World's Hardest Languages To Learn

Stephen Krashen differentiates between the concepts of language acquisition and language learning in this way: He likens the process of language acquisition to adolescents and young adults living outside of their native country in a year long exchange program where they attain near native fluency but remain unfamiliar with phonology and/or grammar rules. He links the concept of language learning to the traditional approach of teachers/students in classrooms with specific focus on structure and grammar rules. Krashen summarizes, “Language acquisition does not require extensive use of conscious grammatical rules, and does not require tedious drill.” He further states, “Acquisition requires meaningful interaction in the target language-natural communication-in which speakers...  [Read more]

Yes. One of the many benefits of teaching English abroad is that it can provide a great environment for learning a foreign language. It is no secret that being fully immersed in a different culture, where you are constantly surrounded by a new language, is the most effective way to quickly develop your understanding. Throughout your time living and working as an English teacher abroad, you will inevitably have endless opportunities to practice your language skills. As well as using the language as you go about your daily life, there is also a good chance that you will have access to local language courses that are far cheaper than those available in your home country. Another possibility is the network of friends that you will likely make among the local citizens. Often people are more...  [Read more]

INTRODUCTIONHow did you learn to speak your native language' Notice, this shouldn´t be such a puzzling question. Do you remember when you learned to tie your shoes, ride a bike, and eat with a fork' Sometimes we can remember a parent helping us to do these things. But have our parents helped us learn to speak our first language' Do you remember when your mother taught you the past tense' When your father laid down the rules for passive sentences' We don´t remember these important moments of our childhood because they never occurred. Sometimes we as adults study for years to acquire a new language. It is then quite wonderful to think that children, by around the age of 5, have more or less mastered their first language, excepting some vocabulary and a few grammatical structures. This is...  [Read more]

Download our free Guide to Teaching English Abroad for a wide range of information regarding the world of TEFL/TESOL. The guide covers all the essential things you need to know before you begin your teaching career, from what qualifications are available to securing a teaching position in the country of your choice. Download it today and take the first step on an exciting new journey.  [Read more]

In order to learn to read either a native or foreign language, the reader must be able to identify words quickly and accurately. This process is known as decoding. Decoding words involves changing what the reader sees printed on a page into spoken language. The reader then decodes the word by sounding it out, using the context around the word for clues about it's meaning. In order to sound out words, a reader must be able to relate specific spellings with specific sounds. Phonics is the process of relating the sounds of the words to their spellings. There are many ways to teach phonics awareness and use. However, most types of phonics instruction focus on the sound- spelling relationships so that the new reader can come up with an approximate pronunciation of the word and then check it...  [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 us; just as...  [Read more]

  In this TESOL review video Ray talks about how the 120-hour online TESOL course he took with ITTT helped him to learn the necessary skills to teach English as a foreign language. Ray recommends the course to anyone considering a career teaching English abroad or online. 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 useful tips were given for lesson planning. I learnt that a lesson plan helps to guide what you want to impart, it can be used as a...  [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]

The age, background, and motivation of the students in your ESL classroom will vary greatly depending on where you are teaching and the school or institute you work for. You could have a class full of university students, hotel workers or even high flying business executives. Alternatively, you might work in a government school teaching a class of children aged anywhere from five to sixteen. Each of these groups has its own characteristics, and different teachers have their own preferences. Just remember that by completing a reputable TEFL certification course before you head off abroad, you will learn all the skills required to deliver effective and enjoyable lessons to almost any group of learners. A large percentage of teachers working in ESL classrooms overseas will find their...  [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, English as a Global...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in KAifAqu Gongyeyuan? Are you interested in teaching English in Yancheng Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. Language is a system of communication. A language that interfaces individuals from various nations, particularly on the off chance that they don't communicate in one another's dialects. Presently, what makes a language global? The area of a specific nation everywhere throughout the World and the monetary status. The most clear model is English. The English...  [Read more]

According to Wikipedia.org, the term 'Lingua Franca' refers to a language 'widely used beyond the population of its native speakers'. [1] There are many different ways in which a language can reach 'Lingua Franca' status; through warfare and colonisation, through international commerce and through the distribution of information via various Medias, but to mention a few.Many languages have enjoyed Lingua Franca status in different parts of the world throughout history. The Lingua Franca of the Roman Empire during the period between c.300 BC ' AD 300 was Koine Greek. [2] From the 17th century up until quite recently, when it was replaced with English, French was the lingua Franca of diplomacy in Europe. Today, Arabic is the Lingua Franca of the Muslim communities of the world and English is...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Liangtian Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Yinchuan Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. In this section we learn about teaching proper pronunciation. We learned about the difference between articulation, stress and pronunciation. An emphasis is placed on phonetic symbols. We learn about how the mouth makes certain sounds. I found this chapter to be the hardest of the book. It isn't easy learning about phonology. In this section we learn about...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Yiniubaozi Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Shenyang Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. The unit 13, teaching pronunciation and phonology was the hardest lesson so far. especially the part phonemic symbols, I had no idea what it means. As I teach along I felt the needs to learn how to read as a foreigner in order to understand and explain better. I am still unfamiliar with this lesson but wish to study more. The unit 13, teaching pronunciation...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Quankou Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Jiujiang Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. I believe that this is one of the hardest lessons in the TEFL so far because it all builds up from previous questions relating to other aspects of the entire program. However, this lesson is extremely useful to understand so a teacher can learn where and when a new concept is appropriate and suitable for students in different phases of their education. I believe...  [Read more]

