Halloween Meaning In English

  Even though many people use "may" and "might" interchangeably, they actually have slightly different meanings. The word "may", for example refers to a possibility, while "might" conveys slightly more uncertainty. In the example "There are dark clouds in the sky. It may rain later", we use "may" because the dark clouds suggest the possibility of rain. The sentence "I'm sick but I might come to the party" uses "might" because it is not certain the person will go to the party. This means, you should use 'may' when there is some kind of a sign that predicts or indicates future happenings. You should use 'might' when expressing something a little more unlikely or uncertain. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification...  [Read more]

In today's world the term 'global' takes on an entirely new meaning. Initially termed to mean in reference to the world as a whole, as opposed to individual countries, but today, while still holding true, it also means something more. The internet, modern media, email, and even to a lesser extend telephones, have made it possible to communicate with almost every person on the planet, a thought not even considered possible one hundred years ago. People separated by thousands of miles have never been closer and it takes nothing more than a touch of a button. The French can talk to the United States of America, the Brazilian to the United Kingdom, Africa to Asia; you could probably even speak to someone studying in the Antarctic if you tried hard enough. Or at least these people ...  [Read more]

According to Webster's Dictionary an idiom is 'an expression whose meaning cannot be predicted from the usual meaning of its constituent elements.' I also like the definition of T.C. Cooper's that 'An idiom can have a literal meaning, but its alternate, figurative meaning must be understood metaphorically.' In the last week, since choosing 'idioms' as a subject for this paper, I have been particularly aware of how many of these phrases are used in everyday speech -' 'It's a piece of cake,' 'I'm fed up!' 'It's raining cats and dogs,' 'Let sleeping dogs lie.' These are enough to make a student who has consulted an English dictionary shake his head and say, 'I can't make heads or tails of what these phrases mean,' which, of course, he cannot do until he has been taught the ...  [Read more]

Since the meaning is an important device in teaching grammar, it is important to contextualize any grammar point. Songs are one of the most enchanting and culturally rich resources that can easily be used in language classrooms. Songs offer a change from routine classroom activities. They are precious resources to develop students' abilities in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. They can also be used to teach a variety of language items such as sentence patterns, vocabulary, pronunciation, rhythm, adjectives, and adverbs. Songs also give new insights into the target culture. They are the means through which cultural themes are presented effectively. Since they provide authentic texts, they are motivating. Prosodic features of the language such as stress,...  [Read more]

The word rapport originates from the French word, rapporter, meaning to bring back and the Oxford English Dictionary definition is one of “a close and harmonious relationship in which there is common understanding”. But what is the reality of rapport and is it of any importance in the classroom' With so many teaching methods, practises, aids and testing means at a teachers disposal, do we even need to spend time considering rapport and trying to build it with students' The short answer is most definitely yes. Rapport is a key characteristic of human interaction. It is a commonality of perspective. It is about basic interaction at every level. The relationship and rapport developed between a teacher and their students is a vital ingredient in the success of any...  [Read more]

It was while attempting to wrap my brain around the meaning of the construction "must needs", which I had encountered so often in classical English Literature, that I was incidentally drawn to an inves-tigation of modals. Modals, I learned, are semantic expressions of modalities: which is to say that they are nuanced constructions designed to express the speakers point of view with regards to his subject: be it his degree of certainty regarding the truth of a proposition he is propounding, his expression of permission, obligation, or necessity implicated in a situation, or his opinion regarding someone's- or something's- ability or volition with respect to a potential.Said differently, a modality is merely a point of view, and a modal a linguistic vehicle for expressing that...  [Read more]

Reading is a process by which a reader gives meaning to text. The reader relies on a series of skills which they, depending on the age of the English language learner, may already possess in their native tongue. An older child or adult reader will read text knowing its purpose and meaning i.e. to give or request information, persuade, criticise, to give pleasure to or entertain. Further, they can make logical predictions as they read because of pre-existing experience or knowledge. All these skills are used by fluent readers, and as such, will be second nature to an older child or adult. A young English language learner may not have these skills or are developing them at the same time as learning a new language. This will necessitate the adoption of differing texts for reading....  [Read more]

