What Does Bics Stand For

TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language. In other words, it is a teaching qualification for teaching English to anyone whose first language isn’t English. TEFL certificates are academic qualifications that are provided upon successful completion of a TEFL course. TEFL certificates can be used anywhere in the world, although the TEFL acronym is most commonly used when referring to teachers in the UK and Europe. Almost all schools expect their ESL teachers to be fluent in the English language, with sound communication skills and an ESL teaching qualification (TEFL/tesol/CELTA). CELTA shares some similarities with TEFL and tesol courses. It is overseen by the Cambridge university and is predominantly a qualification for teaching English to adult learners. TEFL and TESOL...  [Read more]

These acronyms are used when referring to training courses that English language teachers undertake, as well as the certification they receive upon completion. TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language and tesol stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. As these terms are essentially the same, they are often used interchangeably, however, TEFL is most commonly used within the UK and tesol is usually preferred in the USA. Although some countries may favor one acronym over the other, it is important to remember that a TEFL certification and a tesol certification are exactly the same thing as the training involved is identical. Although TEFL and tesol training courses are identical and the acronyms are generally used interchangeably, there is a technical...  [Read more]

Anyone who has ever had to stand up in front of a group of people to give a speech knows it can be a daunting task. When we are nervous, our bodies conspire against us, leaving us with such physical symptoms as sweating and shaking, not to mention amnesia and a general feeling of dread. However, there are some tips you can follow to make public-speaking easier and to have it feel like second nature.First, we'll look at ways to build self-confidence outside of the classroom. Then, we'll look at methods teachers of English as a second language (ESL) can use to build their confidence while teaching. One of the easiest ways to overcome shyness is to feel good about yourself by repeating a personal mantra such as 'I feel terrific' into the mirror as you wake each day. (John...  [Read more]

What is E.S.A' E.S.A stands for engage, study, activate. E.S.A is a teaching method developed by Jeremy Harmer.The engage phase is used for getting the students to think and talk in English and is also a good way to ease into a lesson. Introductions of the teacher and each student one by one around the classroom gets everyone involved and inspires confidence for students as well as the teacher. Some of the engage activities are: introductions around the classroom, games such as a-z animals, countries, things, places etc. Discussions such as what do you like/dislike, music, stories or pictures. Trying to draw the language out of the students keeps them well engaged and focused taking them into the study phase.The study phase is generally the bulk of the lesson focusing on the ...  [Read more]

Anyone who is involved in English language teaching (ELT) is well aware of the industry’s love of acronyms. If you have researched training courses you will undoubtedly have come across several such as TEFL, tesol, ESOL, EFL, ESL, ELT, and many more. Here we will look at EFL and the first thing to clear up is that EFL stands for English as a Foreign Language. It is often used interchangeably with some of the other acronyms mentioned when referring to the teaching or studying of the English language by non-native English speakers. Although these two acronyms are regularly used interchangeably within the teaching world, there are technical differences between the two. English as a Foreign Language (EFL) refers to situations where a student is learning English in a country (normally their...  [Read more]

Acronyms are an essential tool used in all professions and technical writing. They are powerful tools to reduce word content. However without knowing what the acronym stands for, they can form a barrier to understanding. In the ESL (English as a Second Language) teaching world there is certainly no shortage of acronyms. Here we look at a few and one in particular, TEFL. Some useful teaching acronyms are: ELT: English Language Teaching. This is a general term for teaching English and applies to the teaching of English to both native and non-native English speakers. ELL: English Language Learner. This is a general term for anyone learning English and applies to learners of English who are native or non-native English speakers. ESL: English as a Second Language: This relates to the...  [Read more]

If you are bored with the everyday grind and want a new life that is full of travel and adventure, TEFL could be the perfect option for you. First you need to choose the right TEFL course to suit your situation and then work your way through the training. Once you have completed the course and you have your TEFL certificate in hand you will be ready to head overseas to start work as an English language teacher in the country of your choice. These acronyms are used when referring to training courses that English language teachers undertake, as well as the certification they receive upon completion. TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language and TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. As these terms are essentially the same, they are often used...  [Read more]

