How to English TEFL Podcast

Why are your students learning English? How should teachers check answers without wasting lesson time? And what should you do when you have no idea how to pronounce a new student’s name?In S07E16 of the How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em explore everyday questions English teachers face.They begin with one deceptively simple word: why? Why do we teach? Why are our students in the lesson? And why is it worth revisiting their goals as a course develops?Drawing on their TEFL experience, Gav and Em discuss what keeps them teaching: language, flexibility, career opportunities and helping learners communicate.Then comes email and admin: homework, timetable changes, cancellations, new classes and those messages sent five minutes before the lesson.They also tackle student names. Should teachers research pronunciation before the first lesson? What happens when the same name is pronounced differently in different countries?Finally, Gav and Em disagree rather spectacularly about checking students’ answers. Should learners compare answers in pairs before whole-class feedback? If everyone already has the correct answers, is checking them again useful confidence-building — or a waste of lesson time?Along the way, they share practical techniques including peer checking, student nomination, varying who answers, testing what learners remember and personalising answers.Whether you teach TEFL, ESL, EFL, Business English or general English, this episode offers practical classroom ideas — and proof that experienced teachers don’t always agree on the “right” way to do things.EPISODE GUIDE + TEACHING RESOURCESEpisode guide:https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/episode-guide-how-should-english-teachers-check-answers-pronounce-names-stay-motivated-tefl-tips-s07e16/How Often Should TEFL Teachers Revisit Learners’ Goals?https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/how-often-should-tefl-teachers-revisit-learners-goals-s07e16/Is TEFL a Good Long-Term Career? What Keeps Teachers in the Jobhttps://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/is-tefl-a-good-long-term-career-what-keeps-teachers-in-the-job-s07e16/How Can TEFL Teachers Manage Email and Admin Without Letting It Take Over?https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/how-can-tefl-teachers-manage-email-and-admin-without-letting-it-take-over-s07e16/How Should English Teachers Pronounce Students’ Unfamiliar Names?https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/how-should-english-teachers-pronounce-students-unfamiliar-names-s07e16/What Is the Best Way to Check Students’ Answers in an English Lesson?https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/what-is-the-best-way-to-check-students-answers-in-an-english-lesson-s07e16/More practical TEFL articles, teaching tips and resources:https://howtoenglishpod.comSupport Gav & Em:https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodCONTENTS / TIMESTAMPS00:00 – What’s coming up?01:01 – Welcome to S07E1602:13 – Why are we teachers?03:32 – Why are your students learning English?04:59 – Why Gav and Em still enjoy teaching06:50 – Career opportunities in TEFL09:11 – Why teachers and learners should keep asking “why”10:05 – What emails do TEFL teachers receive?14:20 – When should teachers answer emails?16:33 – The five-minutes-before-class email17:32 – How do you pronounce a student’s name?18:03 – Researching names before a lesson22:10 – How should teachers check students’ answers?22:51 – Should students check with a partner?24:03 – Gav and Em disagree27:04 – Do you need whole-class feedback?29:40 – Checking answers to build confidence31:56 – Who should answer each question?33:25 – Keeping students on their toes34:33 – Stop students simply reading the answers35:03 – Personalising answers35:26 – Ko-fi, teaching resources & goodbye

In Episode 19 of How to English with Gav & Em, we explore the advantages, challenges and realities of one-to-one English teaching and learning.Private English lessons can be highly personalised, flexible and focused — but they can also be surprisingly intense for both the teacher and the learner. So what makes a successful one-to-one English lesson?In this episode, we discuss questions such as:🔹 Why can one-to-one English lessons feel so intense?🔹 Should students spend lesson time doing exercises, or is that better for homework?🔹 How important is the relationship and rapport between teacher and student?🔹 Who should lead a private English lesson: the teacher or the learner?🔹 How can teachers keep one-to-one conversation classes interesting?🔹 Should teachers correct mistakes during speaking practice?🔹 How can teachers encourage students to speak more and ask questions?🔹 What should you do when a student says, “Can we just talk today?”🔹 How can one-to-one lessons be personalised around a learner’s needs?🔹 Are private English lessons more tiring than group classes?Em also shares a poem inspired by her early experiences of teaching one-to-one — and the pressure of trying to create an entire conversation lesson from seemingly thin air!Whether you’re an English teacher looking for one-to-one teaching ideas or an English learner taking private English lessons, this episode looks at how teachers and students can work together to make individual lessons more useful, communicative and enjoyable.☕ Support How to English:https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod🌐 Visit How to English:https://www.howtoenglishpod.com/How to English with Gav & Em is a podcast about teaching and learning English as a foreign language, with practical ideas, experiences and conversations for English teachers and learners.#TeachingEnglish #LearnEnglish #OneToOneTeaching #EnglishTeacher #EnglishLearning #TEFL #ESL #EFL #PrivateEnglishLessons #EnglishPodcast #SpeakingEnglish00:00 Introduction – Teaching & Learning English One-to-One01:20 Why Are One-to-One English Lessons So Intense?03:30 Should Students Do Exercises During Private Lessons?06:10 Homework, Needs Analysis & Setting Expectations08:20 How Important Is Teacher–Student Rapport?10:15 Who Should Lead a One-to-One Lesson?12:15 How Do You Keep Conversation Classes Interesting?14:40 Give Your Student Time to Think!15:40 What Makes One-to-One Lessons Personalised?17:00 Em’s One-to-One Teaching Poem20:20 Why “Just Talking” Is Hard Work for Teachers22:25 How Should Teachers Correct Speaking Mistakes?24:20 Why Should Students Ask Their Teacher Questions?26:15 Teaching Two-to-One: Couples, Colleagues & Siblings28:10 Materials & Books for One-to-One English Lessons29:30 Final Thoughts – The Intensity of One-to-One Teaching

How much should a teacher actually talk in an English lesson — and when should they simply get out of the way?In S07E15, Gav and Em discuss what teachers really do in the classroom (and what they don’t!).We explore whether a lesson should ever become “The Teacher Show”, how teachers can guide conversations without dominating them, when to jump into a discussion, and why timing matters when correcting errors.We also talk about supporting lower-level learners, encouraging students to help each other, and remembering that while teachers may think about English all day, an English lesson might be just one small part of a student’s busy week.Plus: a simple tip for learners — keep notes of interesting English you hear, read or see during the week and bring those questions to your teacher.⏱️ KEY MOMENTS00:00 – What do teachers really do in the classroom?02:26 – Why your lesson shouldn’t be “The Teacher Show”03:57 – Do students actually need a teacher?06:26 – Should teachers give their opinions?07:15 – Stepping back and delayed error correction09:54 – The teacher as an orchestra conductor11:43 – When should you correct errors?13:05 – Getting a speaking activity started13:58 – Supporting lower-level learners16:04 – What does “lower-level” actually mean?20:52 – Students teaching students24:01 – The lesson from the student’s perspective☕ Support the show: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod🌐 Visit us: howtoenglishpod.comHow to English: Teach & Learn with Gav & Em — a podcast about teaching and learning English as a foreign language.

In this episode, Gav and Em tackle the real questions TEFL teachers ask every day:What exactly is a student’s book supposed to do?Is the teacher’s book worth using — or is it overwhelming?How do you fix confusing coursebook tasks?Do students actually learn grammar from lessons, or somewhere else entirely?Why do learners forget grammar rules even after you’ve taught them?Where does real learning happen — in the book, in conversation, or online?With practical examples, honest stories, and classroom‑tested hacks, this episode helps teachers rethink how they plan, how they use materials, and how they support learners in a more natural, intuitive way.Support the show: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodVisit our homepage: https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/Timestamps00:00 – How do TEFL teachers use quiet weeks to get organised? 01:20 – What are TEFL learners actually looking for in a coursebook? 03:00 – What is a student’s book, and how does it support learning? 05:00 – Why do coursebooks teach through topics instead of grammar labels? 06:00 – What’s inside a teacher’s book, and why is it so overwhelming? 09:00 – Should teachers rely on the teacher’s book or trust their instincts? 16:00 – What do you do when a teacher’s book activity is badly designed? 20:00 – How do you adapt confusing listening tasks for real learners? 24:00 – Does teaching grammar actually work, or do students forget it anyway? 30:00 – Where does learning really happen — and how do teachers reinforce it?

Build Real Speaking Confidence with Helen von Dadelszen | TEFL Tips, Communication Skills & Classroom CourageIn this episode of How to English: Teach & Learn with Gav & Em, we welcome communication coach, vocal trainer, and author Helen von Dadelszen, who shares practical, science‑backed strategies for speaking with confidence — whether you’re a teacher, learner, or anyone who wants to communicate more clearly.Helen breaks down the myth of “I’ll speak when I feel confident” and shows how confidence is built through action, not something you wait for. You’ll learn how to manage nerves, slow your breathing, shift your focus, and create a classroom environment where students feel brave enough to speak.Perfect for TEFL teachers, English learners, public speakers, and anyone who wants to feel calmer, clearer, and more courageous.Support the show: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodTimestamps00:00 Meet Helen: Why Confidence Isn't What You Think02:01 The Biggest Myth About Confidence05:11 3 Simple Ways to Calm Your Nerves07:25 What Helen's Advice Changed for Us10:03 Why You Should Act Before You Feel Ready11:53 The Breathing Trick That Actually Helps14:02 Why Speaking Slower Makes You Sound More Confident16:23 Stop Thinking About Yourself19:47 How Great Teachers Build Student Confidence24:43 How English Learners Became More Confident26:52 Why English-Only Lessons Really Work27:35 Final Thoughts & Thanks for Listening

