Certificate courses

5 TESOL Dragon Boat Festival activities

Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the Double Fifth due to its position in the lunar calendar, has been celebrated in many countries in Asia for more than 2000 years. Legend tells of a famous poet, Qu Yuan (340-278BC), renowned for his patriotism and honesty. He wrote many masterpieces, showing his devotion to his country, before being exiled by… All categories, ESL activities, How to..., Certificate courses, Diploma courses, Theme based learning

The secret to student learning: cognitive engagement

It’s Friday afternoon. You are presenting a grammar explanation of the past perfect to your class but when you look up, your teens are staring at the screen of their smartphones, chatting to their neighbor, or even resting their heads down on the table with a sense of pre-weekend lethargy. Sound familiar? We have all experienced passive learners,… All categories, Certificate courses, How to...

Something from nothing: the basics of teaching with minimal resources

We’ve all been there before: 5 minutes before class starts, the panic sets in.  Will I have enough material to get me through the lesson? You flick the photocopier on and madly scan through the activity book to see if there is a crossword, a puzzle, a reading text that you can take as back up.  You make 15 photocopies, none of which get… All categories, Certificate courses, Diploma courses, How to..., ESL activities

Solving common difficulties with TESOL listening lessons

Listening is one of the most problematic skills for an ESL learner to acquire. This is because skills are developed over time and with plenty of practice. As a result, this can be a frustrating experience for learners since significant improvement is difficult to ‘prove’, whereas for instructors they may find it tricky to measure the learners’… All categories, Certificate courses, Diploma courses, TESOL Masters, How to..., ESL activities

4 problems everyone has with writing lessons and how to avoid them

Last year we described some of our best ideas for teaching writing, and making writing lessons fun.  We couldn’t have been happier with the response…nearly 5,500 readers have visited, shared and commented on this post, making it one of our most popular contributions on the blog. But, as with any blog post, it’s impossible to cover… All categories, Certificate courses, Diploma courses, How to..., TESOL Masters

World book day: 5 great books and activities to try with young learners

World Book Day (April 23rd) is a wonderful celebration of reading and books. In places such as the UK, books are given out to those who don’t regularly read, gifted through organisations such as prisons, libraries, colleges, hospitals, care homes and homeless shelters. It is not only a celebration which enhances reading abilities, but also an… All categories, ESL activities, Certificate courses, How to...

6 things you need to implement in your classes immediately: a classroom management masterclass

Classroom management: buzzword or mantra? Hype or necessity? With class sizes of 40 or more the norm, Hong Kong English teachers will tell you that anyone with even the faintest experience in front of a local classroom will know that classroom management is important. Whether or not that awareness translates into effective practice is something… All categories, Certificate courses, Diploma courses, TESOL Masters, How to...

6 chocolateless activities to try with your English classes this year

Easter is a festival celebrating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, which is celebrated all over the world by Christians. Easter is also closely linked to the Jewish Passover. Church services, decorating of Easter eggs (symbolizing Jesus’ empty tomb), egg hunts and chocolate eggs are just a few of the customs that are observed, but did you… All categories, Certificate courses, Diploma courses, ESL activities

9 mistakes you need to stop making with your teaching

Having been a teacher trainer for a few years now, I’ve had opportunities to observe and reflect on the good and bad things teachers do in the classroom (including my own teaching skills!) while looking back on those first terrifying (and exhilarating) teaching years with a more experienced eye, and maintaining an understanding of that first foray… All categories, Certificate courses, Diploma courses, Careers in TESOL, TESOL Masters

The ultimate guide to finding your first TEFL job

You’ve passed your CELTA or CertTESOL, you’ve recovered from sleep loss. You’re pencils are all sharpened, and mum has starched all your shirts…. you’re ready to start looking for your first teaching job? What next? Since I started teaching I estimate that I have applied for nearly 30 teaching jobs and I can honestly say there is no one-size… All categories, How to..., Certificate courses, Diploma courses, Careers in TESOL

What is it like to work in Hong Kong?

  Hong Kong is an amazing city and I’m often asked why I moved here, but to be honest it was purely by chance. I applied for jobs in The Ukraine, Lebanon, and Hong Kong. I said whichever British Council Centre employs me first, I’ll take it. Ideally I wanted to go to Lebanon or Ukraine but neither hired me, at that time I didn’t have the… All categories, Careers in TESOL, Certificate courses

How to teach vocabulary: making your lessons more effective

Vocabulary is an important part of language study, especially for younger learners and low levels of ability. However, teachers often gloss over opportunities for deep practice with new words and phrases – we often only have time to teach things once, and then we are flying on to the next thing without giving sufficient chance for students to… All categories, How to..., ESL activities, Certificate courses