TEFL Teacher Training at Intesol International

TEFL Teacher Training

I have been thinking lately about young teachers entering the profession.  To be honest if you have good health and the funds to do your qualification abroad, I think it is an excellent idea to travel and study at the same time.  

You obviously need to want to teach and have the dedication and ability to learn from other teachers.  Teaching really is an example of a profession of lifelong learning. After 20 years in the profession I know that very well. I love it, I still do and if I can help anyone along the way I will.  

I am going to be providing links on teaching training providers.  My first review is of Intesol International.  They are a global TESOL training organisation, offering accredited TESOL/TEFL certificate qualifications. They offer a variety of levels to their qualifications depending on how much time you can give to study.  Prices vary according to the length of the course you choose.  Most importantly you are required to do teaching practice.  This could be your first step to a new adventure in teaching English abroad!

TEFL Certificate Courses

Teacher training providers in the future will be listed at TEFL Application and Resource Information Information

Links to BBC Videos - British Habitats

Highlands, Lowlands, Lakes - The Many and Varied Habitats of the UK

Following on from the earlier resource that pre-taught useful vocabulary for this topic on Habitats; here is the next part of the resource.  It develops audio, visual and reading skills and allows you to find out about the many and varied habitats that exist within the United Kingdom.

Go to TEFL Communicative Resources

V&A Museum Creative Writing Resources

Creative Writing Resource

The links below give useful guidance on how to get detailed observations of an object and generate ideas for creative writing.  Qualities such as colour, shape, texture and materials are looked at first.  Similies and metaphors are then defined and the student encouraged to move from a physical to an abstract view of an object.

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/c/creative-writing-looking/

There are two PDF resources to download:

Simplifying an Object

http://media.vam.ac.uk/vamembed/media/uploads/files/creative_writing_museums_looking_simplifying.pdf

Looking Intensely at an Object

http://media.vam.ac.uk/vamembed/media/uploads/files/creative_writing_museums_looking_intensely.pdf

Images of objects are provided on each sheet.  Alternatively, students can find other images at http://collections.vam.ac.uk/

Job Flashcards and Games

Simple Resources for Elementary to Pre - Intermediate TEFL Learners

Enjoy simple games of pelmanism, snap, charades and matching pairs with friends whilst becoming familiar with job vocabulary.

TEFL Vocabulary Page

How well are your country doing in the Olympic Games?

Follow Your Country

Find out about competitors; compare your countries performance to team GB; listen to audio and video clips relevant to your nation; read articles; check out latest records, key facts and medals and subscribe to the latest headlines at:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/2012/countries

TEFL Habitats of Great Britain Vocabulary Resource

Habitats of Great Britain -Vocabulary

Learn vocabulary associated with the environment at TEFL Vocabulary Resources

Resource to develop definitions of scientific vocabulary and phrases, synonyms, building words from the root, adding prefixes and suffixes. 

Further resources will follow to use the vocabulary you have learned.

Indigenous Culture and Mapping Resources

Reviving Our Culture, Mapping Our Future

by The ABN and The Gaia Foundation

The story behind a group of indigenous communities from around the world who met in South Africa two years ago. An awe inspiring video resource showing new methods (mapping and modelling) of communicating a message to the rest of the world. 

With a transcript for the teacher and practical ideas for activities in the classroom.

TEFL Communicative Resources.  

Olympic and Para Olympic TEFL Resource Books

British Council TEFL Olympic Visitor Book Resources

Writers - Mike Davies, Devo Forbes, Chris Speck, Mandy Loader, Suzanne Guerrero, Andy Baxter and Anthony Cosgrove

The British Council have produced two workbooks that you can be working through as the Olympic Games continue. They can be found at

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-for-the-games/visitors-handbook-olympics

You can either read the books online, search for content or download the handbooks to read later.

The books contain:-

• situational language activities.  

• an A-Z sports directory 

• a description of each individual olympic sport 

• a test with answers

• an answer key for all questions

The Sheka Forest Listening Comprehension Resource

The Sheka Forest Story - Wisdom from the Past, Resilience for the Future

by The ABN and The Gaia Foundation

The Sheka Forest Story shows the power of collaboration.

