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Teaching exam preparation
The English teaching industry has many levels of teaching position, from short contracts with language travel groups and summer schools to
Tom Garside
Jun 7, 20227 min read


Feedback is not just for the teacher - how to get students to listen to each other
Many teachers see post-task feedback (where students report their answers and ideas to the class after finishing an activity) as an
Tom Garside
May 26, 20223 min read


4 ways to increase critical thinking in the English language classroom
Much of what we do in the language classroom is focused on fluency and accuracy. Most teachers aim for students to use vocabulary and
Tom Garside
May 20, 20227 min read


What is 'blind dictation', and what can it do for your students?
Many communicative English language tasks are based on some kind of information gap - a missing piece of information that students must
Tom Garside
May 12, 20225 min read


Feedback is where the learning happens
One of the most useful pieces of feedback I have ever received was given to me on my DELTA after an observed lesson where I had kept my clas
Tom Garside
May 8, 20225 min read


TEFL basics: Where do you want to teach?
You may have decided which country or continent you want to teach in, but have you decided which setting you'd like to teach in? Coming into
Tom Garside
Apr 29, 20225 min read


TEFL basics: Where to find a teaching job
As we move into 2022, and after two years of Covid and travel restrictions itchy feet need to be scratched, whether in terms of wanderlust
Tom Garside
Apr 22, 20222 min read


TEFL basics: A quick dictation task for when you need materials fast
Every teacher working in a school has experienced this situation: you’re teaching a lesson in the afternoon, and the photocopier is broken
Tom Garside
Apr 13, 20223 min read


TEFL basics: Meaning, pronunciation, form. Three ways to ensure deeper language learning
When we plan to teach a piece of grammar or vocabulary, it is important that we plan for students to be able to understand it and use it
Tom Garside
Apr 5, 20225 min read


TEFL basics: What is task-based learning and how can it help learners?
What is task-based learning?
The idea of using tasks which do not focus specifically on sentence translation or grammar exercises was not
Tom Garside
Mar 29, 20224 min read


TEFL basics: How to teach listening: 4 stages for success
As one of the four language skills, listening (and often watching) is fundamental for language learners. Without good listening skills
Tom Garside
Mar 23, 20224 min read


TEFL Basics: Classroom management
These are all important aspects of classroom management: the way that a teacher creates a positive and effective learning environment for
Tom Garside
Mar 17, 20224 min read


Week by week on a Trinity CertPT course - what to expect
Whether you teach General English, business English, EAP or any other English-medium subject the Level 6 Trinity Certificate for Practising
Tom Garside
Mar 15, 20225 min read


Focus your pronunciation teaching: How to add context to your pronunciation lessons
Pronunciation is often taught as a sideline to the main grammar or vocabulary focus of a lesson, with pronunciation issues being picked up
Tom Garside
Mar 10, 20224 min read


Targeting Pronunciation - issues for speakers of specific languages
When teaching pronunciation, it can be hard to decide what specific sounds or sound patterns to focus on. The best way to plan a focused
Tom Garside
Feb 28, 20224 min read


The golden rules of TESOL
No matter how long you have been teaching, there are a few basic routines which apply to any language education situation. Initial training
Tom Garside
Feb 18, 20226 min read

The Trinity CertPT: for international school and EMI teachers
If you teach in an international school, or in an institution where many of your students do not speak English as a first language, or if
Tom Garside
Jan 13, 20222 min read


Teach the student, not the curriculum
In the vast majority of primary and high schools around the world, students are grouped into large classes of 30+ students by age - in each
Tom Garside
Dec 5, 20214 min read


Four common teaching nightmares and how to deal with them on the spot
It happens to the best of us - our best laid lesson plans are ready to go, and something unexpected happens. Unforeseen situations happen
Tom Garside
Nov 24, 20215 min read


Five reasons to get CertTESOL qualified this year
We’ve all had a couple of years to think about where we are and what we’re doing, but 2022 promises to be the year when the world opens up a
Tom Garside
Nov 14, 20214 min read
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