Will AI replace English teachers? What is the future of TEFL in a world of AI language-learning apps, instant translation and artificial intelligence tutors?In this episode of How to English: Teach and Learn with Gav & Em, we explore how AI is changing English language learning and ask what human TEFL teachers can offer that technology can’t. We also share practical teaching ideas for giving clear classroom instructions, using transcripts to improve English, and giving advice to fellow teachers without sounding critical.What is a TEFL teacher?A TEFL teacher teaches English as a foreign language to people whose first language is not English. Students may learn English for work, travel, relationships, entertainment or simply because they enjoy the language.Will AI replace English teachers?Gav thinks AI could eventually replace many human teaching roles, while Em believes future generations may place greater value on real human interaction. We discuss AI teachers, language-learning apps, automated feedback and why students might—or might not—continue choosing human teachers.How can AI help English learners?AI can help learners translate and summarise texts, practise conversations, receive feedback and generate transcripts. Used effectively, these tools can support independent English study alongside lessons with a teacher.How should teachers give clear classroom instructions?Keep instructions slow, clear and staged. Introduce the topic, explain the task before handing out materials, break complicated activities into smaller steps and check that students understand what they need to do before they begin.How can transcripts help students learn English?Transcripts can help learners notice vocabulary, grammar and useful phrases that they may have missed while listening. They can also be used for pronunciation practice, reading activities, language analysis and reviewing difficult sections of authentic spoken English.Should experienced teachers give advice to other teachers?Sometimes—but how the advice is phrased matters. We discuss when feedback is useful, when teachers may need to learn through experience, and how supportive phrases such as “That happened to me too” can be more helpful than simply pointing out what went wrong.In this episode:• What TEFL means and what TEFL teachers do• AI and the future of English language teaching• Human teachers vs AI teachers• How students can use AI to learn English• How to give effective classroom instructions• Concept-checking and setting up activities• Using transcripts for listening, vocabulary and grammar• Pronunciation practice with transcripts• Giving constructive advice to other teachers• Common TEFL teaching challengesWhether you’re an English learner, TEFL teacher, ESL/EFL teacher or someone interested in AI and education, this episode looks at how technology is changing language learning—and where human teachers might fit into its future.Timestamps00:00 – What a TEFL teacher actually is03:01 – Will AI replace human teachers?06:49 – Future generations: tech backlash or tech dependence?11:01 – Em’s method: how to give perfect classroom instructions17:14 – Why transcripts transform student progress21:04 – Using the How To English transcription corpus22:13 – The delicate art of giving advice to fellow teachers28:23 – Support the show: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod#TEFL #ESLTeaching #EnglishTeachers #TeachingTips #CELTA #LanguageLearning #TeacherLife #PodcastForTeachers #AITeacherTimestamps00:00 – What a TEFL teacher actually is03:01 – Will AI replace human teachers?06:49 – Future generations: tech backlash or tech dependence?11:01 – Em’s method: how to give perfect classroom instructions17:14 – Why transcripts transform student progress21:04 – Using the How To English transcription corpus22:13 – The delicate art of giving advice to fellow teachers28:23 – Support the show: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

How can English teachers make lessons more efficient? When should you correct a student’s mistakes? And what do you say when a learner responds, “But you understand me, though?”In this episode, Gav and Em explore practical TEFL and English teaching questions from the classroom. We discuss maximizing valuable teaching time, increasing student participation, lesson planning (and whether not planning could ever be more efficient!), and knowing when subtle language mistakes need to be challenged.We look at real examples of common English learner errors, including the important difference between “I’m not interested” and “I’m not interesting,” and discuss why small mistakes can completely change the meaning of a conversation.We also tackle direct translations and expressions that sound natural to learners but not necessarily to advanced English speakers, such as “My neck is stuck,” “I do Home Office,” and calling a mobile phone a “handy.” What should an English teacher do when they understand the learner perfectly, but someone outside the classroom might not?Finally, Gav and Em compare how they keep track of their teaching hours: Em’s decidedly analogue paper system versus Gav’s new digital Google Sheets approach.In this episode:• How to improve efficiency in English lessons• Maximizing student talking time and participation• How much lesson planning is really necessary?• When English teachers should correct student errors• “But you understand me!” — why correction still matters• Interested vs interesting• Common English mistakes caused by direct translation• Fossilized errors in English learning• How teachers can explain unnatural English expressions• Tracking teaching hours: paper vs digitalHow do you deal with repeated mistakes in your English lessons? And teachers — how do you keep track of your teaching hours? Let us know in the comments.How to English: Teach and Learn with Gav & Em — a podcast about teaching and learning English as a foreign language.#TEFL #EnglishTeaching #LearnEnglish #EnglishTeacher #TeachingEnglish #EnglishLearning #ESL #EFL #ESLteacher #CELTA #EnglishTeacher #TEFLPodcastTimestamps00:00 – Welcome back to How To English (TEFL teacher intro)01:59 – Teaching efficiency: quick wins for busy TEFL teachers05:24 – Em’s practical upgrades for TEFL & ESL classrooms10:24 – Similar words teachers should highlight (classroom examples)13:55 – Confusing English words: how to teach them clearly15:53 – “But you understand me though” — correcting typical learner errors22:06 – Gav’s translation dilemma (false friends in real lessons)24:24 – More false friends English learners struggle with26:33 – Teacher admin: how to track your teaching hours efficiently31:11 – Final thoughts & a surprising TEFL classroom moment

What are the ingredients of a great English lesson? In this episode of How to English TEFL Pod, Gav and Em cook up their perfect lesson recipe — with interesting content, a pinch of challenge, plenty of practice and, of course, a sprinkling of homework.Along the way, they ask what actually makes a good homework task, why taking a holiday can help teachers hear their students with fresh ears, and what to do when learners just don’t get a grammar point. Gav shares a tricky experience teaching wish, while Em explores the surprisingly complicated world of online lesson invitations, time zones and accidentally deleting an entire series of classes.There’s also a zombie apocalypse, an almost endless supply of teaching materials, long articles, cake metaphors and plenty of the usual TEFL chat.Whether you’re an English teacher or learner, grab yourself a slice and enjoy the episode! 🍰👉 Support our podcast https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodTimestamps00:00 – TEFL podcast intro 02:08 – What makes a great homework task? 04:45 – Fun, interesting & relevant homework ideas 09:28 – TEFL holidays & freelance lifestyle 13:32 – Returning to teaching after a break 16:12 – Zombie apocalypse teaching scenario 19:03 – Online teaching invites & Issues 26:00 – When students don’t understand "Wish"33:10 – Lesson cake metaphor38:20 – Outro

What stays with you after years of teaching English? And how much of the teacher you become comes from your original training?In this episode of How to English: Teach and Learn with Gav & Em, we look back at our TEFL journeys and the experiences that have shaped us as English teachers.We revisit our CELTA training and talk about what we still use today, what frustrated us, and whether teachers sometimes spend too long eliciting an answer when it would be easier just to tell the students!We also get into the unmistakable influence teachers can have on their students. What happens when you inherit another teacher’s class? Can you immediately spot the habits and classroom culture that have already been established?Then there’s the pressure of the first lesson: making a good impression, dealing with nerves, making mistakes and establishing the kind of classroom you want from the very beginning.Along the way, we also tackle some rather important TEFL questions: unusual places we’ve taught, ridiculously long journeys to lessons, competitive classroom games, student pets and the essential items that keep teachers going.If you’re an English teacher, TEFL/TESOL professional, CELTA trainee or language learner, join us for a relaxed look at how teachers develop—and how our experiences follow us into the classroom.In this episode: CELTA memories • teacher training • eliciting vs giving answers • classroom dynamics • inheriting students • correcting bad habits • first lessons • teacher nerves • making mistakes • TEFL experiencesWhat did your teacher training teach you that you still use today? Let us know in the comments.#TEFL #CELTA #EnglishTeaching #ESLTeacher #ELT #TeachingEnglish #TESOL #EnglishTeachers #TeacherTraining #HowToEnglishResources:Quiz music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=proOvlY-WKk⏱️ Timestamps00:00 – Intro with TEFL nostalgia03:17 – Gav’s “true or false” quiz begins 😄03:47 – Weirdest places we’ve taught English04:40 – Cutest (and strangest) student pets06:02 – Longest commutes & travel stories07:09 – Funny things students have called us08:02 – Essential TEFL survival items ☕08:32 – When classroom games get too competitive11:02 – CELTA reflections: love it or hate it?17:05 – Teaching style, classroom vibe & being approachable18:22 – Can you spot another teacher’s influence?23:18 – Bad habits students bring with them25:24 – First lessons, pressure & first impressions26:59 – Surviving the “autopilot” lesson blur31:06 – Being human, making mistakes & wrapping up

How can you make your English lessons more creative, spontaneous and engaging? And what should you actually do in the first five minutes of a class?In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast with Gav & Em, we share practical TEFL ideas for English teachers and learners, including how we start our lessons, how to avoid classroom monotony, and why teaching English gives us so much freedom to experiment.We also look at what happens when you ditch the lesson plan and improvise! Gav shares a spontaneous business English email lesson where students write, analyse and reply to real emails, while Em explains how a student's upcoming meeting led to an unplanned listening lesson using a Jackie Chan interview.Plus, we discuss some of the websites and online resources we use while teaching English, including YouTube, Wikipedia, news sites, Google Images, Test-English, BBC resources, TED-Ed, Spotify and Google Translate.In this episode:🎓 How do you start the first five minutes of an English lesson?💬 Is asking students “How are you?” every week too repetitive?🎨 How can TEFL teachers be more creative and spontaneous?📧 How can you turn real emails into a Business English activity?🎧 How can authentic videos and different accents build listening confidence?💻 Which websites are useful during English lessons?🌳 And is the grass really greener on the other side?Whether you're an English teacher, TEFL teacher, ESL/EFL teacher, trainee teacher or English learner, join Gav and Em for practical teaching ideas, classroom experiences and plenty of laughs.☕ Support How to English Pod: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod#TEFL #EnglishTeaching #TeachEnglish #ESL #EFL #EnglishTeacher #TEFLTeacher #LearnEnglish #EnglishLearning #TeachingEnglish #LessonIdeas #LessonPlanning #BusinessEnglish #EnglishListening #TeacherTips #ELT #EnglishPodcastTimestamps00:00 – Intro & episode overview01:28 – Strengths and weaknesses as TEFL teachers09:04 – Exploring teaching weaknesses (and honesty time)20:21 – How to deal with distracted students24:27 – Starting from scratch with new students27:23 – Recognising student progress & using praise32:10 – Listener shout-out & teaching reflections33:11 – Outro & support the pod