The Sheka forest is one of Ethiopia's largest and last remaining tropical forests. Clan leaders, the local community and the local government have come together with the support of local partner, Melca Ethiopia, to help secure the future of the forest, its rich bio-cultural diversity and to enhance sustainable livelihood options.

The story tells an enchanting tale of the complexities of forest governance at a time when it has never been more critical.

"It takes everyone to protect a forest. It only takes a few to destroy it".

A film made with partner Melca Ethiopia. More about Melca Ethiopia here 

melca-ethiopia.org/

This resource is a video listening task. Components of the lesson are loaded on the TEFL Communicative Resources ready to go.  The teacher's key and student sheet can be downloaded and printed from that page.  

The Olympics - Ready, Steady, Go!

Great Olympic Resources for TEFL Students

TEFL Communicative Resources

Links to slide shows to allow you to explore facts; interactive bibliographies on individual athletes with video's, images, timelines etc; information on international teams etc

http://getset.london2012.com/en/heroes

Slideshows - TEFL Grammar Resources

Four Present Tense Slide Shows 

Illustrating the form, function, meaning and uses of each tense.  The Present Simple, the Present Continuous, the Present Perfect and the Present Perfect Continuous can all be found on the TEFL Grammar Resources of this blog page.

BBC World Service Pronunciation Resource

BBC World Service Pronunciation Tips

A very good resource to study from. I recommend it because you will hear a Standard English accent which is easily understood by yourself and by others when they hear you speak with it. http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/pron/ .

• Start by watching the video 'Pronunciation Tips from bbclearningenglish.com' 

• After you have introduced yourself to the resource, 'the sounds of English'  tab is a useful place to start. 
• To take your learning further than the voiced, voiceless and other consonants previously introduced on this page.I would suggest that you start learning the single vowel sounds and then the dipthongs (double vowel sounds)last as they are trickier. 

• Alternatively, you could revise the consonants first. 

TEFL Pronunciation Resources

Online TEFL Presentation Resource on Climate Change

Climate Change TEFL Resource

How has it been caused?  Is it a man-made problem? Or is it an effect of the sun getting hotter? 

These questions are examined in the presentation posted on the CLIL and EAP Resources.  There are opportunities to work with sentences using specific sentence constructions that express cause and effect.

Use English with Accuracy - Grammar Resource

TEFL Grammar Resource Page

This page has been reorganised and some web links added from:-

http://www.usingenglish.com/

This site has superb grammar resources and is well worth a visit.  I have integrated links to some of the resources.  For example: a glossary of grammatical terms; a list of irregular verbs; a list of phrasal verbs; and grammar quizzes for revision purposes.

Go to TEFL Grammar Resources to see more.

Ballgowns at the V&A Museum

British Glamour Since 1950

• Develop fashion vocabulary
• Practise reading and listening skills

"Through interviews with designers Nicholas Oakwell, Bruce Oldfield, David Sassoon, Mary Katrantzou and Roksanda Illincic, this film examines the significance of the ballgown, and what it is to be truly glamorous"

http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/videos/b/ballgowns-british-glamour-since-1950

Go to TEFL Vocabulary Resources

Arctic CLIL Learning Resource

Change at the Top of the World

A video report on Global Warming. Charles Annenberg Weingarten (founder of www.explore.org)
http://explore.org/#!/videos/player/arctic-change-at-the-top-of-the-world

The host and director noted above presents the land, the legal and economic issues underlying the Arctic situation. Most importantly he hears the voice of the Inuit, indigenous peoples of the region. Elisapee Sheutiapik (the Mayor of Iqaluit, Nunavut) amongst others plays a major role in assisting him in this process.

An ecosystem video report of the Arctic that defines key scientific vocabulary and phrases whilst on a round trip on Akademik Loffe (a scientific, expedition boat). The focus of the report is on the Arctic Ecosystem; Past, Present and Future; and the local inhabitants. The story is broad, accurate and far reaching in it's implications. 