'Practice makes perfect' is a proverb that most of us will know but which I find incomplete. Take for example a father that wants to teach one of his children to ride a bicycle. If he decides to take one day a year to practice, the kid will probably never learn. What about twice a year or once every month' How fast will the child learn to keep equilibrium, steer the handle and brake when needed if the father decides to take one hour every day for the coming month' Only by repeating the same exercise over and over again will the child become accustomed to the skills needed to ride a bicycle. Who knows, in the future he might even use the phrase, 'it's like riding a bicycle, you never forget'.The same theory applies to learning a language, and I believe that the lesson planning...  [Read more]

Anyone who has ever had to stand up in front of a group of people to give a speech knows it can be a daunting task. When we are nervous, our bodies conspire against us, leaving us with such physical symptoms as sweating and shaking, not to mention amnesia and a general feeling of dread. However, there are some tips you can follow to make public-speaking easier and to have it feel like second nature. First, we?ll look at ways to build self-confidence outside of the classroom. Then, we?ll look at methods teachers of English as a second language (ESL) can use to build their confidence while teaching. One of the easiest ways to overcome shyness is to feel good about yourself by repeating a personal mantra such as ?I feel terrific? into the mirror as you wake each day....  [Read more]

The usual form taken in a classroom to teach a foreign language involves mostly vocabulary and a progressive curriculum that warrants more memorization and translation than use and understanding. My foreign language experiences that where design as such proved to be painstakingly dull and had very little permanence in my body of knowledge. However, not to discredit the need for vocabulary and grammatical points in order to learn a language, to learn while using a language has proven to be a more effective and efficient way to functionally learn a foreign language. The Augustine Club at Columbia University suggests, ?learning a foreign language is not a matter of reading some grammar rules and memorizing vocabulary words?acquiring a language is learning a skill, not a...  [Read more]

The usual form taken in a classroom to teach a foreign language involves mostly vocabulary and a progressive curriculum that warrants more memorization and translation than use and understanding. My foreign language experiences that where design as such proved to be painstakingly dull and had very little permanence in my body of knowledge. However, not to discredit the need for vocabulary and grammatical points in order to learn a language, to learn while using a language has proven to be a more effective and efficient way to functionally learn a foreign language. The Augustine Club at Columbia University suggests, 'learning a foreign language is not a matter of reading some grammar rules and memorizing vocabulary words'acquiring a language is learning a skill, not a body of...  [Read more]

Confidence is being able to talk with ease, have a constant flow of positive energy, and not let anything get you down. When someone is confident they have higher levels of self-esteem and this is projected in their outward behavior. There are few things someone can do in order to boost their confidence level. Here are few:Set goals. It is an important task to do. This is perhaps the most important task of them all. You should ask yourself what you wish to accomplish by being a more confident person. When you ask yourself this question, whatever comes to mind needs to be written down and constantly viewed a minimum of two times a day: Once in the morning and the second at night. This alone will enhance your confidence and bring your dreams to reality. Increase your voice level...  [Read more]

With the help of the information we have provided below, you can start teaching English as a foreign language online even if you don’t have a degree. We have looked at why some employers might insist on a degree, how to increase your chances of getting hired, and where to hunt for jobs. Normally, employers require a degree in order to obtain a work visa when hiring someone to teach English abroad. Visas are not a problem, though, when it comes to teaching online - so why do they still want teachers with degrees? One reason can be found in recent reforms made in the largest TEFL market: China. China is the largest TEFL market in the world, and this is also true for the online TEFL sector, where many of the major online teaching platforms are based. Online teaching platforms operating in...  [Read more]

'I never made a mistake in grammar but one in my life and as soon as I done it I seen it.' Carl Sandburg (Cited at Online English Grammar).Is it possible that someone can speak, write, and think in a foreign language without knowing any of the rules and complexities of that language'Indeed, as a native speaker of English I consider myself to have a good grasp of the language, yet up until recently I did not know anything about grammar, nor did I see any value in learning about it. After all: I am communicating in English right now, I was communicating in English from an early age, and I will be communicating in English for a long time to come, so what would be the point of learning about tenses and things like that' In response to the above, it may be fair to say that if...  [Read more]

