemed to forget the mediocre teachers, but always remember the great ones. A great teacher?s inspiration changes you. You carry the confidence they instilled for a...  [Read more]

Phonetics and its Uses in Foreign Language InstructionPhonetics is the study of the physical aspects of speech. It is broken down into three categories: articulatory phonetics deals with the way in which speech sounds are produced, concerning itself with the actual organs involved in speech (vocal tract, tongue, lips, etc.); acoustic phonetics studies the physical properties of speech sounds, such as the properties of sound waves and the acoustics of speech; and auditory phonetics analyses the way in which humans perceive sounds, and involves the anatomy and physiology of the human ear and brain (Nicole Dehe, 'Phonology and Phonetics,' 1-2). Phonetics looks only at sounds themselves, rather their meanings or the context in which they are used, while the study of sound systems...  [Read more]

The best teachers I remember in my life were respected by their students, and seen as mentors and role models. I hope to be such a teacher. My class is a place of mutual discourse, where students feel comfortable speaking their minds, a place where discussion and cooperation are encouraged. I believe learning is a social-cognitive interactive process.My classroom is not a classroom of rules. Students assume the responsibilities for many of the tasks that need to be done. These responsibilities are rotated among all students on a regular basis. Discipline in the classroom hopefully follows from the students' interest in the subject matter, and a sincere desire to learn.Learning in my classroom is collaborative. While I do see a role for the traditional lecture, where I impart my...  [Read more]

Phonetics and its Uses in Foreign Language Instruction Phonetics is the study of the physical aspects of speech. It is broken down into three categories: articulatory phonetics deals with the way in which speech sounds are produced, concerning itself with the actual organs involved in speech (vocal tract, tongue, lips, etc.); acoustic phonetics studies the physical properties of speech sounds, such as the properties of sound waves and the acoustics of speech; and auditory phonetics analyses the way in which humans perceive sounds, and involves the anatomy and physiology of the human ear and brain (Nicole Dehe, ?Phonology and Phonetics,? 1-2). Phonetics looks only at sounds themselves, rather their meanings or the context in which they are used, while the study of...  [Read more]

Although, at the beginning of an English course, students can be very excited and enthusiastic when first confronted with their teacher, the person who will introduce them to a new, fascinating, foreign language, as time goes by the sense of novelty and curiosity that seemed so strong at the beginning, seem to gradually subside in the eyes of the pupils, especially those of young age, leaving the teacher with the sometimes difficult task of re-building their general interest in learning and not least, their level of motivation, which in nearly all warps of life, is the key to success. Motivation, in the field of learning, is a quality that can be more practically viewed by splitting it into three values: „XPure love of and interest in learning.The more fun and exciting the...  [Read more]

Writing may be the most difficult and the most neglected of the four cardinal language skills.1 Speaking gets the most attention followed at some distance by listening, and reading. Writing, in comparison, is often ignored all together. The website www.englishclub.com calls it the 4th language skill.2 There are reasons for this. The simple fact is that most people, teachers included, never really learned how to do it and therefore are unable to pass it on. Another reason is that it is lonely, tedious work. (No teacher ever had to carry home a bag full of speaking assignments and labour into the wee hours marking them for return in the next day.) Still there are those of who continue to make the effort. What follows are a few suggestions on how to ease the burden.Adjust your...  [Read more]

Motivation is needed in any walk of life if people are to succeed. If we are not stimulated to tackle a challenge then we will not attempt it, and so motivation has to be an important consideration when teaching any students, not just those learning English.Studies on motivation in the classroom such talk about two kinds of motivation; intrinsic which comes from within the student and is about his or her personal goals, and extrinsic motivation which concerns external motivational factors such as exams, rewards, peer pressure etc.Adults in a learning situation may be more intrinsically motivated as they have made a conscious decision to learn, whereas younger learners may be less so as they have no choice. Elizabeth Holmes (www.teachernet.co.uk Motivation in the Classroom 2003))...  [Read more]

Games are an integral part of the learning process. So what is the definition of 'games'' Games are rule-based, and have variable, quantifiable outcomes. Different potential outcomes of a game are assigned different values, some positive and some negative. The player is emotionally attached to the outcome of the game in the sense that the player will be a winner and 'happy' in case of positive outcome, but a loser and 'unhappy' in case of the negative outcome. 'Play' is a free form activity that is often not rule based . Often there are some rules and fixed goals, and time frame, but mostly marked by fluidity of rules and goals.So games are distinguished from play by:- Play is a free ' form activity - Games are rule based, the rules structure the activity and make it...  [Read more]