TEFL CLIL and EAP Resources . 

• Reflection on Poem
• Introduction
• Resolute, Meeting the Mayor of Iqaluit and the Discussions with the Women Elders

• Oil Exploration, International Law and Mapping Territory
• Nanisivik and the Canadian Coastguard 
• Jacques Sirois (Naturalist). Further Discussion on Climate Change and Pollution 
• Expedition on the Baffin Sea to Greenland
• The 'Sister City Agreement' in Sisimiut 
• Return to Iqaluit 
• Summary of Video  

Plus this extra section:-

• More Activities and Ideas for Discussions for TEFL teachers and students: 

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Functional Language -TEFL Training Resource

Teaching Functional Language Skills

A resource from Languages International, Auckland and Christchurch, New Zealand

http://www.languages.ac.nz/

As I was researching I came across this link and wanted to share it.  It is for TEFL Teachers. 

http://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/download/ng/file/group-4/n2464-esol-teaching-skills-taskbook-unit-4-i---teaching-functional-language.pdf

The resource focuses on the language of social situations and communicating effectively within them.  It concentrates on the 10 common functions of language listed below:-

• making a suggestion
• inviting
• giving advice
• requesting
• making apologies
• refusing
• agreeing
• regretting
• offering
• complaining

There are 4 tasks. I would recommend it fully for staff training sessions or individual study.  

Following the link through, I realised it must be part of a larger resource.  And indeed, there is a whole ESOL Teaching Skills Taskbook at:-

http://www.languages.ac.nz/table-of-contents-and-resources.html

A very professional package which I believe would be excellent for any teacher whatever stage they are at in their careers..

'Calypso' - A Beautiful Song Resource

'Calypso' by John Denver

A Tribute to Jacques Cousteau

 

A song, a song sheet and a comprehension activity.  Follow this link:TEFL Communicative Resources

TEFL Textbooks

Advice For Independent TEFL Learners

Studying English independently is a very cost effective way of learning.  However, you do need to be sure that you are covering what you should be especially if you are preparing for examinations. You need a good textbook and/or good applications to help you learn via your Mobile Phone or other device.

Many recently published textbooks today give you access to Internet resources via a code that you purchase with a textbook. It is therefore easy to supplement your English learning learning online. You can also check out web and blog pages such as this for other useful ideas. 

You need to be honest and realistic about your level – for advice on how to check out your level follow this link Examination and Assessment Resources

And then check out EFL Publishers at TEFL Applications and Resources

Good Luck
NB  If you need a tutor for a particular topic please approach me. I can arrange tuition online.

'Bright Dresses'

A Beautiful Poem. 

A British Council Resource

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/poems/bright-dresses

by Robert Seatter

With kind permission of the poet, previously published in Poetry as a Foreign Language, edited by Martin Bates, White Adder Press, 1999

An excellent resource to:-

• develop adjectives, description and metaphor
• develop functional language.

TEFL -Communicative Resource Page

Why do People Migrate?

A British Council TEFL Immigration Resource 

• to help build up empathy and understanding of  immigration issues 

• to develop vocabulary, reading and listening comprehension skills, sentence formation and knowledge of articles of grammar (adjectives)  

http://learnenglishteens.britishcouncil.org/freetime/video-zone/why-do-people-migrate

After I had published the blog about immigrants to New York; I found this resource. It develops an understanding of the issues of migration and associated vocabulary. It is broad in it's perspective and sensitively written. 

There is a vocabulary definition exercise, a video, a matching exercise matching individuals to different reasons for moving, true/false questions, an opportunity to order words in sentences and a gap fill exercise using adjectives.

It is probably a simpler resource so it could be tackled first to build up an understanding of the main issues. Some students may want to just tackle this resource on it's own.

Go to Communicative Resources Page

Billy Elliott - The Book, Film and Musical!

