Halloween In Great Britain

Britain is the home of high quality English language teaching and is joining forces in a new and enlarged professional association called English UK, backed by the British Council. This comes at a time when global competition for English language students is more fierce than ever. While Britain can claim to have pioneered the concept of providing short, intensive language courses, and dominated the market for much of the past 50 years, other countries, principally Australia, New Zealand and Ireland, are now competing more aggressively for a share of shifting and in some cases diminishing student markets. Membership of English UK is only open to institutions that have been inspected as part of a special accreditation scheme for ELT providers; run by the British Council....  [Read more]

For aspiring English language teachers looking to kickstart their careers, the CELTA certification is a highly respected qualification that opens doors to teaching opportunities worldwide. If you have chosen Malta as your preferred destination to pursue your CELTA certification, you are in for a rewarding and enriching experience. This guide will provide you with an overview of the CELTA certification process in Malta, outlining the key steps and requirements to help you make an informed decision and embark on your teaching journey with confidence. The Cambridge CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) is an internationally recognized qualification for teaching English as a foreign language. Developed by the University of Cambridge, the CELTA course equips...  [Read more]

There are many great songs in English that can be used to teach certain aspects of grammar, vocabulary, culture and idioms just to name a few possible uses. A teacher needs to be careful of using only old songs, especially if the students are more in tune with modern English music. There will always be classic songs from The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Who and others that can be used. The challenge for the modern teacher is to be aware of the current music and teaching possibilities from new songs. Teaching idioms is one of the easiest topics to find new songs to use. It is hard not to listen to a new pop or rock song and not find some idiom used. For example Bon Jovi's new song 'Who Says You Can't Go Home' uses several idioms including the recycled 'born a rolling...  [Read more]

If you are interested in applying for overseas teaching jobs, you will almost certainly come across something called Teaching English as a Foreign Language, or TEFL, certification. As a result, you are probably wondering if getting a TEFL certification is a good idea. Regardless of your other qualifications and experience, a TEFL certification is always a valuable addition to your resume. Furthermore, it will set you apart from the competition in the eyes of principals and hiring managers all over the world. Even if a TEFL certificate is not required for a specific position, it is always a huge plus and preference. A TEFL certificate opens doors to exciting opportunities in teaching English as a foreign language in countries all around the world. The most common requirement is 120 hours of...  [Read more]

If you are looking for a destination to teach English abroad that is slightly off the beaten track, but still offers endless opportunity for culture and travel, then Russia could be a great choice. With a population close to 150 million and an increasing focus on cross border business, Russia has a very strong demand for English language teachers, particularly in cities such as Moscow and Saint Petersburg. As demand for teachers is so high in some parts of the country language schools tend to hire year-round, unlike many other countries across Europe that often have set hiring seasons. Russia also differs from most other destinations in Europe as schools routinely hire teachers in advance from within their home countries. This means the application process and interviews are conducted...  [Read more]

With a very convenient location right in the heart of Central Europe, Slovakia offers plenty of options for TEFL certified teachers. It is not yet on the radar of many teachers looking to live and work in Europe, but it should certainly be considered as it is a modern and progressive country that is rapidly developing. In its current form, Slovakia is a very young nation, but its overall history goes back centuries. Across the country you will find ancient castles, medieval fortresses, and a rich cultural heritage. Since joining the EU, the country has seen a rapid rise in the number of English language students, so if you are looking for a peaceful and safe country that is a little off the beaten path, why not look at Slovakia? Salaries in Slovakia are not large by European standards,...  [Read more]

When people dream of teaching English in Europe, most do not immediately think about Romania as an option. However, they should as it has great potential for qualified teachers as it is one of the fastest growing nations in terms of people learning English as a second language. Although you will most likely be working in a city, as that is where the majority of jobs are located, you will still have plenty of free time to explore the country’s idyllic countryside. The historical region of Transylvania is probably Romania’s most famous attraction, where you will find the ancient castles that inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Salaries for English language teachers in Romania are not high in comparison to some other European countries and they vary depending on the type of employer and...  [Read more]

China is without doubt the largest market for English language teaching in the world. With a population in the region of 1.4 billion people spread across a vast area, there are a huge range of opportunities to suit all tastes. Whether you prefer big city life, the peace of rural living, tropical or seasonal climates, China has it all. However, one big question is often asked by teachers who want to live and work in the country: Until quite recently the answer would have been yes, as schools in China generally don’t care whether their teachers have a degree or not, and this still hasn’t changed. What has changed is the government has tightened the rules on who is eligible for a Z (work) visa which is what every teacher needs to work legally in the country. The simple truth is that you...  [Read more]

