Examples Of Word Pairs

  This video focuses on the difference between "bored" and "boring". Using those two words incorrectly is a very common mistake, especially for English learners around the world. The word "bored" is an adjective describing the feeling when there is nothing to do or when a person is not interested, for example, "she was so bored that she fell asleep". "Boring" is also an adjective but this word refers to the cause of the bored feeling rather than the feeling itself. For example, "the class was so boring that she fell asleep". Here the class is the reason for the feeling. The same concept can be applied to similar word pairs such as 'interested - interesting' or 'tired - tiring'. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL...  [Read more]

  This video covers the difference between 'defuse' and 'diffuse'. Their similar spelling and pronunciation make them a word pair that is often confused. The word 'defuse' refers to the action of making a situation less harmful or tense, whereas 'diffuse' means to spread over a wide area. Watch the video for detailed examples on the two words. 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 shows how important is it to know how to teach a new...  [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]

To make your TEFL classes more hands-on and engaging for your students, there are several strategies and activities you can incorporate into your lesson plans. By incorporating interactive and practical activities, you can create a dynamic learning environment that caters to different learning styles and keeps your students motivated and actively participating in the class. One effective way to make your TEFL classes more hands-on is to incorporate group work and pair work activities. These activities encourage collaboration and communication among students, allowing them to practice their English language skills in a more interactive setting. Group discussions, role-plays, debates, and problem-solving tasks are all examples of activities that can be used to promote hands-on learning in...  [Read more]

  For the teaching idea in this ESOL video students are given a set of pictures that feature events in a person's day. In pairs the students will need to put the pictures in an order of their choosing and then create a story about the person's day using the past simple tense. For example: She woke up and had a cup of coffee. She went to be at 9 o'clock. If you would like to become an ESOL teacher and travel the world experiencing new cultures while enabling people to improve their opportunities in life, then you should take a TESOL course. Taking such a course will give you the knowledge and skills needed to make you an effective teacher of English. Visit our site by following the link above for more information on the courses available to you. Below you can read feedback from...  [Read more]

  Being able to use the correct tense when communicating with others is essential. We often use more than one tense when talking to others so it is important that our students have the confidence to be able to know which tense to use in any given situation. For the teaching idea in this video a card game is used to give students the opportunity to ask questions and give answers using more than one tense, in particular reinforcing the Present Perfect Continuous tense. The activity requires the students to work in pairs, taking it in turns to ask a question and give a correct answer. Each card will have a result and a reason, and one student will be required to form the correct question and the other student the correct answer. ITTT offers a variety of TEFL courses. For example, for...  [Read more]

  The two words "farther" and "further" are a pair of words that is often used interchangeably to talk about distances. However, not many know that there is actually a slight difference between the two. "Farther" is used for physical distances. So we would use it in this example: "Tokyo is farther away than Beijing". When using "further" we talk about non-physical, figurative distances, for example "I'm falling further away from my goals". As you can see, the two words have slighty different usages. However, in spoken English the two words are often used interchangeably without a difference. However, if you are keen to use them properly, you should stick to the rules mentioned above. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL...  [Read more]

  Now an example of a straight arrow ESA lesson for our engage phase. What we're going to do is to show the students a video of animals and they are going to say what they like about those animals and try to create a list of some more. So, remember what we're trying to do here is to get the students talking and thinking in English. We're using a typical engage activity, which is to create a list and we try to make sure that all the students have been involved in some way in creating those lists. Moving on to the study phase, the first part is going to be the board work and the teacher is going to try to elicit from the students what each of those animals can and can't do. Typically, what the students will say is just single words, so "run," "jump," "fly," etc. What we would then...  [Read more]

To make your TEFL classes more interactive for mixed-ability students, there are several strategies you can implement. Firstly, consider incorporating a variety of activities that cater to different learning styles and abilities. For example, you could include visual aids for visual learners, hands-on activities for kinesthetic learners, and group discussions for auditory learners. This ensures that all students have the opportunity to engage with the material in a way that suits their strengths. Another effective approach is to use differentiated instruction techniques. This involves tailoring your teaching methods to meet the diverse needs of your students. For instance, you could provide additional support materials for students who require extra help, while challenging more advanced...  [Read more]

  This video covers the difference between 'discreet' and 'discrete'. Their similar spelling and pronunciation makes them a word pair that is often confused. The word 'discreet' describes something that is unnoticeable and/or modest, whereas 'discrete' refers to something that is separate and distinct. Watch the video for detailed examples on the two words. 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 provided a breakdown on the future tenses (as...  [Read more]

