How Do You Teach Get or Have Something Done? – S05E19

Do your students understand the difference between doing something themselves and getting or having it done by somebody else?In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em explore practical ways to teach the causative structure get or have something done. Gav demonstrates a visual compare-and-contrast activity using people repairing cars and cleaning offices. They also discuss how teachers can introduce related vocabulary naturally before encouraging students to personalise the grammar by talking about services in their own lives.What happens when the student who holds a group together is absent? Em describes the “linchpin student” who keeps conversations moving, asks extra questions and helps create the atmosphere of a class. Gav and Em consider how changing the mix of learners can transform a group dynamic and give quieter students an opportunity to contribute more.They also tackle a sensitive classroom question: which name should a teacher use when a learner has both an original name and an adopted English or Western name? Their practical conclusion is simple: listen to how the learner introduces themselves or ask directly which name they would prefer you to use.Finally, Gav and Em demonstrate how experienced teachers adapt their speech and questions for different English levels. With lower-level learners, they slow down, keep the grammar focused and support unfamiliar vocabulary. With advanced learners, they speak more naturally, ask for detailed explanations and use follow-up questions to stretch vocabulary and grammar organically.The Quiz of the Week asks whether Em and Gav clean, repair, decorate, bake and check things themselves—or get somebody else to do them.Listen to the transcription with audio:https://share.descript.com/view/L0Pmekz4ZbZIf you find the show useful, you can send us a thanks at https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodVisit https://howtoenglishpod.com for practical teaching ideas and resources ready to use. And if you know somebody who would enjoy the podcast, please mention the show to them.Chapters00:00 Introduction and housekeeping02:15 The linchpin student in a group class08:25 How to teach get or have something done14:20 Which name should a teacher use?17:41 Adapting teacher talk for different English levels27:04 Quiz of the Week: do it yourself or get it done?31:33 Outro