Popular posts from this blog
English Only Classrooms: Beneficial or Detrimental to English Language Learners?
One of the first rules/polices that new TEFL teachers will have to establish in their classrooms, is whether students can only speak English in class or if they can speak their languages as well. I think it's natural to assume that if students are immersed in an English only environment that this will be beneficial to not only the students' acquisition of the new language, but also for the teacher. But is this really the case? Do students learn better in an English only setting? Is it easier for teachers to teach, when English is the only language spoken in their classrooms? In this blog entry, I'm going to talk about the advantages and disadvantages to an English only classroom, as well as give you some of my own personal opinions on this topic. In the past I had the opportunity to teach in schools that strongly enforced an English only policy and in other schools that were much more relaxed about what languages are spoken in their school. Advantages - An English...
These Acronyms are Making Me CRAZY: ESL, EFL, EAL, ELL, TEFL, TESL, TESOL, CELTA....
As someone who promotes English teaching-training programs at a university for a career, I'm constantly being asked by potential students, institutions, and even experienced teachers what all these acronyms stand for and what's the difference between them. I get questions like "Should I take a TEFL class or a TESL class?" or "What's the difference between ESL and ELL?" all the time, so I wanted to write a quick blog entry to address the confusion. Before I start to break down some of these acronyms, it's important to note that so many acronyms exist simply because the field of English language education is constantly evolving and becoming more specialized; especially over the last couple decades. Some of these terms may sound similar and may lead you to wonder, why do they all exist, however these slight differences can impact significant decisions like: Which type of course is best suited to my career goals? What are my students greatest needs...
Teaching English in Thailand - What you need to know
I love Thailand. Although I haven't had the chance to teach English there yet, I was lucky enough to visit this beautiful country a couple times when I lived in Korea. With it's rich culture, friendly people, amazing food and breathtaking scenery, it's no wonder why this country is such an attractive place to live and teach. In this blog, I'll want to discuss somethings you need to know if you want to teach there. Much of this info comes from my friends who taught there and passed on their experiences with me, and my own research, as a couple years ago I had seriously considering going there to teach. Requirements To teach in Thailand, you must have completed a university degree, and although not necessary for all jobs, a TEFL or TESL certificate or diploma is highly recommended (For reasons why you should take a TEFL program read this entry ). Past teaching experience is not necessary as well, but very beneficial if you have it. If you want to teach at a univer...
Teaching Children Vs. Teaching Adults
Teaching Children Vs. Teaching Adults One of the biggest questions that someone has to ask themselves when choosing to go teach English in a foreign country is: Do I want to teach children or adults? As someone who has experience teaching children and adults abroad, and in Canada, I'll do my best to weigh these two choices for potential TEFL teachers. Before I start weighing these options, one thing I wanted to quickly address is this notion that children learn languages quicker and easier than adults. While in the past this was thought to be a fact, in recent years many studies have come out that suggest otherwise. Younger students do have better memory retention than their older counterparts, but factors like an individual's motivation, patience, perseverance and their instructor's abilities and expertise also play a huge role in language development. Many researchers now believe that these variants may have a larger influence on second language ...
Interesting Facts about TEFL
Teaching English in the Czech Republic
Situated in the middle of Europe, the Czech Republic is home to beautiful art and music, grand architecture, picturesque red roofs, and a never-ending supply of beer. While most tourists only visit the capital of Prague, there are so many other facets to this landlocked country that are fairly unexplored by most travelers. Rural areas are surrounded by rolling hills, hidden lakes, and old growth forests in which residents can enjoy the traditional country lifestyle of times forgotten in other parts of Europe. As the country’s economy continues to strengthen, so, too, has residents’ need for speaking English. Although the Czech Republic is constantly full of English speaking tourists, public schools, universities, and private language academies are still in need of native speakers to give their students the boost they need in order to compete in the global workplace. In this blog entry I will provide an overview of what its like to live and teach English in the Czech Republi...
Tips for Teaching Korean Students
It's no secret that Koreans are some of the most dedicated and prolific English Language Learners (ELLs) in the world. If you travel to South Korea to teach, you'll notice that it seems like the entire country is studying English. If you decide to teach English in an English speaking country you'll undoubtedly find yourself teaching Korean students at some point. As a result, I thought I'd write a blog entry with some tips on how to best meet the needs of Korean ELLs. This advice will be based on my own experience teaching Koreans (about 5 years) and some popular tips found from doing a bit of research. 1. Know your Role According to Confucian ideals, teachers are supposed to be supposed to be highly respected in society. This respect your receive from your students can be something that you can definitely use to your advantage (especially with classroom management), but it also comes with certain expectations. As a teacher in Korea, you are supposed to be pr...
Teaching English to Absolute Beginners
Undoubtedly, one of the biggest challenges that English teachers will face in their careers is being asked to teach students who have zero English knowledge or ability. In an ideal world, these students would be placed into classes with teachers who are bilingual and can use the students 1st language to help in acquiring the 2nd language...the problem though, is this isn't an ideal world, and many teachers, who can only speak English, are regularly asked to teach students who cannot speak a word of English. So where should you begin? What are the best approaches to teaching absolute beginners? What part of the language should you focus on first? How do you overcome the huge language barrier that separates your from your students? In this blog entry, I want to provide some popular strategies that English teachers will use in these situations, and also give you some of my own personal insight into teaching beginner English language learners. Change your mindset First and for...
Homework and Its Importance
When I was a student I hated homework, and then when I first became a teacher I hated giving homework to my students. To be honest, I guess never really thought of all the benefits that students get from regularly completing homework. Instead, I was like a lot of rookie teachers; just trying to be liked by my students, instead of thinking about what is actually best for them. Whether you are teaching English or any subject, homework is a key part of the learning process. On top of this, homework also teaches students additional lessons that contribute to their success later in life. Below is a list of some of the reasons that I think giving students homework is so important: 1. First of all, homework helps review and reinforce the new material that students are currently learning in class. There is a reason that the expression "practice makes perfect" has been around so long, and that is because it's true. Especially if you are trying to learn a new language, practi...
BE SMART AND BECOME RICH IN LESS THAN 3DAYS....It all depends on how fast
ReplyDeleteyou can be to get the new PROGRAMMED blank ATM card that is capable of
hacking into any ATM machine,anywhere in the world. I got to know about
this BLANK ATM CARD when I was searching for job online about a month
ago..It has really changed my life for good and now I can say I'm rich and
I can never be poor again. The least money I get in a day with it is about
$50,000.(fifty thousand USD) Every now and then I keeping pumping money
into my account. Though is illegal,there is no risk of being caught
,because it has been programmed in such a way that it is not traceable,it
also has a technique that makes it impossible for the CCTVs to detect
you..For details on how to get yours today, email the hackers on : (
atmmachinehackers1@gmail.com ). Tell your
loved once too, and start to live large. That's the simple testimony of how
my life changed for good...Love you all ...the email address again is ;
atmmachinehackers1@gmail.com
I can't believe that this man is so real, how can I thank you enough, I can't fail to testify about the good things you have been doing for me and now you still went ahead and do same for my friend, please everyone if you have anything disturbing you please your solution is hear with Dr.osupalagba the great spiritualist who can solve any problem in a twinkle of an eye. No matter the problems, whether spiritual problem, you want to get your ex back, promotion in your workplace, spiritual cleansing, fruit of the womb, mental illnesses, protection for gun, protection for cutlass, protection for bottle, protection for snake and scorpion bites and cure. Are you a victim of any of the above listed setbacks, you can contact Dr.osupalagbavia Email: osupalagba.temple@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteCall/WhatsApp +2347051667586