Speaking Games

  What are ESL games? ESL games are games that can be used in the classroom to practice certain language points and encourage active and creative communication between your students. There are many different games created specifically for use in the English language classroom that can be found online or in any number of resource books. But we are not limited only to those games designed for the class. The majority of games that we played as children or still play as adults can be adapted and used in lessons. Whether games are co-operative or competitive, they provide students with a goal and in the English classroom this goal can only be reached by using the English they have learnt. Common Misconceptions about games in the classroom. "Games are fun but are not suitable for the...  [Read more]

Using games in your TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) classroom can be an effective and engaging way to enhance language learning. Games can help students practice language skills in a fun and interactive way, promote communication and collaboration among students, and increase motivation and participation in the classroom. There are various types of games that can be used in the TEFL classroom, such as vocabulary games, grammar games, speaking games, listening games, and writing games. Here are some ideas on how to effectively incorporate games into your TEFL lessons: Vocabulary games are a great way to help students learn and practice new words and phrases. You can use games like word puzzles, word searches, flashcard games, or memory games to reinforce vocabulary. For...  [Read more]

  In this lesson Iban covers the uses of ?wish?. Iban starts the lesson with an activity to warm the students up before covering the lesson point. He ends the lesson with activities to give the students practice using the language point he has taught. 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 is focused on teaching special group. in teaching a multilingual class,The students have no common language other than English and that is a very big...  [Read more]

  In this video the teacher trainer looks at the usage of the past perfect continuous. The past perfect continuous is used to talk about a past action that was continuing up until another point in the past. For example: Before moving to Korea, I had been teaching in Thailand for three years. ITTT's TEFL Courses provide you with the opportunity to find teaching jobs all over the world. Whether you want to work amongst the long history of Europe or spend your free time living the beach life in Southeast Asia, teach professionals business English in a thriving metropolis or teach kids out in the sticks, earning yourself a TEFL certificate with ITTT will make the right type of teaching jobs available to you. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of...  [Read more]

  Would you like to live and work abroad? With a TEFL or TESOL certificate you can work and live abroad, Teaching English as a Foreign Language or Teaching English as a Second Language. Check out ITTT's courses and start a new life with a TEFL or TESOL certification! 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 8 covers all seven types of future tenses wherein types 5 & 7 are most commonly used in English and 3 & 4 are often times mistaken for...  [Read more]

  In this episode, we cover the pronunciation of the word lampoon. This word can be used as a verb and as a noun. Used as a verb, it describes the action of criticizing a person or a topic by using ridicule. The noun lampoon refers to the actual speech or text used to critize someone or something. The word was taken from the French word lampon. 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. the art of teaching has become in an interactive and constant...  [Read more]

  Chantelle is taking a 120-hour online TEFL course with tutor support and videos with ITTT. This is the first of her video diary entries outlining her experience taking the course. Chantelle took the online course because it was better for her to study online than to commit to attending an onsite course. In this video she talks about the first unit of the course. Unit 1 deals with teachers and learners discussing what makes good teachers and learners as well as the types of roles teachers perform in class, motivation levels of different types of learners and the different language levels. 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...  [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]

  This video is part of our video series on "Evaluation and Testing of Students". In this video, we look at placement tests. This type of test is also referred to as a level test. Its goal is to find out the current level of the student tested. A placement test generally tests all four skills (reading, listening, writing and speaking) and progresses from easy to hard questions. 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 one is about Teachers and...  [Read more]

When it comes to TEFL teaching methods, there are several key components that you should include to create a successful and engaging learning experience for your students. These components are essential for ensuring that your students are able to effectively learn and practice the English language. Here are some important elements to consider including in your TEFL teaching methods: 1. **Communicative Approach**: The communicative approach focuses on real-life communication and interaction in the target language. Encourage your students to engage in meaningful conversations, role-plays, and language activities that simulate authentic language use. 2. **Task-Based Learning**: Incorporate tasks and activities that require students to use English in a practical way to achieve a goal. This...  [Read more]

