Do Colombians Speak English

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences A resource I found invaluable for this essay was the website Cyborlink (2019a), a reference provided in the TEFL Young Learners course (ITTT, 2019). The TEFL course (Unit 6) discusses how cultural considerations are important when teaching abroad. This includes cultural sensitivity when interacting with the young learners themselves, as well as in interacting with parents and school staff (administration/teachers). This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate David B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Cyborlink is aimed at a more general audience of people doing business in other cultures, though of course has implications for TEFL teachers. One aspect of the site that I...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences As someone of mixed heritage, I have always had an interest in learning about cultures other than the one I live in America. My father is Colombian and my mother is American, so growing up I felt obliged to learn more about the Colombian background I was fairly unfamiliar with. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Catherine P. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. I never felt satisfied with the amount of exposure I had to my Colombian heritage. My mom never learned Spanish, so around the house, it was easier for my dad to speak to my siblings and me in English. As a result, we barely grazed the surface of the Spanish language and we were not exposed too much to the...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas For this assignment, I decided to research problems experienced by Colombian students learning English. I will be teaching English in Colombia and thought this subject would benefit me. My findings more generally reflect the difficulties of Spanish-speaking learners. The paper outlines the top ten difficulties for Spanish-speakers learning English (vocabulary, spelling/pronunciation, subject-verb-agreement, verb tense, dialects, subject omission, pronunciation, stress, slang, and literal translations) based on CCJK (2019). Where possible I relate this information to my experiences/examples and units in the TEFL course. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate David B. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Hejiayan Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Hanzhong 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. I began my TEFL courses after already having a year of experience in an English as a second language classroom. I worked as a teaching assistant alongside a Colombian co-teacher in Medellin, Colombia, teaching students in grades 6-11. While the courses would undoubtedly have been helpful prior to that experience, in hindsight, there was just as much benefit to...  [Read more]

Jon ITTT Destinations If you want to be a TEFL teacher around the world, it is important to make sure you are as well prepared as you can possibly be before entering a classroom. It is equally important to have a good understanding of the country and culture you are hoping to make your home while you are teaching. The countries of Latin America are an increasingly popular destination for newly qualified TEFL teachers. While they are generally more relaxed when it comes to formal rules of etiquette than other regions of the world there are, as with any country, particular social norms that any visitor should make the effort to understand. Bargaining is not expected in shops or markets. Punching your left palm with your right fist is an obscene gesture. Gifts should be opened when they...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Lijinshitang Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Heze 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. The difference between formal and non formal grammar is very apparent both in every day life and during ones time as a teacher of foreign language. These differences, I believe, play an important part in why many language learners find it so difficult to understand and become fluent. As a native English speaker and an ongoing learner of Spanish I find myself...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Pinghe Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Bazhong 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. According to the British council, there are about 373 million native English speakers around the world, and another 500 million speak the language on top of that. At the moment an estimated number of 1 billion people are learning this language and in the future, this number will grow significantly. We are talking about a language that a lot of people speak in this...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas My personal opinion is that teachers should not “punish” students for bad behavior. That said, I also believe that if words or actions transpire in the classroom that is not allowed, or are inappropriate or disruptive, the teacher should address the situation to reduce the risk or likelihood of it happening again going forward - however, in a positive, constructive, solution-based way. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Lindsay G. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Punishment can take many forms and degrees, from being sternly spoken to, being assigned extra work, having a reward or privilege taken away, being sent to the office or detention, or worse. Although often...  [Read more]

Mark Crocker Alumni Experiences Teaching Ideas The difference between formal and informal grammar is very apparent both in everyday life and during ones time as a teacher of English as a foreign language. These differences, I believe, play an important part in why many language learners find it so difficult to understand and become fluent. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Daniel B. As a native English speaker and an ongoing learner of Spanish I find myself struggling with these differences as well. Much of the English grammar we learn in school in America is grammar that the person knows they are likely to use very sparingly. This is why most students fail to truly pay attention in their literature class. People speak more commonly in short form and with well...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Teaching Ideas The accelerated growth of English as a global language has made people from all around the world realize how important this one is nowadays, even in our everyday life we find English words and content wherever we look, technology, movies, tv, business, and internet are only some of them. Therefore, people from different nationalities around the globe, show a lot of interest in learning the English language. This time we are going to focus on Latin and Hispanic students and the challenges that these Spanish speakers encounter when learning English. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Dayana M. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. People assume that the term Spanish speaker is...  [Read more]