The phenomenon known as globalization has been called by some "Americanization" (Hook, 2005, p. 288). American culture is the driving force creating the desire for acquiring English language skills. Several characteristics of the United States have made it the center of globalization (Nye, 2004, p. 41). The internet is anchored predominately in American culture. In addition, America is a multiethnic society and has connections with various parts of the world. Notice how Joseph Nye (2004) clarifies this point:America has borrowed freely from a variety of traditions and immigration keeps it open to the rest of the world. This makes the United States a laboratory for cultural experimentation where different traditions are recombined and exported. In addition, because of the size of the...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Ji'ergAlang Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Tongliao Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. Language is a bridge providing communication and introduction between people and a symbol of status in the global society. In this way, the language grows and, people need to use a global language. Why has particularly English as a language has become a global language one of the most important questions? We will find answers to this. Historically, English is a...  [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. I've experienced teaching adult beginners and kindergarteners in groups, and teenagers individually. For myself, teaching adults was the hardest as they have their own knowledge and perceptions in the English language. Also, gathering people from different backgrounds was also not easy whereas young learners including kindergarten through middle school students are more open to absorb the new language and learn. This...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in TangzhAng Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Xuzhou Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. I think just the process of learning linguistics is fascinating, there are so many subtle nuances and slang you don’t realize you possess until you start teaching outside of your country, or even with your own country! For me, the biggest problem and greatest challenge will always be slang/idioms. Slang in any language is ever-evolving and changing, even in our...  [Read more]

According to Wikipedia.org, the term ?Lingua Franca? refers to a language ?widely used beyond the population of its native speakers?. [1] There are many different ways in which a language can reach ?Lingua Franca? status; through warfare and colonisation, through international commerce and through the distribution of information via various Medias, but to mention a few. Many languages have enjoyed Lingua Franca status in different parts of the world throughout history. The Lingua Franca of the Roman Empire during the period between c.300 BC ? AD 300 was Koine Greek. [2] From the 17th century up until quite recently, when it was replaced with English, French was the lingua Franca of diplomacy in Europe. Today, Arabic is the Lingua Franca of the Muslim communities of the world and English...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Dayugou Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Zhengzhou Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. I think the most useful thing I have gained is how to plan lessons in order to make them both useful and stimulating. It does take time to prepare for each class and tailor it to the object of the lesson, but I think this will become easier with practice and by planning more than you need, it does mean that you are not stuck for ideas if students work more quickly...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Jiuhu Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Xiantao, Tianmen, Qianjiang & S? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. Language is a main part of our identities as human beings. It provides us to connect to another person, learn about our root from written and unwritten side in the world. Historically, language has been linked to the culture, customs and beliefs. In addition, people need to get in touch with each other in order to communicate and continue their...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in GuangfA Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Chenzhou Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. As a Spaniard in love with languages, I can’t start this essay without saying anything other than, "it’s not who the teacher is, but the will of teaching that they have". Through all these years learning English, I just know for sure that a learner actually learns more when they live in and with the language throughout each day. They need to become hooked to...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Jielong Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Huaihua Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. English as a global language Why is a global language needed? As the world has become more interconnected, particularly with quick international travel, modern communications and globalized trade, the argument for a “global language” is often used. Arguably now more than ever, a global language or single lingua franca has never been more important. There are...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in QingshAnqiao Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Xiangtan Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. Why is English important for international career? Introduction English may not be the most spoken language in the world, but it is the official language of 53 countries. It is the first language of nearly 400 million people, and the second language of another 300 million people. Furthermore, 750 million people are learning English today. It is expected that...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Baisi Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Zhoukou Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. I can honestly say that this course has opened my eyes to realize how our english language, as simple as it may seem, in reality isn?t. Being mother tongue, knowing the language, culture of my birth country (America) and being able to teach and explain to someone the in?s and out?s of the language are totally two different things! As with any language, what we learn...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Zhile Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Xuchang Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. Completing this tefl course has made me aware of how in depth and complicated it is to learn english. As a native speaker, it?s very easy to forget the multitude of topics such as grammar, sentences structures, etc. that non-native speakers must learn in order to grasp the language. Learning english was always second nature to me, making it come off as easy and...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Beidouxi Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Huaihua Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. 10. Problems for learners in a country of your choice Learning another language is one of the most powerful tools for connecting people around the world from different cultures. Opening an immeasurable amount of opportunities, learning English has many benefits including but not limited to expanding career options, exercising another part of the brain, and...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Wuyi Zhongchuchang Zongchang? Are you interested in teaching English in Xilinguole Meng — Xilin Gol? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. Introduction: We all are able to communicate freely with our native language to the people around us. A second single language besides our native language would help to reduce misunderstanding and miscommunication all around the world. People need to learn this world language, whichever that maybe, but we will also never forget our...  [Read more]

Do you want to be TEFL or TESOL-certified and teach in Liulin Zhen? Are you interested in teaching English in Zhengzhou Shi? Check out ITTT’s online and in-class courses, Become certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language and start teaching English ONLINE or abroad! ITTT offers a wide variety of Online TEFL Courses and a great number of opportunities for English Teachers and for Teachers of English as a Second Language. I think this may be one of the hardest questions in the whole course. I honestly don?t know where to start when describing what I have learnt and personally gained during this course, and I really don?t want to bore you to death. So I will try to keep this as brief as possible (which for me is still always too long) First of all this course has taught me english. I...  [Read more]