Language Teaching For Young Learners

  The dynamics of classroom interaction is often dictated by the arrangement of the classroom itself and the way in which the classroom is arranged could depend upon a number of factors and they might include things such as the age of the students, so for example we're unlikely to have the same arrangement for adult learners as we would have for young learners. It could also depend upon the actual physical space available. The physical space may determine how we have to arrange our classroom to maximize the opportunity for interaction and so forth. It will also depend on what material is available and by material in this case we're talking about the actual desks and chairs and so on and so forth. Perhaps the final thing we might put here is that it could also depend upon the...  [Read more]

  Kathryn enjoyed her experience in Thailand. Prior to the in-class course, she never taught English and saw a quick development during her training. She is now confident to start working as an ESL teacher in Thailand and around the globe. 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 covered how to teach the specific needs of beginning learners, young learners, business learners, and monolingual vs multilingual learners. There are several subsets...  [Read more]

Motivation is a paramount factor in determining the success or failure of learning. Very often, students drag themselves to school and find it a chore to study, worse still take on a second language ?C English. As a non native speaker myself, switching from characters into roman letters was an uphill battle. However, ?? want to dispel the myth that learning English is easy and fun for non-native speakers and the secret to it is pure motivation. According to the dictionary, motivation is defined as a reason or cause of action. It can be categorized into extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Extrinsic factors such as rewards and punishment are the common methods in motivating students. If a student does well, the individual is rewarded positively with gifts, money and...  [Read more]

  Our next particular methodology is accredited to James Asher around 1965 and is called total physical response. Asher looked at the way in which we learn our native language and he saw that most children, before they even went to school, have picked up a very large percentage of both the grammar and the vocabulary that they would use in their native language before any type of formal schooling. So Asher started to have a look at ideas of how to use the whole of our brain in language learning in the way that we do when we're very young. It's accepted that within our brain there are two hemispheres, one is the left hemisphere the other is the right hemisphere, and one of the functions of the left hemisphere is language learning. One of the major functions of the right hemisphere is...  [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]

A balanced approach to using a combination of created and authentic materials can be beneficial to both the students and the teacher in an ESL classroom.Created materials can be either a previously published course text or something the teacher has specifically created to supplement a lesson. Often students will expect some published materials such as a course book and view it as a form of security as well as a way to gauge their progress, i.e. how many chapters of the book they have completed. Published course materials have generally been tried and tested before release and thus are graded to a level suitable for the students and contain a balanced mix of vocabulary, grammar and skills exercises. As well, they can be very useful in pointing out certain structures or language...  [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. This unit focused more on the specifics of teaching special groups, such as young learners or company employees. I found it similar to the first unit on learners, as it explained probable differences between different groups of learners (e.g. young learners being less motivated and disciplined, but more open to experimentation and the possibility of failure). Much of the unit also concentrated on assessing the...  [Read more]

Motivation is the psychological feature that arouses an individual to action toward a desired goal. Motivation can also be the reason for an individual's action or that which gives purpose and direction to behaviour. In other words, motivation is an incentive that generates goal-directed behaviour.Being able to achieve something that you may have thought impossible and making it a reality. If you are learning a new language because your parents want you to might be difficult for you to motivate yourself however if there is a reward at the end of it you may still try hard to succeed. Therefore motivation can come in different forms and when in a classroom students will be motivated by different things. Finding what motivates each individual can make teaching easier, rewarding,...  [Read more]

Motivation is necessary to keep students happy and interested amidst a language learning situation that progressively challenges them. If there are no motivating factors present, learning becomes plain hard work. Behavioral problems in the classroom often, or always, seem to be linked to the lack of motivation (Lile). Intelligent students are often out-performed by less bright students with high motivation (ibid). According to Steers and Porter (cited in Suslu, 2006), motivation can be characterized as: needs or expectations, behavior, goals, and some form of feedback. Basic motivational conditions need to be present before motivational strategies can be successfully applied to students to effect positive goal-related behavior (D?rnyei, 2001:31-49). ?Appropriate...  [Read more]

  Alina lives in Bucharest in Romania and has been teaching English there for several years. In her TEFL review video she explains how she chose to take the 120-hour online TEFL course with tutor support and videos from ITTT in order to receive professional training in English language teaching. After researching online, Alina decided that the online course from ITTT best suited her needs to be able to study while also working, which gave her the chance to apply what she was learning to her classes as she progressed through the course. Alina is looking forward to further study with a course in teaching English to young learners. 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...  [Read more]