In a world full of languages how does one place the English language' Most languages have a full history going back thousands of years. Can this really be said of English' No, but we can say that the history is full, one full of war and violence as well as compromise and inclusion. We might start in the year 449 AD in the island of Britain. At this time the Anglo-Saxons invaded Britain as the Romans left to defend their homeland. The local Celtic people quickly adapted the ways of the German tribe and we saw the beginning of English, it is said that the majority of its words can be traced to this. As the next thousand years progressed we saw the invasion of the Danes, French Normans as well as the influence of the Church. This leads us up to the time when this...  [Read more]

The term Active Learning means ''student interaction with content, with materials and with peers in a multi-disciplinary, multi-sensory and multi-graded approach' (Meyers, 1993 pg 39). Active learning helps the teacher handle the diversity of student levels in the classroom.In an Active Learning classroom the student is provided with the time, the materials, and the organized classroom routines and expectations they need in order to allow them interaction with their learning. It is important for educators to realize that Active Learning supports not only English-speaking students but second- language learners as well.If we think that students are learning English so that they can use it in their everyday lives to better themselves and their opportunities, we must realize that...  [Read more]

  In this video Linda breaks down the difference between "look", "see" and "watch". The differences surrounding these three words can be quite difficult to understand for non-native English learners. However, this video looks at the three words in detail breaking down exactly how to differentiate between them. 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. This unit 14 is about different ways of evaluating students'levels and progress.There are a number of...  [Read more]

During the late seventeenth century while James, Duke of York, was renaming New Amsterdam. The vowel ' as in 'man' was lenghtening in certain contexts. In words like 'laugh' and 'path' and 'pass' wich end in unvoiced fricatives, in words like 'dance'and 'plant', which end in a nasal and an s or t, and in words where the ' was followed by r, that short vowel began to grow long. The older pronunciation of 'dance was d'ns, wholly acceptable today to english speakers outside the cultural area dominated by London, then it became d':ns. It was not until the nineteenth century, that this long ' decided to migrate to the back of the mout and become the α: which is charachteristic of southern speech today. It is a source of mockery, or reluctant admiration, among provincials and...  [Read more]

Britain is the home of high quality English language teaching and is joining forces in a new and enlarged professional association called English UK, backed by the British Council. This comes at a time when global competition for English language students is more fierce than ever. While Britain can claim to have pioneered the concept of providing short, intensive language courses, and dominated the market for much of the past 50 years, other countries, principally Australia, New Zealand and Ireland, are now competing more aggressively for a share of shifting and in some cases diminishing student markets. Membership of English UK is only open to institutions that have been inspected as part of a special accreditation scheme for ELT providers; run by the British...  [Read more]

  In this video, we explain the difference between the usage of "capital" and "capitol". These two terms are often confused due to their similar spelling and pronunciation. The word ?capital? is used to refer to a capital letter, a city that serves as a center of government and also wealth in the form of money or property. A good example sentence would be: In American schools, the capital letter "A" means your work was at least 90% correct. This sentence uses 'capital' to refer to a capitalized letter, 'A' in this case. Tokyo is the capital of Japan. In this example, capital refers to the capital city of Japan. The business did not have enough capital to buy the new building. Here, capital means money or wealth. "Capitol" spelled with an ?o? on the other hand refers to the actual...  [Read more]

The Cambridge online dictionary defines culture as ?the way of life, especially the general customs and beliefs, of a particular group of people at a particular time?. Education, and thus teaching, are widely believed to one of the most fundamental and essential elements in human life. Therefore cultural awareness in the education environment is of paramount importance. To effectively communicate in any classroom, the students must feel both at ease with, and a sense of respect for, their teacher. To achieve this, the teacher must be aware of the norms, customs and beliefs which have nurtured the minds and personalities of those he or she intends to educate. Any offence or disrespect caused would be of detriment to the crucial rapport building and mutual respect. As ...  [Read more]

