Learning how to teach grammar will be an integral part of your TEFL England course. For some of us, the very mention of the word, grammar, sends a cold shiver down the spine. Don't worry, though, because TEFL England shows you how to make learning grammar fun and engaging.
Your TEFL teaching job will see you teaching English to students of all ages, but one thing they'll all share in common is being able to understand the structure and rules that make up the English language. This will range from rudimentary concepts for beginners and young learners, to more advanced and challenging concepts for older and more experienced English speakers.

The nuts and bolts of English grammar are the first concepts to tackle. Engage students by devising exercises that make use of nouns, such as asking for their favourite animal, place or thing. Finding out what they like to do in their free time allows you introduce verbs. "I like to dance at the weekend with my girlfriend at the local night club", for example, is a simple sentence that contains both nouns and an adjective. Ask them how dancing or their favourite pastime makes them feel and you can introduce adjectives. And ask questions about how well they do something to explain the place of an adverb in a sentence. "She dances very well", for example. Move on to prepositions where you show how certain words such as, to, at, with, and for, are built into a sentence to illustrate the relationship of a noun with another word. You'll soon have your students speaking sentences, to which you should point out that a sentence must have a subject and predicate, or verb. The subject is the noun to which the sentence verb refers.
Explain to your students that there are several types of sentence we can use in speech and writing. Most of the sentences we use are known as 'declarative', in other words, a statement. "I am going to the beach today", for example. When we want to find out some information, we use an interrogatory sentence: "Do you know the way to the beach?", for example. Finally, you'll also teach your class that some sentences will be imperatives – ones that give an instruction or command. "Follow me, and I'll take you to the beach", for example.
As your students begin to grasp these rudimentary concepts, you can introduce other grammatical devices such as tenses, passive and active verbs and how to conjugate verbs ¬–"I have, you have, we have, she or he has, they have..." for example.

Remember that TEFL England also offers a standalone 30-hour Grammar and Language Awareness course. You can find out more about this module here: TEFL Grammar Course. This fun course comprises four units covering, nouns, verbs, describing speech, and sentences. You'll also learn how to teach tenses, conditionals, and modals, to name a few.
Finding creative ways to teach and explain how grammar works will enthuse and help your students understand the mechanics of the language. It's a foundation that once securely in place will allow your students to build both their knowledge and confidence of speaking and writing English.

Book your official TEFL England course now: TEFL Course Options

This feed was drawn from the TEFL England website

So I’ve just graduated from a Dance Studies degree
(yes dance) and have caught ‘the bug’ to travel after having briefly studied Mandarin at Beijing University during my second year. I’ve moved from incredible London back to my parents’ house in little Lincoln….so I’m basically in the same boat as every other graduate then! Fast-forward to now and I’m living and working as an English Kindergarten Teacher in the insanity that is Hong Kong.

How did I end up here? It sounds a cliché but TEFL really is your passport to the world. I did the 110 course that included a 3 day taught course in Manchester- and that’s what really ‘did it’ for me. I loved the course, which, fuelled by the teacher’s enthusiasm and stories of where she’d been made me think ‘Yes- I want to be you and I can be you!’ I spotted the job I’m now in on TEFL England’s website and here I am!

When I tell you my youngest students are aged 3, are learning 3 languages and were interviewed aged two for a place in the Kindergarten, I think this begins to paint the picture of education in Hong Kong, right?
My most amusing classroom experience was in a K1 class (aged 3) during my first week of teaching. I’m teaching Aa for Apple and a tiny little girl bursts out into a full rendition of ‘Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells!!!’ (It should also be noted it was August!)

One of my best experiences so far was during my first week here; a trip to neighbouring Macau to activate our visas somehow how evolved into myself doing the world’s highest bungee jump off a building from Macau tower (see photo for evidence!). Well they do say start as you mean to go on and I’ve not stopped having incredible experiences since!

Pieces of advice: Predominately you’re here to work so you should have that mental attitude before arriving as you certainly will work hard! Having said this, the fact that I went to Thailand for Christmas, Vietnam for Chinese New Year, India for Easter and I’m planning a weekend trip to Taiwan definitely makes the hard work worthwhile!!!
Be wise but don’t think you can’t negotiate the contract you’re offered. I did and I’m now only a 10 minute journey from my school and teach slightly later in the week so I don’t have to work Saturdays!

