Word Category

  In this episode, we cover the pronunciation of the word ilk. This word describes a person or a thing that is similar to a person or a thing previously referred to. Suitable synonyms for ilk are type, category, sort, and class. 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. According to J.Harmer there are three main areas which teachers need to know about the pronunciation - intonation (as variation in vo;ume and pitch), sounds and stress. As for my opinion...  [Read more]

I became aware of the idea of Multiple intelligences during workshop that I attended in Denmark by Thomas Armstrong. It made me reflect upon the way in which I presented the curriculum to my class. Here I am going to look at ways in which a strongly linguistic skill of learning a new language can be supported by other intelligences in a student who may have strength in other intelligences.According to Howard Gardner there were originally 7 types of intelligences. The first one is linguistic and relates to the ability to learn languages and to use the written word to assist in learning new things. Logical-Mathematical is the ability to think logically and work through complicated mathematical problems. Spatial intelligence enables us to see problems as a whole and remember...  [Read more]

In consideration of whether or not teachers of English as a second language should teach slang or idioms in class, or rather, why English teachers should teach idioms or slang, I did some research on the internet regarding this particular topic. For the most part, I found one David Burke's article on the subject to be most informative (Burke, 1). I have formed my own opinion on the matter, which I will discuss at length later in this essay.First, it is constructive to define exactly what slang words and idioms are, to differentiate between the two as well as to be completely precise in this pursuit. Dictionary.com defines an idiom as 'an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements' (dictionary.com, 1). In contrast, slang is...  [Read more]

  Moving further down our list of the parts of speech, we have our prepositions. Prepositions show a relationship between a noun or a pronoun and the rest of the sentence. We have three main categories: time, place, movement as well as a miscellaneous category that doesn't fit the other three. Here, we can have prepositions of time: before, during, in, at or on. If I said, "I work at eight o'clock," I'm sharing a relationship between the time "eight o'clock" to the rest of the sentence. We have our prepositions of place: in, at, on, under, in between. If I said, "The book is under the table," I'm showing a relationship between the table and the rest of the sentence. Then, we have our prepositions of movement. These show movement: towards, from, to or through. I could say, "He...  [Read more]

Since we expect, D.v., to be in Bangkok, Thailand, from this January to May to teach English it seems quite appropriate to explore some of the challenges that we may encounter.During our previous year in Chiang Mai our Thai landlady came monthly to collect our rent money and always stayed to visit for an hour or so to practice her English. She consistently expressed frustration saying that ‘my English has gone back to my teacher.’ This probably rather common problem seems to stem from the Thai educational system’s approach to teaching English in the classroom. Typically English is taught from the earliest grade in school along with Thai, classes are often quite large, 30-40 students or so, and the style of instruction is by rote. It is hard to imagine that...  [Read more]

ESL students whose first language is Italian certainly have many advantages over some students who speak languages less closely related to English. The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) of the US Department of State, which recently categorized languages into how closely they were related to English and how long it would take speakers of those languages to reach a certain level of proficiency in English, placed Italian in the category of languages most closely related to English. Indeed, Italian speakers have the advantage of familiarity with the Roman alphabet, and the two languages share many similar grammatical structures and even similar-sounding vocabulary items. At the same time, Italian students of English still encounter many difficulties relating to the...  [Read more]

Since we expect, D.v., to be in Bangkok, Thailand, from this January to May to teach English it seems quite appropriate to explore some of the challenges that we may encounter. During our previous year in Chiang Mai our Thai landlady came monthly to collect our rent money and always stayed to visit for an hour or so to practice her English. She consistently expressed frustration saying that ?my English has gone back to my teacher.? This probably rather common problem seems to stem from the Thai educational system?s approach to teaching English in the classroom. Typically English is taught from the earliest grade in school along with Thai, classes are often quite large, 30-40 students or so, and the style of instruction is by rote. It is hard to imagine that the ...  [Read more]

Although some ESL teachers find the thought of teaching beginners a bit frightening, they can be a very rewarding group to work with. With beginners it is very easy to see improvement. As a teacher, being able to see your work pay off so quickly can be very encouraging.Of course not all beginners are the same. Beginners are usually split into two categories: complete beginners and false beginners.Complete beginners are students who have had no exposure to English. Because they have often had very little formal education, they can be much more challenging to teach than false beginners.Kenneth Beare, author of English as 2nd Language, defines false beginners as, 'Beginners that have already studied some English at some point in their life.' Most experts on the subject have a...  [Read more]

