Speaking Activity

  The final stage of the lesson will be the activate and the activate phase is going to form the main speaking activity within the lesson. So, it's very very important that here, we do a good demonstration of what it is that we're expecting them to do, that we elicit the type of target language we're expecting them to produce from the activity. So, one way we could go around it is to, firstly, form pairs. Each pair is going to be given a card and onto that card they're going to write the country and a month. What the teacher can then do, just to add a little bit of spice to it, is to collect all of the cards and shuffle them around and then redistribute them to the pairs so that they get a card that doesn't have their country or their month on it. What they're then going to do is...  [Read more]

  So speaking activities will come in many different forms but we can generalize them into three basic types. Control activities tend to be used in the study phase and here, the teacher will be helping the students in terms of what they need to say and how they go about saying it. So, there's a high level of structure within a controlled activity. A guided activity has slightly less structure than this and it can be used in either the study or the activate stages themselves. The final type of activity or class of activity is called creative activity and this one would be used in the activation phase. In a creative activity, we're giving a scenario or a very small amount of structure and we're asking the students to actually create their own answers to this particular question....  [Read more]

A communicative speaking (and reading) activity where students are presented with incomplete information, which they must complete by interacting with others who do have that information. Typically undertaken as a milling activity with all students interacting with all others.  [Read more]

Storytelling is a powerful tool in language teaching as it engages students in a meaningful and memorable way. Incorporating stories and narratives into TESOL lessons can enhance language learning by providing context, promoting vocabulary acquisition, improving listening and speaking skills, and fostering cultural understanding. By using stories, teachers can create a more dynamic and interactive learning environment that caters to different learning styles and levels of proficiency. The use of storytelling in TESOL lessons offers numerous benefits to both teachers and students. Stories help create a context for language learning, making vocabulary and grammar more meaningful and easier to remember. They also provide opportunities for students to practice listening and speaking skills in...  [Read more]

Integrating language skills in English language teaching is crucial as it provides learners with a holistic approach to language learning. By integrating skills such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing, students can develop a well-rounded proficiency in the language. This approach mirrors real-life language use where these skills are often used together. It also helps students see the interconnectedness of language skills and how they support each other in communication. There are several strategies that TEFL teachers can use to effectively integrate language skills in their lessons. One approach is to use a task-based learning method where students work on meaningful tasks that require the use of multiple language skills. Teachers can also incorporate authentic materials such as...  [Read more]

  So, for the study phase what we're going to do is to show them the idea of the cartoon strip. In the cartoon strip what there's going to be are some people with speech bubbles and this is going to represent where dialogue will appear and in the bottom, there are these rectangular boxes, where there will be descriptive things happening. So, it will explain the actual situation that these people are in. So, we get across the idea, first of all, that these are speech and these are for description and we can then show them a blank one of these cartoon strips and try to elicit from our students what could possibly the people be saying and in what actual situation are they in, in order for them to say that. Once we've gone through that, we can move on to our first study activity and in...  [Read more]

  For the lesson that even takes place, there are a number of things that you need to have considered. Obviously, you need a very clear idea of what it is you're expecting the students to have to do and they need to know why. It's very important before you ask them to do an activity that they have an understanding of the purpose of that activity. You should, secondly, have had a thought about what they already know. Linked to that is, will it be necessary to do any form of pre-teaching before I can expect them to do this activity and finally, we need to make sure that we have prepared all our materials and our instructions for this particular activity. So, we'll consider a straight arrow ESA lesson, the focus of which is to be speaking skills. So, we'll start with our engage and in...  [Read more]

  Now here are some teaching ideas for the future continuous tense. Here, we have an activity where we'll be asking students to spontaneously make some excuses based upon some invitations. We can do this in pairs or small groups. The teacher will have cut these cards up and the students will place them into a pile, randomly picking up a card. So one student might pick this card up and say 'Would you like to play tennis with me tomorrow?' The other student will be challenged to come up with an excuse as quickly as possible, which might be 'No, I'm sorry I'll be working.' Then, we have the next student pick up the next card and we challenge an additional student to make an excuse. Here we have another teaching idea for the future continuous tense and this involves two students trying...  [Read more]

Teaching English pronunciation is a crucial aspect of language learning as it impacts the overall communicative competence of English language learners. Clear and accurate pronunciation enhances comprehension, fluency, and confidence in speaking English. Without proper pronunciation skills, learners may struggle to make themselves understood, leading to miscommunication and frustration. As a TEFL teacher, focusing on pronunciation helps students develop their listening and speaking skills, enabling them to effectively communicate in real-life situations. There are several effective strategies that TEFL teachers can employ to teach English pronunciation. Firstly, it is essential to introduce phonemic awareness by teaching the sounds of the English language systematically. This includes...  [Read more]

Teaching pronunciation is a crucial aspect of TESOL as it directly impacts learners' communicative competence. Poor pronunciation can lead to misunderstandings and hinder effective communication. By focusing on pronunciation, students can improve their listening and speaking skills, leading to increased confidence in using English in real-life situations. There are various strategies that TESOL teachers can employ to help students improve their pronunciation. One effective approach is the use of minimal pairs, where students practice distinguishing between similar sounds that may cause confusion, such as /l/ and /r/ in English. Another strategy is to incorporate pronunciation drills and repetition exercises to help students master difficult sounds and intonation patterns. Incorporating...  [Read more]