Billy Elliott

An Introduction 

A wonderful short story about a boy with a special gift for Ballet Dancing. A brilliant book written by Mervyn Burgess; expressing solidarity, friendships, relationships, gender and social class issues.  The story has also been made into a film and a West End show  

Billy Elliot is a short story and is classified as a 'Quick Read' in my local library in the UK. It is therefore suitable for Intermediate Levels of TEFL Students. It is an excellent story for students showing how one very unique and ordinary boy followed his dream and succeeded in what he wanted to do. The book has been made into a show which has been on the West End and Broadway and has been hugely successful. It has also been made into a film; the trailer can be seen on You Tube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoiVEyCosEE

Go to Communications Resource Page

British Museum Images

Quality Digital Images For TEFL Learners to Describe Museum Objects

http://www.britishmuseum.org/

To get images of museum objects from the British Museum follow the use digital image button with some of the objects (unfortunately not all yet) and register and order just follow the process through.  The British Museum will forward the digital image to your in box.  They allow teachers to use images for educational purposes.  You need to abide by the copyright terms. I am not sure about publishing on the web so I have not incorporated photographs.

You could laminate the images and then students can physically match simpler or more elaborate descriptions depending on their level.  I often stick things on the wall with blu tack and then students are active whilst they are investigating and matching the description to the object. This mingle type of activity generates a lot of discussion (in English of course)!

Special Objects and Belongings

Describing the Belongings Of Some Immigrants to NYC

This worksheet is a really good follow on activity from the museum posts I published earlier today. It carries on with the theme of descriptions. They are suitable for Upper Intermediate and Advanced learners and are based on a photo article from the New York Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/nyregion/27belongings.html

TEFL Communicative Resource Page

Online Tours at the British Museum

Practise TEFL Reading and Listening Skills. 

A good selection of tours  from different time periods and different geographical locations. Full of images and quality information from experts.

TEFL Communication Resources

Are you a budding archaeologist or historian?

An Online TEFL Tour at the British Museum

Find 5 objects from around the world in the British Museum on line collections and improve your English at the same time

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Learn to ask and answer questions with yes/no or true/false or simple sentence answers if you are elementary to intermediate level; or describe the objects in more detail to your friends using your own words if you are an intermediate to advanced learner. 

With each exhibit there are a selection of exercises graded at different levels:

http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/galleries.aspx

TEFL Communication Resources

Welcome to the Online V&A Museum

Have You Got an Eye for Objects of Art?

20 Great Reasons to Visit the V&A Museum, London

http://www.vam.ac.uk/channel/things/art/20_great_reasons_to_visit_the_victoria_and_albert_museum/

For tips on describing objects of Art go to TEFL Communicative Resources

British Council Museum Activities

Do you enjoy Museum Visits?

A series of 2 lessons that use video, listening and reading resources to open up the topic of Museum Visits. From the Knowledge is Great Series. Learn English, British Council Website.

Practice gapfills, phrases and verb forms from Part 1 of the lesson at:

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/britain-great-video-clips/knowledge-great-part-1

Match questions and answers, complete sentences and practise synomyns at:

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/britain-great-video-clips/knowledge-great-part-2

Olympic Heroes

Reading and Writing Activities 

http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/english-for-the-games/my-olympic-heroes

A British Council resource with 3 worksheets

Worksheets 1 and 2 are quizzes.  Worksheet 3 consists of 3 descriptions of Olympian athletes; Eric Moussambani Malonga, Michael Edwards and Oscar Pistorius.  Students are asked to read collaboratively and write a short story about their own favourite athlete.

Also, go to http://www.olympic.org/athletes and find out about athletes who came from your own country.  What were/are their achievements? 

More activities can be found at TEFL Communicative Resources

Pronunciation Games

Domino and Board Games

 

Summer is the time for teachers to get resources ready for the following year.  These links from the British Council can be printed and laminated for use as warm ups, time fillers and lesson closers. The aim of the games is to help improve student's spelling and pronunciation.

Find links for the resources at TEFL Pronunciation Resources.

