The Callan Method is a system of learning English which is a form of the Audio-Lingual Method of teaching. The method relies on continual drilling through question and answer. In a 12 step program, beginner students are asked a series of questions and then give their...
The Certificate of Proficiency in English or CPE is an advanced exam run by Cambridge Assessment aimed at people who use English for professional or study purposes. Many employers, universities and government departments all over the world officially recognize the...
CLIL stands for Content and Language Integrated Learning and it is based on the idea that subjects like geography, physics, history, etc. can be taught and learned in a language which is not the student’s mother tongue. (CLIL is also known as CBI or Content Based...
Teaching Exam Classes is often asked of teachers who are teaching English as a Second or Foreign language. As you will find, it is often the case that the only reason the students are in the class learning English is in order to pass a First Certificate or Proficiency...
Conversation classes are those based almost entirely around getting the students to speak. This contrasts with classes where the other skills are employed. Often native English teachers will be used in conversation classes in foreign schools; sometimes this will be...
At its simplest, the Behaviorist method to teaching English works like this: a student gets into the habit of responding in a certain way when prompted Notably, this is a habit and the student doesn't have to think or work out what to say, it just comes naturally. So,...
The subject of Teaching Grammar is often discussed and there are many different views and approaches. New teachers often feel that to properly teach a language they must teach grammar. However this is not the case. Background In the past it was thought that students...
When it comes to the age of different students in TEFL, there are no set definitions which all teachers agree on. However, generally speaking, we can talk about the following general Student Age Groups in TEFL: Young Learners These are students aged from just a few...
Let's suppose you are in your beginner level TEFL class and - for the purposes of this explanation - it's time to introduce them to adjectives. You could simply say: “An adjective is a word that modifies a noun or a pronoun. To modify a word is to describe the word...
Using the students’ MT in a TEFL class was be the basis behind the grammar-translation method, which was largely rejected as ineffective during the middle part of the last century. Researchers and teachers discovered that translating into the MT as a teaching method...
Shy Students can be found in almost any class. This article looks at ways of bringing shy students into the learning process and getting them to participate more in the class. In general, shyness brings on feelings of apprehension and anxiety when a student is placed...
Will the right grammar or a few choice phrases get you served in a French cafe? Think about when you have just arrived in a foreign country, perhaps on holiday or maybe to teach English there. You don't speak the local language but you need to communicate. So you...
A Mixed Ability Class is a class where the students have different levels and abilities in English. To a certain extent, all classes are mixed ability and you will find stronger and weaker students in every group. However many schools, due to financial reasons, find...
Skimming and Scanning are two skills which are often talked about in TEFL when it comes to reading. In fact, some teachers swear by them; every reading lesson (they maintain) should include practice with these skills because they feel their students will benefit...
ESL is an acronym for English as a Second Language. ESL students are people learning English as a second language, that is, as another language after their mother tongue or primary language. ESL programs are mainly for people living in an English speaking country,...
The direct method was born out of a need for a more intuitive approach to language learning. Supporters of the DM maintained that language learning was more than the learning of grammar rules and that learning a language could not be based only on one's translation...
Full Immersion or Total Immersion is throwing your students in at the deep end: a strategy for teaching English to students. Essentially the students are given input in English only which means that the teacher does not speak any other language other than English. It...
Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of UCLES or the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate which is a non-teaching department of Cambridge University. Cambridge Assessment is responsible for setting and grading a number of international English...
Business English is English as it is used in the business workplace. Business English focuses on business phrases and typical workplace vocabulary in the context of language functions such as: negotiations, telephone conversations, interviews, presentations, meetings,...
MT Influence or Mother Tongue Influence is when the grammar or vocabulary of a student's Mother Tongue influence the way in which they use their Target Language or TL. For example, in Greek (and a number of other languages) people say open or close a light...
Beginners is a general term teachers use to describe students who are just starting out to learn English. It is rare to find complete beginners in the classroom. Almost everyone has had some exposure to English - however minor - and knows at least a few common...
TESL stands for Teaching English as a Second Language. It's pronounced TESL to rhyme with WRESTLE. Simply put, this means teaching English to people who are not native English speakers but who live in a country where English is the main language. For example, teaching...
Here's a quick teaching tip for the class which can be incredibly important. It's surprisingly simple and surprisingly effective. In fact, it can change the way you teach and the results you get. It's all about how you choose a student at random to speak and making...
The word real on which this word is built gives a big clue to what realia is. In foreign language instruction realia are real-life objects used in the classroom to illustrate and teach vocabulary or to help students learn and produce. Realia can consist of almost...
Can a non-native speaker get work as a TEFL or TESOL teacher? This usually depends where. If you have the right qualifications then you can pick up work in your home country quite easily. Schools will often employ several local NNS (non-native speakers or those...
Many people think that teaching English is simple. There is a common misconception that if you can speak the language, you can teach it but the simple fact is that this couldn't be further from the truth. Teaching someone English is challenging for lots of reasons....
Some things are better left unsaid. There are certain subjects which should - in general - be avoided in your English teaching classroom, especially when you are working abroad and are (effectively) a guest in a foreign country. These subjects include: Sex Religion...
This is an article about Exam Nerves. You can print this out and use it with your class when they're coming close to take an exam. Give a copy to each student so they can read it through at their leisure and prepare themselves. What are Exam Nerves? Some student get...
Hard then Soft is a general technique in classroom management which allows your classes to be productive and useful. Using this technique you do not end up with a classroom out of control and students being noisy and disrespecting their teacher. It is based on the...
Groups or Pairs - small groups or pairs of students working together is a highly effective and essential strategy for teaching. The opportunity to use groups in your class should never be passed up and almost any activity can be adapted so that it can be...