Jon ITTT Destinations A TEFL qualification allows you to teach English almost anywhere in the world, some countries are more popular than others for differing reasons. Some are popular because of the salary and benefits offered to teachers, others are popular because they offer a better quality of life and others are popular because they provide teachers with plenty of opportunities. The top most popular countries are all in Asia as the demand for English is so much higher here than elsewhere in the world. China, the first country, has the largest demand for English teachers in the world and an abundance of teaching jobs for newly qualified and experienced TEFL teachers alike. As such, salaries and benefits vary considerably, but experienced and qualified teachers can expect good pay...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Destinations The worldwide EFL market is ever-changing with new hotspots and trends popping out of nowhere on a regular basis. If you don’t want to teach English in one of the common EFL destinations, like China, Mexico or Italy, this list of the top 5 off-the-beaten-track countries for teaching English abroad might get you inspired. With a diverse range of landscapes, Guatemala is a teaching destination like no other. Here, you will find towering tree clad volcanoes, lush canyons and Caribbean beaches that could have come straight off a movie set. The local EFL market might not be as big as those in some other countries in the region, such as Chile or Brazil, but that is what makes Guatemala so unique. We also offer our 4-week in-class TEFL course in La Antigua, the...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Alumni Experiences As a native English speaker, my first major foreign language experience began in 8th grade, where I had the option of studying either Spanish or French. I chose Spanish, as I’d always been drawn to the language and Latin American culture, and hoped to one day live in a Spanish speaking country. I studied the language throughout high school, but in the years afterward, it wasn’t much of a priority and wasn’t something I used on a regular basis. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Lauren M. In high school, our language classes were mainly structured around learning grammar and following the textbook. From time to time, we would listen to and translate songs in Spanish, or watch a movie in Spanish, and in some classes we would...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Qingshu Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Hanzhong 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. As a native English speaker, my first major foreign language experience began in 8th grade, where I had the option of studying either Spanish or French. I chose Spanish, as I’d always been drawn to the language and Latin American culture, and hoped to one day live in a Spanish speaking country. I studied the language throughout high school, but in the years...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences With a flash of exasperation my Colombian friend, José, inquired, “Why do you always say it like that?” I paused unsure to what he was referring. José continued, “We're the same age and you’ve lived here for months but you still greet me like I’m a long-lost grandfather.” As I prepare to teach English abroad, this interaction forced me to confront the question of slang and idioms (SI) in the classroom. Is it appropriate to teach slang and idioms to learners of English as a foreign language (LEFL)? This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Conor J. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. The widespread prevalence of English SI combined with the familiarity of slang...  [Read more]

Elizaveta Pachina Alumni Experiences The introverted Nathaniel struggled immensely through primary, high school, college, and music school. His first battle was learning how to read. At this point, no one knew he possessed a learning difficulty. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Nathaniel F. Please note that this blog post might not necessarily represent the beliefs or opinions of ITTT. Although he had an impressive spoken vocabulary for a boy, when he looked at words on a page he could not match them to their sounds, therefore pronunciation was not possible. This struggle with phonetic decoding was overcome over a few years by reading books borrowed from the library, tracing the words with a finger while listening to the audiobook version until the words were...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Destinations Learning a new language while teaching English abroad is a great way to immerse yourself into a new culture. On top of that, a new language skill will be a great advantage when applying for jobs back home when you decide to return. With over 400 million native speakers, Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world behind Chinese with 1.2 billion. English comes in third with 360 million native speakers worldwide. If you are interested in learning Spanish, check out the top seven Spanish-speaking countries for teaching English abroad. It is really no surprise that Costa Rica is one of the most popular destinations for teaching English abroad. The country boasts exceptional natural wonders, such as lush rainforests and pristine beaches. While...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Destinations While you are not likely to find the highest salaries in this region, teachers moving to Latin America to teach English are predominantly attracted by the continents cultural richness and varied landscapes. Whether you see yourself exploring the Andes in Chile or the rainforests of Costa Rica, here are the top 10 cities in Latin America with the highest demand for English language teachers. Also read: Top 10 Cities in Asia with the Highest Demand for English Language Teachers Argentina has a high demand for English language education leading to lucrative opportunities for qualified English teachers. Most teachers find jobs in the capital Buenos Aires and work for language institutes, private schools as well as public schools. Licensed teachers can also find...  [Read more]

Linda Dunsmore Destinations Currently, there are around 1.75 billion people speaking and learning English around the world and researchers say that by 2020 more than two billion people will speak and learn English. This means, now is the perfect time to embark on your adventure of teaching English abroad. Whether you are looking for opportunities in Asia, South America, the Middle East or Europe, qualified English teachers are hired everywhere. Even English-speaking countries have a never-before-seen demand for ESL teachers. The best part? No prior teaching experience is required to get hired. All you need is the will to explore the world and oftentimes an internationally accredited TEFL certificate. A TEFL certification course teaches you the exact skills necessary to teach any type of...  [Read more]