Throughout the world a significant percentage of ESL teaching positions are filled locally via face-to-face interviews. However, there are many countries where recruitment is typically undertaken in advance from within the teacher's home country. This method of securing a position is particularly convenient for newly qualified teachers and those with little or no experience of international travel. The application process is usually conducted via email, while interviews take place via Skype or phone. Securing a job in advance usually means you will receive assistance with obtaining the necessary visas and work permits. Employers may also provide financial assistance with airfares, health insurance and accommodation on arrival. One drawback is the time needed to complete the recruitment...  [Read more]

How much money you can earn teaching English online depends on a variety of factors, including your qualifications, prior experience, and the platform you work for. Online English teachers are paid on an hourly basis, typically ranging between $15 and $30. If you decide to work through an online platform, as most online teachers do, a fee for connecting you with students and providing materials is also deducted in the form of a commission. There are different ways to earn a living as an online English teacher. Some teachers work for an online ESL company, some offer their lessons on an open marketplace, and others even start their own online ESL business. Depending on your qualifications and the type of platform, online English teachers can typically earn between $10 and $40 US per hour....  [Read more]

Living in this global age where technology is always at our fingertips and our economies between different countries are becoming tightly knitted together to have prompted many people to learn and improve their diction and the communication skills in the area of business for work and personal reason. Because of this great opportunity, teachers can have a great opportunity in teaching Business English as a foreign language. Among some of the benefits of learning to teach Business English is we will learn to improve our business communication skills for our personal reasons. We will become more fluent in marketing and selling ourselves to our clients and our clients will feel more confident in hiring us because we will provide them with interesting and stimulating classes that are...  [Read more]

Yes, most countries require foreign visitors to possess some form of visa in order to enter for tourism, business, education, or employment purposes. The requirements vary greatly from one country to the next, so we recommend that you contact the relevant embassy or visit their website to ensure you have the most up-to-date information. Here we break down the most common forms of visa that you are likely to come across. These are generally issued to short term visitors who do not plan to work or study during their stay. There are several categories of tourist visa depending on the destination and your own country of origin. The most common is the 'upon entry' tourist visa that is issued in the form of a passport stamp on arrival at the immigration desk. For example, US citizens heading...  [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]

Multiple intelligences is a fascinating topic that really caught our attention for writing our final article. This topic broadens minds and gives strategies and resources not only to psychologists but also to teachers who are willing to do whatever it takes to help students give their very best and learn at their own pace and through their individual abilities or skills. There are students who like music, others who like numbers, and others who like sports. The different likes are non other than the special characteristics each human being was born with and traits of the different kinds of intelligences.When you study the work of people such as Howard Gardner or Elaine de Beauport, you start to understand why some students react to certain teaching modes and some to others....  [Read more]

In order to allow potential trainees to compare different courses, many countries, organizations and TEFL course providers have developed their own course-level framework. At ITTT our framework currently runs from level 3 to level 7, covering our full selection of TEFL certification courses. On this scale it is generally agreed that a level 4 course is the minimum level expected by employers who are trying to fill vacancies for mainstream entry-level EFL teaching jobs. However, many trainees choose to start their teaching career with a higher level of training. A level 5 TEFL course will give you a genuine headstart on most other first-time teachers and allow you to apply for a wider range of jobs. A level 5 TEFL course on the ITTT scale is the equivalent of a standard CELTA certification...  [Read more]

These days, nearly every economic, political and social development is defined by its association with the broad-based phenomenon commonly identified as globalization. Understandably, economic integration favors standardization, and historical circumstance has led to the adoption of English as the primary language of international commerce. Consequently, the differences between British and American English should be of interest, if only for the historic role that these two nations have played in the unprecedented proliferation of a single language. Due to the limitations of this essay, three distinct elements of language will be discussed: vocabulary; grammar; and pronunciation.Perhaps the most understandable distinctions between British and American English are the...  [Read more]

Job interviews are notorious for causing anxiety, but if you know what to expect and you prepare accordingly you should find they are not as bad as you are expecting. The essential nature of any interview is to show that you are confident in your teaching ability, keen to get started, and able to fit into the existing workforce. By doing some research and planning in advance, you should be able to demonstrate all of this and land the job on the spot. The worldwide market for teaching English abroad covers dozens of countries and many types of employer. In some situations it is normal to complete the recruitment process before leaving home, including an interview conducted via Skype or phone. However, in many of the most popular destinations employers prefer to recruit their teachers...  [Read more]

Teaching beginners is one of the most interesting and ongoing training as a teacher will keep on discovering other techniques in order to capture the understanding of the beginner, rather to make the beginner understand. The term 'beginner' may not mean all the students are in one category, they are categorized as follows:The absolute beginner- these are students who don't know English at all. (htt://esl.about.com) there are a number of things to keep in mind when teaching someone who has had no prior (or very little) contact with the language, you need to carefully choose what you present, for instance, types of needs that needs to go into planning a lesson: If I begin the lesson with, Hi my name is--------.What's your name' I am presenting three (!) concepts at once*The verb...  [Read more]

