Abigail Jacobs

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Fuzhai Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Xianyang Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. Once I saw a satirical cartoon. Different animals such as a monkey, a fish, a giraffe, a snail, and a tiger were sitting in desks. In front of all the animals, was a godlike man pointing a tree. He then said, “The first one to climb that tree gets an A”. I laughed the first time I saw it. Then, I was saddened. My initial response was somewhat of a bittersweet...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Once I saw a satirical cartoon. Different animals such as a monkey, a fish, a giraffe, a snail, and a tiger were sitting in desks. In front of all the animals, was a godlike man pointing a tree. He then said, “The first one to climb that tree gets an A”. I laughed the first time I saw it. Then, I was saddened. My initial response was somewhat of a bittersweet reminiscence, in which I remember what it was to study, the difficulties and the rewards, my fellow classmates and my teachers. Most of us could relate to the satirical cartoon. Nonetheless, the cartoon is not about the students themselves and which ones are better and worse. It is about the teaching system and its faults. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Mariana V....  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences Cultural capital according to French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu is the gathering of knowledge, skills, and cultural traits that a person obtains from their personal, social and educational environment (Bourdieu, 1991, p. 14). The educational system in a Korean society differs from the learning practices in Western society. Asian societies such as South Korea, prioritize a teacher-centered learning style where students are expected to respect teachers and not solicit too much information since communication is often indirect and implicit. This group-focused thinking is a main cultural learning difference from Western teachings where individualism is more emphasized and students can freely interact with the teacher on any concerns they have without it...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Imagine a classroom where the teacher is lecturing the entire class time. Student’s attention span starts to flee, they begin looking for any source of entertainment. They are now distracted and unable to apply the lesson the teacher is demonstrating in the real world. Teacher lecture time should be supplemented with other methods of teaching. Students need mental breaks and activities to engage them in the lesson. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Abigail A. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Learning a new language is an engaging activity, it needs to be practiced and repeated for communication to become second nature. The more the students interact with one another...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences There is widespread recognition that the demand for EFL services in developed nations is high. A myriad of EFL/ESL courses has sprung up aiming to train teachers to meet this need. Most of these EFL/ESL certification courses function on the premise that the teacher will be working with students for whom the acquisition of English is either a matter of personal aspiration or a requirement for a job position, visa, etc. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Abigail M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Such students are inherently assumed to be literate, therefore the training of EFL teachers functions on literacy-based models of instruction. For example, much of the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The biggest influence online education has on ESL is that it changes the dynamics of the classroom to be nontraditional. It does not necessarily reflect the situations teachers envision themselves in when they set out to teach ESL. This nontraditional dynamic stretches from the delivery methods like online teaching platforms to the class itself and even the work and homework for students. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jacob F. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Traditionally in classroom teachers and students see each other and have a standardized lesson plan for a relatively large group of students. Online education is changing this in some drastic ways, especially...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas For teachers of English to speakers of other languages, a diagnostic test is a valuable resource that can be employed to help both the teacher and the student. A diagnostic test is given at the beginning of the course, and is intended to assess the student’s current knowledge and mastery of the English language. Diagnostic tests are similar to placement tests, however, a diagnostic test is generally used to assess more areas of the English language as a whole. Diagnostic tests are important as they assist the teacher in preparing lessons and materials, can help gauge the level of the student and whether the course is a good fit, and can help students know what language areas they need to improve on. This post was written by our TEFL...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The use of new technology in the classroom is a complex topic with many variables. The aim of this essay is to highlight some of the advantages and weaknesses of the use of technology in the classroom and how to find the middle ground. Then looking at how to implement technology in a way that creates a conducive learning environment for students, with a specific focus on the ESA approach. Applying technology as a supplement to teaching and creating a positive learning environment for students is the goal. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jacob S. Technology in and of itself is not a bad thing; much like anything, if used inappropriately, it can be counterproductive to the learning environment. However, it also holds infinite...  [Read more]

Federico Riva Teaching Ideas Perhaps more than anything, the size of a student's vocabulary puts a limit on what he or she can and cannot do in English! Because although I think that grammar certainly has a place in the teaching of English, my own experience has shown me that the number of words and phrases in your language arsenal will be a bigger determining factor of your ability to understand and to use a language actively. Here I will explain why I believe that vocabulary is key when it comes to mastering English and at the same time give some examples of how to teach English vocabulary effectively to students in line with the ESA methodology. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jacob L. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Based on the enormous knowledge obtained from the TEFL online study, it is obvious that one of the cornerstones to being a good Teacher especially an ESL Teacher is having excellent knowledge or skill in managing a class, which serves as a requisite to achieving the aim and purpose of the daily lesson. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate NEFE K. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. As stated by Evertson and Weinstein, they described classroom management as the actions taken by the teacher to create a supportive environment for the academic, social, and emotional learning of students. They further explained that teachers who are committed to effective classroom management...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas Classroom management is one of the keys to having a successful class. There are lots of things a teacher can do to successfully manage his or her classroom. Teachers can be the example that they would like in their classroom. The classroom environment can influence how efficient a class can run. The techniques and activities a teacher uses inside a class can greatly influence how engaged students can be. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Jacob C. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. You should always want students to be happy and motivated before they come to class. One simple way to start this out is by greeting every student with a smile and a simple hello. Teachers can...  [Read more]

Kavinna Batra TEFL Information Alumni Experiences Education comes in many forms, whether through months of hands-on training or years of schooling. Education comes in many forms. Yet, nowadays, it seems like a college degree is the best and the most meritorious achievement in education –something that employers not only support but also demand. To produce this article, I questioned some of my fellow colleagues and professionals from the teaching field in my close circle. "The concept has evolved somewhere in the last 20 years that you need a college degree to ensure your professional success," said AIP managing director Adam Ling. "This has led to many people seeking a four-year degree program and even a master's degree without being completely sure what they want to do...  [Read more]