Stuck at B1 or B2? How English Learners Can Break Through to the Next Language Level – S01E24

Why do English learners sometimes feel stuck, and what can teachers and students do to get progress moving again?In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em explore three common kinds of getting stuck: when a learner stops understanding during a lesson, when progress seems to slow at intermediate levels such as B1 or B2, and when communication breaks down in a real-world situation.Drawing on more than 40 years of combined English-teaching experience across Europe and Asia, Gav and Em share practical strategies they have used with real learners.What should a teacher do when an explanation simply isn’t working? Gav suggests reformulating the language, trying synonyms, changing the example, writing it down or putting the language into a clearer context. Em and Gav discuss using pictures, demonstrations, timelines, stories and memorable associations to make difficult vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation easier to understand and remember.They also look at the English-learning plateau. Progress from B1 to B2 or B2 to C1 can feel much slower than progress at beginner levels. Gav and Em discuss setting specific goals, increasing exposure to English, using self-study materials alongside real language production, and giving learners challenges such as presentations, conversation groups or other situations where they actually need to use English.Finally, what happens when you understand almost nothing someone says in a café, hotel, restaurant, conference or phone call? Gav and Em share communication strategies including preparing likely questions in advance, asking someone to repeat or rephrase, repeating back what you think you heard, focusing on the words you do understand and simply admitting when you haven’t understood.Whether you teach English or you are trying to move your own English to the next level, this episode offers practical ways to deal with confusion, language-learning plateaus and those uncomfortable moments when communication suddenly stops working.Support How to English TEFL Podcast:https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodFind practical TEFL articles, classroom ideas, teaching activities and resources you can use today:https://www.howtoenglishpod.com/References:How English Works, Michael Swan, Catherine Walter, Oxford University Press, 1997https://books.google.cz/books/about/How_English_Works.html?id=ZUBPvdUx39IC&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y Intermediate Language Practice, Michael Vince, Paul Emmerson, Macmillan, 2003https://books.google.cz/books?id=5OmfQgAACAAJ&source=gbs_similarbooksEnglish Grammar in Use, Raymond Murphy, Cambridge, 2019https://englishforforeignersonline.com/english-grammar-in-use-by-raymond-murphy-book-review/Timestamps00:00 Welcome to How to English00:53 What does “getting stuck” in English mean?02:27 Why learners get stuck around B1 and B204:20 What should teachers do when students stop understanding?05:00 Reformulating vocabulary and using synonyms06:38 Pictures, objects and demonstrations08:01 Explaining difficult grammar with context and stories10:04 Memory tricks for vocabulary and pronunciation10:57 Finding the explanation that works for each learner12:40 Why “Do you understand?” may not tell you much13:24 Skip difficult questions and come back later14:24 Why English progress can feel slower at higher levels15:18 Motivation, intensive study and setting goals16:51 Can self-study and grammar books help you improve?18:02 How teachers can keep learners motivated and moving forward19:33 Give yourself a real reason to use English20:04 What happens when real-world communication breaks down?20:34 Prepare for conversations before they happen21:29 What to do when you cannot understand an accent22:33 Repeat back what you think you heard23:47 Ask people to repeat, rephrase or write something down24:31 Overcoming fear when speaking English25:56 Practice, take chances and keep communicating26:23 Final thoughts and outro