The majority of people who complete a TEFL certification course will head overseas to live and work in schools and language centers across the world. However, the job hunting process and securing work permits etc can require a range of different documents that varies from one job to the next. To ensure the whole process runs smoothly, you should make sure you have everything you might need as far in advance as possible. 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 further travel once your initial contract is complete. In many cases you...  [Read more]

Teaching beginners is one of the most interesting and ongoing training as a teacher will keep on discovering other techniques in order to capture the understanding of the beginner, rather to make the beginner understand. The term ?beginner? may not mean all the students are in one category, they are categorized as follows: The absolute beginner- these are students who don?t know English at all. (htt://esl.about.com) there are a number of things to keep in mind when teaching someone who has had no prior (or very little) contact with the language, you need to carefully choose what you present, for instance, types of needs that needs to go into planning a lesson: If I begin the lesson with, Hi my name is--------.What?s your name? I am presenting three (!) concepts at once...  [Read more]

English teachers are encouraged to use diverse materials and approaches to reach students across the range of learning styles. Information and communication technologies ' computers and the internet ' provide access to an array of engaging and enriching materials, which any teacher might long for. If only we could feel confident that in starting down this road we won't just be heading for frustration or disaster. Using a computer has been likened to driving a car (Davies, 2006). It takes a while to learn, and it can be really bad when big things go wrong. But in return it offers us unparalleled capabilities.Digital resources allow students to practice at their own pace, and the variety means that specific needs or learning styles can be accomodated. Through software packages or...  [Read more]

Inspiring a high level of motivation among students of all ages and maintaining it, is an ongoing challenge for even the most experienced and skilled teachers. One thing is certain, the motivation of a student has no connection to the matter being taught, but can instead always be reliably linked to the reasons why the student is learning the matter and how (Barrakeet, 2005, p 73- 74).Knowledge of human learning, and the factors influencing human learning, has increased dramatically over the past 100 years. From early thoughts by Psychiatrists Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung between 1900 and 1920, arguing that we are born with a wealth of knowledge through a connection to a collective unconscious (Jung,1962), and that our motivation is based entirely around instincts (Freud,...  [Read more]

Inspiring a high level of motivation among students of all ages and maintaining it, is an ongoing challenge for even the most experienced and skilled teachers. One thing is certain, the motivation of a student has no connection to the matter being taught, but can instead always be reliably linked to the reasons why the student is learning the matter and how (Barrakeet, 2005, p 73- 74). Knowledge of human learning, and the factors influencing human learning, has increased dramatically over the past 100 years. From early thoughts by Psychiatrists Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung between 1900 and 1920, arguing that we are born with a wealth of knowledge through a connection to a collective unconscious (Jung,1962), and that our motivation is based entirely around ...  [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]

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;be based both on the categories of...  [Read more]

How important is the student in the process of designing a lesson plan' Once a lesson plan is composed, should the teacher stick rigidly to every step detailed, ploughing through even if students fall behind, miss the point and inevitably lose interest -and faith 'V in what the teacher has to say'Personally, the author believes that the lesson is not the focus of the classroom, rather the student is. If a learning point takes longer than anticipated, then a teacher should hope to be attentive to the needs of the class, adapting the lesson or activities to address difficulties in understanding or to extend the practice of a particularly problematic area. However, it is important to realise that it may not be the topic or focus point that is causing confusion in a lesson. It may...  [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]

How important is the student in the process of designing a lesson plan? Once a lesson plan is composed, should the teacher stick rigidly to every step detailed, ploughing through even if students fall behind, miss the point and inevitably lose interest -and faith ?V in what the teacher has to say? Personally, the author believes that the lesson is not the focus of the classroom, rather the student is. If a learning point takes longer than anticipated, then a teacher should hope to be attentive to the needs of the class, adapting the lesson or activities to address difficulties in understanding or to extend the practice of a particularly problematic area. However, it is important to realise that it may not be the topic or focus point that is causing confusion in a...  [Read more]

If you are looking for a region that has a huge job market for TEFL qualified teachers and you want to earn a good salary that allows you to save a considerable sum of money, look no further than East Asia. Jobs are abundant and the potential earnings are very high in countries such as Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and China. As with any destination, the salaries on offer vary considerably depending on experience, qualifications, location, and type of employment. As a guide you should expect to earn somewhere between 200,000 and 600,000 yen (currently $2,000 to $6,000) per month. If the job pays by the hour then a figure of around 2,500 yen ($25) per hour would be typical. In addition to a basic salary, most positions will also include added benefits, such as paid airfares, housing,...  [Read more]