If some burly, impatient builder were to shout 'Slab!' at a construction site, and subsequently stare in my direction, what is my reaction to be' As his stare transforms to a glare, his eyes becoming more savage by the second, I begin to feel rather ill at ease. What meaning am I to extract from this single word statement' Am I to ponder the nature of the object just uttered' Am I to shout something equally arbitrary back in his direction' Or am I to fetch this object post-haste' As anyone familiar with the 'language-game' of a construction site might tell me: surely the latter, if I don't want to be thrown from the side of the scaffolding.The term 'language-game' was coined by the Austrian-born philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) to refer to the idioms adopted by and...  [Read more]

  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. Events and dates are set in order of their happening, which is expressed by English speakers through verb tenses. Each tense indicates the connection between two or more time periods or the exact time an activity occurred, which underlines the importance of English grammar tenses. They can be used to create different meanings from the same verbs and help to anchor the listener to understand the meaning behind...  [Read more]

Vocabulary is a set of words known to a person that are part of a specific language. The set of words are used by a person to construct a sentence and a form of communication needed to interact with another person. Increasing one´s vocabulary is considered to be an important part of both learning a language and improving one´s skills in a language. According to the National Reading Panel, to develop vocabulary, students should be taught both specific words and word-learning strategies. Familiarizing students with vocabulary rich in contexts provided by authentic texts, rather than an isolated vocabulary drill, it can produce a stronger vocabulary learning experience. Knowing vocabulary goes beyond definitional knowledge; it gets the students actively engaged in using...  [Read more]

Here I was, waiting to teach a 'Lets Learn English' session with the Pacific and Asian newcomers to Australia. I was to continue the conversational English lessons with them. The attendees were looking forward to the class. I could tell this by the enthusiasm in their greeting as they arrived and by their hunger to learn in previous sessions. What's more we were having fun as we journeyed into the English language together. What's the biggest problem these students have I thought' The simple answer is 'the peculiarities of the English language, or more specifically'words. So what are words anyway' They're just sounds or noises that we utter after all. Unlike lower animals we may not bark neigh, moo, roar, purr or growl, but we do react instinctively to what's happening around...  [Read more]

  Have you ever considered completing an online TEFL/TESOL Certification course? Why not become one of the hundreds of people who each month do an online course with ITTT, just like Sacha from the United States. In this TESOL review video Sacha talks about her happy experience of studying the 120 hour tutor support course. She talks about how the course has given her a firm foundation on which to build her career as a successful English language teacher. 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...  [Read more]

  In this episode, we cover the pronunciation of the word firebrand. This word has two different meanings. The first meaning is quite literal and describes burning wood. The second meaning is rather figurative as it refers to a person who is usually inflicting change as a result of being passionate about a certain topic or cause. 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 has enlightened me about teaching special groups, which include...  [Read more]

'Idiom: groups of two or more words that taken together mean something different from the literal meaning of the individual words. Slang: informal speech that is outside conventional or standard usage and consists both of coined words and phrases and of new or extended meanings attached to established terms.' For a more specific definition we can look to http://en.wikipedia.org/wik, which offers the following detailed account of the two terms.Idiom: 'An idiom is an expression (i.e. term or phrase) whose meaning cannot be deduced from the literal definitions and the arrangement of its parts, but refers instead to a figurative meaning that is known only through conventional use. In linguistics, idioms are figures of speech that contradict the principle of compositionality.'Common...  [Read more]

Idiom: groups of two or more words that taken together mean something different from the literal meaning of the individual words. Slang: informal speech that is outside conventional or standard usage and consists both of coined words and phrases and of new or extended meanings attached to established terms.? For a more specific definition we can look to http://en.wikipedia.org/wik, which offers the following detailed account of the two terms. Idiom: ?An idiom is an expression (i.e. term or phrase) whose meaning cannot be deduced from the literal definitions and the arrangement of its parts, but refers instead to a figurative meaning that is known only through conventional use. In linguistics, idioms are figures of speech that contradict the principle of...  [Read more]