What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses as an English teacher? 🎓In this episode of How to English: Teach and Learn with Gav & Em, we take an honest (and occasionally uncomfortable!) look at our own teaching styles. Em loves organisation, structure and a clear plan, while Gav thrives on creativity, flexibility… and sometimes preparing a worksheet just minutes before class. 😅We also tackle some very relatable TEFL teaching challenges: What should you do when a student is distracted? How much should you correct students during speaking activities? Is it better to focus on fluency or accuracy? And how much praise should English learners receive?Plus, we talk about that daunting feeling of starting again with a brand-new student, watching learners make long-term progress, and why genuine praise can be such a powerful part of language learning.Whether you're an EFL teacher, ESL teacher, TEFL professional, English tutor or language learner, join Gav & Em for practical teaching ideas, classroom experiences, humour and plenty of English along the way.☕ Enjoying the podcast? Support Gav & Em:ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod💬 Join the conversation: What are YOUR biggest strengths and weaknesses as a teacher? And what do you do when a student just isn't paying attention?#TEFL #EnglishTeaching #TeachEnglish #ESL #EFL #EnglishTeacher #TEFLTeacher #ESLTeacher #TeachingEnglish #EnglishLearning #LearnEnglish #EnglishPodcast #TEFLPodcast #TeacherTips #TeachingTips #ClassroomManagement #ErrorCorrection #TeacherDevelopment #LanguageTeaching #HowToEnglishTimestamps00:00 – Intro & episode overview01:28 – Strengths and weaknesses as TEFL teachers09:04 – Exploring teaching weaknesses (and honesty time)20:21 – How to deal with distracted students24:27 – Starting from scratch with new students27:23 – Recognising student progress & using praise32:10 – Listener shout-out & teaching reflections33:11 – Outro & support the pod

Why do students really come to English classes? How can teachers increase Student Talk Time (STT), reduce Teacher Talk Time (TTT) and make sure everyone gets a chance to speak? And how can AI tools like ChatGPT actually help with everyday English teaching?In this episode of the How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em chat about the practical realities of teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL/ELT) — from understanding student motivation and managing classroom conversations to dealing with students who have the same (or very similar!) names.We discuss ways to encourage quieter learners to participate, manage dominant students, improve turn-taking and create more natural classroom conversations without turning the lesson into an interrogation.We also share how we're using AI in English teaching, including creating industry-specific vocabulary activities, personalised worksheets and materials, and explaining tricky grammar such as defining and non-defining relative clauses. Plus, we look at why teachers still need to check AI-generated language and materials carefully. And finally, Em shares a classroom mishap that proves one simple lesson-planning rule: always check your teaching resources before the lesson starts.In this episode: Why students take English lessons and why motivation matters Student Talk Time (STT) vs Teacher Talk Time (TTT) How to get students talking in English Managing turn-taking in group and online classes Encouraging quieter students and managing dominant speakersRemembering and managing students with similar names Using AI and ChatGPT for TEFL lesson planning Creating personalised English teaching materials with AI Using AI to explain English grammarWhy teachers should double-check AI-generated contentCommon classroom mistakes and what teachers can learn from themHow to English TEFL Podcast is for English teachers, TEFL/TESOL professionals, language educators and anyone interested in teaching and learning English.Support How to English and the podcast: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod#TEFL #TESOL #EnglishTeaching #ELT #EnglishTeachers #TeachingEnglish #AIforTeachers #ChatGPT #StudentTalkTime #TeacherTalkTime #LessonPlanning #ClassroomManagement #TEFLPodcastQuiz music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpSEdFEwCS0Timestamps00:00 – Welcome to How to English TEFL01:50 – Why do students come to English classes?05:24 – Different motivations in the same group07:56 – When students have the same (or similar) names10:14 – What to do when you say the wrong name12:49 – Turn-taking: order, randomness, and balance15:44 – Encouraging quieter students to speak16:22 – Awkward silences and “no questions”22:01 – When students ask the teacher questions23:15 – TTT vs STT: how much should teachers talk?26:18 – Using AI in lesson planning30:34 – Why you should always check your materials

What should you do when students keep using translation apps in English lessons? How can you encourage learners to speak English instead of switching back to their first language? And why do students sometimes give perfectly good answers — but not actually answer the question you asked?In S07E05 of Gav & Em's How to English TEFL Podcast, we discuss practical TEFL and ESL teaching problems that English teachers face in real lessons.We ask:• Should TEFL teachers allow Google Translate, AI and translation apps in class?• How can you encourage students to think and communicate in English?• Why do students switch back to their first language (L1) when the teacher leaves?• What should a teacher do when a student doesn't answer the question asked?• Should you repeat, simplify or rephrase a question?• How can teachers help learners explain complicated processes in English?• How can online English teachers stay active and comfortable while teaching?• What can teachers do to encourage more meaningful speaking practice?We also talk about standing desks, under-desk exercise machines and staying physically comfortable while teaching online; getting students to explain technical processes step by step; ways to help more teachers and learners discover the podcast; and why the unusual English words “don” and “doff” are opposites.If you're an EFL, ESL, ESOL or TEFL teacher looking for practical teaching ideas, classroom-management discussion and honest conversations about what really happens in English lessons, this episode is for you.☕ SUPPORT THE PODCASTHelp us keep How to English going:ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod⏱️ TIMESTAMPS00:00 – What are we talking about this week?01:00 – Welcome to How to English: TEFL teaching and learning02:00 – What do teachers actually do while they're teaching?03:00 – Teacher stress, tension and body language05:00 – Staying physically comfortable while teaching06:00 – Exercise while teaching English online08:00 – Standing desks and moving during online lessons09:00 – Can you use a treadmill while teaching online?10:00 – Ergonomics and staying healthy as a teacher11:00 – Why do students switch back to their first language (L1)?12:00 – Why is speaking L1 easier for language learners?14:00 – Should you tell students to keep speaking English?15:00 – Encouraging students to speak English outside class17:00 – Why don't students answer the question you asked?19:00 – What should teachers do when students give the wrong answer?20:00 – Should you repeat or rephrase a question?21:00 – Checking whether students understand your questions22:00 – Asking better questions in English lessons23:00 – Getting students to explain technical topics in English24:00 – Teaching students to explain processes step by step25:00 – Functional English: explaining how things work26:00 – How can we make a TEFL podcast more popular?29:00 – Should students use translation apps in English lessons?30:00 – Google Translate, dictionaries and AI in the classroom31:00 – Should teachers stop students translating?32:00 – Does translation stop students thinking in English?33:00 – Is using your phone now part of natural conversation?34:00 – Why describing an unknown word is valuable speaking practice35:00 – Communication strategies instead of translation36:00 – Difficult vocabulary for low-level English learners38:00 – What do “don” and “doff” mean?39:00 – The surprising history of “don” and “doff”Gav & Em's How to English Pod is a podcast about teaching and learning English as a foreign language, with practical TEFL discussion, teaching ideas, classroom experiences and plenty of opinions along the way.

How long should an English lesson be: 60 minutes or 90 minutes? How much teaching is sustainable in a week? And is spending 30 minutes on small talk valuable language practice — or a waste of lesson time?In S07E04 of the How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em compare their approaches to lesson length and workload. Gav explains why he prefers 60-minute lessons, while Em makes the case for 90 minutes, including time for students to warm up through genuine small talk.They discuss teaching hours vs real hours, back-to-back classes, and why teachers need time to reset. What actually happens between lessons? Reflecting, organising notes, sending homework and materials, doing admin, checking the next class — and hopefully finding time for tea and a bathroom break. Gav shares his digital note-taking system, while Em describes her more analogue approach.Next: how can teachers make grammar example sentences meaningful rather than just another gap-fill? Using I used to live in Spain, Gav suggests building a story and context around grammar, while Em argues for connecting examples to students' lives. Their imaginary character Colin — who used to live in Seville — demonstrates how context, creativity and humour can make language memorable.Why do students sometimes stare silently after a teacher tells them a story? Learners may not know how to react naturally, may view the teacher-student relationship differently, or simply need more processing time. Gav and Em also consider cultural expectations and why lower-level learners sometimes need space to listen.Finally, they reveal how much body language and gesture they use when teaching. They demonstrate gestures for tenses, big vs tall, word order, syllables, vocabulary, pronunciation, uncertainty and error correction — including why online teachers may need to reverse timeline gestures for students on the other side of the screen.If you teach TEFL, ESL, EFL, ELT, Business English or online English, this episode is full of practical classroom experiences, disagreements and ideas to try.☕ Support How to English TEFL Podcast: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodAs Gav says, only send them a coffee if you want to encourage them. Actually... apparently you should send one even if you want to discourage them.Timestamps00:00 Welcome01:00 Who is the podcast for?02:00 How many lessons per week?03:00 Timetable “floaters”04:00 Teaching hours vs real hours05:00 60 or 90 minutes? Is small talk a waste?06:00 Teaching students to small talk07:00 Why Em prefers 90 minutes08:00 Back-to-back classes09:00 Time to reset10:00 Reflection and notes11:00 What happens during a break?12:00 Gav's digital notes13:00 Reflection with back-to-back classes14:00 Tabs, worksheets and memory15:00 Sending documents and homework16:00 Registers, invoices and admin17:00 Context for example sentences18:00 Does every sentence have context?19:00 The problem with grammar gap fills20:00 I used to live in Spain21:00 Colin in Seville22:00 Humour and memorable sentences23:00 Teachers telling personal stories24:00 Why don't students react?25:00 Teacher-student relationships26:00 Cultural differences?27:00 Why learners need to listen28:00 Processing and response time29:00 The classroom “soap opera”30:00 Gestures for teaching English31:00 Past-simple gestures32:00 Big, tall and present simple33:00 Past-to-present gestures34:00 Word order, vocabulary and syllables35:00 Tear vs tear and facial expressions36:00 Error correction and goodbye37:00 End music🎙️ How to English TEFL Podcast — teaching and learning English as a foreign language with Gav & Em.

