Teacher Student Talk

  There are some other classroom management issues that we need to consider and they may include issues such as writing on the board, giving students individual attention, the use of teacher talk time, the way in which we should give instructions to our students, the building and maintaining of rapport with our students, and finally the one that perhaps most new teachers particularly spend a lot of time worrying and thinking about, is the issue of classroom discipline. So what we'd like to do is to take each of these in turn and look at some of the major issues surrounding these classroom management issues. 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...  [Read more]

Confidence is being able to talk with ease, have a constant flow of positive energy, and not let anything get you down. When someone is confident they have higher levels of self-esteem and this is projected in their outward behavior. There are few things someone can do in order to boost their confidence level. Here are few:Set goals. It is an important task to do. This is perhaps the most important task of them all. You should ask yourself what you wish to accomplish by being a more confident person. When you ask yourself this question, whatever comes to mind needs to be written down and constantly viewed a minimum of two times a day: Once in the morning and the second at night. This alone will enhance your confidence and bring your dreams to reality. Increase your voice level...  [Read more]

  In her ITTT TEFL review video Kelly talks about how she found the four week in-class TEFL/TESOL course both challenging and rewarding. She speaks about how the course gave her the opportunity to teach the local students while being observed by qualified trainers who provided valuable feedback after each teaching session. 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. In this unit, I learned of the various teaching methodologies that can be used in the...  [Read more]

  This video covers the differences teachers encounter when teaching monolingual and multilingual classes. Monolingual students all have the same native language. Multilingual students have different first languages. Watch this video to find out how to deal with these types of classes as a 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 section before moving onto the next. In Unit 5 'Managing Classes', we dealt with topics related to the balancing act of organizing the classroom. This...  [Read more]

  When considering teacher Talk Time, we can perhaps look at the major advantage and disadvantage of the teacher actually talking. The major advantage is that you as the teacher are usually the only real model for the language, the source of correct English. So at some stages, your talking time is very important to the students. So when you?re modeling language, that use of Teacher Talk Time can be very advantageous. There are major disadvantages to overusing Teacher Talk Time, however, and perhaps the major one is that whenever the teacher is talking, the students are listening and if the students are listening, then they themselves cannot be talking. So, Teacher Talk Time reduces the opportunity for Student Talk Time. So, we should try to minimize the use of Teacher Talk Time...  [Read more]

Whilst there are many elements to teaching English as a foreign language, without successful classroom management the teacher will be ineffective and the students less likely to learn effectively. Key elements that should be focussed on are, e.g., teacher talk time, correct gesturing, appropriate interaction with the class, the manner of the teacher should be such that the atmosphere is balanced between casual yet with authority assigned to the teacher, etc. Although more elements are important to classroom management, the overall lesson is that the components of classroom management must be such that they are successfully integrated, or management will fail.Teacher talk time is appropriate during different sections of a class. It related, not only to the introduction of the...  [Read more]

  In this episode, we cover the pronunciation of the word choir. This word is used as a noun and describes a group of singers, often part of church services, that perform in public. Synonyms for choir often include singers or chorus. The word originates from the Latin word chorus. 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 "Managing classes" was interesting to learn, as I was a student learning a foreign language (L2) as well, so I recognised a...  [Read more]

A concern related to student behavior and classroom discipline is the 'Level of Law' that is set in place by the teacher for the class. A level of law represents the working ethical and behavior system in the classroom setting. What level of behavior is permitted in the class' Can students shout, push, criticize other students and act not in accordance with other rules set forth by the school' As teachers are establishing their 'level of law' at the beginning of the school year, they may need to explain on the first day of class, that these rules are not personally directed towards any one particular student, group of students but rather all the students in the class. The teacher may also point out that that the purpose of class rules is to allow for a comfortable learning...  [Read more]

A concern related to student behavior and classroom discipline is the ?Level of Law? that is set in place by the teacher for the class. A level of law represents the working ethical and behavior system in the classroom setting. What level of behavior is permitted in the class? Can students shout, push, criticize other students and act not in accordance with other rules set forth by the school? As teachers are establishing their ?level of law? at the beginning of the school year, they may need to explain on the first day of class, that these rules are not personally directed towards any one particular student, group of students but rather all the students in the class. The teacher may also point out that that the purpose of class rules is to allow for a comfortable...  [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]

TEFL teachers often work in different countries and face different national students. Sometimes, the students keep silent or show no interest on the course content. How to motivate them in the classroom has become a leading concern for teachers. Through my personal experience and TEFL course study, I find some effective ways as below:1. The teacher need know about the students' culture background. We know, every nation has its distinctive clothes and food customs, religious belief, value points and so on. If the teacher gets some information and knowledge, he/she can talk about relative topics in the class, especially, in first class. The students are great likely to communicate on these topics. This is a good beginning for following lessons.2. The teacher must have some ideas...  [Read more]

