5 WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR TTT IN CLASS

TTT or Teacher Talk Time refers to the amount of time during class that a teacher consumes by talking. Not all TTT is negative. After all, students will have to hear the proper way of pronouncing words and hear explanations about the lesson. Still, in ESL lessons where the speaking practice is a crucial part in helping the student improve their skills, reducing the teacher’s TTT can be a big help. The target here is to make sure that you don’t do more than 50% of the talking in class. The most commonly recommended ratio is 30:70, but this will still depend on the type of student you have.

1. Ask more open-ended questions

Encourage the student to go beyond ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Asking questions such as, ‘what?’, ‘when?’, ‘where?’, ‘why?’ and ‘how?’ will elicit longer responses and explanation from your students, whether you’re having a free conversation or checking their comprehension of a topic. 

2. Give simple, short and concise instructions

Provide instructions that can go straight to the point. Simplify your instructions but make it clear enough, so that you won’t need to repeat it over and over.

3. Stop echoing your student

Aside from making you talk more, echoing doesn’t really have much purpose and can even distract your student from their thoughts. Instead, keep yourself silent for a few seconds and allow the student enough time to think and respond.

4. Plan your lessons

Prepare for your lessons well and you find yourself having fewer gaps to fill with talking. Even if you don’t follow it completely, you’ll at least know what you can do next instead trying to buy some thinking time by talking.

5. Consider your student’s skill level

This is always an important thing to consider. In asking questions or trying to converse with a student, make sure to check if the questions you’re asking or the instructions you’re giving are appropriate enough for your student’s level for them to respond.

References:

http://www.fluentu.com/english/educator/blog/esl-teaching-techniques-ttt/

http://eslteachingideas.blogspot.com/2010/11/how-to-reduce-teacher-talk-time.html

ONLINE ICE-BREAKER IDEAS FOR TEACHERS

Many teachers constantly look for ways to keep their lessons fun and engaging for their students. One of the best ways to do this is to set the mood for the lesson at the very beginning. This could mean warm-up activities and ice-breakers. Below is a list of ice-breaker ideas that teachers can use for online lessons:

1. 2 truths and a lie

Here, each person will list 3 things about themselves. Two are true and one is a lie. The other person must guess which statement is a lie and explain why they think so. 

2. Would you rather..?

For this game, you can make your list of questions or make them up as you go along. You and the student will take turns asking ‘Would you rather..?’ questions e.g. “Would you rather eat worms or cockroaches?” and explain the reason for each of your choice.

3. Never Have I Ever

Each person will take turns saying something they have never done before. Each player starts with ten fingers showing. Each time says something that you’ve done, you drop a finger. The goal is to be the last player remaining.

4. Lost on a Deserted Island

Given the scenario that everyone is lost and stranded on a deserted island, each person describes one object that they would bring and why.

Sources:

http://joitskehulsebosch.blogspot.com/2009/03/10-online-icebreakers.html

http://www.bridgetefl.com/top-five-icebreakers-for-the-efl-classroom/

http://www.icebreakers.ws/get-to-know-you/never-have-i-ever.html

http://www.icebreakers.ws/team-building/lost-on-a-deserted-island.html

7 RESUME ERRORS YOU MUST AVOID AT ALL COSTS

A resume is one of the most important tools for acquiring your dream job. No matter how well-experienced you are, a poorly made resume will still hinder you in getting even an interview. Today, we’ve made a list of 7 resume errors you must avoid.

1. Grammar and spelling errors

There’s no real excuse for committing this one. Many spelling and grammar checkers are available for free use online and even if you don’t have access to the internet, you can always check it over yourself or have someone else do it for you.

2. Generic content

One common mistake of applicants is using a one size fits all type of resume. If you really want to be noticed by employers, it will be better to customize your resume according to the job description, needs, and requirements of the job you’re aiming for. Read their job advertisement and try to use to use their keywords.

3. Outdated and incorrect information

Before sending out applications, it is important to check if all information included in your resume are updated and correct, particularly your employment summary and contact information. However, make sure that you don’t use an unprofessional email address such as CuteChixrule@google.com.