The English language first came to America, when it was colonised by the British Empire in the late 16th century. Other parts of the world were also colonised by the British Empire, which by 1921 had dominion over 470 to 570 million people, which equated to about one quarter of the world´s population. In the last 400 years, the diversity between the English spoken in the Britsh Isles and the United States, has continued to grow. This has brought about the two dialects known as British English, and American English.The differences between the two dialects include punctuation, grammer, spelling, pronounciation and the formatting of dates and numbers. There are some words which are used in one version of English, but not in another. There are other words which might have two...  [Read more]

You can certainly get a teaching job with an online TEFL certificate. In fact, you can probably get a teaching job without any kind of qualifications or experience whatsoever. The real question is, can you get a quality teaching job with good pay and comfortable working conditions with an online certificate? The answer is still YES, if you make sure you sign up for the best quality online course you can find. The main problem for online trainees is the obvious lack of any practical teaching experience. If you can afford a month-long in-class training course that includes multiple hours of teaching practice in a real classroom, you will be able to apply for a wider range of jobs in most parts of the world. If you choose the cheaper online option, you will find that you will be more...  [Read more]

I never made a mistake in grammar but one in my life and as soon as I done it I seen it.? Carl Sandburg (Cited at Online English Grammar). Is it possible that someone can speak, write, and think in a foreign language without knowing any of the rules and complexities of that language? Indeed, as a native speaker of English I consider myself to have a good grasp of the language, yet up until recently I did not know anything about grammar, nor did I see any value in learning about it. After all: I am communicating in English right now, I was communicating in English from an early age, and I will be communicating in English for a long time to come, so what would be the point of learning about tenses and things like that? In response to the above, it may be fair to say...  [Read more]

There are a number of methods and approaches for teaching language to non-native speakers. This paper will attempt to compare four popular methodologies: The Grammar-Translation Approach, The Direct Approach, The Audio- lingual Method, and PPP (with ESA as an alternative to PPP). The Grammar-Translation Approach was historically used to teach Greek and Latin. Classes using this approach are taught in the student’s mother tongue, with little active use of the target language. Vocabulary is taught in the form of isolated word lists. Grammar instruction provides the rules for putting words together. Study involves the reading of texts, which are treated as exercises in grammatical analysis; little or no attention is given to pronunciation. 1The Direct Approach was...  [Read more]

As the demand for English language skills continues to grow in many parts of the world, there are always plenty of TEFL opportunities available, both online and in traditional classrooms. However, it is no longer the case that just being a native English speaker is qualification enough to simply walk into the teaching job of your choice. Many countries have cracked down on who they issue work permits to and many individual employers, both online and in-class, have increased expectations on the teachers they choose to employ. Also, due to the popularity of English language teaching, the competition for the top jobs increases every year. The bottom line is that TEFL jobs are plentiful and your chances of finding a suitable position are very good if you are willing to put in the necessary...  [Read more]

The English language first came to America, when it was colonised by the British Empire in the late 16th century. Other parts of the world were also colonised by the British Empire, which by 1921 had dominion over 470 to 570 million people, which equated to about one quarter of the world´s population. In the last 400 years, the diversity between the English spoken in the Britsh Isles and the United States, has continued to grow. This has brought about the two dialects known as British English, and American English. The differences between the two dialects include punctuation, grammer, spelling, pronounciation and the formatting of dates and numbers. There are some words which are used in one version of English, but not in another. There are other...  [Read more]

What qualities and qualifications do employers of ESL teachers look for? First we need to say that there are no hard and fast rules to answer this question. There are a huge range of requirements worldwide, depending on the country, type of school, nature of the job, type of contract and so forth. The information given here is therefore general. There are a number of generally recognized requirements that employers are looking for from their teachers. You may need one, two, three or all of the following to get any particular job. It is unlikely you will find a job without any of these: Many ESL teaching jobs worldwide require the minimum of a TEFL certification from this list. As the nature of the job, or country specific employment requirements increase, so the need for other qualities or...  [Read more]

  In this TEFL review video another group of trainees share their experiences during the TEFL/TESOL four-week in-class course in Corinth, Greece. They talk about the challenging and rewarding aspects of the course. ITTT's in-class course covers grammar, phonology, teaching methodologies, and lesson preparation techniques. You will also be given the opportunity to teach real students. Our course will give you the confidence to stand up in front of a class of students, we will also teach you how to plan lessons and help you to create and select activities and teaching materials that will make your lessons interesting and productive. 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...  [Read more]

