World's Most Difficult Languages

Check out tefl tesol about Company Easy TESOL and apply today to be certified to teach English abroad. You could also be interested in: This is how our TEFL graduates feel they have gained from their course, and how they plan to put into action what they learned: J.N. - Australia said: english as a Global LanguageEnglish holds the top spot in the hierarchy of world languages. That doesn't mean it's spoken by the most people – that gong goes to China – but english is the most influential language in the world, and at present is the only language which can claim to be the global language. My first glimpse of this phenomena came while speaking with an austrian visitor to Australia, and discussing his native language, German. I thought to ask him what language he had...  [Read more]

Check out tefl tesol about Companies Best TESOL and apply today to be certified to teach English abroad. You could also be interested in: This is how our TEFL graduates feel they have gained from their course, and how they plan to put into action what they learned: J.L. - Italy said: Child Development Available research shows that there are many more bilingual or multilingual people in the world than monolingual. About 6000 languages are estimated to be spoken worldwide, many of these as second, third or even fourth languages. Multi language proficiency is not only possible, but greatly valued by educators, policy makers and parents in many countries. Growing up with multiple languages is the easiest, fastest and most effortless way to learn a foreign language. When...  [Read more]

  The Republic of Indonesia consists of 17,508 islands, has a population of approximately 230 million people, and is the world's 5th most populated country. This vast country touches the Pacific and Indian Oceans while bridging the continents of Australasia and Asia. The Indonesian Archipelago is 5,200km in length, and is located entirely in the tropics. A culturally and linguistically diverse country, around 500 languages and dialects are spoken by its people. Indonesia is also a scenic country with many stunning beaches and islands, active volcanoes and thick, dense jungle. For many, the main attraction of Indonesia is the lifestyle and customs of its peoples. For those that decide to take a TEFL course in Indonesia, you will experience a colorful, dynamic country with a huge...  [Read more]

Check out tefl tesol about Cheaper TESOL Cities and apply today to be certified to teach English abroad. You could also be interested in: This is how our TEFL graduates feel they have gained from their course, and how they plan to put into action what they learned: J.B. - U.S.A. said: english as a Global LanguageIn the past century, primarily because of the power english speaking countries hold in our world both economically and politically, english has become known as the “Global Language.” Although it is not the language most widely spoken throughout the world as a native language (native english speakers are outnumbered by native speakers of chinese and spanish), its importance in global trade and business, technology and science, and politics has lead it to...  [Read more]

Check out tefl tesol about Additional TESOL School and apply today to be certified to teach English abroad. You could also be interested in: This is how our TEFL graduates feel they have gained from their course, and how they plan to put into action what they learned: I.K. - Spain said: Problems for learners in Spain‘’There’s never been a language that’s been spoken more as a second language than a first’’ according to english language expert, David Crystal and according to British Council, by 2015 about half the worlds’ population will speak english. spanish people have recently become very enthusiastic about learning english because their employment opportunities depend more and more on a person’s level of english. However, they are facing numerous...  [Read more]

Check out tefl tesol about Courses TESOL Centre and apply today to be certified to teach English abroad. You could also be interested in: This is how our TEFL graduates feel they have gained from their course, and how they plan to put into action what they learned: J.W. - Indonesia said: British english Vs American EnglishThere are two forms of english which are spoken, written and taught to the rest of the world. These two forms are British english and American english. British english is the form of english used within the United Kingdom. American english is the form of english used in the united states. Although both forms of english are often similar they vary in pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, idioms, and formatting of dates and numbers....  [Read more]

Check out tefl tesol about Course TESOL Universities and apply today to be certified to teach English abroad. You could also be interested in: This is how our TEFL graduates feel they have gained from their course, and how they plan to put into action what they learned: J.W. - Canada said: english as a global languageThis paper shall ask the question "Is english a global language?" The question will be answered by comparing and contrasting two seperate articles on the subject, which take opposing viewpoints on the subject. The first article is 'Why a global language?'. This article is actually the first chapter of a book entitled 'english as a Global Language.' by David Crystal. The second article is entitled 'What Global Language?', and was written by Barbara Wallraff....  [Read more]