There are several differences between British English and American English. The two forms of English differ in ways such as grammar, vocabulary usage and meaning, and spelling. There are many ways that British and American English differ in grammatical means. Generally both forms of grammar are accepted in American English, however in British English the American English version is often considered incorrect. The biggest differences in grammar occur with possession and the present perfect form. An example of the difference in possession between British and American English would be, 'Have you got money'' The British often use the word 'got' when dealing with possession, while in American English they would more commonly say something such as, 'Do you have money'' American...  [Read more]

It is common knowledge that learning grammar can be a complex process. However, learning vocabulary is not as simple as many assume it to be. And retaining it for a lifetime is not simple at all. One model for learning new vocabulary consists of five stages. Having sources for encountering new words, receiving a visual and auditory image of the word, learning meaning, making memory connections to strengthen recollection and finally, using the words. In many instances, the teacher is given mandatory books and lesson materials to use as resources. Since the final stage of using the words is the result of the middle three stages, those are precisely the stages the teacher should focus on. The author recommends synonym usage to assist in the learning of new ...  [Read more]

  This video covers the difference between 'aisle' and 'isle'. As these two words have a similar pronunciation and spelling, their usage is often confused. The word 'aisle' is a noun and describes a passage between rows of seats in a church, in a theater, an airplane or between shelves in a supermarket. A suitable example sentece for the word 'aisle' would be: The aisle was crowded with people looking for seats. The word 'isle' is also a noun but has a very different meaning. It usually refers to a small island, such as here: The pirates were in search of the lost isle for buried treasure. As you can see, once you know the meanings of the two words, you will not confuse them as their meanings are very different. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one...  [Read more]

The following books have been found useful by many teachers, during both their TEFL course and teaching careers: The Practice of English Language Teaching, by Jeremy Harmer (Longman) How to Teach English, by Jeremy Harmer (Longman) English Grammar in Use, by Raymond Murphy (CUP) Practical English Usage, by M. Swan (OUP) Practical English Grammar, by A.J. Thomson and A.V. Martinet (OUP,1990) Collins, Cobuild English Dictionary (Collins) How English Works, by Swan/Walter (OUP) More Grammar Games, by Rinvolucri and Davis (CUP) Grammar Practice Activities, by Penny Ur (CUP) Grammar Games and Activities, by Peter Watcyn-Jones (Penguin) The Resourceful English Teacher, by Chandler/Stone (Delta) Teaching English Abroad, by Susan Griffith (Crimson Publishing) It is certainly not essential to have...  [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]

Unlocking the potential of teaching English in Tokyo Why Tokyo is a top destination for teaching English Qualifications and requirements for teaching English in Tokyo Benefits of teaching English in Tokyo 1. Unlocking the potential of teaching English in Tokyo 2. Why Tokyo is a top destination for teaching English 3. Qualifications and requirements for teaching English in Tokyo 4. Benefits of teaching English in Tokyo Are you considering a career in teaching English abroad? Tokyo, Japan, is a vibrant and dynamic city that offers numerous opportunities for English teachers. With a rich cultural heritage, a high demand for English language skills, and a high standard of living, Tokyo is a top destination for those looking to teach English as a foreign language. Whether you are a seasoned...  [Read more]

Introduction English is today the dominant international language in most parts of the world. It is spoken by an estimated 300-400 million people as a native language and by an estimated two billion people as a second language. It is by far the most widely taught and understood language in the world. The use of English in so many parts of the world by so many people has inevitably produced a number of national and regional variations. For historical and political reasons, the most commonly used variations are British and American English. These variations should not be understood as unvaryingly homogeneous dialects, as many regional differences can be observed within them. Nevertheless, one may say that there is a standard version of British English and a standard version of...  [Read more]

1. Introduction 2. Qualifications and Requirements 3. Job Opportunities in Japan 4. Teaching English in Japan: Tips and Advice Are you passionate about teaching and interested in exploring new cultures? Teaching English in Japan could be the perfect opportunity for you. With a unique blend of traditional culture and modernity, Japan offers a rich and rewarding experience for English teachers. If you are considering a career in English teaching in Japan, this guide will provide you with valuable information to help you get started. To teach English in Japan, you typically need a bachelor's degree in any field. While a degree in education or English is preferred, it is not always mandatory. However, having a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) or TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers...  [Read more]

