Diploma courses

5 ways the DipTESOL will take your TEFL career to new heights

Many teachers consider doing further qualifications to improve their teaching knowledge and skills, but sometimes it can be difficult to choose which course is right for you. For those of you that already hold a Cert TESOL (or equivalent) certificate and have at least two years of post-cert experience, you may know about the Trinity… All categories, Careers in TESOL, Diploma courses, TESOL Masters

Gamification in English language teaching: more than child's play

Ever feel like your students are stultifying, bored and demotivated? Maybe it’s not the subject, but your teaching. Competing for the splintered attentions of our learners has never been harder. It has now become a chronic situation, familiar to all teachers when struggling to motivate learners. There is now a generation of… All categories, Certificate courses, How to..., ESL activities, Diploma courses, TESOL Masters

How to teach intonation

Many non-native English speakers have problems recognizing and using the different intonation patterns in English.  For an instructor, it’s crucial to raise the learners’ awareness of intonation because it performs a function, as well as indicating an emotion. Teaching this aspect of phonology is often an area overlooked by teachers and… All categories, Certificate courses, How to..., ESL activities, Diploma courses, TESOL Masters

Receptive skills for English teachers: how to teach listening and reading

‘Receptive Skills’ (also known as ‘Passive Skills’, or reading and listening) are often contrasted with productive skills (speaking and writing).  When learning a new language learners tend to develop their receptive skills first and then acquire productive capability. It’s a complex relationship between the two… All categories, How to..., Certificate courses, Diploma courses, ESL activities

The importance of context for English teaching: experience, situation and surrounding language

Whenever we use language, whether we are speaking, listening, reading or writing, we do it in some kind of context. The situation we are in, the tone we want to express and the ways that others respond to us all affect the nature of the language choices that we make. Language without context lacks important reference points for meaning, and… All categories, Certificate courses, Diploma courses, How to...

English or Englishes: are varieties of English important for learners?

Over the past 200 years or so, English has grown to become the lingua franca (shared language) in a huge range of industries. The fields of media, engineering, medicine, shipping, air travel, international business and commerce all rely on English as the common language which can facilitate communication between countries anywhere in the world.… All categories, How to..., Certificate courses, Diploma courses, TESOL Masters

Teaching grammar for young learners: children learn languages differently to adults

The grammar juggernaut continues to roll on despite many of the criticisms of an overly grammar-oriented focus that we’ve discussed previously here. In spite of our criticisms, one of the confusing things to make clear is that we don’t discourage teachers from teaching grammar entirely.  Even though students may to an extent (especially in… All categories, How to..., ESL activities, Certificate courses, Diploma courses

Teach English in China: finding the right position for you

China has grown into a fascinating, diverse, challenging and ultimately rewarding place to be an English teacher (though of course this depends on the situation where you find yourself when you get to the school you are working with). The range of education groups, schools, kindergartens, university departments… where English Language Education (… All categories, Careers in TESOL, Certificate courses, Teaching skills, Diploma courses

Inclusive education: something we all need to talk about (part 1)

Inclusive education refers to the capacity of ordinary local schools to respond to the needs of all learners, including those requiring extra support due to learning or physical disability, social disadvantage, behavioural challenges, cultural difference or other barriers to learning. Inclusive education recognises that all children can learn… All categories, Diploma courses, TESOL Masters, 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, How to...