There is no simple answer to this question as the reasons for teaching English are different for different people. For some it is the chance to help people who need English to improve their job status and to provide for their families. For others it is the adventure of heading overseas that is the real draw. With a TEFL qualification you can realistically look for work in almost any country you can think of. Another major benefit of teaching English that is often overlooked is that it provides a huge boost to the confidence and future careers of thousands of people who see it as a major step on their work and study journey. Whatever your own reasons for wanting to teach English, you will get to travel, help other people, and gain valuable work and life experience, all while exploring your...  [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]

Motivation is necessary to keep students happy and interested amidst a language learning situation that progressively challenges them. If there are no motivating factors present, learning becomes plain hard work. Behavioral problems in the classroom often, or always, seem to be linked to the lack of motivation (Lile). Intelligent students are often out-performed by less bright students with high motivation (ibid). According to Steers and Porter (cited in Suslu, 2006), motivation can be characterized as: needs or expectations, behavior, goals, and some form of feedback. Basic motivational conditions need to be present before motivational strategies can be successfully applied to students to effect positive goal-related behavior (D?rnyei, 2001:31-49). ?Appropriate...  [Read more]

The primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning. Information gathered through assessment helps teachers to determine students? strengths and needs in their achievement of the curriculum expectations in each course. This information also serves to guide teachers in adapting curriculum and instructional approaches to students? needs and in assessing the overall effectiveness of programs and classroom practices. In order to ensure this primary purpose, assessment and evaluation must: be communicated clearly to students (and/or parents if applicable) at the beginning of the course and at other appropriate points throughout the course; address both what students learn and how well they learn; ...  [Read more]

Motivation is a paramount factor in determining the success or failure of learning. Very often, students drag themselves to school and find it a chore to study, worse still take on a second language ?C English. As a non native speaker myself, switching from characters into roman letters was an uphill battle. However, ?? want to dispel the myth that learning English is easy and fun for non-native speakers and the secret to it is pure motivation. According to the dictionary, motivation is defined as a reason or cause of action. It can be categorized into extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Extrinsic factors such as rewards and punishment are the common methods in motivating students. If a student does well, the individual is rewarded positively with gifts, money 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. From this first unit I learnt that one of my main roles as a teacher will be to provide my students with activities that are interesting and engaging. I must also be aware of their cultural background to estabilish a good level of respect and collaboration between the group, and, by caring more about the students than my own goals as a teacher, I will be able to understand their reasons for specific behaviors...  [Read more]

One of the most important ideas that teachers need to embrace is how to use large class groups as an advantage, rather than viewing them as a challenge. A teacher normally does not have any choice regarding the actual class size, although private tutoring would be the exception. In teaching classes of 40 or more, students could effectively learn together more easily by providing a humorous and cohesive class structure. Students who are comfortable and happy in their surroundings tend to be eager, excited and more interested in the learning process, which is the ultimate goal. Many discussion topics are relevant to the teaching of large classes, various types of seating arrangements being one of them. Each has a specific advantage depending on the class and the subject ...  [Read more]

In the following document I hope to demonstrate some the advantages of using games within a classroom environment for game based language learning.With a typical course book based lesson environment the student is subjected to a series of repetitious pronunciation drills, teacher centric black board or paper based exercises, and somewhat limited interactions between themselves and the teacher. All of this can add up to one extremely boring lesson, hardly an ideal environment to foster motivation or learning. No matter how charismatic the teacher may be, even the most motivated student will find it difficult to remain so in a situation such as this. So why do we use games in the classroom environment' What do games offer that make them so attractive to both the student and the ...  [Read more]

In the classroom, as in most areas of life, motivation is essential for a person to succeed. It is important for a teacher to have some understanding of what motivation is and how it will affect each and every student and their learning progress. As Alan Rogers writes, ?motivation? is as much a matter of concern for the teacher as it is for the learner; it depends as much on the attitudes of the teacher as on the attitudes of the students? (Rogers 1996: 66) In an attempt to define motivation H. Douglas Brown points out, a cognitive view of motivation includes factors such as the need for exploration, activity, stimulation, new knowledge, and ego enhancement (Brown 2000: 160-166). In layman?s terms there is or has been created a desire to achieve something. Inspired is...  [Read more]

In the following document I hope to demonstrate some the advantages of using games within a classroom environment for game based language learning. With a typical course book based lesson environment the student is subjected to a series of repetitious pronunciation drills, teacher centric black board or paper based exercises, and somewhat limited interactions between themselves and the teacher. All of this can add up to one extremely boring lesson, hardly an ideal environment to foster motivation or learning. No matter how charismatic the teacher may be, even the most motivated student will find it difficult to remain so in a situation such as this. So why do we use games in the classroom environment? What do games offer that make them so attractive to both the...  [Read more]