  The teaching idea covered in this video is a fun group game that should generate a good deal of student talk time using the Present Perfect tense. The students will be in small groups and each student will have the question sheet with a number of pictures and word prompts. Students take turns forming their question with the aid of the prompts. The groups then give their answers using the Present Perfect. The prompts include: win/a competition, go/scuba-diving, meet/ a famous person The questions would be: Have you ever won a competition?, Have you ever been scuba-diving?, Have you ever met a famous person? Group members would answer, Yes I have...., No I haven't... After a given amount of time each group share their answers with the class. The teacher could then encourage the...  [Read more]

Teaching English vocabulary effectively is crucial in helping students become proficient in the language. There are various strategies and techniques that can be employed to enhance vocabulary learning. Here are some of the best ways to teach English vocabulary: 1. **Contextual Learning**: One of the most effective ways to teach vocabulary is through contextual learning. This involves introducing new words in meaningful contexts such as sentences, paragraphs, or dialogues. By providing context, students can better understand the meaning and usage of the new words. 2. **Word Associations**: Encouraging students to create associations between new words and their meanings can aid in vocabulary retention. This can be done through mind maps, word webs, or semantic mapping exercises where...  [Read more]

  This TEFL review is from Rodney. He is originally from Jamaica but currently living and working in Japan. He recently completed our 120-hour TEFL/TESOL course online and had a great experience. He realized the importance of an internationally recognized TEFL/TESOL certification and decided to go for it. After completing the course, he received a range of new opportunities, especially in teaching English online. He cannot recommend this course enough to anyone who is interested in teaching English. 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...  [Read more]

  In this episode, we cover the pronunciation of the word "ingenuous". This word refers to an innocent or unsuspecting person or situation. Synonyms of ingenuous include naive, innocent and simple. The origin of the word is from the Latin word "ingenuus" meaning native or freeborn. 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. During communication, both receptive and productive skills are essential. For most of the beginners,especially for younger students,...  [Read more]

  Christopher from Nebraska took the 120-hour online TEFL course with tutor support and videos. In this TEFL review video he tells us that he found the course to be very enjoyable and well organized although he did find the videos to be a little dry. On finishing school Christopher plans to travel to Portugal to volunteer as an English teacher helping children learn English. 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 have deepened my...  [Read more]

  This video is part of our video series on "Evaluation and Testing of Students". In this video, we cover the different types of tests teachers will come across. These include placement tests, diagnostic tests, progress tests, practice tests and proficiency tests. In the next videos, we will take a look at each type of test in detail. 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. It is true that writing skills are often neglected during lessons. We as...  [Read more]

  Unit 10 provides students with the opportunity to see two real English language classes in progress one effective and one not so effective. During this unit you will analyze the two lessons and gain an understanding of how your attitude as a teacher and the way you interact with your students affects their ability and motivation to learn. 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 have learnt why it is so important to know the language English. I came...  [Read more]

  This episode of Chantelle?s TEFL video diary looks unit 12 of her online course. Unit 12 focuses on the two productive skills speaking and writing. The unit looks at the difference between accuracy and fluency and also discusses activities that can be used to encourage speaking and writing in both controlled and more creative situations. The unit discusses issues specific to writing such as handwriting, spelling, punctuation etc. It also looks at how games can be used in the classroom and encourages you to think about how to adapt different games for different language points. 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...  [Read more]

  In this instalment of Chantelle?s TEFL course video diary she talks about the sixth unit. Unit 6 covers the past tenses; past simple, past continuous, past perfect and past perfect continuous. As with Unit 4, this unit describes the structure and common usages of the tenses as well pointing out common mistakes and providing teaching ideas that can be used in the classroom. Although not her favourite unit, Chantelle thought it was well laid out with good test questions and support. 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]

  In this episode, we cover the pronunciation of the word assertation. This word is a noun and describes the act of asserting. The word comes from the Medieval Latin word 'assert?ti?n' meaning ?to affirm or assert?. 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. When teaching writing in speaking, it's important to keep the objective for each activity in mind, in terms of whether the objective is to improve accuracy or fluency. It is important to be creative...  [Read more]