My future plans include to not stop travelling through teaching! Teach to travel!

Would you like to follow in Natasha's footsteps? Book your TEFL England course here: Course Options

Interested in TEFL Jobs in Asia? Find out more: TEFL jobs in Asia

This feed was drawn from the TEFL England website

Equipped with your TEFL England accredited certificate, you'll be able to find TEFL jobs all over the world, but there's a select group of countries that continue to attract more applications than all the others: Dubai and the Persian Gulf States, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and Taiwan. There's a good reason for this since these nations offer the best pay and working conditions.
Take a look at TEFL England's TEFL Jobs Centre here, and you'll see dozens of TEFL jobs in the Middle East and elsewhere in Asia.

Venture into Vietnam
First up in our recommended top TEFL countries is Vietnam. A relative new-comer to the world of TEFL, Vietnam is hungry to learn English and consequently is attracting some of the best TEFL teachers by paying high salaries. Expect to earn between $1,000 to $3,000 per month. Many of the Vietnamese teaching jobs advertised with TEFL England include accommodation. What makes this all the more attractive is the country's low cost of living meaning your money will go a long way to providing you with one of the best standards of living in mainland Asia.
Working in Vietnam provides the TEFL teacher not only breathtaking scenery, but also a unique blend of Asian and French colonial culture, which is most evident in the exquisite Vietnamese cuisine. Plus, the beaches in Vietnam are said to be among the very best in all of South East Asia – and that's up against some pretty stiff competition. Other working benefits may include free health insurance, furnished accommodation and flights to and from your home country.
Find out more: TEFL Jobs in Vietnam

Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States
Closer to home, the Gulf Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, have invested heavily in their education systems thanks to oil revenues. Consequently, the demand for English teachers is high and jobs come with attractive pay and benefits. Expect to earn up to around $40,000 per month tax free. Accommodations is also usually provided. It's a mouth-watering prospect, but be advised that there are fewer jobs available than you may find in other parts of Asia, so expect competition to be high. Don't let this put you off, however, TEFL England regularly advertises jobs on the Arabian Peninsula, so keep an eye on the latest vacancies.
While you may find the conservative way of life in country's such as Saudi Arabia stifling, TEFL teachers are highly regarded here and able to carve out a very comfortable and rewarding teaching career there.
Find out more: TEFL Jobs in Saudi Arabia

TEFL in Taiwan
Travel east again and this time head for Taiwan. Located off the southeast coast of China, Taiwan allows you to experience Chinese culture in warm, tropical surroundings, not dissimilar to the Caribbean or Mediterranean. Earn upwards of $2,000 per month and you won't even need to find your own accommodation. Much of the time in the classroom will be spent teaching children, businesses there are in the main only looking for one to one English tuition. Living standards in Taiwan are high and you can spend your free time exploring the lush countryside and spectacular coastline, or head inland to the more mountainous hinterland where you'll find a multitude of hot springs and breathtaking vistas.
Find out more: TEFL Jobs in Taiwan

Land of the Rising Sun
No guide to the best TEFL countries would be complete without mentioning Japan. The country's established TEFL industry and excellent standard of living make it a popular choice to this day. Expect to earn well over $3,000 per month. Many TEFL teaching positions in Japan also provide opportunities for performance-related bonuses. Accommodation is also often provided as is medical insurance and even travelling expenses to and from work.
Finally, back on the Asian mainland, South Korea's rapid growth as an industrial giant has fuelled the country's demand for TEFL teachers. TEFL teaching salaries are, therefore, among the very highest in the world. You could earn well over $2,000 per month – add to this the low cost of living and you'll have a big disposable income to spend or save as you wish. Not all jobs come with accommodation, however, although your employer will help you find somewhere and ensure you settle into you new life abroad quickly and easily. The cosmopolitan cities in South Korea and the county's close proximity to other Asian countries make it a great base for exploring this exciting and diverse continent.
Find out more: TEFL Jobs in South Korea

For more details of all the latest TEFL teaching jobs advertised with TEFL England, click here: TEFL Jobs Centre.