A career in TEFL is one that many people could find attractive for different reasons ? a passion for teaching, a passion for English, a desire to live abroad, or even a desire to meet people around the world. It is a career that offers many opportunities. However, what many big-dreamers who desire a career in TEFL may not realize is that there can be a lot of obstacles in such a career, especially to a native English speaker teaching abroad. This article looks at obstacles in three specific areas, professional, teaching, and personal obstacles, which TEFL Teachers teaching abroad are likely to encounter. A career in TEFL is not considered a ?real? career by some, according to an article in TESOL Quarterly by Bill Johnston. Johnston supported this claim based on a...  [Read more]

A career in TEFL is one that many people could find attractive for different reasons – a passion for teaching, a passion for English, a desire to live abroad, or even a desire to meet people around the world. It is a career that offers many opportunities. However, what many big-dreamers who desire a career in TEFL may not realize is that there can be a lot of obstacles in such a career, especially to a native English speaker teaching abroad. This article looks at obstacles in three specific areas, professional, teaching, and personal obstacles, which TEFL teachers teaching abroad are likely to encounter.A career in TEFL is not considered a “real” career by some, according to an article in TESOL Quarterly by Bill Johnston. Johnston supported this claim...  [Read more]

The following paper is a variation on the ?What I wish I had known before the course? topic. I have decided to focus on what I can do with what I have learned. I am not certain I will enter into the field of English instruction. In my traditional business courses, and if I enter into English instruction I plan to focus on the following three areas. ?Advocate for the use of high quality, Standard English ?Use grammar instruction carefully ?Encourage writing proficiency in all subjects/courses When teaching English?Quality Counts Advocating for Standard English The launch speech of Professor Koh Tai Ann, Chairman of the Speak Good English Movement of Singapore is a wonderfully crafted document that spells out the economic and social advantages of English mastery. The...  [Read more]

The following paper is a variation on the “What I wish I had known before the course” topic. I have decided to focus on what I can do with what I have learned. I am not certain I will enter into the field of English instruction. In my traditional business courses, and if I enter into English instruction I plan to focus on the following three areas.•Advocate for the use of high quality, Standard English•Use grammar instruction carefully•Encourage writing proficiency in all subjects/courses When teaching English—Quality CountsAdvocating for Standard English The launch speech of Professor Koh Tai Ann, Chairman of the Speak Good English Movement of Singapore is a wonderfully crafted document that spells out the economic and social advantages of...  [Read more]

The idea of classroom management is something that every future teacher must plan and contemplate thoroughly before starting his/her teaching career. While each teacher will approach classroom management in their own way, there are some major areas that must be covered. First, a teacher must make the students understand the expectations and consequences concerning the class. In order to ensure that classroom learning is conducive to both the physical and emotional growth of the student, rules that explain what behavior is expected need to be reviewed. After rules and procedures are established, it is important that the teacher admires good performance and provides negative consequences for unacceptable behavior. Simple physical signs like a “thumbs up” or a...  [Read more]

Confidence is very important for a teacher to have. How can students feel confident if their teaching is not' Confidence can be hard to come by especially if you are a new teacher. It begins with you and there are some things you can do to build up your confidence. Before you even enter the classroom imagine how you would like your class to run and set the appropriate goals to achieve that aim. Be sure that your goals are attainable and can be reached by you and your students without unnecessary pressure. 'Start slowly and simply. Establish a daily routine your students can handle.'*Prepare thoroughly for the class. This will take time and effort. To make the class interesting for your students you will probably add things to the lesson or have activities. For these to be...  [Read more]

What are the challenges and rewards for teaching beginner students' The most difficult challenge is the keep them focused. Each student has different reasons, motivation, and goals when they start to take language lessons. It is very important for the teacher to learn and evaluate the students, so that, they will be placed in the right level of classes and attention that they require to stay focused to what they are learning.Young students come to class because of their friend or parents' choice. Also, their attention does not last for a long period of time. Hence, the teacher must make the lessons fun and interesting to make it effective. Adult students come to the class because they want to; possibly they may want to visit different countries, able to speak the language for...  [Read more]

In a traditional English language classroom the student’s curriculum focuses on grammar, reading, vocabulary and rigid repetitive drills. The majority of students I have spoken with find this method to be very dull and boring. If students are not interested in the subject being taught they will lack attention and motivation to learn the language. Language is used primarily to communicate with other people. What is the best method to learn a language' Throughout history people have played games to socialize and interact with each other. Therefore it seems reasonable to assume that playing games in a language classroom can only be beneficial.What does a game consist of' I think that games involve play, competition, rules, and enjoyment. The Merriam – Webster online ...  [Read more]