On account of its central-alpine location Switzerland is a fascinating synergy of French, German and Italian culture. It is also the worlds most prima face democratic nation, a land where the population regularly participate in referenda deciding matters of state. General tidiness and seamless efficiency abound in the operation of services and the maintenance of public spaces. For those who enjoy alpine pursuits Switzerland obviously offers amongst the best skiing in the world, not to mention hiking, Hang gliding and all the rest. If this doesn’t grab you, then you are at least guaranteed breathtaking scenery at almost every turn. German is the principal official language spoken by about 66 percent of the population. Next up is French spoken by 19 percent of the population....  [Read more]

Belgium has plenty to offer in terms of food, art, architecture and history. It goes without saying that it is home to first-class chocolate, excellent beer, and many fine cheeses! It’s handy for France, Germany, Holland and the UK, and has a number of big cities and pleasant costal areas. In addition this it is, of course, home to the European Parliament. So don’t be surprised if you bump into a Euro MP. Dutch is the official language, but in practice this spoken in the north, with French being in common usage in the south. Brussels, situated in the middle is one of the world’s truly bilingual capitals. The population is made up of two parts Germanic Flemings to one part Celtic-Latin Walloons. English is widely spoken - particularly amongst younger people who often have a high...  [Read more]

The Caribbean is home to a vast array of small states, ranging from the Bahamas and Barbados, playground to the great and the good, through to Castro’s Cuba - a quite different kettle of fish. In a relatively small geographic space you can take in Antigua, Aruba, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago. Of the Caribbean in general you can expect excellent scuba diving and snorkelling, great big game fishing, beautiful beaches and friendly people. A large percentage of the population is devoted to Catholicism, with a minority of professing Protestantism in one form or another. In some countries such as Belize, English and Spanish are spoken; however, in most other...  [Read more]

With a landmass of Germany, France and Italy combined this country, on the highest plateau in the world has exercised a fascination in travellers for centuries. It is only since 1986 that the country has been officially ‘open’, and indeed Beijing still holds sway over what, in China, is officially known as the Xizang province. Buddhism is the major religion practiced in the region. The population is a little over two millions, making this one of the most sparsely populated regions on earth - about one person for every 2.3 kilometres. Teaching here is more for those seeking a life experience than great financial reward. It is very difficult to get a work permit for Tibet, and notoriously difficult to get visa extensions. Hence many people go in on the look to voluntary organisation to...  [Read more]

mexico: What a place. You could easily spend a year in a couple of hours in this hugely diverse and vast country. Whether you prefer snow-capped volcanoes, heavily populated beaches, deserted beaches, superb diving, the hum of the big cities, or the world-class archaeological sites, you would be hard pressed to find a place offering more to the traveller. On the back of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), governing free trade between Canada, the USA, and mexico, massive investment has poured into mexico, which in turn has created huge demand for English language skills. Be choosy. For the well-qualified TESOL teacher it is a sellers’ market, and you don’t have to dive in to the first opportunity that comes your way. Indeed, TESOL teacher poaching is a popular pastime...  [Read more]

English as a Global Language In the last few months that I have been traveling, it has become even more apparent to me how important it is to be able to speak English to interact in the world today. Many of the people that I have been talking with over the last few months have not been native English speakers. And it became very clear to me that if they had not learned English, I would not be able to communicate with them, they have to learn a second language to be able to broaden their opportunities for travel, work, and general communication with people from other countries. As a native English speaker, you take this for granted. And as a result, many native English speakers only speak the one language. As a result of the Industrial Revolution, the British economic predominance in the...  [Read more]

Setting aside Costa Rica and Mexico, which have separate entries of their own, central America offers a kaleidoscope of different climates, experiences, and peoples. Many of the countries in the region are now politically stable and are experiencing an upsurge in tourism. Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Guatemala all have a very different feel within a relatively small geographic area. Belize is so laid back it is hard to imagine doing anything but being laid back. El Salvador’s bloody civil war is now set firmly in the past. Tourists flock to Guatemala on account of its active volcanoes and Mayan ruins. Honduras is the place to get off the beaten track and get back to nature. Nicaragua boasts natural beauty that few can rival. Finally, Panama offers some of the...  [Read more]