What should you do when a student is right and you’re wrong? How much should teachers remember about their learners? And are coursebooks useful—or are they destined to become expensive doorstops?In S07E03 of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em discuss the everyday decisions, surprises and awkward moments that make teaching English so interesting.Gav shares how he adapted a coursebook page to teach anywhere, anyone and anything, while Em explains what she has learned from teaching specialist Medical English. They compare British and American pronunciations of saline, consider how remembering personal details can build rapport, and discuss how teachers should respond when they make mistakes.They also explore the difference between new and long-running classes, why needs analysis should continue throughout a course, and how a new learner can bring fresh energy to an established group. Finally, Gav and Em debate whether coursebooks are useful, how teachers can cherry-pick and adapt them, and whether a yawn means a lesson has failed.☕ Support How to English TEFL Podcast on Ko-fi:https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodWebsite https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/Episode timestamps00:00 Welcome and hungry ears01:00 Teaching anywhere, anyone and anything03:00 Adapting and rearranging a coursebook lesson05:00 Teaching specialist Medical English06:00 British and American pronunciation of saline07:00 Remembering personal details about students10:00 Using lesson notes and online chat to remember vocabulary12:00 What to do when a student is right and the teacher is wrong13:00 Checking sources and correcting mistakes15:00 New classes versus established classes18:00 Keeping long-running classes fresh19:00 Continuing needs analysis throughout a course20:00 Asking learners what they want to study22:00 Preparing students to bring topics to class23:00 New students joining established groups24:00 Correcting new learners without embarrassing them25:00 Seeing long-term learners’ progress through fresh eyes26:00 Are coursebooks a waste of time?28:00 Why some learners say they do not want a coursebook29:00 Cherry-picking coursebook units for learner needs30:00 Using books as structure and support31:00 Choosing what is right for each class31:30 Does a yawn mean the lesson has failed?34:00 Support the podcast and closing thoughts

Can an English lesson be too much fun? Do fast-paced classroom games actually help students learn — or can they create stress instead? And how do you know when an engaging activity has crossed the line into overload?In S07E02 of How To English: Teach and Learn with Gav & Em, we reflect on what “fun” really means in the English language classroom — and why what feels exciting to one learner might feel stressful to another.Em shares a memorable teaching experience where a competitive, timed grammar activity became overwhelming for one student. We discuss time pressure, different learning speeds, classroom competition and whether fun activities actually help students retain language. Is a successful lesson one students enjoy, or one they learn from — and can it be both?Then Gav introduces his very own TEFL phenomenon: Cold Coffee Syndrome. What does it mean when an English student talks so much during a coffee-shop lesson that their drink goes cold? Is that the ultimate sign of a successful speaking lesson, or should teachers give their students a chance to actually drink their coffee?We also ask: Can English teachers ever really switch off? Gav and Em discuss noticing vocabulary and grammar everywhere, mentally correcting other people's English, finding lesson ideas in everyday life, and how years of teaching can change the way you listen to language.Plus, has online English teaching changed our real-life communication skills? We talk about eye contact, interruptions, conversation timing, body language and the strange habits teachers can develop after spending hours teaching students in little boxes on a screen.Finally, we get into the complicated emotions surrounding cancelled English lessons. Are teachers secretly happy to get an unexpected hour off? Do cancellations cause guilt, concern or financial anxiety? And what happens when a student keeps cancelling?And to finish, Em tests some English grammar and vocabulary jokes on Gav. Can English learners understand jokes involving clauses and claws, grammatical tenses, and to who vs to whom — or are these jokes really only funny to English teachers?00:00 Welcome to How To English01:00 Does “discover” have a prefix?02:00 Can English lessons be too much fun?04:00 When a fun classroom activity becomes stressful06:00 Why time limits can overwhelm students08:00 Does having fun actually help students remember English?09:00 Introducing “Cold Coffee Syndrome”11:00 Is a student talking for 45 minutes a successful lesson?12:00 How to let students drink their coffee — and keep them talking14:00 How teaching English affects your everyday life15:00 Do English teachers mentally correct everyone?17:00 Finding English lesson ideas in the real world18:00 Why authentic materials don't always interest students20:00 Real life vs online teaching22:00 Has online teaching changed our eye contact and conversation skills?24:00 How do teachers really feel about cancelled lessons?26:00 Getting paid for a cancelled lesson — should you feel guilty?28:00 Can English learners understand English jokes?29:00 Cat, comma, clause, claws, paws and pause30:00 A joke about past, present and future tenses31:00 “To who” or “to whom”?32:00 Final thoughts and supporting the podcast☕ Support How To English:https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod🌐 Visit our website: https://www.howtoenglishpod.com/If you're an English teacher, TEFL teacher, ESL/EFL teacher, English learner or language teaching enthusiast, join Gav & Em for an informal discussion about the realities of teaching and learning English — from classroom management and speaking activities to teacher life, online lessons and the things that don't always make it into the methodology books.What do you think? Can a classroom activity be too fun? Do you enjoy competitive or timed activities, or do they make learning more stressful? And teachers — how do you really feel when a student cancels?

How confident do you feel teaching a conversation lesson without a detailed plan?In the first episode of season seven, Gav and Em compare two approaches to conversation classes: building discussion from planned grammar activities and allowing useful grammar to emerge naturally from conversation.They explore what teachers can do when a discussion dries up, how short post-lesson reflections can reveal teaching strengths and weaknesses, and how A1–A2 learners can develop more natural conversations through simple everyday phrases and reformulation.Gav and Em also ask how much personality teachers should bring into the classroom. Should teachers always be themselves, or should they adapt their humour, energy and personal stories to different learners, cultures and professional contexts?IN THIS EPISODEPlanning and teaching conversation lessonsBalancing genuine conversation with language instructionMoving naturally between grammar and speakingRecovering when a discussion runs out of momentumUsing teaching journals and “hot feedback”Encouraging authentic conversations with A1–A2 learnersTeaching short, natural everyday expressionsReformulating learners’ language more simplyIntroducing your personality graduallyMaintaining professional teacher–student boundariesTIMESTAMPS00:00 Welcome and the new season format01:40 Planning and confidence in conversation lessons04:20 Conversation-led and grammar-led teaching10:30 Turning grammar exercises into discussion13:30 Hot feedback and teaching journals15:45 What to do when conversation dries up24:10 Authentic conversation with A1–A2 learners30:00 Bringing your personality into the classroom39:40 Closing reflectionsSUPPORT AND FOLLOW HOW TO ENGLISH☕ Support us on Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod🌐 Visit the How to English website:https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/How to English TEFL Podcast is a podcast about teaching and learning English as a foreign language with Gav and Em.

How can English teachers turn tricky pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary into activities students actually want to join in with?In the final episode of Season 6 of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em complete their A–Z of TEFL with X, Y and Z — combining unusual English words, pronunciation challenges, classroom games, grammar practice and practical teaching tips.Gav challenges Em with difficult X, Y and Z words including axolotl, xylophone, ylang-ylang, Ypres, zwieback, xyst and zephyr. Along the way, they explore why English spelling and pronunciation can be so unpredictable and suggest ways teachers can adapt pronunciation activities for different learner levels.Em introduces the Yes/No game, a simple speaking activity that pushes learners to answer questions without saying “yes” or “no”. It encourages longer answers, flexible language and useful alternatives such as “maybe not”, “never”, “I tend not to” and “I’d prefer not to”.They also explore zeitgeist vocabulary from different decades, from groovy and grunge to selfie, hashtag, lockdown, hybrid work and AI — showing how vocabulary can reflect the time and culture in which it is used.Grammar gets its turn too. Em uses superstitions to practise the zero conditional, while Gav tests when English uses the zero article with examples involving school, hospital, music and meals. Finally, they try a sentence-completion activity designed to help learners expand their adjective choices and support each other when they get stuck.Drawing on their classroom experience, Gav and Em keep the focus on activities teachers can adapt rather than grammar rules in isolation.In this episode:• Pronunciation activities using unusual X, Y and Z words• A Yes/No speaking game for longer, more natural answers• Zeitgeist vocabulary and language change• Teaching the zero conditional through superstitions• How to explain the zero article• Sentence-completion activities for vocabulary development• Tips for Zoom fatigue, exploring new topics and learning from errorsTeaching resources, episode guides and practical ideas for busy English teachers:https://www.howtoenglishpod.com/Support How to English TEFL Podcast:https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodResources:AI voice: https://elevenlabs.io/Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt5YsCsv9Sc&list=RDQMRnuMug6asRQ&index=3Chapters00:00 – Welcome & Season 6 finale03:26 – X words and unusual vocabulary05:00 – X, Y & Z pronunciation challenge15:37 – Pronunciation patterns and teaching ideas17:12 – The Yes/No speaking game21:46 – Why the Yes/No game works for learners22:35 – Zeitgeist vocabulary through the decades28:24 – Zero conditional through superstitions34:19 – Zero articles: school, hospital, music & meals38:43 – “It was so…” sentence-completion activity42:26 – Zoom fatigue and Em’s teaching tip43:19 – Gav’s X, Y & Z learning tips44:08 – Season wrap-up & thanks

