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Costa Rica has much to offer those who choose to teach ESL in this part of Central America. A tropical climate, picturesque beaches, exotic wildlife and pristine rainforest are just some of its many attractions. But what visa do you need to live and work in the country? Unlike many other popular teaching destinations, it is technically legal for foreign teachers to work in Costa Rica on a standard tourist visa. Most nationalities, including Americans, Canadians and Western European citizens, are given a 90 day visa on arrival at the airport. Once the visa expires you can simply cross into a neighboring country and then get a new one on your way back into the country. When you first arrive in Costa Rica you are not legally allowed to work until you have registered for a tax number...  [Read more]

Although it is common for some ESL job interviews to take place over the internet or phone from within the teacher’s home country, many employers still prefer to interview in person on the school premises. Each job interview you have is likely to be a little different from the last, but there are a few simple guidelines you can follow to ensure you give yourself the very best chance of success. It is a well known idea that we form a first impression of someone within seven seconds of the first meeting. Because of this it is crucial that you are aware of some basic interview techniques to avoid blowing your chances before the interview has really begun. The first thing you should always do for every interview is turn up in plenty of time. Once the interview begins don’t forget to...  [Read more]

As ESL jobs are found right across the world, it is inevitable that salaries and other benefits can vary enormously. The majority of teachers will receive a monthly salary or an hourly rate and nothing more, while others can expect to be provided with free accommodation for the duration of their stay. But in which countries do you need to work to get this very handy bonus? China and South Korea are two of the largest employers of foreign teachers in the world and schools in both these countries routinely provide paid accommodation. The Middle East region is another area where you can realistically expect to receive free housing with the majority of jobs. ESL teaching positions in countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain typically pay...  [Read more]

This is actually an easy question to answer. A level 4 TESOL is certainly a good qualification to have for anyone who wants to teach English as it is generally seen as the starting point for new teachers entering into the world of teaching online or overseas. With a TESOL level 4 certificate you will be able to confidently apply for a wide range of ESL jobs knowing you have a high enough qualification to satisfy the majority of schools, language centers, and online platforms. The different levels of TESOL are designed to rank the many courses available into an easy to understand pyramid of qualifications. Potential teachers, and those with previous experience can use the table to compare their options and to make an informed decision on which courses are best suited to them and their...  [Read more]

The English teaching world is well known for its love of acronyms and TESOL and TEFL are the two most common you will come across. These two can sometimes cause confusion among trainees as it is assumed they are more different than they actually are. Firstly, let's clear up what they both stand for: TEFL = Teaching English as a Foreign Language TESOL = Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages The above two acronyms are typically used interchangeably when talking about English language teaching or when referring to teacher training courses, so neither one would be considered better than the other. A TESOL course and a TEFL course are exactly the same thing as the only difference is which one you choose to put on your teaching certificate. This decision is generally down to...  [Read more]

Reach To Teach is ESL Teacher Placement Agency placing thousands of happy native English teachers into schools around the world. Whether you are looking for a government teaching program or want to work at a private language school, the professional recruiters from Reach To Teach can help you make the right decision and find a suitable teaching position in your desired location! Reach To Teach places teachers into the following regions. If you want to teach English in China and immerse yourself in Chinese culture and learn Mandarin Chinese, teaching with Reach To Teach is the perfect opportunity for you. Reach To Teach currently works with many exciting young learner, adult, and online schools for teachers that want to teach in China. Your salary as an English teacher in China will be...  [Read more]

The world of English language teaching is very fond of acronyms and TESOL is one of the most common. TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and is used when referring to the act of teaching, as well as the qualification required by teachers wishing to do the teaching. Below are a range of other popular teaching acronyms and their definitions. ESL: English as a Second Language ESL may have had its beginning with the rise of the British Empire in the 15th Century. As more countries were being colonized by Britain the use of English was taught to the native speaking leaders of the country, so they could continue to carry out Britain’s rule after the British left the country. ESOL: English to Speakers of Other Languages. There are two sides to this: the...  [Read more]

  So, the document itself needs to contain some general information about the class, for example the name of the teacher, the date and time of the lesson, what level of class is being taught and in what room, how many students are we expecting, this is important, when we've got things like photocopying and materials to do, what is the context of the lesson, in other words, what is the lesson actually about, what vocabulary or grammar point is this lesson covering and sometimes it's also useful to write out what the focus of the lesson is. So, in effect, the context of the lesson is telling us the grammar point, for example, that might be the present continuous tense, whereas the focus is telling us how we're going to go about teaching it. Another example to illustrate this: Let's...  [Read more]

TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. As well as the actual act of teaching English, the acronym TESOL is also used to refer to the courses that teachers take and the certification they receive upon completion of their training. In order to be eligible for most sought after teaching jobs, teachers with or without previous experience generally require a TESOL certificate. In this sense, a TESOL is most certainly a teaching certificate. There are generally three standard ways to obtain a TESOL certification: In-class courses, online courses, and combined (hybrid) courses. Any of these options will result in a TESOL qualification that is widely recognized by employers around the world, provided it is supplied by a reputable course provider such as ITTT....  [Read more]

  The first conditional is used for likely results of possible future situations, as well as promises, threats, warnings or back-up plans. This video is specifically aimed at teaching the first conditional in an ESL setting. 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. Unit 7 review Teaching a new language Vocabulary, grammar and functions The unit starts with a clear focus, four things the teacher has to take in consideration to teach the new...  [Read more]