TaLK stands for Teach and Learn in Korea which is a government sponsored program that places foreign nationals into elementary schools across South Korea. TaLK is a similar program to the much larger EPIK; however, the TaLK Program differs by focusing on placements in underprivileged areas that might otherwise struggle to attract foreign teachers. Participants on the program will gain valuable teaching experience throughout their time in South Korea. There is also plenty of free time for exploring the local culture and for travel across the country and wider region. The TaLK Program is open to college graduates or current undergraduate students who have completed at least two years of a degree course. You must also hold a passport from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada,...  [Read more]

  This video is part of our series on the past tenses in English. In this video, we take a look at the past continuous tense and suitable teaching ideas for this tense. The past continuous is very conducive to using pictures and talking about actions. We give our group of students cards with images and ask them to create sentences for what the people in the picture were doing at a certain time in the past. 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...  [Read more]

  Here's an idea for teaching the present perfect continuous tense. However in this activity what the students will be doing, is comparing and contrasting this tense with the present perfect tense. This is something that a teacher will want to do after they've explored both tenses and because both tenses are quite confusing, we'll ask the students to compare and contrast the two, making sure that they can tell the difference. In this activity, the teacher will have cut out each individual card. The teacher will distribute the cards to the students and after a minute has gone by, the teacher will then ask the students to fold their cards over and get into a pair. One student in the pair will then present a certain result and ask the student to form the question. Here, with the...  [Read more]

Writing may be the most difficult and the most neglected of the four cardinal language skills.1 Speaking gets the most attention followed at some distance by listening, and reading. Writing, in comparison, is often ignored all together. The website www.englishclub.com calls it the 4th language skill.2 There are reasons for this. The simple fact is that most people, teachers included, never really learned how to do it and therefore are unable to pass it on. Another reason is that it is lonely, tedious work. (No teacher ever had to carry home a bag full of speaking assignments and labour into the wee hours marking them for return in the next day.) Still there are those of who continue to make the effort. What follows are a few suggestions on how to ease the burden.Adjust your...  [Read more]

In September of 2006, I had the opportunity to teach conversational English to graduate students at Huazhong University in China. On the last day of teaching, I asked students to write up an evaluation regarding the activities they liked best. Highlights included: the importance of establishing teacher rapport, the need to provide a wide variety of engaging activities and the value of peer interaction. Establishing rapport between the students and the teacher is a key factor in encouraging students to participate in class. The littlest things?like remembering names -- can make a big difference: ?As a student when you said my name without looking at the name list. I?m so excited and joyful. I think it?s important to a student.? Smiling is another simple thing any...  [Read more]

New technology in the classroom not only provides the teacher with a wealth of supportive tools but also provides interest and variety for the student and makes learning more interesting and relevant to today's society. The World Wide Web has made communication readily available and for the English learner offers a wealth of opportunities to supplement learning, A key asset of new technology in the classroom is the Interactive Whiteboard, a large touch sensitive board, which can be connected to a digital projector and a computer, which displays images from the computer screen onto the board and allows for more varied, creative and seamless use of teaching materials. It provides electronically all the familiar features of a traditional classroom blackboard or roller whiteboard...  [Read more]

  In this TEFL review video Scott form the USA discusses his experience on the in-class TEFL course in Prague. In addition to its online courses, ITTT offers in-class TEFL/TESOL course at training centers all over the world. 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 5 has served as another valuable lesson on the role of the teacher. I learned how to present myself in the classroom - specifically how to use my voice, how to properly make eye contact,...  [Read more]

  Our next consideration is going to be how we actually group our students. There are perhaps three types of grouping arrangements that we can consider and within those we'll have a look at the potential positive and negatives of those particular arrangements. So firstly, what arrangements can we use? We could arrange our group as a whole class so all of their activities will be done as a whole class. They could be working as individuals and the final grouping arrangement we'll consider is that of small groups or indeed the use of pair work. So for each of these types of arrangements what are the potential positive and negatives with that type of arrangement? For the whole class certainly one of the main positive features is that it gives that class a sense of belonging. Secondly...  [Read more]

IntroductionIn this article I will gather the most common problems/difficulties Thai learners have when learning English. I will spot the main difficulties you as the teacher will deal with and I will give my tips/solutions of how you can understand the problems and deal with them.The article is based on own experience and new information I have learned from this course.Some of the major differences between Thai learners and European learners are:Certain students can be reluctant to talk and produce English in class. It can be caused by natural shyness or just the fact that they cannot express themselves in English or it can have its roots in cultural issues.How do we deal with these issues and how do we know if certain behaviour is caused by student´s culture or by natural ...  [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]

  Before looking at specific teaching ideas for the present simple tense, let's first look at some considerations for teaching ideas in general. We have to remember that these activities will be used in the activate stage of your lesson. Here, the focus will be on building fluency and using the language in a bit more of a free-flowing way yet still focusing on that class' language point. We also have to consider the appropriacy for a number of factors: timings. Whether the activity will be too short or too long. We want to look at ages making sure that the activity is appropriate for young learners or adult learners. We also have to take into consideration our language levels. Will the activity be appropriate for our starters or our pre-intermediates or our intermediates? Will the...  [Read more]

