A large number of abbreviations and acronyms are used to describe English language teaching. This can confuse students as well as aspiring teachers. Note that many of these terms mean nearly the same thing. In this article you can find a brief explanation of popular ESL/TESL terminology. ESL ESL stands for English as a Second […]
Do you need a TEFL certificate to teach English?
I am a native English speaker. Can I teach without a TEFL certificate? Native speakers should be able to speak and write English well. However, they might still lack many skills necessary for a language teacher. If you feel that you are not qualified enough to be a good English teacher, you should consider acquiring […]
Interesting activities for your classroom
Few students enjoy grammar classes and hence employing interesting activities help a lot. Tape and Video Recorders Teachers have always used tape and video recorders in the classroom. They are particularly helpful for teaching listening materials. The teacher can use authentic tape records or those made with the sole objective of using in the classroom. […]
Making learning fun with photographs and pictures
ESL teachers can employ many different techniques to make their classes interesting. This is important because engaging students with interesting activities is essential to ensure that learning happens. If classes are interesting, students won’t skip them and are likely to complete the course. In this lesson we will explore some techniques that teachers can use […]
Finding job as an ESL teacher
Getting a job as an ESL teacher is easier than you think. People all over the world are interested in learning English. There are many reasons for this. English is essentially a linking language. It allows you to communicate with people in different countries. If you speak English, you can travel to any country in […]
Challenges of teaching a large class
Try to know your students on a personal level. You need to know a lot more than their name. Ask them about their country, their goals etc. Students tend to behave well if you establish a bond with them. You could also tell them a little about yourself. Anxiety Some teachers are afraid of teaching […]
Teaching large classes
Teaching a small group of students is definitely easier than teaching a large class. Unfortunately ESL/EFL teachers can’t usually determine the size of their class. If you are working for an ESL school, you will probably have to teach really large classes. In many schools a class may consist of 50 or 60 students. The […]
Teaching the present perfect tense – part 2
Introduce irregular verbs Irregular verbs require a special introduction. If students aren’t familiar with irregular verbs, they may find it difficult to form perfect tenses correctly. Irregular verbs do not have past and past participle forms ending in –ed. There are only a limited number of irregular verbs in English. Many of them are very […]
Teaching the present perfect tense
Teaching the present perfect tense is not easy and that is hardly surprising. Although the present perfect is a present tense, it is mainly used to talk about events that happened in the past. This can be quite confusing for ESL learners. Consequently, they tend to use the past simple in cases where the present […]
Teaching English abroad
Teaching English abroad has become a preferred career option for many native English speakers and that is hardly surprising. English teachers who work abroad get an opportunity to explore the world while at the same time earning a decent income. As with any other profession, to make the most out of this opportunity you need […]