What can English teachers do when a lesson starts going wrong? How can you teach WH-questions, wish structures and word order in ways that actually get students using the language?In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em continue their A–Z of English teaching with W — moving from worst-case classroom nightmares to practical grammar activities, last-minute lesson ideas, warmers and ways to keep familiar teaching topics feeling fresh.Drawing on their classroom experience, Gav and Em discuss what to do when students look completely lost during an explanation. Should you carry on, simplify the board work, start again or use stronger students to help establish meaning before checking everyone has understood?Gav then demonstrates a WH-question activity built around guessing a mystery celebrity. Learners complete questions with who, what, where, when, why, which and how while practising different tenses and building a fact file.Em explores three useful wish structures:I wish I were taller.I wish I had been better at school.I wish it would stop raining.They discuss how teachers can help learners understand the difference between present wishes, past regrets and situations they want someone or something else to change.There is also a real teaching confession from Gav after mixing up “in time” and “on time” during a lesson — and a discussion of how teachers can recover when a familiar language point suddenly refuses to cooperate.Then comes an emergency cover lesson. With almost no preparation, Em is handed “SVO present simple yes/no questions” and turns it into a student-generated word-order activity involving dragons, bananas, haunted houses, rollercoasters and volcanoes. It becomes a useful reminder that teachers do not always need to provide all the language themselves.Gav and Em also ask whether teaching the same grammar repeatedly can start to wear thin — and how changing the context, examples and student relevance can keep familiar lessons interesting.Finally, Gav revisits WH-questions by making them negative: Which superpower would you not like to have? When would you not want to live in history? What film would you not want to be trapped inside? A small change that can make familiar speaking questions much more interesting.Gav and Em have each spent more than 20 years teaching English across different countries, age groups, levels and teaching contexts. The podcast shares practical classroom ideas, activities and reflections drawn from that experience.More TEFL teaching articles, lesson ideas and practical tips:https://howtoenglishpod.comSupport How to English TEFL Podcast:https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodCHAPTERS00:00 – Welcome to the W episode01:22 – Worst-case English lesson nightmares08:42 – WH-question activity: guess the celebrity13:57 – How to teach wish: present, past and would18:20 – In time vs on time22:13 – Emergency cover lesson: teaching word order30:43 – Does teaching the same grammar wear thin?34:00 – Making WH-questions negative38:20 – Teaching tip: use a good warmer39:30 – Welcome, Wait and Watch: advice for teachers and learners41:00 – Wrapping up W and looking ahead to X, Y and Z

How do you find your authentic voice as an English teacher — and keep lessons varied, useful and engaging?Welcome back to the A–Z of TEFL! In S06E22 of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em reach the letter V and explore practical English teaching ideas around variety, voice, visuals, victories, vocabulary and vitality.Drawing on their years of classroom experience, Gav and Em discuss why variety matters in lesson planning and how mixing speaking, listening, reading, writing, energetic activities and quieter reflection can help keep lessons balanced.Then it gets phonological. How can teachers help learners distinguish /v/ and /w/? Gav and Em experiment with mouth position, voiced sounds, fricatives, minimal pairs, flashcards, tongue twisters and pronunciation games — with words including wine/vine, west/vest and wheel/veal.Em brings in a visual-speaking activity based on strange coincidences: identical cars, matching step counts and puppies whose spots appear in numerical order. The pictures demonstrate how one visual can generate description, vocabulary, grammar, personalisation and extended conversation.The discussion then gets more reflective: what does it mean to find your “teacher voice”? Gav and Em compare how they behave with new students, how authority and friendliness can change over time, and the challenge of having a genuine conversation while still listening for opportunities to teach, correct and expand learners’ English.They also ask what counts as a teaching victory. Is it new vocabulary? More accurate language? A confident student? Or simply finishing a lesson with everyone looking forward to the next one?Plus: vocabulary vs lexis, idioms, categorising language, a body-action vocabulary game, staying fresh after thousands of lessons, teacher vulnerability and why the volume of new language matters.☕ Support the podcast and help keep Gav & Em supplied with tea and coffee:https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod🌐 Practical TEFL articles, teaching ideas and resources for busy English teachers:https://howtoenglishpod.comMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEGrammar Drops:https://www.youtube.com/@GrammarDropsWhizbusters:https://whizbusters.teachable.com/Game music:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=951ZpDOP9VY&list=PL170TfEhZz-_GstI3bsghBfuD-u8nlHHD&index=13CHAPTERS00:00 – Intro: Welcome to V01:04 – Variety in English lessons04:58 – Valued supporters: Grammar Drops & Whizbusters05:46 – Voiced sounds: teaching /v/ vs /w/08:00 – Minimal pairs, flashcards & tongue twisters11:00 – Plosives, nasals & pronunciation13:06 – Using visuals to generate language15:00 – The identical-car coincidence18:00 – Step counts, data & digital habits21:00 – Puppies, pictures & conversation22:54 – How do you find your authentic teacher voice?29:02 – Big and small teaching victories31:07 – Vocabulary vs lexis32:00 – Categorising idioms and expressions35:14 – Body-action vocabulary game39:48 – How teachers maintain vitality42:00 – Personalisation, values & keeping lessons real43:49 – Gav’s tip: vulnerability in the classroom44:15 – Em’s tip: control the volume of new language45:15 – Outro & W next week

How can you make uncountable nouns memorable and help students untangle ‘used to’, ‘be used to’ and ‘get used to’? This week on the How to English TEFL Podcast, we’re tackling U in our A to Z of teaching English — with some unusual holiday packing and quite enough U/you jokes.Join us, Gav and Em, for a playful role-play featuring ‘three luggages’ and ‘a happiness’, followed by a sentence-building game you can adapt for your English lessons. We explore how humour can help students notice grammar mistakes without putting anyone on the spot.Can AI help students upgrade their writing? We try different versions of ‘The cat sat on the mat’ and discuss vocabulary work, gap fills and matching sentences to styles, with ideas for different levels.We also practise ‘used to’ through gardening and pet-owning scenarios, explore the surprises of ‘under-’ and compare ‘ultra-’, ‘super-’, ‘mega-’ and ‘hyper-’. Gav shares how a coursebook unit worked with his airport students, while Em reflects on moving learners from repeating sentences to using English independently.Expect practical TEFL activities, classroom experience and a reminder to stretch your own teaching and learning habits. U first!If you find the show useful, you can send us a thanks at https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodVisit https://howtoenglishpod.com — it’s full of practical teaching ideas and resources ready to use.References: English File, OxfordBackground music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q83yRKmKKYs&list=PLfP6i5T0-DkKSs8G6YbPHYAR70-f5tP9S&index=21Timestamps00:00 – Welcome & intro banter01:14 – Under-prefix wordplay05:54 – Uncountable nouns role play09:22 – Categories of uncountables10:33 – Countable vs uncountable game14:53 – Upgrading with AI20:09 – ‘Used to’ grammar practice23:42 – Teaching with textbook units26:40 – Prefixes: ultra, super, mega, hyper30:26 – Tips of the episode

How can you help students understand English grammar, speak with more expression and remember what they learn?Welcome to another tea-fuelled episode of How to English: Teach and Learn with Gav & Em — the podcast for teachers and learners of English as a foreign language! This week, we tackle the letter T: TEFL, timelines, tone, task-based learning and teaching tips from students themselves. Expect laughter, biscuits, tongue twisters and a few teacherly tangents. ☕️Drawing on our own classroom experiences, we share advice for new English teachers: be prepared, give yourself time to build confidence and talk to your students when things go wrong. Even opening the classroom blinds can become a group activity!How do you use timelines to teach English tenses? We describe our way through biscuit theft, interrupted actions and perfect tenses, comparing how we picture them. Then we explore tone and intonation: how can the same words sound hopeful, impatient or mischievous? And what happens when May meets may, or six versions of “will” appear in one sentence?We also hear the student perspective. Why does fun make lessons memorable? What if learners understand a grammar rule but forget it when speaking? Should teachers interrupt to correct mistakes? And do students really need another list of phrasal verbs?Looking for task-based learning activities? We discuss escape rooms, planning a holiday, spot the difference and a hands-on guessing game with some unexpected answers. We finish with “a” versus “an”, how our transcript can support listening and pronunciation practice, and a tongue twister that puts us both to the test.If you find the show useful, you can send us a thanks at https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodYou’ll also find https://howtoenglishpod.com full of practical teaching ideas and resources ready to use.Timestamps00:00 – Welcome and tea talk01:06 – TEFL tips: be prepared and don’t stress08:06 – Timelines: visualising English grammar16:55 – Tone: intonation, emotion and meaning20:18 – May and Will: wordplay and sentence stress25:04 – Teaching tips from learners32:47 – Task-based learning: communicative classroom activities39:17 – Gav’s T tip: test your articles42:00 – Em’s T tip: transcription and IPA43:13 – A tongue-twister challenge44:22 – Outro and roller disco

How can you teach small talk, syllables and common English mistakes in practical, memorable ways?In this S-themed episode of the A–Z of TEFL, Gav and Em share classroom activities for English teachers and learners. Drawing on their own lessons, they explore semantics, pronunciation, scaffolding, student confidence, lesson staging and some surprisingly tricky examples of subject–verb agreement.Em demonstrates how she builds a small-talk lesson by eliciting safe topics, creating useful questions and placing the language in realistic situations such as conferences and trade fairs. Why do learners sometimes need a conversational bridge before asking about hobbies? How can role plays, prompts and structured support help hesitant speakers?Next, Gav tackles long English words while Em introduces a simple physical technique for counting syllables. They test words including inconsequential, discombobulation and biodegradable, combining pronunciation, meaning and sentence-building in one adaptable vocabulary activity.They also consider what students can do when a teacher mispronounces their name, they do not understand the homework, they notice a mistake or they arrive late. Then comes “Sentence Slips”: a collection of errors involving bored and boring, sympathetic, constipated, cook and cooker, sensible and sensitive, menu, desert and dessert.Finally, Em takes Gav through the stages of a real first lesson with an international business English group. They examine how prediction, listening, discussion and free practice can build naturally—and why teachers nearly always spot something they would improve next time.Expect practical teaching ideas, useful English explanations, honest classroom reflection and the usual Gav and Em tangents.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 – Welcome to the letter S01:18 – Semantics: how context changes meaning04:48 – How to teach small talk06:00 – Safe topics and useful questions07:28 – Small-talk role-plays and realistic contexts09:17 – Scaffolding hesitant speakers10:32 – A physical activity for counting syllables11:48 – Long-word vocabulary and pronunciation challenge16:38 – What should students do in difficult classroom situations?17:04 – When a teacher mispronounces a student’s name19:18 – Asking for clarification about homework20:06 – Correcting a teacher and arriving late21:24 – The Silent Way and Suggestopedia22:55 – Sentence Slips: correcting common English mistakes23:42 – Bored or boring?24:28 – Sympathetic and other false friends25:34 – Constipated, cook, cooker, sensible and sensitive27:13 – Menu, set menu, desert and dessert28:42 – What does lesson staging mean?29:48 – Em analyses the stages of a real first lesson33:34 – Reflecting on and improving lesson structure35:19 – Subject–verb agreement challenge38:47 – Final teaching and learning tips40:07 – Goodbye and a tea-or-coffee request