  This presentation is going to focus on the use of course books, materials and teaching aids. There are many materials that we can bring to our classroom that will help with the teaching of our lessons and these include, though they're not limited to, things such as the wipe board, similar to the one that we're using here, various types of visual aids, created or bought worksheets, the use of cassettes CDs and DVDs and the use of video and in these classroom materials, we can also include things such as dictionaries and course books, various types of resource books that we'll have a look at and other materials such as photo copiers, computers, OHPs. So what we'd like to do is just to take a general look at some of the issues relating to each of these types of materials. Below you...  [Read more]

  This episode of Chantelle’s TEFL video diary looks unit 12 of her online course. Unit 12 focuses on the two productive skills speaking and writing. The unit looks at the difference between accuracy and fluency and also discusses activities that can be used to encourage speaking and writing in both controlled and more creative situations. The unit discusses issues specific to writing such as handwriting, spelling, punctuation etc. It also looks at how games can be used in the classroom and encourages you to think about how to adapt different games for different language points. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific...  [Read more]

Integrating listening and speaking skills in TESOL lessons is essential for developing communicative competence. One effective way to do this is through interactive activities such as role-plays, debates, and discussions. These activities provide students with opportunities to practice both listening to others and expressing their own ideas orally. Additionally, using authentic listening materials such as podcasts, interviews, and TED talks can help students improve their listening skills while exposing them to natural language use. Pairing listening tasks with speaking activities encourages students to respond to and discuss the content they have heard, thereby reinforcing their understanding and retention of the language. Incorporating reading and writing skills into TESOL lessons is...  [Read more]

Unleash Your Creativity with Engaging Language Learning Activities for Advanced Speakers 1. Why Creative Language Learning Activities are Essential 2. Engaging Activities for Advanced Language Learners 3. Benefits of Using Creative Language Learning Activities 4. How ITTT Can Help Enhance Your Language Learning Experience As an advanced language learner, you have already mastered the basics of grammar and vocabulary. Now, it's time to take your language skills to the next level through creative and engaging activities. These activities are essential for maintaining your motivation, enhancing your fluency, and expanding your vocabulary in a fun and interactive way. By incorporating creativity into your language learning routine, you can break away from traditional methods and explore new...  [Read more]

  This video is part of our video series on "Evaluation and Testing of Students". In this video, we look at placement tests. This type of test is also referred to as a level test. Its goal is to find out the current level of the student tested. A placement test generally tests all four skills (reading, listening, writing and speaking) and progresses from easy to hard questions. Below you can read feedback from an ITTT graduate regarding one section of their online TEFL certification course. Each of our online courses is broken down into concise units that focus on specific areas of English language teaching. This convenient, highly structured design means that you can quickly get to grips with each section before moving onto the next. I find the engage activate and...  [Read more]

Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL) involves various methods and approaches to engage learners effectively. One popular and highly effective way to teach English is through the use of games and activities. By incorporating fun and interactive elements into language learning, educators can create an engaging and dynamic learning environment that motivates students to participate actively in the learning process. There are numerous benefits to incorporating games and activities in TESOL settings. Firstly, games and activities make learning English enjoyable and engaging for students of all ages and proficiency levels. By making the learning process fun, students are more likely to be motivated and enthusiastic about practicing their language skills. Additionally, games and...  [Read more]

Pronunciation plays a crucial role in language learning as it directly impacts communication effectiveness. In a TEFL class, focusing on pronunciation helps students convey their message clearly, be understood by others, and build confidence in speaking. Poor pronunciation can lead to misunderstandings and hinder students' ability to engage in meaningful conversations. Hence, dedicating time to teaching pronunciation is essential in helping learners become proficient in the language. To effectively teach pronunciation in a TEFL class, instructors can utilize various strategies. One common approach is the use of minimal pairs, where students practice distinguishing between similar sounds that may cause confusion, such as /l/ and /r/ in English. Another effective strategy is modeling and...  [Read more]

As a TEFL teacher, creating engaging lesson plans and activities is essential to keep your students motivated and interested in learning English. There are various resources available to assist you in designing dynamic and interactive lessons that cater to the diverse needs of your learners. This article will explore different avenues through which you can access ideas and materials to enhance your teaching practice and make your classes more engaging. One valuable resource for TEFL teachers looking to spice up their lesson plans is online platforms and websites dedicated to providing teaching materials and activity ideas. Websites like BusyTeacher, ESL Flow, and Breaking News English offer a plethora of free resources, including worksheets, lesson plans, and games that you can incorporate...  [Read more]

  The next example is going to be that of a boomerang lesson and remember the structure is like this. So, again, we're going to start with an engage phase and for our engage, the students are just going to have a discussion about jobs. What happens at interviews and so on and so forth. So, during that engage phase, what we'd hope to do is to elicit some useful language about jobs and interviews and the types of questions that are being asked. Then, we're going to move immediately into an activate activity and this is going to involve a role-play. So, we'll break the students into pairs. One will be an interviewer, the other will be an interviewee and they'll generate the language that that role-play will produce. What the teacher can do whilst that is taking place is to go around...  [Read more]

Integrating cultural exchange activities into TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) lessons is crucial for providing a holistic learning experience to students. By incorporating cultural elements, students not only learn the language but also gain insights into the customs, traditions, and values of English-speaking countries. This helps in fostering cultural awareness, empathy, and open-mindedness among learners. Moreover, cultural exchange activities create an engaging and interactive learning environment, making the lessons more enjoyable and memorable for students. There are several strategies that teachers can use to effectively integrate cultural exchange activities into their TEFL lessons. One approach is to incorporate authentic cultural materials such as music, movies,...  [Read more]