Across the world over 250,000 teachers work in the ESL field each year, although their income and other benefits will vary enormously. In some countries it is common practice for employers to pay for their new teacher?s flights up front or to reimburse them once they start the job. Some schools will expect you to complete a short probationary period before paying up, but this is not usually the norm. In most cases, you will also receive a flight home once you complete the agreed contract length. China is the undoubted leader in the ESL teaching market in terms of job numbers. There are an estimated 50,000 foreign English teachers employed in the country at any one time and a large proportion of these will receive some extra benefits in their contract. It is common for employers to...  [Read more]

Many people decide that an in-class TESOL certification course is the best way to prepare for life in a foreign classroom, however, is it best to take it within your home country or once you arrive at your ultimate teaching destination? Either choice has its pros and cons, but on this page we focus on the reasons why taking a TESOL course before you leave home might be the best option for you. If you are planning to head to one of the most popular teaching destinations there is a good chance that you can secure a job before you get on the plane. In areas where demand for teachers is particularly high, employers routinely advertise vacant positions online via job boards and recruitment companies. If your application is successful you will typically have an interview over a webcam...  [Read more]

  And now we'll have a look at our articles. We can divide articles into these groupings: indefinite, using a or an, definite, using the, and oftentimes referred to as the zero article, is actually the absence of an article all together. With the indefinite article, we use it in a nonspecific way. "This is a pen," it's one of many pens. When using the definite article, we use it in a specific way. "This is the pen I'm using." We also use the indefinite article when mentioning something for the first time. "I have a boy and a girl." We use the definite article when mentioning that same thing an additional time or any additional times we mention it. So "I have a boy and a girl. The boy is eight and the girl is six." With the zero article, we don't use an article at all. We use it to...  [Read more]

  And now we'll take a look at a few teaching ideas for the present continuous tense. The present continuous tense is quite a visual tense. We use it to describe actions that are happening at the present moment. So, we could give our students a picture, such as the one seen here. It is important that in the picture there are many activities going on. The teacher can give a time limit to pairs or small groups. In that time limit, the pairs or small groups will make various sentences based upon what they see in the picture. These sentences may include 'He is taking a picture,' 'He is throwing a boomerang,' 'They are playing with the ball,' 'He is digging a hole.' At the end of the time limit, the teacher will ask for some feedback and get feedback from the pairs and the groupings to...  [Read more]

If you have done any research into teaching English in Europe it is likely that you have read something about the Schengen Area that is made up of 26 countries with a combined population of over 400 million people. Set up in 1985, the Schengen Area has essentially removed all border controls between member countries allowing the free movement of people within the whole area. Prior to this, anyone wanting to travel between any country in the area would need to go through full passport checks at every border they wanted to cross. Now TESOL teachers are free to travel at will across the Schengen Area without any restrictions. Please note that the Schengen Area should not be confused with the European Union which is a separate institution. Once you have entered any country that is a...  [Read more]

  This video is part of our series on the past tenses in English. We start off the series with the past simple tense. In this video, we focus on useful teaching ideas for this tense. A great idea to practice this tense is a picture story. Here, the teacher provides the students with various photos or images and the students are asked to piece them together to make a story in the past. 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. The Present Tense can be...  [Read more]

  Our 5-day combined TESOL course is a convenient short-format option that might be a good choice if you are currently in North America and are looking to teach English at home or abroad. The course kicks off with an online study section that covers all of the theory side of ESL teaching. Once the online part of the course is complete you then attend one of our training centers for an additional five days of in-class study. The big attraction of this particular course option is it includes additional face to face instruction from a professional teacher trainer that will build on all the things you learned during the initial online study phase. The in-class study section of the 5-day combined TESOL course can be completed at one of our 15 great locations spread across 13 different US...  [Read more]

Once the capital of the Incan empire, Cusco is rich in the history of the Incas and the Spanish colonialists and has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city serves as the gateway to Machu Picchu, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World and is a great base from which to explore the wider region. A number of day and weekend trips can be planned from the city as well as treks and adventure tours to surrounding sites such as Sacsaywaman, Q’oricancha, and the Sacred Valley and local villages. In the city itself you can visit the many fascinating museums and historical sites as well shop at the numerous local markets. Our training centre in Cusco, peru has modern facilities and well-equipped classrooms. Teaching practice is done with real Spanish-speaking students to give...  [Read more]

ITTT’s Guatemala tesol course takes place in the beautiful city of La Antigua. A popular place for tourists and locals alike, La Antigua sits at 1,500 (5,000 feet) meters above sea level and its well preserved colonial buildings and cobblestone streets lie in the shadow of the magnificent Agua Volcano. Visiting Guatemala is like visiting another time and place. With its historic architecture, fascinating ruins and volcanic landscape it is easy to see why La Antigua has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city’s central highland location make it the ideal base for exploring further afield, with trips to the Pacific coast, Lake Atitlan and the Mayan ruins at Tikal just a few hours away. Our TESOL course in La Antigua offers you the chance to study in a thriving city...  [Read more]

Our tesol course in Mexico is located in the nation’s most southern state, Chiapas. The beautiful Pacific Ocean is to the south, while Tabasca (north), Veracruz (north-west), Oaxaca (west) and Guatemala (east) share borders with Chiapas. The TESOL training centre is based n the small colonial town of Chiapa de Corzo. The town is often overlooked, which if anything adds to its easy going, provincial charm. Despite this, there is no doubting its beauty and attraction, something that was heavily emphasized in a recent edition of the Mexico Lonely Planet. You will be welcomed into the community after only a couple of days, as despite being on the routes of most tour-bus companies, most trips are restricted to one day. If you are there two days in a row, you are one of them! The tourism is...  [Read more]