4. Not emphasizing accomplishments

When listing down your employment history, some people fail to highlight their accomplishments. Emphasizing your accomplishments will help you make the impression of being a good candidate.

5. Vague job description in employment summary

When making a list of your employment history, make sure to make a short but concise job description. This will help your prospective employer get an idea if your experiences and skills will fit their requirements. Also, don’t forget to include the date and duration of your stay in each of the companies.

6. Overdone resume design and style

Resumes must always appear professional and well-organized. Using different font styles, sizes and colors will just make your prospective employer’s head hurt. Unless you’re applying for a position that requires you to exhibit your creativity, keep your resume simple and easy to read.

7. Including unnecessary details

Generally, a resume should only be one to two pages long, depending if you’re a recent graduate or an experienced applicant. To do this, make sure to avoid including unnecessary details such as irrelevant work experiences, skills, hobbies, personal information such as your height, weight, religion, tax identification number, social security number etc. Remember, these will not only consume space but can also lead to discrimination or identity theft.

References:

https://www.thebalance.com/top-resume-mistakes-to-avoid-2063291

https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/avoid-the-top-10-resume-mistakes

SOCIAL HIERARCHY OF FEUDAL ERA JAPAN

Japan undeniably has a rich culture and history. The country has undergone many changes over time, and this included their social hierarchy. Different from today, during the Feudal era Japan, the country’s social classes were distributed into the following tiers:

1. The Royal Class

At the very top is the Royal Class, which includes the emperor and his family. However, while placed at the top, the emperor and his family actually did not hold much power over the nation, as the main governing power at the time rested with the military force. As such, the emperor served as more of a figurehead and held symbolic religious influence over the Japanese people.

2. The Noble Class

The Noble Class is also the military class who, while below the Royal Class actually ran the country, which made them powerful figures. The Noble Class included the Shogun, the Daimyos, the Samurais and the Ronins.

• Shogun – The shogun held the highest position within this class. He is both the military and political leader and therefore held the most power.
• Daimyos-The daimyos or feudal warlords are ranked just below and directly reports to the Shogun. They also had complete military and economic power.
• Samurai– Samurais who are also known as bushi were the warriors of the feudal era. They are hired by daimyos for protection and are very loyal to their leaders. Less than ten percent of the people of this era belonged to this subclass.
• Ronins– When a daimyo dies or is defeated in battle, the samurais under him then become ronins. In other words, they are simply samurais who did not belong to any master and who worked for different employers. They are at the bottom of the Noble Class. 

3. The Lower Class

The Lower Class of feudal Japan consisted around ninety percent of the overall population. This class included the Peasants, Artisans, Merchants, the Ainu, the Etas, the Hinin and the Prostitutes. 

• Peasants– The farmers or peasants worked in agriculture and although poor, were held in high esteem due to producing food which the other classes depended on.
• Artisans – They are also known as Craftsmen and worked with wood and metal.
• Merchants– These were traders and shopkeepers. Contrary to modern times, they were not highly regarded as they were seen as people who profited from the work of the Peasant and Artisan classes.
• Ainus– These were the descendants of freed slaves.
• Etas– This subclass included the executioners, butchers and tanners.
• Hinin– This referred to convicted criminals and wandering bards.
• Prostitutes – The Prostitutes made up the lowest tier in the feudal era social classes of Japan.

Sources:

http://www.legendsandchronicles.com/ancient-civilizations/feudal-japan/feudal-japan-hierarchy/

http://www.hierarchystructure.com/feudal-japan-social-hierarchy/

https://www.thoughtco.com/four-tiered-class-system-feudal-japan-195582

THINGS YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT DO IN JAPAN

Japan, while a technologically advanced country is still very much attached to their traditions. In order to avoid offending Japanese people, regardless if you’re headed to Japan for a vacation or simply visiting the home of a Japanese friend it is important to remember a few points. Here is a list of some of the things you should not do in Japan.

Wear your shoes inside the house

A few things you should remember is that there are homes and establishments in Japan that will require you to take off your shoes before entering. In these cases, you will usually be given a pair of slippers to use except if the place has tatami mats. Another thing is to make sure not to wear toilet slippers anywhere but inside the bathroom.