  So, having elicited this particular structure, what I'm now able to do is to move on to the actual study activities. Typically, they will be in the form of worksheets to check that the students actually understand this information. So, I might prepare three activities. They may not do them all but, for example, I could prepare these three study activities. So, the first one is going to be a fairly straightforward matching activity, where perhaps they match the subject to its correct verb "to be" in that part of the sentence. The second one is going to be a gap fill. For example, I might use this verb here and ask them to complete a sentence using that verb, so that I can check that any spelling changes that take place are correct and the final one is going to be an unscramble,...  [Read more]

What is E.S.A' E.S.A stands for engage, study, activate. E.S.A is a teaching method developed by Jeremy Harmer.The engage phase is used for getting the students to think and talk in English and is also a good way to ease into a lesson. Introductions of the teacher and each student one by one around the classroom gets everyone involved and inspires confidence for students as well as the teacher. Some of the engage activities are: introductions around the classroom, games such as a-z animals, countries, things, places etc. Discussions such as what do you like/dislike, music, stories or pictures. Trying to draw the language out of the students keeps them well engaged and focused taking them into the study phase.The study phase is generally the bulk of the lesson focusing on the ...  [Read more]

What is E.S.A? E.S.A stands for engage, study, activate. E.S.A is a teaching method developed by Jeremy Harmer. The engage phase is used for getting the students to think and talk in English and is also a good way to ease into a lesson. Introductions of the teacher and each student one by one around the classroom gets everyone involved and inspires confidence for students as well as the teacher. Some of the engage activities are: introductions around the classroom, games such as a-z animals, countries, things, places etc. Discussions such as what do you like/dislike, music, stories or pictures. Trying to draw the language out of the students keeps them well engaged and focused taking them into the study phase. The study phase is generally the bulk of the lesson...  [Read more]

  Then, we have a set of objectives and aims. Here, the learner objectives relate to what we're hoping the students are going to be able to do by the end of your lesson and quite often, that can be a useful way of writing out what the objectives are. So, we would start the sentence "By the end of the lesson, students should be able to?" and then a list of two, three or four items that we're expecting the students to be able to do by completing this lesson. The learner objectives are different to the teacher aims the teacher aims are what you are expecting from that lesson itself. Now, when you first start teaching, quite a normal aim might be to complete the lesson successfully, to get through the whole thing without having any problems. As time goes on and you become more...  [Read more]

Although teaching jobs can be arranged in Asia once you arrive in your destination of choice, in many countries it is common for jobs to be arranged in advance from within your own country. One area where this is certainly true is if you join a government run placement program. The following are the most popular programs of their kind in Asia. EPIK stands for the English Program in Korea, a scheme run by the South Korean government that places foreign teachers into schools across the country to work as English language instructors. EPIK is one of the largest and most popular schemes of its kind as it offers a competitive salary, a good range of extra benefits, and the chance to experience living and working in a unique cultural environment. If you meet the specified criteria then you...  [Read more]

Some people might think it is not so important where and how the students sit in the classroom. When they arrive for the first time, they leave it up to the students how they want to arrange the classroom and start teaching afterwards. Great care must be taken with this perception though. There are many different ways to arrange the classroom and each one of them has its own benefits and disadvantages. There is no 'best seating arrangement' for classes in general though. It depends on the available space, the type of chairs and tables, the age and personality of the students and the type of lesson that has been planned. The teacher must always take this into consideration and should plan very carefully how to arrange the classroom.The most common seating arrangements are...  [Read more]

Just as students may vary from class to class, so are teachers and their teaching style. This paper focuses on the four basic teaching styles which are formal authority, demonstrator or personal model, facilitator and delegator. Which style is more effective' Do you want the students to focus on you or do you want to focus on the students' Which is your style'Lessons taught using the formal authority teaching style tends to be teacher centered. The most obvious example of this style is when a teacher is lecturing. In the class when the teacher is using the formal authority teaching style, the teacher is in control of the lesson and all of the attention and energy of the student is focused on the teacher. The formal authority teaching style is effective because it is...  [Read more]

During my first week at the TEFL course in Phuket, Thailand, I began to notice that the pronunciation of the Thai students was lacking a bit. I do not blame this condition on the teachers, nor on the students themselves, but the pronunciation predicament immediately stuck out to me as a problem for which I would like to find some resolution. For this reason, I decided to look further into the difficulties Thai students have when learning such a widely- used foreign language as English. What I found was that most of the pronunciation problems stem from the vast differences the two languages contain. For many teachers and students alike, the dissimilarities become so numerous that they easily begin to overwhelm everyone involved in the process of learning a new ...  [Read more]