Macmillan Interactive TEFL Tool

Excellent Interactive and Irregular Verb Wheel Game

http://www.macmillandictionary.com/verb-wheel/

A visual and interactive tool to build up your knowledge of irregular verbs and your speed recalling them.  Useful I would suggest for an Intermediate level of learner.

Use the above link to find the 'ing' form, present form of the 3rd person, past participle form, simple past and infinitive form. See how many full verbs you can complete in 2 seconds.

Grammar Tenses - Wheels and Timelines

Excellent Resources for Students Who Are Visual Learners

To assist in the learning of the English Tenses; past, present and future.

• http://busyteacher.org/11837-make-a-time-line.html 

A worksheet for making a time line of all the tenses. The activity will help students become aware of the position of the various tenses; past, present and future. They can add the tenses to the time line as they progress to a higher level reinforcing their learning further. 

A marvellous aid for visual learners.

• http://busyteacher.org/3361-wheel-of-tenses.html

Another brilliant little resource, a pictorial wheel illustrating and explaining all the tenses. Once constructed (there are multiple layers to it); it helps students to understand when they should use a tense. Print, cut out and assemble the wheel layers to form a handy tool. 

A Great Medlay of Present Tense TEFL Songs

Song Links to Help you Learn the Present Tenses

from http://busyteacher.org

An excellent website with downloadable song worksheets to help you learn your Present Grammar Tenses.  Many of the links have video's but if not look them up on 'You Tube'. Good luck and have fun!

Songs that Practise the Simple Present Tense

http://busyteacher.org/2723-wonderful-tonight.html

http://busyteacher.org/3486-another-day-in-paradise.html

http://busyteacher.org/2605-here-comes-the-sun-the-beatles.html

Songs that Practise the Present Continuous Tense

http://busyteacher.org/11866-listening-activity-eternal-flame-the-bangles.html

http://busyteacher.org/10474-cecilia-song-simon-and-garfunkel.html

http://busyteacher.org/10424-toms-diner-by-suzanne-vega-cloze.html

Songs that Practise the Present Perfect Tense

http://busyteacher.org/10251-frank-sinatra-my-way.html

http://busyteacher.org/7416-song-worksheet-i-still-havent-found-what-im.html

http://busyteacher.org/10294-we-are-the-champions-song-by-queen.html

Songs that Practise the Present Perfect Continuous Tense

http://busyteacher.org/6709-a-hard-days-night-song-worksheet.html

http://busyteacher.org/3091-a-song-for-present-perfect-continuous.html

The Word Family Framework (WFF)

Effective TEFL Vocabulary Learning with Word Families

The Word Family Framework (WFF) is a resource for TEFL teachers and learners that consists of over 22,000 words. Instead of words being organised in alphabetical order they are presented and can be searched for as word families. 

For example: value, valuable, valueless, invaluable, evaluate and devalue.

The underlying idea is that seeing words as families promotes more effective vocabulary learning.

The tool covers all six levels of the Common European Framework. Further details on the resource and how to use it can be found at:

http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/word-family-framework

Jubilee Celebration Resources

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee and Other Resources on Jubilee Celebrations.

In the United Kingdom the Queen is celebrating her Diamond Jubilee this weekend (2^nd to the 5^th June, 2012).  The weather has been beautiful over the last week and we are all looking forward to 4 days of public holiday in the UK.  I hope the weather continues.  In Britain however we can never guarantee that.

Apart from the weather, I am really looking forward to the speeches and addresses that will be made starting tonight with the Prince of Wales.  The website that I provide the links for on the Content Based Learning Page also allows you to send a personal message to the Queen.  So practise your writing skills and compose a short message if you like. I did mine a few weeks ago and I got a thank-you note from Buckingham Palace itself.  It was very special to me and I will treasure that for some time to come. 

Keep your eyes open for bits of news that you can read over this special weekend.  The following are good links to follow:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/

Complimentary access is being given by the Times and Sunday Times free this weekend http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/article3432080.ece

This is a celebration for a very special lady and her whole family.  All members of the Royal Family help in the duties and good work.  I wish them all the very best of wishes especially the Queen.