Slip-up with your chopsticks

You’re not really required to be an expert on this, but it is good to be aware that it is considered to be very bad form to pass food directly from you chopstick’s to another person’s as well as sticking them in an upright position in your bowl of rice.

Blow your nose in public


One more thing to avoid is blowing your nose in public as this is considered to be extremely rude, especially if you’re with another person.

Yawn while talking to someone


This one is pretty common not only in Japan. Not only is it rude, it also implies that you’re not interested in whatever the other person is saying.

References:

http://www.keepingpaceinjapan.com/2009/10/10-things-you-definitely-should-not-do.html

8 FUN FACTS ABOUT THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE YOU PROBABLY DIDN’T KNOW

It is a well-known fact that the English language is one of the most used in the world today. But how much do we really know about it? Let’s take a break and list down 8 amusing facts about the English language.

1. All pilots have to identify themselves and speak in English while flying, regardless of their origin.

2. Only three English words in current use end in “-gry”. They are “angry”, “hungry” and “hangry” (which was recently added to the Oxford online dictionary)

3. We pronounce the combination “ough” in 9 different ways, as in the following sentence which contains them all: “A rough-coated, dough-faced, thoughtful ploughman strode through the streets of Scarborough; after falling into a slough, he coughed and hiccoughed.”

4. We can find 10 words in the 7-letter word “therein” without rearranging any of its letters: the, there, he, in, rein, her, here, ere, therein, herein.

5. If you wrote out all the number names in order, the first “B” you’d see would be the “B” in billion.

6. The longest word in English has 45 letters: ‘pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis’! It is a type of lung disease caused by inhaling ash and sand dust.

7. In 1934, Webster’s released a dictionary accidentally containing a ghost word – “dord” – that wasn’t caught until 1939.

8. In English, multiple adjectives are supposed to be listed in the following order: Quantity, Opinion, Size, Age, Shape, Color, Origin, Material and Purpose.

References:

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/10-interesting-english-facts-guest/

https://www.englishclub.com/interesting-facts/

http://www.k-international.com/blog/12-facts-about-english-language/

7 THINGS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEACHERS DO DIFFERENTLY

Teachers expect different things from their students and so do students from their teachers. While there are a lot of teachers in the industry, highly effective teachers are sometimes hard to find. But what sets these instructors apart from others? Below are some of the habits of highly effective teachers:

1. They set clear objectives

Effective teachers have a clear goal or a set of objectives when it comes to a student’s learning process. This will help you give more sense and direction to your classes, and if properly discussed with your student or your student’s parent will provide them insight and an appropriate scale for progress.

2. They maintain a sense of purpose and enjoyment

Needless to say, a teacher who possesses a passion for the act will have a better chance of sticking to the job than one without. This will allow you to enjoy your daily activities and while you can’t expect all classes to be great ones, passion will let you push though tedious, boring and disappointing days.

3. They don’t aim for immediate results

Expecting immediate improvement on your student’s skills will most of the time, only lead to frustration both on the instructor’s and student’s parts. It will be more helpful to guide the student step by step and have reasonable expectations that will not place a ton of pressure on the student.

4. They have faith in their students’ potential for learning and give constant support

An effective teacher believes in his or her student’s ability to learn regardless of the difficulties they may encounter along the way, but faith is not enough. As a teacher, you must also provide constant and genuine support to help sustain your student’s thirst and motivation for learning.

5. They reflect on their methods and seek advice from others

An effective teacher will never let him or herself become stagnant. Make a habit of assessing yourself and your methods. Seek advice from other teachers and maybe find a mentor of your own to help you gain new perspectives. You must be adaptable and welcoming of changes that will give you the chance to improve.

6. They never stop learning

As stated above, teachers must seek new perspectives, but not only that. You must also be curious and constantly seek new knowledge. English as a language is constantly evolving and to be an effective educator you must be able to adapt and continue to be knowledgeable.

7. They listen to their students

Students have different views compared to their teachers and teachers who know how to listen to their students fare better when it comes to achieving learning goals. If your current style is not working well with your student, you might be better off asking them what works for them and what doesn’t. Don’t just stick to your goals; ask them what they want to learn too.

Reference:

http://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/25-things-successful-teachers-do-differently/