  This is Chantelle’s video diary entry after completing unit 16 of her online TEFL course. Unit 16 covers conditionals and reported speech. Both language points can cause difficulty for English language learners and teachers alike. The unit outlines the structure and use of the conditionals and also provides some useful teaching ideas that can be used in your own classes. It also goes into detail about when we use reported speech and the changes that occur when changing direct speech into reported speech. You will also find teaching ideas to help you understand how this language point can be taught in the classroom. 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...  [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. This unit talks about Teaching and Learning. It highlighted on learning and developmental theories, the acquisition of native and second language, the learning environment and the various learning skills. I have learned for the first time the teacher acting as a Policeman to my previous knowledge on classroom management. The likes and dislikes of the various groups of learners, learned in this unit will help...  [Read more]

  Tori completed the 120-hour TESOL certificate course as well as the business English course to further her education in English language teaching. In this TESOL review she tells us that as an English and Education university graduate Tori found that she had come across some of the theories covered in the courses before but also learned new theories and methodologies. She was also able to put the knowledge she learned on the courses to immediate use in her lessons in Japan. 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...  [Read more]

  The next category we are looking at in our series on teaching special groups in ESL are young learners. We consider students aged 2 to 16 young learners. Find out the positives, negatives and tips when teaching young learners in this video. 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, Troubleshooting, was focus on some of the most common problem situations that teachers can encounter in the classroom and also suggest ways of dealing with them....  [Read more]

  In this episode, we cover the pronunciation of the word deter. This word is used as a verb and means to discourage someone from doing something, usually using doubt or fear. Synonyms for deter include prevent, stop and avert. The word comes from Latin 'deterrere', a word formed with de- ‘away from’ and terrere ‘frighten'. 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 lesson showed me how to teach different students, the different techniques...  [Read more]

Learning is the process of gaining or acquiring knowledge while technique comes from the Latin word technicus which means execution or performance of some artistic work or a scientific procedure being used [Orford American Dictionary, Mac OS X dashboard]. So ?learning technique? is the art or even the science of acquiring knowledge. How do we make learning scientific? Experts have come up with some ideas. First, they have isolated different learning techniques. Second, they have defined the qualities of those people using such techniques. Third, they have constructed tests to determine individual learning techniques. Oxford (1990) has defined 6 learning strategies or techniques: 1 Cognitive strategies allow the learner to manipulate language material in direct ways:...  [Read more]

  This TEFL review video was recorded by Ben from Brisbane, Australia. Ben has spent the last five years living and working in Chiang Mai, Thailand. During his time in Chiang Mai he has been teaching a variety of skills including building and life skills. Ben has always wanted to be a teacher and decided to take ITTT’s 120-hour online TEFL course as a means to achieving that goal. He found the course to be ideal for his situation as he has a lot of work to do in Thailand and the flexibility of learning online allowed him to study the course whenever he was free. 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...  [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. Unit 19 deals with teaching special groups. Specials groups are beginners, young learners, business english, multilingual and monolingual, and individual student. In this lesson I was able to learn the best approaches and activities that I can use to a certain type of group or student. This module includes the factors that I need to consider in teaching special groups.↵↵In this unit I was able to...  [Read more]

The most comprehensive course option offered by ITTT is the 550-hour Expert Package with tutor support. It covers a complete spectrum of TEFL skills that teachers of English as a foreign language can use in most classroom situations. The 550-hour Expert Package fully prepares course graduates so they are ready to tackle a wide range of future teaching and management roles at home or overseas. This extensive package consists of six course components: Part 1 of the package (the 120-hour TEFL course) has to be completed first, however, all the remaining parts can be taken in any order you prefer. You will be given the choice of a single 550-hour certificate that encompasses the entire course package once all sections have been successfully completed, or receiving six individual certificates...  [Read more]

Learning is the process of gaining or acquiring knowledge while technique comes from the Latin word technicus which means execution or performance of some artistic work or a scientific procedure being used [Orford American Dictionary, Mac OS X dashboard]. So 'learning technique' is the art or even the science of acquiring knowledge.How do we make learning scientific' Experts have come up with some ideas. First, they have isolated different learning techniques. Second, they have defined the qualities of those people using such techniques. Third, they have constructed tests to determine individual learning techniques. Oxford (1990) has defined 6 learning strategies or techniques:1 Cognitive strategies allow the learner to manipulate language material in direct ways: through...  [Read more]

  Andra is from Indonesia and is studying for his master’s degree at a university in Malaysia. In this TEFL review, Andra tells us how he has been teaching English to primary and secondary school students for more than two years. Andra points out that students’ parents will have more confidence in their child’s teacher if he or she has a recognized teaching qualification and this is one of the reasons he decided to take the 120-hour online TEFL course with ITTT. 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...  [Read more]