How can everyday objects, improvised phone calls and picture games bring your English lessons to life?R you ready? We’re continuing our A–Z of TEFL on the How to English TEFL Podcast, and this week it’s the letter R! From relative clauses and root words to realia, role-play and reflexive pronouns, we’ve got plenty to try in your next English lesson.What is realia, and how can you use it in the classroom? Em shares activities she’s used with her students, including a missing-object memory game and a mystery bag of animals. We also discuss menus, tickets, packaging and ways to use everyday objects when teaching English online.How do you give clear classroom instructions? We explore rubric, keeping instructions short and checking understanding before putting our advice to the test. Our telephone role-play takes us from a forgotten restaurant meeting to an urgent order for office supplies, with a few laughs along the way. We discuss spontaneous speaking, problem solving and why Em saves error correction until afterwards.Looking for English grammar and vocabulary games? Join our relative clause picture challenge, tackle some R-word gap fills and complete sentences with reflexive pronouns. There’s also time for surprising word origins, repetition, revision, reading and register. Who knew “nice” had such a past?If you find the show useful, you can send us a thanks at https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodOur website, https://howtoenglishpod.com, is full of practical teaching ideas and resources ready to use.Explore this practical article for more teaching ideas connected to repetition and remembering vocabulary 👇Spaced repetition: https://www.heylama.com/blog/spaced-repetitionTelephone activity referenceCall Me on my Mobile, In Company, Macmillan, 2nd Elementary, p. 103.Chapters00:00 – R: /ɑː/, /rʌ/, or /ɑːɹə/?01:31 – Relative clauses explained (not Santa Clauses!)07:59 – Root words: from sandwiches to a shambles12:49 – Realia in the classroom: menus, toys, postcards and more17:34 – Rubric: clear instructions and checking understanding20:35 – Instructions and telephone role-play28:51 – R-words vocabulary game32:31 – Repetition, remembering and revision tips35:29 – Reflexive pronouns: myself, yourself and more36:49 – Wrap-up and roller disco outro

What makes an English lesson fun, how should teachers respond to difficult questions, and what happens when a class reaches a genuine flow state?In this Q-themed episode of the How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em ask each other questions about teaching English, working online, planning lessons and producing the podcast.Drawing on more than 40 years of combined classroom experience, they discuss memorable moments from teaching in different countries, including Gav’s experiences in the heat of southern China and the freezing temperatures of northern and eastern Europe. Em shares a creative grammar activity in which learners physically arrange themselves into sentences, helping them explore word order together.What should you do when a learner asks a grammar question you cannot answer? Em remembers being caught out by a question about subject questions early in her career—and explains why experienced teachers still sometimes need to say, “I’m not sure, but I’ll find out.”Gav and Em also consider the advantages and disadvantages of teaching English online. Is something lost when teachers and learners no longer share a physical classroom? Can digital lessons still create meaningful professional relationships?You’ll also hear their thoughts on making lessons fun without forcing the humour, protecting learners from embarrassment when mistakes sound funny, and knowing when to step back while a successful speaking activity flows.Along the way, they revisit favourite podcast guests and episodes, explain how AI helps Gav create the show’s cover art, reveal how they have used podcast extracts in their lessons, and imagine the events they would enter at the TEFL Teacher Olympics.The episode ends with a rapid-fire teaching quiz: lesson plan or wing it? Pair work or group work? Online or face-to-face? Tea or coffee?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 – Welcome to Q: questions and answers01:42 – The placement-test mystery of “remote control”02:42 – Gav’s favourite countries to teach in05:14 – A creative physical grammar and word-order activity07:14 – Gav’s dream podcast guest08:13 – Student questions that left Em speechless10:27 – The disadvantages of teaching English online13:27 – When learners make hilariously wrong mistakes14:46 – What actually makes an English lesson fun?16:19 – What to do when a class reaches a flow state17:54 – Gav and Em’s favourite podcast episodes19:41 – Podcast episodes that changed their teaching21:15 – The best compliment a teacher can receive21:48 – Is teaching more tiring than podcasting?23:27 – Creating podcast artwork with AI25:04 – Using podcast extracts in English lessons26:20 – The strangest places to plan a lesson27:55 – Reliable activities and ready-made materials29:24 – The TEFL Teacher Olympics30:40 – Rapid-fire teaching choices32:50 – Next time: the letter R

How can we help students put new English into practice instead of falling back on the language they already know? This week on the How to English TEFL Podcast, we’re exploring the letter P, from presentation, practice and production to placement tests, pronunciation and the present perfect.Em shares why she’s partial to PPP, and we discuss what happens when a carefully planned production activity becomes a lovely chat with none of the target language. How much prompting do students need?Then Gav takes the student’s seat for a picture-story placement test. There’s a suspicious shopping trip, some teacher feedback and a reminder of how much pressure learners can feel. We discuss what picture stories reveal about someone’s English, how nerves affect performance and whether students need preparation time.Need a way to explain present perfect simple versus continuous? We compare example sentences about painting, sending emails and working, exploring how context changes the focus. You’ll hear ideas for helping students notice meaning before discussing grammar rules, with extra support for lower-level learners.There’s also a “P or no P” spelling and pronunciation game, plus classroom reflections on peer correction, lesson pacing, paraphrasing, personalisation, pre-teaching and prediction. Expect plenty of Ps, a few questionable jokes and teaching experiences you might recognise from your own lessons.If you find the show useful, you can send us a thanks at https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodFor more classroom inspiration, https://howtoenglishpod.com is full of practical teaching ideas and resources ready to use.Chapters00:00 Welcome to our letter P episode01:00 PPP: presentation, practice and production03:00 Helping students use the target language05:00 P or no P: spelling and pronunciation game13:00 Placement tests and picture stories15:00 Gav tries a picture-story speaking test17:00 What teachers listen for in a placement test19:00 Student nerves and preparation time21:00 Present perfect simple versus continuous24:00 Quantity, duration and overlapping meanings26:00 Helping students discover grammar through examples28:00 Peer correction and checking accuracy29:00 Lesson pacing and varied activities30:00 Paraphrasing in students’ own words31:00 Personalisation and preparing learners for tasks32:00 Pre-teaching and prediction33:00 A positive attitude to teaching and learning34:00 Putting new language into use35:00 Goodbye and next time: the letter Q

How can English teachers correct mistakes without interrupting fluency or damaging a learner’s confidence?In this O-themed episode of the How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em explore overcorrection, on-the-spot grammar, one-to-one teaching and practical speaking activities. Drawing on their classroom experience, they discuss which errors deserve immediate attention, which can wait and why correcting every mistake may distract both the learner and the teacher from meaningful communication.Through a deliberately painful overcorrection role-play, Gav interrupts nearly every error Em makes while describing her fictional company. They use the experience to consider how teachers can prioritise recurring problems, give delayed feedback and avoid overwhelming nervous learners—particularly during a first lesson.You’ll also hear the advantages and disadvantages of teaching one-to-one English lessons, including personalised materials, clearer goals, closer relationships, cancellations and the limitations of mixed-level groups.Looking for adaptable classroom activities? Gav and Em demonstrate an on-the-spot grammar correction game, a one-minute speaking challenge and an onomatopoeia lesson featuring slurps, sighs, giggles, sobs and groans. Em explains how removing the options from a gap-fill can turn it into a productive open-cloze activity, while Gav suggests offering learners clear choices instead of asking broad questions such as, “What do you want to do next class?”Along the way, they answer questions including:How should teachers correct errors during speaking activities?Should every learner mistake be corrected?What are the benefits of teaching one-to-one lessons?Why do we say “much money” rather than “many money”?How can teachers check understanding effectively?What is an open cloze?Why should teachers offer learners clear options?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 classroom resources ready to use.Chapters00:00 – Welcome to O: TEFL Words and Teaching Ideas00:58 – One-to-One English Lessons: Benefits and Drawbacks05:02 – Correcting Grammar on the Spot with Error Cards09:00 – Why Do We Say “Much Money” and Not “Many Money”?10:11 – Overcorrection Role-Play: How Not to Correct Speaking14:00 – Which Learner Errors Should Teachers Prioritise?18:07 – One-Minute Speaking Challenge for Fluency21:30 – Teaching Onomatopoeia Through Everyday Sounds25:06 – Objectives, Outcomes, Observations and Other TEFL O Words27:46 – Open-Cloze Activities Without Multiple-Choice Answers29:36 – Better Ways to Check Understanding31:32 – Offer Learners Options Instead of Open-Ended Questions32:46 – Final Thoughts and a Preview of the Letter P