The Cambridge online dictionary defines culture as ‘the way of life, especially the general customs and beliefs, of a particular group of people at a particular time’. Education, and thus teaching, are widely believed to one of the most fundamental and essential elements in human life. Therefore cultural awareness in the education environment is of paramount importance. To effectively communicate in any classroom, the students must feel both at ease with, and a sense of respect for, their teacher. To achieve this, the teacher must be aware of the norms, customs and beliefs which have nurtured the minds and personalities of those he or she intends to educate. Any offence or disrespect caused would be of detriment to the crucial rapport building and mutual respect. As ...  [Read more]

English is currently spoken by more people all over the world than any other language. Every time we turn on the television to find out about what is happening in the world, local people are being interviewed in English. Wherever one travels in the world these days English becomes the common language of communication between nationalities. Much has been made of the Internet as an instrument for circulating English around the globe. Eighty percent of what?s on the Internet is in English. I quote Barbara Wallraff in her article from the Atlantic November 2000 on What Global Language? Technology is expanding English by requiring us to come up with new words to describe all the possibilities it offers. English is used more often in various technological domains such...  [Read more]

English is currently spoken by more people all over the world than any other language. Every time we turn on the television to find out about what is happening in the world, local people are being interviewed in English. Wherever one travels in the world these days English becomes the common language of communication between nationalities. Much has been made of the Internet as an instrument for circulating English around the globe. Eighty percent of what’s on the Internet is in English.I quote Barbara Wallraff in her article from the Atlantic November 2000 on What Global Language' Technology is expanding English by requiring us to come up with new words to describe all the possibilities it offers. English is used more often in various technological domains such as...  [Read more]

English has become the global language of choice in this world. What other language can you easily find in any corner of the globe that you choose to travel' From Chile to Japan to Egypt to Russia and beyond English is the one language you can count on finding in your travels.So how did English become the language of choice for the world' Are there more native English speakers than that of other languages' Is English the easiest language for non-native speakers to learn, or are other speakers in love with the language for its eloquence and grace'The answer to the globalization of English is none of the above. A more astute answer would be to say that English, much like Microsoft Windows, was in the right place at the right time when standardization was badly needed due to...  [Read more]

The following contain the results of my reading in to sources pertaining to the use of games in English classes. Most of my references, as cited in the sources list, were taken (and copied) with permission from Jouchi (Sophia) University. I have also drawn upon the teachings of Ray Ormandy, director of my present school (PLS) who has pioneered EFL methods in Japan for over 30 years, specifically in games for children´s classes. 1. Why play games in the classroom There are many reasons to use games in English classes. Aside from the pure enjoyment of playing games as opposed to drilling or deskwork, games can be used to give spot reviews and reinforcement of specific parts of English (e.g. grammar, vocabulary). Games, especially for young learners,...  [Read more]

The following contain the results of my reading in to sources pertaining to the use of games in English classes. Most of my references, as cited in the sources list, were taken (and copied) with permission from Jouchi (Sophia) University. I have also drawn upon the teachings of Ray Ormandy, director of my present school (PLS) who has pioneered EFL methods in Japan for over 30 years, specifically in games for children´s classes.1. Why play games in the classroomThere are many reasons to use games in English classes. Aside from the pure enjoyment of playing games as opposed to drilling or deskwork, games can be used to give spot reviews and reinforcement of specific parts of English (e.g. grammar, vocabulary). Games, especially for young learners, directly influence...  [Read more]

The rise of TEFL, TESOL, CELTA, and similar organizations is by no doubt a reflection of the increasing demand for English to be taught in numerous countries worldwide. What actually constitutes a global language is in and of itself an entirely separate debate. For the means of this particular essay, English as a ?global language? will be used loosely to refer to the rise of English internationally in many different bodies. Whatever the reasons for the rise may be, it does not have to diminish the cultural uniqueness of individual countries. Rather, the idea of a global language can be embraced as advantageous, especially as a means of uniting various countries, as seen by the rise of many teaching organizations. In 1997, David Crystal wrote, English as a Global...  [Read more]

The historical development of English in the UK is a fascinating journey that has shaped the language we know today. From its early roots to its evolution into a global lingua franca, English has undergone significant changes over the centuries. This article will explore the key milestones in the history of English in the UK, from its origins in the Anglo-Saxon era to its modern-day status as a widely spoken language around the world. English traces its origins back to the Anglo-Saxon period, when Germanic tribes invaded Britain in the 5th century. Old English, the earliest form of the language, was heavily influenced by Germanic languages and underwent significant changes over the centuries. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a historical record of the time, provides valuable insights into the...  [Read more]