One of the basic features in which human beings differ from the rest of the animal world is language. It is one of the forms with which we express ourselves. All humans have the innate capacity to learn each other's language, taught through repetition. The main objective and benefit which originates from language is communication. Moreover it contributes to view an insight into the human development. It therefore elucidates the child's development in general. The first step a child takes toward speech is through listening. It is curious to note that the slowest sense a child develops is hearing. This means that it may be that this strong hearing mechanism only responds and acts to sounds of a particular kind: those of speech. During the first months of life...  [Read more]

The practice of Teaching English as a Foreign Language often branches into specialized areas focusing on teaching specific groups of learners. Worldwide demand for EFL teachers qualified in these fields is increasing and ITTT is at the forefront in preparing teachers with the necessary skills to teach English to Young Learners (TEYL) and to Teach Business English (TBE). The benefits of becoming certified to teach business or young learners are many and you will find that holding such qualifications not only improves your teaching ability but of course your employability. Each of our specialized courses consists of modular units and each course necessitates approximately 50 hours of study. The TEYL and TBE courses are designed for TEFL/TESOL and equivalent certified teachers, and prior...  [Read more]

There are many different teaching methods that teachers all over the world use everyday. The type you use depends on the kind of person you are, what style fits you best, and what kind of students you are teaching. I am going to cover a few teaching styles ranging from very young learners to older learners, sharing the many methods that are in use today. The AudioLingualism method, is a style of teaching used in language instruction. It is based on behaviorist ideas, which states that certain living things, in this case humans, could be trained through a system of reinforcement. Correct use of a trait would receive positive feedback while incorrect use of that trait would receive negative feedback. Its exactly like Pavlov's study using dogs, every time the dogs would get...  [Read more]

  Linda lives in China and is taking the 120-hour TEFL course with ITTT. This is the fifth installment of her TEFL review video journal outlining her experiences on the course. In this video Linda tells us about unit 5 of the course which covers aspects of classroom management. The unit has plenty of useful information on how students can be grouped within class and the types of activities that are suitable for different groupings. It also covers ways of dealing with problem behavior and methods for engaging students when they may not be interested in learning. At a quarter of the way through the course Linda is still clearly excited about earning her TEFL certificate. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course....  [Read more]

When considering this question it is important to first outline the different types of class levels found in English language classrooms worldwide. A fairly common classification of EFL teaching levels is indicated by the book resources available. If you consider book series such as, Reward, New Headway, and many others, you will find five levels. These levels are, Starter (or Beginner), Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate, and Upper-Intermediate. Now we have established the general language levels of students, we can now consider the four skills of English. It is very important to remember that there are four skills that are required by any language user. These four skills are, reading and listening (known as the receptive skills) and writing and speaking (known as the productive...  [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. This unit focused on the needs and development of young learners in a very brief format. As an adult, it is difficult to remember how I 'acquired' my knowledge around language, so I find the idea of teaching very young learners to be very intimidating. Personally, I feel I need to do some supplemental reading and research on the language development concepts presented, so I have a more thorough...  [Read more]

Although the benefits of learning foreign languages are undisputable, the implementation varies around the globe. When should we introduce it' Should we go for a bilingual education, foreign language classes or immersion schools ' Immersion elementary schools started to appear in Canada in the early sixties (CRAWFORD, 1989). In Europe, after a long tradition of a second language learning in secondary and high schools, the European Centre for Modern Languages conducted, in 2002-2003, a project called 'Janua Linguarum - the Gateway to Languages' in ten European countries to promote the introduction of language awakening at the end of primary schools. There are a number of arguments in favor of early language learning. Noam Chomsky, a 20th century linguist, referred to a...  [Read more]

  Roby from the US share her experiences of completing ITTT's 120 online TEFL/TESOL certification course in this TESOL review. She talks about how best to complete the course and she outlines the support that was given to her by her online tutor. She also talks about the ongoing job support that ITTT offers to all its graduates. Roby plans to complete ITTT's two specialized courses, the Business English course and the Teaching English to Young Learners course. These two additional teaching qualifications will greatly improve her career options when she moves to Japan. 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...  [Read more]

Acronyms are an essential tool used in all professions and technical writing. They are powerful tools to reduce word content. However without knowing what the acronym stands for, they can form a barrier to understanding. In the ESL (English as a Second Language) teaching world there is certainly no shortage of acronyms. Here we look at a few and one in particular, TEFL. Some useful teaching acronyms are: ELT: English Language Teaching. This is a general term for teaching English and applies to the teaching of English to both native and non-native English speakers. ELL: English Language Learner. This is a general term for anyone learning English and applies to learners of English who are native or non-native English speakers. ESL: English as a Second Language: This relates to the...  [Read more]