There are a number of methods and approaches for teaching language to non-native speakers. This paper will attempt to compare four popular methodologies: The Grammar-Translation Approach, The Direct Approach, The Audio- lingual Method, and PPP (with ESA as an alternative to PPP). The Grammar-Translation Approach was historically used to teach Greek and Latin. Classes using this approach are taught in the student?s mother tongue, with little active use of the target language. Vocabulary is taught in the form of isolated word lists. Grammar instruction provides the rules for putting words together. Study involves the reading of texts, which are treated as exercises in grammatical analysis; little or no attention is given to pronunciation. 1 The Direct Approach was...  [Read more]

There are many different schools of thought concerning seating arrangements in TEFL classrooms. For the most part, these different ways of arranging students depend on various factors. What works for one teacher in a classroom in Korea may not work for another teacher in a classroom in Thailand. One of the largest factors contributing to the different seating plans is the style of teaching that best suits the instructor in question. Obviously, by definition, a Suggestopaedia lesson will be different from a lesson based on using multiple intelligences. Another large factor to consider is the culture of the country in question. One aspect of culture that changes from group to group is that of personal proximity. One must take this into account before laying ...  [Read more]

If you have done some research and made the decision to teach English abroad or online, you will probably have been confronted with a mound of perplexing letters: TEFL, tesol, and CELTA – what do they all mean, and which is better? Don't worry. We are here to help you understand the differences and lead you into a world of education and international travel. First, let's get the abbreviations out of the way. TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language, tesol stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, and CELTA is an acronym for Certificate in English Teaching to Speakers of Other Languages (until recently, it stood for Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults). To put it another way, TEFL and tesol are generic terms for the field of teaching English...  [Read more]

What is E.S.A? E.S.A stands for engage, study, activate. E.S.A is a teaching method developed by Jeremy Harmer. The engage phase is used for getting the students to think and talk in English and is also a good way to ease into a lesson. Introductions of the teacher and each student one by one around the classroom gets everyone involved and inspires confidence for students as well as the teacher. Some of the engage activities are: introductions around the classroom, games such as a-z animals, countries, things, places etc. Discussions such as what do you like/dislike, music, stories or pictures. Trying to draw the language out of the students keeps them well engaged and focused taking them into the study phase. The study phase is generally the bulk of the lesson...  [Read more]

There are many different schools of thought concerning seating arrangements in TEFL classrooms. For the most part, these different ways of arranging students depend on various factors. What works for one teacher in a classroom in Korea may not work for another teacher in a classroom in Thailand. One of the largest factors contributing to the different seating plans is the style of teaching that best suits the instructor in question. Obviously, by definition, a Suggestopaedia lesson will be different from a lesson based on using multiple intelligences. Another large factor to consider is the culture of the country in question. One aspect of culture that changes from group to group is that of personal proximity. One must take this into account before...  [Read more]

If you have decided to pursue a career in teaching English abroad, it is now time to figure out what the requirements are to get you started! While there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to teaching abroad, the most commonly required qualifications to become a TEFL teacher are: Although it may seem self-evident, fluency in English is a prerequisite for TEFL instructors. If you don't speak English well, we recommend looking for another job. Non-native English speakers with fluency in the language can find work in many areas, including South and Central America, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe. In some regions of the world, though, being a native English speaker is almost a necessity. If English is not your first language, countries like China, Japan, and Saudi Arabia are probably no...  [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 English to Japanese students can be very difficult because of cultural and lingual differences. Japanese students are very different from American and European students. An advantage is their tendency to be more reserved and well behaved. However, they do not like to speak in class because they do not want to appear arrogant (Ikeda). This is a cultural custom and it will take extra encouragement to coax the students to talk. Also, students do not like to make eye contact and will become very embarrassed if they do not know an answer (Ikeda). Teachers must be sensitive to these manners in order to conduct a comfortable class for the students. A gradual progression toward a more English style class will be the most productive approach to classroom differences...  [Read more]