The British education system has a rich history that has evolved over centuries, shaping the way students are taught and educated. From traditional methods to modern approaches, the way knowledge is imparted has seen significant changes over time. In this article, we will delve into the historical teaching methods in the British education system, highlighting the key developments that have influenced the way students learn. In the earlier years of the British education system, traditional teaching methods were predominant. These methods were often teacher-centered, with a focus on rote learning and memorization. Students were expected to sit quietly in rows, listen to the teacher, and absorb information through lectures and written materials. The curriculum was structured and rigid,...  [Read more]

I remember back to my early days of academic progression through the Australian public school system with mixed emotions. In the main, English (and other subjects for that matter) were laboriously taught ?strictly by the book?, by uninteresting individuals in droning monotone, that failed to instill any ongoing interest in either the subject matter, or the lesson as a whole. My attention unerringly moved to watching the second hand on the clock excruciatingly slowly, rotate through three hundred and sixty degrees, marking the completion of that minute and the start of the next, that would eventually culminate in the required number of minutes being completed to conclude the lesson and the hasty, mass exodus from the classroom, at great risk to life and limb, by all ...  [Read more]

I remember back to my early days of academic progression through the Australian public school system with mixed emotions. In the main, English (and other subjects for that matter) were laboriously taught “strictly by the book”, by uninteresting individuals in droning monotone, that failed to instill any ongoing interest in either the subject matter, or the lesson as a whole. My attention unerringly moved to watching the second hand on the clock excruciatingly slowly, rotate through three hundred and sixty degrees, marking the completion of that minute and the start of the next, that would eventually culminate in the required number of minutes being completed to conclude the lesson and the hasty, mass exodus from the classroom, at great risk to life and limb, by all ...  [Read more]

IntrodutionEnglish Pronunciation: How does it differ and why' We''re all native English speakers aren''t we, what''s all this about sounding different' Everyone knows that a guy from the states sounds different to a fellow from England. But, can we break it down' Can we state a few simple rules that are continually repeating' Rules that a country''s native always follow when pronouncing a word. The rules which determine their accent. Let''s try. MainAccents vary within countries, so as a starting point, let''s just take the standard English that is spoken. This is considered to be ''General American'' for the US and ''Received Pronunciation'' for England.Rule 1: American is rhotic (i.e. pronouncing all r''s) and English is non-rhotic (pronouncing r''s only when followed by a...  [Read more]

A few weeks ago I went up to my Japanese friend and told her ?Good Afternoon? in Japanese. She smiled and told me that while correct, Japanese people don?t usually greet each other in that manner. I thought it was odd because that?s the way I learned it back in my university days. She equated it to saying, ?How many times do you greet your friends by saying, ?Good Afternoon? or ?Good Evening??? After thinking about it, I realized that I rarely use the standard ?Hello? or ?Hi? but rather ?Hey? or ?What?s up?? While completely acceptable and understandable for Native English speakers, I didn?t know that this simple greeting could cause a bit of confusion. When I taught English in an elementary school in Korea, I had a co-teacher whose English abilities were quite...  [Read more]

Introdution English Pronunciation: How does it differ and why? We??re all native English speakers aren??t we, what??s all this about sounding different? Everyone knows that a guy from the states sounds different to a fellow from England. But, can we break it down? Can we state a few simple rules that are continually repeating? Rules that a country??s native always follow when pronouncing a word. The rules which determine their accent. Let??s try. Main Accents vary within countries, so as a starting point, let??s just take the standard English that is spoken. This is considered to be ??General American?? for the US and ??Received Pronunciation?? for England. Rule 1: American is rhotic (i.e. pronouncing all r??s) and English is non-rhotic (pronouncing r??s only when...  [Read more]

Over the past several years, I have periodically come across newspaper reports, magazine articles, and television & radio discussions about the emergence of English as a universal language. I must admit, the idea of a single, universally spoken language did intrigue me. I would sometimes wonder about how easy travel would be if the entire world spoke the same language. However, a few questions often arose in my mind. Why English' Why, with the enormous population of Southeast Asia and the widespread use of Spanish throughout Central and South America, would English be the language of choice for the world' Also, why does the world now need a global language' Fortunately for me, David Crystal has conducted extensive research into answering my questions. In his book,...  [Read more]