Remember, only TEFL England graduates can apply for the vacancies on our website. Find out more about your course options here: TEFL England Course Options

This feed was drawn from the TEFL England website

One of the most important aspects of TEFL teaching lies in rigorous planning. Lesson preparation is key and you'll learn all about this during your TEFL England teacher training course. The foundation of any successful lesson plan is identifying desirable outcomes and putting into place activities and tasks that help the student grasp a particular concept.
Your TEFL lesson plan is effectively a step-by-step guide to what you                                           intend to teach during a particular lesson. Keep your plan structured. Start with the date and title of your lesson. Jot down the class and level of ability you'll be teaching. Identify the materials you'll need during the lesson. This may include props, text books, worksheets – any materials that help to convey the points you want to teach your students.
Next, set out the aim of the lesson, what you intend to achieve during the 40 minutes or hour you have in class. A useful approach here is to literally state, "At the end of this lesson, the student will be able to answer questions about where they went on holiday last year", for example. Don't forget to include grammatical concepts you'll introduce during the lesson.

TEFL Lessons – warm things up
One of the most useful ways to launch a topic is by introducing conversation starters. A lesson about the future tense, for example, could be started by the teacher asking questions to the group such as, "What are you going to do after class today?" This will help you to nail down the target language to be taught – key phrases and words you want the students to practice saying individually and as a group. This can then be backed up by getting them to practice this language through written exercises, and small group or one to one discussions rehearsing the phrases you have introduced.
Starting a group discussion and going around the class asking questions and eliciting a response can open up important concepts you want to teach in the lesson. This informal discussion gives you the chance to jot words and phrases on the whiteboard for the class to read and recite.

Create bespoke lessons to fit the class
Your lesson plan should cater for the type of group you're teaching. A class of young learners will obviously respond to different conversation starters than a group of adult business English learners, for example. With this in mind, ensure the activities you use to illustrate a concept are relevant to the group you're teaching. A good example might be when teaching business English to get the class to describe what their company does. This allows you to cover all kinds of grammatical topics and will be an exercise students in the class will find useful and relevant to their learning needs.

Just as you begin your lesson by following up previous topics learned and introducing today's subject, make sure you recap at the end. This helps cement the concepts and language you've taught during the lesson, and may clarify any knowledge gaps students may have. This can be elicited through questions and answers, for example. You may also choose to use a game or short group activity at the end that covers all the important issues covered in a fun and memorable way that gets the whole class involved.

Find out more details about TEFL England's Lesson Plans Pack: Lesson Plans

If you want to find out more about how to get into TEFL teaching, TEFL England's website has details of all its accredited training courses in addition to details of TEFL jobs all over the world. Click here for details: TEFL England

This feed was drawn from the TEFL England website

Every year thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds choose to teach English abroad for a living. It's a career path that offers world travel, professional fulfilment and flexibility. TEFL England's accredited courses prepare all kinds of people for their new role as an English teacher. You can find out more about TEFL England's wide range of accredited courses. Find out more: TEFL Course Options.

What makes a good TEFL teacher comes down to many factors. Foremost is having great communication skills. You must be able to strike up a rapport with your students. This will create a more cohesive and effective learning environment where the information you have to convey in your role as a teacher is absorbed and retained by your students.

Just think back to your school days, or more recently to university or even in the workplace. Pick out the people who instructed or taught you who had that special ability to excite and enthuse whilst being able to get you through all those important learning milestones.

This means that in addition to being enthusiastic about the subject, you must have the patience and tenacity to help students overcome any learning obstacles that may arise. Successful teachers are able to quickly adapt their lessons or approach to suit their student's needs. No surprise then, that a creative and quick-thinking mind is a pre-requisite any TEFL teacher needs in abundance.
Don't just deliver the lesson as it may appear in a text book – bring the topic to life and make it relevant to the class you're teaching. You may be teaching a class of young learners in the morning and adults in the afternoon essentially the same topic, but the way you conduct and deliver your lesson will vary enormously as you adapt the content to suit the audience.

It almost goes without saying, you'll need to be confident standing up in front of a group of people and be able to catch and retain the attention of your class. This also involves having a keen sense for what's working and what isn't as you progress through a lesson. A good TEFL teacher will be able to instantly spot students who may be struggling and feel reticent to seek help. At the same time, you'll have situations where some students grasp concepts more quickly than others in the group and may become restless or keen to move on. Working out strategies to keep them interested and engaged will also become part of your considerable repertoire of teaching techniques.