Online vs. Onsite Courses Becoming certified to teach English as a second language can be done onsite or online. On online course was the most efficient, economical and in many ways the superior way for me. This article explains my background and situation. It also touches on the process I went through to get to this, the final lesson. Online is not for everyone. It takes an open and creative mind to step into the world of computers and electronic tutors. An imagination and discipline were keys to my approach. Imagination was profound when I would take time away from class and Google some blogs about teaching English. Dave’s Café was just one of these places where you could find endless discussions on the joys and perils of teaching English in other countries. These stories were the...  [Read more]

The land that gave us Plato and Aristotle, also bequeathed us the symposium, or drinking party. The latter still being alive and well today. These days Greece is a country that pivots around its huge tourist industry, and this falls into two types: There are those who come seeking the cultural experience to be gained from visiting ancient monuments, like the Acropolis in smoggy Athens, and there are those who like to party it up on the island resorts. Perfection, as Aristotle observed, resides between extremes, and the person who seeks eudaemonia - the good life in the best of all possible worlds - perhaps does a bit of both. Given the tourist orientation of the country it is important to remember that a good deal of the services laid on to support visitors go into hibernation between...  [Read more]

Upon enrolling in a TEFL or TESOL certification program with ITTT, you have the liberty to select the acronym you wish to have displayed on your certificate, be it TEFL or TESOL. These terms are widely used interchangeably within the realm of English language teaching. However, if you have a specific location in mind for work, conducting a modest investigation into the prevailing usage of the two acronyms can be worthwhile. If job postings in your chosen destination predominantly seek TEFL-qualified teachers, opting for that acronym would align well, and vice versa if TESOL certificates are more commonly requested. TEFL or TESOL in Europe Common teaching destinations in Europe Other European countries to look out for Pros and cons of teaching English in Europe TEFL or TESOL in Asia Common...  [Read more]

There is such a tremendous amount of marked regional diversity in Spain that one is almost dealing with a mini continent. Life on the costas - Spain’s huge coastline - differs greatly from that in the big cities, which in turn differs from life in the thousands of picturesque rural villages, which is again different from the ski slopes of Andora or Granada. Dispirit locations and circumstances are united in a profound love of life, sometimes combined with a slight disdain for work. Spaniards work to live, they do not live to work. Hence it is very easy to get swept up in a seemingly constant round of fiestas and festivals, music and dancing - eating well and drinking well being all part of pursuing the good life in the best of all possible worlds. Despite the fact that practically...  [Read more]

Once known as the “Jewel of the British Empire”, Singapore is a thriving city-state on the tip of the Malay Peninsula. Evidence of its British colonial history can be found all over the city in its architecture and monuments. Although Singapore is a highly-developed city-state, the city has plenty of green spaces to counteract the urbanization of the island with almost ten percent of the land set aside for nature reserves and parks. Singapore has four official languages including Malay, Mandarin and Tamil. English is the language of instruction in the education system and is also the language of government. Singapore is an easy place to get to with direct flights from hundreds of locations around the world, as well ferries from ports elsewhere in the region. You can even get there by...  [Read more]

Mighty big place, Partner. As Ferdinand Braudel, the great French historian observed, ‘the land dictates the people’, and it is a good idea never to stray too far from this theme. If you want to know what ‘cold’ is then head up to Minneapolis, north of Toronto, in the mid winter. If you want to know what ‘hot and humid is’ then try Orlando in the height of the summer. If you transcribe a line from Los Angles to Miami and turn this into a road trip then the number of different peoples and environments you will encounter is immense. By all means there is a thin veneer of Americanism, and everywhere you will find both McDonalds, and the presence of the Federal Government; however, you shouldn’t let this take your eye off the ball of the fact that the people and environment of...  [Read more]