  In this online TESOL course video we will look at a useful teaching idea for the past perfect tense. Students are given statements written in the past simple and will have to complete the statement with sentences in the past perfect. Each statement would have been cut out before the class and distributed to pairs or small groups. The student will turn over their card, read out the statement then complete it with their own past perfect sentence. For example: I didn't do my homework ... because I hadn't brought my book home. Teaching ideas such as this become an important part of an English teacher's resources, enabling them to create interesting plans when required. To learn more about this tense and others consider taking one of ITTT's online TESOL courses. Follow the link above...  [Read more]

To make your TEFL classroom more interactive, there are several strategies you can implement. One effective method is to incorporate a variety of interactive activities that cater to different learning styles and preferences. For example, you can include group discussions, pair work, role plays, and games to engage students and promote active participation. These activities not only make learning more enjoyable but also help students practice their language skills in a meaningful context. Another way to enhance interactivity is to use technology in the classroom. You can utilize online resources, interactive whiteboards, educational apps, and multimedia tools to create a dynamic learning environment. By integrating technology, you can appeal to digital-native students and make the lessons...  [Read more]

To make your TEFL classes more interactive and fun, there are several strategies and activities you can incorporate into your teaching approach. Firstly, consider incorporating games into your lessons. Games are a great way to engage students and make learning enjoyable. You can use popular games like Jeopardy, Pictionary, or Bingo to review vocabulary, grammar, or other language concepts. Games not only make learning more fun but also encourage friendly competition and collaboration among students. Another effective way to make your TEFL classes more interactive is through group work and pair work activities. These activities allow students to practice speaking and listening skills in a more dynamic and engaging way. You can assign group projects, role plays, debates, or discussions on...  [Read more]

To make TEFL lessons more engaging for special needs students, it is essential to create a supportive and inclusive learning environment that caters to their unique needs and abilities. Here are some strategies to consider: 1. **Differentiated Instruction**: Tailor your lessons to accommodate various learning styles and abilities. Provide multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement to cater to diverse needs in the classroom. 2. **Visual Aids and Manipulatives**: Use visual aids, such as flashcards, charts, and pictures, to support understanding and retention of new vocabulary and concepts. Incorporating hands-on activities and manipulatives can also enhance learning for students with special needs. 3. **Sensory Activities**: Engage students through sensory activities that...  [Read more]

  Our next consideration is going to be building and maintaining rapport. The importance of rapport is that within our communicative activities, we're asking the students to talk to each other. If they feel comfortable with each other and with us, then that interaction is much more likely to be useful. So how do we actually build and maintain rapport? Well, it's easiest if we consider two stages of the course itself. What we can do at the start of the course and what we can do throughout the course to help build and maintain that rapport. So at the start of the course, it's very useful if we ask the students to create a name card and to make that name card visible to everyone. Secondly we need to try to do some ice breaking activities that will allow the students to interact with...  [Read more]

There’s only a handful of cities in the world that truly deserve ‘must visit’ status and Hanoi is certainly one of them. While most people can only dream about a fleeting trip to Hanoi – if they’re lucky – ‘living like a local’ and working as EFL teacher in this magnificent city is a realistic proposition for anyone with a sense of adventure. Hanoi is Vietnam’s capital city and the seat of government. It’s noticeably smaller than Ho Chi Minh City in the south, but the pace of life is similarly frenetic. While Ho Chi Minh City is often referred to as Vietnam’s ‘engine room’, Hanoi is more of a ‘grand old lady’. It’s tough to pin down what makes Hanoi such a special place. Is it because there’s history, culture and art on display in seemingly every street...  [Read more]

If you crave adventure and a lifestyle that’s out of the ordinary, Phnom Penh, Cambodia is the perfect location to launch your ‘teach English abroad’ journey. The transformation of Cambodia over the past three decades from a country characterised by occupation and trouble, to a Southeast Asian powerhouse, is phenomenal. There’s an insatiable demand for English language skills in Cambodia - and a chronic shortage of TEFL qualified people to teach English. What does this mean for people just like you? Simple! It means opportunities galore. Phnom Penh is the capital city of Cambodia and the nation’s international gateway. With a population of around 2.5 million people and a relatively confined central business district, it has a noticeably slower pace of life than you’ll find in...  [Read more]