How can English teachers explain subtle differences between words, practise negative forms and make nominalisation memorable?In this episode of the How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em reach N in their A–Z of TEFL. They begin with some necessary notes and corrections involving aubergines, acai, postpone, matching activities and the surprisingly important differences between gelato and ice cream.Em explores linguistic nuance through the difference between bad and wicked. How much detail should teachers give when learners ask about two apparently similar words? And what happens when both words can change meaning in different contexts?Gav then demonstrates a personalised grammar activity for practising negative answers. Learners respond to deliberately ridiculous questions using forms such as “No, I don’t”, “No, I’m not” and “No, I haven’t” before adding their own ideas. It is a simple way to combine grammar practice, humour and memorable personalised language.Why do British English speakers often avoid saying no directly? Gav and Em examine softer refusals such as “Maybe later”, “I’d love to, but…” and “It’s very cold outside”. These indirect answers can sound positive to learners who miss the speaker’s real intention.The episode also includes a fast-paced nominalisation game. Em transforms verbs such as allocate, justify, implement, transmit and oppose into nouns, revealing why nominalisation is useful in academic, legal and Business English.Finally, AI-generated versions of Gav and Em present eight teaching tips covering lesson aims, learning names, thinking time, boardwork, instruction checking, flexibility, student-generated language and post-lesson reflection. The real Gav and Em then react to their strangely refined digital doubles and consider where AI-generated podcasting might lead.Drawing on their classroom experience, Gav and Em turn some potentially dry language points into practical activities teachers can adapt for their own lessons.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.ReferencesVoice cloning:https://www.uberduck.ai/voice-cloningBackground music:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W16EsK4JCKM&list=PL170TfEhZz-_GstI3bsghBfuD-u8nlHHD&index=1Chapters00:00 – Alphabet confusion and the A–Z of TEFL01:35 – Notes, corrections and fruit-related facts05:16 – Matching activities and pelmanism06:22 – Gelato versus ice cream08:01 – Explaining nuance: bad, wicked and changing meanings11:09 – A personalised activity for practising negative answers14:48 – How British English speakers say no indirectly17:38 – What is nominalisation and why is it useful?18:27 – Nominalisation noun-forming challenge21:17 – AI Gav and Em’s eight tips for TEFL teachers23:01 – The real Gav and Em react to their AI voices25:07 – Is AI-generated podcasting the future?25:46 – Alphabet confusion returns and the episode ends

How Can Memory, Matching Games & Modals Improve English Lessons? – S06E13How can matching activities, memory techniques and modal verbs make English lessons more memorable?This week, Gav and Em continue their A–Z of TEFL with the letter M. They examine whether matching exercises are worthwhile or simply time-consuming, before testing a dessert-and-country activity that works visually or as a speaking task.What should learners do when they cannot remember a word? Em argues that successful communication does not depend on recalling the perfect vocabulary every time. Learners can paraphrase, compare, gesture or describe the idea using the English they already have. Gav explores practical memory techniques including repetition, chunking, visualisation, mind maps, personalisation and meaningful associations.There are also two adaptable classroom activities. A modal murder mystery gets learners discussing clues and practising past modal forms such as might have been and must have been. Movie Time asks students to predict what happens next, encouraging speculation, present-tense narration and future language.Drawing on activities they have used with their own students, Gav and Em also discuss micro-teaching for supporting fast finishers and learners who need extra help. Finally, Gav leads a short mindful moment that teachers could use to calm a class and prepare learners for their next activity.Visit https://howtoenglishpod.com for practical teaching ideas and resources ready to use.If you find the show useful, you can send us a thanks at https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodResourcesElementary, My Dear Watson – Advanced Grammar Games, NelsonChapters00:00 – Welcome to M in the A–Z of TEFL00:56 – Do matching activities help learners remember vocabulary?04:30 – Dessert and country matching game10:30 – Mnemonics and the FANBOYS conjunctions12:14 – What should learners do when they forget a word?15:55 – Memory techniques, associations and personalisation18:24 – Teaching past modals through a murder mystery24:09 – Movie Time: predicting what happens next28:45 – Micro-teaching and supporting fast finishers30:08 – A mindful moment for teachers and learners32:59 – Final thoughts and next week’s letter

🎙️ How can English teachers help useful vocabulary stick, encourage learner autonomy and create lead-ins that actually get students talking?This week, it’s L for… lots of things! From language attrition and learner autonomy to lesson notes, lead-ins and listening, Gav and Em explore the TEFL world one “L” at a time. 🔤🧠 They ask whether teachers should spend valuable lesson time on vocabulary learners are unlikely to need. How can a needs analysis help you choose more relevant language, and how many new words should a learner realistically study each day?📱 Gav and Em also examine the limitations of language-learning apps. Are strange sentences about unemployed dogs, special elephant–turtle friendships and eating in bathrooms memorable, useful or simply clever marketing? 🐕🐘🐢📝 Drawing on their classroom experience, they share practical ways to keep lesson notes, remember personal details about students and encourage learners to set measurable goals, reflect on recurring mistakes and ask for feedback.🧹 Em demonstrates how an ordinary moment—such as cleaning a keyboard—can become a natural lesson lead-in. Gav then challenges her with a listening gap-fill that replaces “say” with more precise reporting verbs, including claim, suggest, complain, refuse and promise. 🎧Finally, they explain why teachers should react to what a learner means before correcting their English and discuss language modelling. Is “Books open” really the best classroom instruction, or should teachers consistently model complete, natural phrases such as “Open your books” and “Please stop there”? 🗣️Expect practical TEFL ideas, strange app sentences, metaphorical cushions, Mark II and plenty of laughs with language! 🐘🧦☕ If you find the show useful, you can send us a thanks at https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod💡 Visit https://howtoenglishpod.com for practical teaching ideas and resources ready to use.🔗 Reference:Funny language-learning app sentences:https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-duolingo-sentences-silvermidnight/⏱️ Chapters00:00 Introduction and the letter L01:42 Language attrition and choosing useful vocabulary07:55 Limitations of language-learning apps13:30 Lesson notes and remembering student details17:05 Learner autonomy and realistic language goals22:14 Natural lead-ins that get students talking26:03 Listening gap-fill with reporting verbs31:45 Why English teachers need to listen32:27 Modelling better classroom language36:31 Ko-fi, likes and goodbyes

How can English teachers keep up with changing learner needs, close persistent knowledge gaps and avoid burnout?In this K-themed episode of the How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em explore the demands of keeping up in the classroom. What happens when you prepare a music lesson and only the sports fans attend? How can you manage ten learners online when screen sharing hides their names and faces? And when should you follow an unexpected conversation instead of sticking to the original topic?Drawing on their classroom experience, Gav and Em discuss why learners repeatedly make the same grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and cultural mistakes. They consider the difference between giving students information and helping them turn it into lasting knowledge—and why spending longer on one useful expression can sometimes beat cramming a lesson with new language.Feeling knackered—with a K? You’ll also find realistic ways to reduce teacher burnout, including student-led quizzes, reusable materials, batch planning, mindfulness, snacks and healthier boundaries.Em shares kinesthetic learning activities for children and adults, from mystery bags and mime to paper snowballs, acted-out stories and scavenger hunts. Gav finishes with key English phrases for hotels, restaurants, airports, exam essays and those awkward conversations in lifts.Expect practical TEFL ideas, honest teaching talk and rather more K vocabulary than Gav and Em expected to find.If you find the show useful, you can send us a thanks at https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod ☕—with a K!Visit https://howtoenglishpod.com for practical teaching ideas and resources ready to use.Resource mentioned:Online quizzes: https://www.jetpunk.com/Chapters and timestamps00:00 – Welcome to K: keeping up, keeping calm and keeping it together01:21 – How can teachers keep up with TEFL trends and changing student needs?03:00 – Adapting a lesson when the “wrong” learners attend05:35 – Managing names, faces and participation in large online classes07:21 – Following students’ stories without losing the lesson’s focus10:07 – Why do students keep making the same mistakes?11:43 – Grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation knowledge gaps15:00 – Connected speech, listening problems and cultural misunderstandings16:39 – Activities for identifying and correcting recurring errors17:30 – What is the difference between information and knowledge?20:37 – Keeping calm: recognising low energy and teacher burnout22:35 – Low-preparation lessons, JetPunk quizzes and student-led activities24:17 – Batch planning, reusing materials and avoiding perfectionism25:00 – Mindfulness, snacks, movement and realistic boundaries26:20 – Kinesthetic learning activities for children and adults29:04 – Key English phrases for hotels, restaurants and immigration30:45 – Useful language for argument essays and conversations in lifts31:43 – Stephen Krashen, comprehensible input and the final K words

How can English teachers make jargon, conjunctions, idioms and pronunciation practice more engaging?In this J-themed episode of the How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em share practical classroom activities for teaching and learning English—from jogging learners’ memories and explaining business jargon to matching jokes, completing conjunction sentences and playing an idioms version of Jeopardy.Discover how Em uses a reverse grammar activity to test what students can already produce before explaining the rules, and join in with a memorable jazz chant demonstrating English sentence rhythm. Gav also tests Em with a job-guessing activity based on the language used by plumbers, mechanics, politicians, pilots and other professionals.Along the way, they settle the differences between jam, jelly and marmalade, consider whether jokes belong in English lessons and explain why journalling can support independent language practice. Expect practical TEFL ideas, classroom humour and the usual unexpected tangents from two teachers with more than 40 years of combined experience.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.Gameshow music:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JAMcQyRRIQChapters00:00 – How can teachers jog learners’ memories?02:33 – Jam, jelly and marmalade: what is the difference?05:50 – How to teach business English jargon10:54 – Using jokes and punchlines in TEFL lessons15:28 – A production-first conjunctions activity21:51 – How to play Idioms Jeopardy25:41 – Teaching English rhythm with jazz chants28:35 – A guess-the-job speaking activity31:18 – Journalling, joyful lessons and a journey through J

