Certificate courses

Unqualified EFL teachers are doing themselves and their students an injustice

With so much global demand for English teachers, and with such a broad range of different TEFL, TESOL and TESL certificates out there, it can be difficult to decide how, or even whether to get qualified before signing up for an English teaching job. Any teacher who has done a 120-hour, face-to-face course will tell… All categories, Certificate courses, Careers in TESOL, Teaching skills

Phonics, phonetics or phonology? What’s the difference?

Informed pronunciation teaching is a challenge for new and experienced teachers. It involves a minefield of technical knowledge, confusion over accents and varieties of English, and when related to reading, involves a lot of fighting against the horrible spelling rules that English has held onto over the centuries. To get things straight, it is… All categories, Certificate courses, Teaching skills, Careers in TESOL

Those who can, teach. Those who can't, sprout meaningless idioms

Perhaps you’ve said it yourself, perhaps you’ve had it said to you. For me it was my introduction to the idea of becoming a teacher - a family friend who benevolently suggested I try teaching English said, with a smile on his face…those who can do, those who can’t, teach.  Note to self, never try to encourage someone to become a… All categories, Certificate courses, Diploma courses, TESOL Masters

Mistakes to avoid with your career: 5 things I wish I'd known when I started teaching

When I decided to do a Trinity Cert TESOL my main reason for doing so was escapism. I wanted to run away from my life in the USA, travel around the world and meet people from all walks of life. I had lived in London and Paris as a student in my early 20s and the experience was incredible. I developed life-long friendships and… All categories, Certificate courses, Diploma courses, TESOL Masters

Taking feedback: making the most of professional development

Some of the most beneficial feedback I’ve received in my career has been the most challenging to listen to. This is because they all share the common denominator in revealing a blind spot in my development that was known to others but not to me. Although constructive feedback of this type can be challenging to hear, it is essential in helping… All categories, Careers in TESOL, Diploma courses, Certificate courses

The biggest myth in education: are parents more important than students?

Before you run to lynch me for saying this, stop and ask yourself: what are the factors within teachers control that positively impact the learning environment? This was exactly what John Hattie aimed to answer when he produced a comprehensive list of effect sizes on learning. Going one step further, Hattie then grouped the various factors that… All categories, Certificate courses, Diploma courses, Careers in TESOL

5 things you learn by becoming a teacher

Everyone has an opinion on education. None more so than teachers themselves. “It’s one of those things that goes deep with people. Like religion, like money”, says Ken Robinson. Yet becoming a teacher is unique in that you must go through an apprenticeship as a student first. Another way of putting it is to say that doctors don’t need to be… All categories, Certificate courses, Diploma courses, TESOL Masters, Careers in TESOL

A teachers' survival guide for the first week of school

The start of a new school year is often a daunting time for teachers and learners alike. Even if you’re returning to a teaching post you know well, it’s likely that you’ll be assigned new groups of learners and possibly different materials to work with. Whether it’s your first teaching job or just another semester, the following tips will help get… All categories, Teaching skills, Certificate courses

Don't teach your students what to learn, teach them how to learn

Ultimately, YLs need to learn how to learn as much as they need to acquire new knowledge (Williams, 1991) This has to be one of the most influential ideas I have come across in the world of education. As simple as it is, the implications are fairly radical: we need to spend less time teaching children what to learn, and more time… All categories, Certificate courses, Diploma courses, TESOL Masters

English teachers beware: what are your kindergarteners really learning?

Are you a teacher who has started teaching toddlers and want to know what to expect from teaching them? The current mantra surrounding toddlers and young children seems to be ‘the younger the better’, but is this always the case? And how can we aid the language acquisition process for the smallest amongst us? Proponents of ‘the younger the… All categories, Certificate courses, Diploma courses, TESOL Masters, Careers in TESOL

Storytelling skills: using the power of narrative with young learners

Can you remember what your favourite story was as a child? I remember from an early age being obsessed with Roald Dahl books. At home, I avidly read Matilda and identified with the main character as like her, I too was a keen reader at a young age. I also remember reading The Twits and The Witches in class with my primary school teacher and being… All categories, Certificate courses

Where a teaching career can take you: top TESOL destinations

One of the most rewarding aspects of finishing a Cambridge CELTA or Cert Trinity TESOL is that both are internationally recognized and act as a second passport to live and work around the world. The list of countries you’re able to choose from is almost endless as are the numerous types of teaching jobs. Jobs can include… All categories, Certificate courses, Diploma courses, Careers in TESOL