Finally, bringing all these qualities together requires a focused and organised mind – one that can plan lessons, prepare materials and conduct a class successfully. Under-pinning this is a person who is able to make learning fun and worthwhile tirelessly day after day. No mean feat, to be sure. The best lessons are the ones where everyone has been engaged and enjoyed the activities and tasks they've been given. These positive experiences will help students retain important information and keep them coming back for more in eager anticipation.

There's no doubt teaching is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling occupations, and truly great TEFL teachers inspire and enthuse their students to immerse themselves in all the colour, elegance and crazy contradictions the English language has to offer.
Find out more about TEFL England, one of the UK's foremost accredited TEFL teacher training course providers: About TEFL England

This feed was drawn from the TEFL England website

Work in the heart of Europe this year teaching English as a foreign language in one of the many schools looking for qualified TEFL teachers in Germany. TEFL England is currently advertising for TEFL teachers in a variety of schools across Germany this summer. Find out more: TEFL Jobs In Germany.
Germany has been at the heart of European TEFL for decades and there's no shortage of private schools looking to recruit talented English teachers. There's a particular demand for business English tuition, so you may want to consider looking taking a module in this area in addition to your regular TEFL teacher training studies. TEFL England, for example, offers a Business English module, which you can bolt on to your course. Find out more: Teaching Business English.
Jobs are located both in privately run language schools and business centres across Germany's towns and cities. In addition to business English tuition, many schools run courses for young learners where the emphasis is on improving their grasp of spoken English.

Why TEFL in Germany?
Being Europe's largest and wealthiest country, it's no surprise that teaching English in Germany commands higher salaries and excellent working conditions. TEFL teachers working in private schools in Germany, can, for example earn upwards of 1500 euros per month. Living and working in Germany you'll enjoy an excellent standard of living in a country that boasts fabulous countryside with beautiful and historic cities. The German people are eager to learn English and you'll be warmly welcomed.
In your free time, your location in the heart of Europe means you can travel by road or train to explore central Europe, and when you want to come home to the UK, it's only a short hop on a plane.
Being an EU citizen means you'll enjoy the same benefits as German nationals when finding a teaching post there. That means you won't be required to negotiate reams of red tape in order to obtain work in Germany. What you will need, however, is a university degree and at least a 100 hours accredited TEFL certificate, such as those provided by TEFL England. Find out more about TEFL England's accredited courses: TEFL Course Options

This feed was drawn from the TEFL England website

TEFL England, one of the UK's foremost TEFL teacher training providers, is now offering the highly sought-after Cambridge CELTA course. Click here for details of this exciting addition to TEFL England's wide range of accredited TEFL teacher training qualifications: TEFL Course Options.
A CELTA qualification is designed for those who may already have some experience of teaching English and want to develop a career in TEFL both in the UK and abroad. Many students start out with a TEFL course qualification, and after cutting their teeth in the classroom look to further their academic TEFL qualifications with a CELTA certificate.
Having a CELTA qualification under your belt not only broadens your knowledge of TEFL methodology and teaching practice, but will also allow you to apply for more senior teaching positions commanding higher salaries.
The CELTA course runs over a period of four weeks and comprises some 120 contact hours with six hours of observed teaching practice. Make no mistake, this is a full-on learning experience that requires plenty of energy and commitment. Giving it your all will pay dividends, however, as a CELTA qualification is highly regarded the world over by TEFL employers.
Courses run every month and are based in London. You'll be in good hands thanks to our team of highly experienced and expert TEFL teachers.
In addition to improving your lesson planning skills and classroom management, the course goes into some depth regarding language analysis and TEFL methodology. Classes run from around 9.30am to 5.00pm, although teaching preparation and some written work will be done in your free time.
While this is undoubtedly a demanding course, it's also extremely rewarding with the end result of obtaining a Cambridge University-accredited CELTA certificate enhancing your TEFL teaching credentials enormously. What's more, successful candidates also benefit from a job offer following your studies.
To qualify for entry to this life-changing course, entrants must undergo an initial test and interview. You'll need to demonstrate a good level of proficiency in written and spoken English, and the minimum age is usually 20 years, although some students as young as 18 have been accepted onto the course.
To find out more about TEFL England's new CELTA course, click here: CELTA course
If you're not sure about the CELTA qualification, but want to extend your knowledge of TEFL teaching, why not explore TEFL England's new Advanced TEFL courses. These offer the same intensive levels of teaching, but are delivered entirely online. Find out more: TEFL England's Advanced TEFL Courses.