Teaching English in Bangkok can be a rewarding and exciting experience for those looking to immerse themselves in Thai culture while making a difference in the lives of students. However, like any teaching position, there are certain qualifications and requirements that need to be met in order to be eligible for a teaching job in Bangkok. To teach English in Bangkok, most schools and language centers require a bachelor's degree in any field. While having a degree in Education or English can be beneficial, it is not always mandatory. Some institutions may accept candidates with degrees in other subjects as long as they have a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) or TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification. Having a TEFL or TESOL certification is...  [Read more]

1. The Rising Demand for English Language Proficiency 2. The Impact on Education and Employment 3. Opportunities for English Teachers in India 4. Conclusion In recent years, India has witnessed a significant increase in the demand for English language proficiency. With globalization and the rise of the digital economy, English has become the language of choice for communication in various sectors. As a result, there is a growing emphasis on acquiring fluency in English to compete in the global market. This trend is particularly evident in urban areas where English is not only a medium of instruction in schools but also a prerequisite for higher education and employment opportunities. The emphasis on English language proficiency has had a profound impact on the education system in India....  [Read more]

1. The Importance of English Education in Taipei 2. English Teaching Opportunities in Taipei 3. Qualifications Required for English Teaching in Taipei 4. Benefits of Teaching English in Taipei As the global demand for English language proficiency continues to rise, Taipei stands out as a hub for English education in Asia. The city is home to a diverse population of students eager to learn English, creating a high demand for qualified English teachers. This article will explore the importance of English education in Taipei, the various teaching opportunities available, the qualifications required for teaching English, and the benefits of pursuing a career in English education in Taipei. One of the key reasons for the emphasis on English education in Taipei is the city's position as a major...  [Read more]

Explosive Growth of English Language Courses in Russia 1. The Rise of English Language Learning in Russia 2. Benefits of Learning English in Russia 3. Opportunities for English Language Teachers in Russia 4. Conclusion: The Future of English Language Education in Russia The demand for English language courses in Russia has seen an unprecedented surge in recent years. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, proficiency in English has become a valuable asset for Russians seeking to advance their careers, participate in international exchange programs, or simply broaden their horizons. This trend has led to a boom in the English language education sector, with a multitude of language schools, private tutors, and online platforms offering courses to cater to the growing demand. The...  [Read more]

1. Getting Started in Online English Tutoring 2. Qualifications and Skills needed for Online English Tutoring 3. Creating Engaging and Effective Lesson Plans 4. Building Rapport with Students in Online English Tutoring Are you considering a career in online English tutoring? Providing English language instruction to students around the world can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience. As an online English tutor, you have the opportunity to help others improve their language skills, build confidence, and achieve their academic or professional goals. However, getting started in online English tutoring can be daunting, especially for beginners. In this guide, we will provide essential tips to help you navigate the world of online English tutoring and set yourself up for success. Before...  [Read more]

1. Qualifications of ITTT English tutors in Denmark 2. Experience and Expertise 3. Professional Training 4. Native English Speakers Are you looking for English tutors in Denmark who are qualified to help you improve your language skills? At ITTT (International TEFL and TESOL Training), we provide top-notch English tutoring services to help you achieve your language learning goals. Our tutors in Denmark are highly qualified and experienced in teaching English as a foreign language. With a focus on professionalism and expertise, our tutors are dedicated to helping you succeed in your language learning journey. One of the key qualifications of our English tutors in Denmark is their extensive experience and expertise in teaching English to non-native speakers. Our tutors have a deep...  [Read more]

1.IntroductionWhen teaching English worldwide, one has to consider that there are two major dialects: The British (BrE) and the North American (AmE). A decision should be made by any responsible teacher as to which he or she teaches. A reason to adopt the AmE form could be teaching students for tourism jobs, because of the larger number of US- American tourists there are compared to British ones, while the BrE dialect might be preferable for business students because it is still considered an advantage in some work areas.In the following article we will go through some of the most common differences. However, the interested reader should consult the sources indicated in the annex when willing to obtain a capacity of consistent teaching of either of the two.2.GrammarApart from...  [Read more]