  In this lesson Iban teaches adverbs of frequency. Iban starts the lesson with an activity to warm the students up before covering the lesson point. He ends the lesson with activities to give the students practice using the language point he has taught. 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 concentrates on productive skills, as opposed to the previous one, that was about receptive skills. I learned that writing is a lot more difficult than...  [Read more]

When creating your TEFL teaching resources, it is important to consider a variety of factors to ensure they are effective and engaging for your students. Here are some key elements to include in your TEFL teaching resources: 1. **Lesson Plans**: Develop detailed lesson plans that outline the objectives, activities, and materials for each class. This will help you stay organized and ensure that you cover all necessary topics. 2. **Visual Aids**: Incorporate visual aids such as flashcards, pictures, and videos to help reinforce language concepts and make the material more engaging for students. 3. **Interactive Activities**: Include a variety of interactive activities such as games, role-plays, and group work to keep students actively engaged in the learning process. 4. **Language...  [Read more]

  This video is a sample EFL lesson in a real-life classroom setting abroad. In the study phase of this lesson the students learn how to build questions with modal verbs. The teacher writes example sentences on the board and the students need to make corresponding questions. It is essential during a study lesson to clearly write information on the board so that the students can absorb the new grammar point or vocabulary effectively. 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...  [Read more]

Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) requires creativity and adaptability to engage students effectively. Innovative teaching methods can enhance the learning experience and make lessons more engaging and memorable for students. Here are some innovative TEFL teaching methods to consider: 1. Communicative Language Teaching (CLT): CLT focuses on real-life communication rather than rote memorization. It encourages students to interact in English through group activities, role plays, and discussions. This method helps students develop their speaking and listening skills in a practical context. 2. Task-Based Learning: Task-based learning involves giving students tasks or challenges to complete using English. This approach promotes collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking...  [Read more]

  "In this video, our OTP trainee Richard introduces the topic of quantifiers to his students in Florida. After talking about quantifiers he uses an online game platform to start the activate phase with his students. ITTT's Observed Teaching Practice courses (OTP) are ideal for teachers wanting to improve their teaching skills remotely from anywhere in 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. This unit has explained the productive skills of...  [Read more]

  Now we'll have a look at the teaching ideas for the future simple tense. As we said earlier, the future simple tense can be used for threats or promises or, in this case, for predictions. Here, we'll have a pair of students working together. One has a prompt to say something and the other will begin it with a certain comment and then make a sentence using the future simple tense. Here, 'I'm taking my driving test tomorrow' 'Good luck. You'll pass for sure'. 'I lost at tennis again.' 'Cheer up. You'll do better next time,' so on and so forth. Of course, having a bit of feedback at the end. Some additional ideas for the future simple tense include things like horoscopes. Here you'll divide your class up into groups, provide them with zodiac sign, they'll create a horoscope for that...  [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 get to grips with...  [Read more]

  "In this video, our OTP trainee Richard introduces the topic of quantifiers to his students in Florida. After talking about quantifiers he uses an online game platform to start the activate phase with his students. ITTT's Observed Teaching Practice courses (OTP) are ideal for teachers wanting to improve their teaching skills remotely from anywhere in 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. This unit when over the productive skills:...  [Read more]

Within the world of English language teaching there are many acronyms used to describe what type of teaching is involved in any particular scenario. EFL is one of the more common ones you will come across and it stands for English as a Foreign Language. You will find EFL is most commonly used when describing the teaching or learning of English in a non-English speaking country, such as Spain, Japan, or Mexico. It is very common for either of these acronyms to be used when talking about any situation where a student is learning English, however, there is a technical difference between the two. As previously mentioned, EFL is when the student is learning English in a non-English speaking environment, for example, a Japanese student learning English in Tokyo. In this scenario there is often...  [Read more]

  "In this video, our OTP trainee Richard introduces the topic of quantifiers to his students in Florida. After talking about quantifiers, Richard is playing another game with his students. The students need to come up with 2 foods each that are a) too sweet, b) too sour and c) too salty. ITTT's Observed Teaching Practice courses (OTP) are ideal for teachers wanting to improve their teaching skills remotely from anywhere in 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...  [Read more]