This feed was drawn from the TEFL England website

If your heart is set on teaching English in Japan, you'll need a bachelor degree in any subject, although English or a humanities degree is preferred. With your degree and accredited TEFL England certificate in hand, you're all set to go and get that teaching job in Japan you've worked so hard to achieve. Using our TEFL Jobs Centre service, you'll be able to browse current vacancies and learn more about the schools in Japan currently hiring TEFL teachers. Find out more: TEFL Jobs in Japan.
Once you have been offered a teaching position by your new TEFL employer, you'll need to organise all the paperwork in order to enter the country and work in Japan. Don't worry, while there is some red tape to negotiate, the system is well-oiled and provided you supply the correct documentation you'll be teaching in the Land of the Rising Sun in next to no time.
So, what will you need to teach in Japan, besides your TEFL England certificate? First of all, anyone wishing to work there is required to obtain a Certificate of Eligibility. This is issued by the Ministry of Justice in Japan and will usually be organised by your employer there. This assures the Japanese authorities that you have a work contract in place once you arrive.
As soon as the Eligibility Certificate has been obtained, you can apply for a visa. You'll need to get what the Japanese refer to as an Instructor visa – granted to those engaging in language tuition and teaching in general. This will allow you to live and teach in Japan for up to three years.
You can download and print a visa application form from the Japanese Embassy website. Complete and sign the application and take it along to the Embassy in London, together with a valid passport, one passport-sized photograph, and both the original Certificate of Eligibility and a photocopy. It usually takes up to three working days for the visa to be issued.
If you live in Scotland or northern England, you can obtain your visa by visiting the Consulate General of Japan offices in Edinburgh.
Find out more about teaching English in Japan: Teach English in Japan

This feed was drawn from the TEFL England website

More TEFL teachers than ever are looking west across the Atlantic for teaching opportunities in South America. One of the most popular destinations is Brazil. Hardly surprising, really, given this exciting and colourful county's rich offerings of culture, tropical beaches, sport and Amazonian rainforest.
Brazil is the largest country in South America and in recent years has become something of an economic powerhouse, even in this era of slow growth and financial belt tightening. As a consequence, Brazilians are eager to embrace important global languages, such as English as the country's economy grows and develops.
This makes Brazil a current hotspot for TEFL teachers who can work in both private and state schools teaching English to both students of school age and older learners who are keen to improve their spoken and written English language skills.
TEFL England's TEFL Jobs Centre is currently advertising for teaching positions in Piedade and Ibiuna , districts near the city of Sao Paulo. You'll be teaching in two private language schools for around 35 hours per week. Find out more: TEFL Jobs in Brazil
TEFL teachers are usually given short-term contracts in Brazil of up to six months. This means you can teach on a tourist visa. Staying long term in order to work there will require a full visa, which can unfortunately be a lengthy process. Nevertheless, working in the heart of South America for a few months will expose you to the colour and excitement of Brazilian life and culture.
Accommodation is usually provided and this may involve staying with a host Brazilian family – an ideal opportunity to immerse yourself in Latin American culture, and even brush up on your Portuguese, not to mention your football skills!
Many schools don't insist on your being a graduate with a degree, but will expect you to have an accredited qualification by TEFL England. Click here for TEFL Course Options

This feed was drawn from the TEFL England website

Pre-departure advice from the FCO

• Take out comprehensive travel insurance before travelling, and make sure it covers you for everything you want to do
• If you are travelling in Europe, take your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) – you can apply for it free at the NHS - in some hospitals it may entitle you to free or reduced cost state healthcare, and some insurance companies may reduce or waive their excess costs if you hold one – check your insurance policy for details
• Visit www.fco.gov.uk for information on the country you’ll be visiting and to understand how the local laws and customs differ from home
• Visit fitfortravel.nhs.uk to research vaccinations or any other medical requirements, and if necessary visit a travel health clinic or your GP at least six weeks before you travel
• Make copies of important travel documents and/or store them online using a secure data storage site
• Check your passport is valid and you have all necessary visas
• Tell someone where you’re going and leave emergency contact details
• Take enough money with you, and have access to emergency funds
• Understand what consular staff can and can’t do to help British nationals travelling overseas

This feed was drawn from the TEFL England website