Should English Teachers Set Homework? Plus Speaking Tips and Homophones – TEFL A-Z H – S06E08

Should English teachers set homework, and what can they do when students regularly fail to complete it?Gav and Em explore the sometimes controversial subject of homework, from holiday excuses and forgotten books to deciding whether adult learners should be allowed to choose how much independent study they do. They also compare how they send lesson feedback, worksheets, answer keys, audio and useful links to online students.Drawing on their classroom experience, Gav explains how he uses lesson language and AI-generated example sentences to create personalised follow-up practice. Em considers how teachers can make their homework emails clearer, easier to access and less time-consuming—without overwhelming learners with 60 sentences!The conversation also covers:• The differences between homophones, homonyms and homographs• Planning courses around teacher and student holidays• Global citizenship, critical thinking and interpersonal skills• Using hypothetical questions to discuss headset and technology problems• Practical strategies for improving speaking confidence• How hyperbole makes stories more engaging• Digital materials versus printed handouts• Why teachers and learners both need proper breaksYou’ll hear practical answers to questions such as: Should students do homework while they are on holiday? Should teachers include answer keys? How can learners organise their speaking? When should teachers use digital rather than printed materials?Gav and Em are experienced English teachers who have taught learners across Europe and Asia. As always, they combine practical TEFL ideas with honest disagreement, classroom stories and plenty of questionable humour.If 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.Chapters00:00 H is for How to English02:07 Should English teachers set homework?02:50 Homework excuses and learner responsibility05:24 How to email homework and lesson feedback08:14 Should teachers provide answer keys?09:30 Online practice, videos and homework follow-up10:38 Checking whether students receive your emails11:28 Using AI to personalise lesson language13:24 Homophones, homonyms and homographs explained16:49 Should teachers and students take holidays during courses?19:53 Hot trends and innovations in English teaching21:47 Hypothetical questions and headset problems25:18 Six strategies for improving speaking skills29:20 Using hyperbole to make stories engaging31:47 Why teachers and learners should take breaks32:32 Digital handouts versus printed materials34:44 Hangman, holistic teaching and heuristic learning35:42 What is hybrid learning?36:00 Outro