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Breaking the myths around children and grammar

Although English only has two ‘official’ tenses ‘past’ and ‘present’, grammar can be tricky for the best of us. In particular it poses difficulties for young learners as they are still developing the ability to comprehend abstract ideas and may not to grasp such concepts as ‘time’ or ‘real vs unreal’ in the same way as an adult. However, there is the expectation in the ELT industry, from everybody from course book writers to teachers, that learning a language involves an element of… All categories

The culture of knowing: the dangers of assessing product over process

In high-schools the world over, there is a common tendency for teachers and their students to put a disproportionate focus on results; weekly assessments, end-of-term tests, mock exams, final exam results… there always seems to be another test or assessment looming on the horizon. A real and present danger of this situation, however, is that the focus on the assessed product can come at the expense of the important processes which underlie learning, especially in the field of … All categories, Teaching skills, ESL activities, Careers in TESOL

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 influence learning into groups: factors that depend on the students, factors that depend on the teacher, factors that depend on the school… All categories, Certificate courses, Diploma courses, Careers in TESOL, How to...

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 patients before they become doctors, firefighters don’t need to be set on fire before they become firefighters, pilots don’t need to be passengers before… 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 you through one of the toughest weeks of the school year. Be prepared If you’re in the fortunate position of knowing which groups you’ll be… All categories, Teaching skills, How to..., 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 teaching children how to learn. This is the world of metacognition, or thinking processes about thinking processes. And as far as education goes,… All categories, Certificate courses, Diploma courses, TESOL Masters, How to..., ESL activities

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 better’ argument state that young children are capable of learning faster than adults, but actually there is very little scientific evidence to support… 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 completely mesmerised by the world of dark characters, interesting characters and brave characters that Dahl created.  Many of us have those… All categories, Certificate courses, How to..., ESL activities

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 development work, volunteering, or a paid position. But as exciting as that may seem, choosing a place that suits your personality and lifestyle can pose a… All categories, Certificate courses, Diploma courses, Careers in TESOL

Why does Hong Kong need more TESOL qualified teachers?

Mountains, beaches, skyscrapers, some of the planet’s most densely populated urban areas, Michelin-starred dim sum….Hong Kong is unique for many reasons. The number of English teachers is not one of them.  But it should be. In 1998, the Hong Kong government launched the Native English Teacher scheme (NET) which allowed local schools to employ English teachers from abroad in the hope it would boost English levels across the education system, provide cultural enrichment and expose… All categories, Certificate courses, Diploma courses, TESOL Masters, Careers in TESOL

How to pass your English exam: tips for success

English exams are big business – the British Council claim more than 2 million IELTS exams were taken in 2013, while over 700,000 people sit a Trinity ESOL exam each year. English exams have become particularly popular for students wishing to emigrate, study or work in English speaking countries, and in some cases, non-English speaking governments mandate that high school or university students must achieve a certain English exam grade in order to graduate. That said, if exams were… All categories, How to..., Certificate courses, Diploma courses, ESL activities, Careers in TESOL

6 creative activities for the end of the school year

In just a few weeks’ time, hundreds of thousands of TESOL teachers across the world will be celebrating the end of school and the start of a long-awaited summer holiday.  And it’s not only teachers who will be celebrating the start of their holidays, but students too.  For some teachers and students, these last few weeks will be one of sadness, as they meet for the last time. So why not end the school year on a high, make the last few days a little bit more special with… All categories