How can English teachers inspire students to speak more, use intonation to change meaning and create purposeful interaction in class?In this episode of the How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em explore the letter I in their A–Z of TEFL. They begin with the importance of capitalising the pronoun “I” before discussing how teachers can encourage fuller answers by showing genuine interest, setting high expectations and finding something worth talking about—even when a learner says, “Nothing special.”Em demonstrates how stressing different words in “I didn’t say he had stolen my bike” produces eight possible interpretations. It is a simple pronunciation activity that shows learners how sentence stress and intonation communicate meaning beyond grammar and vocabulary.Gav and Em also reveal the unexpected roles teachers take on, from administrator and navigator to counsellor, cheerleader, detective and technical support. Em then puts Gav through a technical information-gap activity about a turbine, demonstrating how missing information can generate focused speaking, listening, pronunciation and note-taking practice.How can teachers avoid imposing their own cultural expectations? Gav introduces intercultural reflection questions covering stereotypes, silence, disagreement, eye contact and the assumption that our own behaviour is universal. They discuss ways to challenge stereotypes without turning the classroom into a confrontation.Finally, Gav explains why active, social and responsive interaction can make learning more meaningful and memorable. Em shares an easy name-and-adjective icebreaker before they race through idioms, indirect questions, instructions, implicit learning and interactive whiteboards.Drawing on their years of international English-teaching experience, Gav and Em combine practical classroom ideas with honest discussion and the occasional mysterious saucepan.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.00:00 Welcome to I in the A–Z of TEFL01:12 Why the pronoun I always needs a capital letter03:00 How can teachers inspire students to speak?05:13 Setting expectations for fuller answers08:13 Teaching intonation and sentence stress11:34 The unexpected responsibilities of a teacher15:00 The many roles teachers take on18:31 What is an information-gap activity?20:38 Technical information-gap demonstration23:01 Checking understanding after a speaking task24:02 Intercultural reflection for English teachers25:31 Challenging cultural stereotypes sensitively27:10 Are our own behaviours really universal?28:15 Silence, disagreement and eye contact29:51 Why interaction deepens learning31:14 Demonstrating responsive listening32:30 Why icebreakers matter33:17 Name-and-adjective icebreaker35:30 Idioms, indirect questions and instructions36:22 Implicit learning and interactive whiteboards37:30 Support the podcast and closing

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

How can English teachers make grammar less intimidating, use games with a clear learning purpose and help very different learners work well together?In this G-themed episode of the How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em explore grammar, games, gap fills, group dynamics, grading language, global English and guided discovery. Drawing on their classroom experience, they discuss why learners often ask for “grammar” without knowing exactly where their gaps are, and how teachers can identify those needs through conversation and carefully chosen activities.You’ll hear practical ideas for integrating grammar into stories and discussions, including a memorable way to explain either, neither and both. Gav also tests Em with a gardening-vocabulary correction game, showing how eliciting, pre-teaching and adapting support can turn a simple review task into useful conversation.Can AI make a gap-fill more personal and interactive? Em creates one about unicorns in real time and explains how teachers can tailor a familiar activity to a learner’s interests. The conversation then turns to group dynamics: finding common ground, balancing confident and quiet learners, getting to know a group and avoiding vague questions that may put reluctant speakers on the spot.Gav and Em also explain how to grade teacher language through vocabulary, idioms, speaking speed and connected speech. Finally, they consider the benefits and challenges of multilingual classes, before Em makes the case for acting as a guide and helping learners discover answers for themselves.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 Welcome and the letter G01:43 Why is the letter G difficult to pronounce?03:16 How should teachers approach grammar?07:12 Teaching either, neither and both through a story09:20 Adapting games for vocabulary review12:17 Gardening tools correction game18:09 Creating a personalised AI gap-fill23:12 Managing group dynamics and quiet learners28:22 How to grade your teacher language31:55 Global English and multilingual classes34:37 Guided discovery: being a guide, not a lecturer36:00 Outro

What should you do when a lesson activity flops, learners keep repeating the same fossilised errors or an exercise simply is not producing the language you expected?In this F-themed episode of the How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em turn real classroom frustrations into practical teaching ideas. They compare lessons that failed, explain when it is better to abandon or adapt an activity, and show how a smooth change of direction can keep an online lesson feeling natural.They also explore feedback and error correction, from positive comments and delayed correction to memorable prompts involving Dickens, Shakespeare, pirates, Yoda and Back to the Future. Drawing on their classroom experience, they ask whether humour, visual cues and repetition can help learners finally notice stubborn mistakes such as “informations”, “make fun” instead of “have fun”, and unnatural word order.Can you really learn English fast? Gav and Em challenge unrealistic promises and share ten practical ways to make progress more efficiently, including immersion, regular speaking, spaced repetition, high-frequency vocabulary, contextual practice, useful technology, grammar through use, achievable goals and active listening. They also demonstrate a no-preparation A-to-Z game that can fill the final five minutes of a lesson.The episode ends with two F tips: fact-check the information in teaching materials, especially statistics that may date quickly, and explore how AI assistants such as Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini and OpenAI ChatGPT can support language practice and feedback.References and audio credits:Five-Minute Activities: A Resource Book of Short Activities – Cambridge Handbooks for Language TeachersAnki and Memrise spaced-repetition systemsVICTORIAN LONDON VIBES — Rainy Violin Music from the Gaslamp Era – Tunes Through TimeLifescapes: The Classics – Dirk FreymuthDark Dramatic Choir – Overlord (Original Composition) – Lucas KingIrish Reel Music – Rowdy Sailors – Fantasy & World Music by the FiechtersSTAR WARS I Melodies – Glyn R. BrownApple Blossom March – Steampunk Victorian Music – ParlormuseMelodies of the Middle Ages – Calming Medieval Music for Study and Relaxation – Medieval Horizons MusicPirate with Radio Full Video – dogur_devElevator Music – Kevin MacLeod / Gaming Sound FXMicrosoft Copilot, Google Gemini and OpenAI ChatGPTIf 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 – The A-to-Z of TEFL reaches F02:13 – When lessons flop and when to stop an activity05:17 – Why a present continuous speaking task failed06:51 – Unclear instructions and the importance of demonstrations09:09 – Positive feedback and error-correction choices11:05 – Memorable corrections for unnatural English15:48 – Humour, visual cues and fossilised errors19:11 – Is there really a fast way to learn English?20:52 – Ten practical tips for faster progress24:05 – Five-minute lesson fillers and an A-to-Z game29:01 – Useful F vocabulary for teachers and learners31:18 – Tip of the week: fact-check teaching materials32:31 – Can AI become a language-learning friend?35:04 – Farewell

How can teachers elicit more language, improve pronunciation and help learners get greater exposure to English?In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em continue their A–Z of TEFL with the letter E. They explore practical ways to encourage students to think, speak and contribute more—without teachers simply handing them every answer.Gav demonstrates an elicitation activity in which learners hear answers about household chores and create the questions. It develops question formation, tense awareness and conversational flexibility, with examples covering the present simple, present continuous, past simple, past continuous, present perfect and future forms.Em asks whether teachers should eat or drink during lessons, leading to a conversation about professionalism, enormous coffee cups and the dangers of choking on a lozenge. Gav and Em then discuss equity in English language education and why teaching materials should represent diverse people, cultures and perspectives.Looking for a lively pronunciation activity? Their emotional echo-reading game challenges learners to repeat sentences—or even individual words—with feelings such as sadness, anger, nervousness and happiness. It is a simple way to practise pronunciation, intonation, listening and expressive speaking at different levels.They also consider how learners can maximise their exposure to English through courses, podcasts, music, reading, apps, conversations, travel and everyday interactions. For teachers, there is an important reminder to monitor teacher talking time and create enough space for students to use the language themselves.Finally, Em’s tip of the week shows how to exploit a single coursebook question and develop it into a complete lesson involving vocabulary, second conditionals, modal verbs, dress codes, etiquette and discussion. Drawing on their classroom experience, Gav and Em demonstrate how a small prompt can generate a surprisingly rich lesson when teachers elicit learners’ ideas.If you find the show useful, you can send us a thanks at https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod ☕Visit https://howtoenglishpod.com for practical English-teaching ideas and resources ready to use.Chapters00:00 Welcome and the letter E01:30 What is eliciting in English teaching?02:00 Question-building and grammar elicitation activity08:33 Should teachers eat or drink during lessons?12:00 Equity and inclusive English-language education13:30 How to use echo reading for pronunciation14:20 Emotional intonation guessing game19:00 How learners can increase their English exposure22:00 Teacher talking time and student speaking time24:15 Eager, engaged and empathetic learners29:30 Tip of the week: exploiting teaching materials30:40 Building a lesson from one coursebook question33:35 Final thoughts and goodbye

Should English learners focus on accuracy or fluency first—and what habits genuinely lead to progress?In this D-themed episode of the A–Z of TEFL, Gav and Em explore the dos and don’ts of learning English. They discuss why learners should speak regularly, use English every day when possible, learn vocabulary in context and avoid being afraid of mistakes. They also consider when accuracy matters, when fluency needs activating and why pronunciation can completely change meaning—as demonstrated by the unfortunate confusion between “important” and “impotent”!Gav and Em also examine the language teachers use when correcting learners. Is it helpful to say “Don’t say that,” or can teachers guide students more positively by modelling the correct language and suggesting what sounds more natural?Em then demonstrates a dictogloss: a collaborative listening and writing activity in which learners take notes, reconstruct a text and compare their version with the original. Using Gav’s true story about arriving at the wrong gym, they show how dictogloss can develop listening, grammar, vocabulary, paraphrasing and teamwork.You’ll also hear ideas for building a positive class atmosphere, directing attention away from the teacher and encouraging students to communicate with one another. Finally, Gav and Em discuss how to adjust the difficulty of lesson materials—and how AI can help teachers adapt an activity for different English levels.Along the way, expect doughnuts, a gym mishap and playful explorations of the origins of words including “nightmare”, “quarantine”, “clue”, “salary” and “discombobulated”.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 Welcome to How to English with Gav and Em00:38 What is the How to English TEFL Podcast?01:21 Doughnuts and the qualities teachers and learners need03:37 Dos and don’ts of learning English06:00 Should learners focus on accuracy or fluency first?07:35 Why English pronunciation matters08:39 Should teachers tell students what not to say?11:16 Exploring the origins of English words19:07 What is dictogloss and how does it work?21:40 Dictogloss listening task: Lost in the Gym Jungle24:00 Reconstructing and comparing the text28:58 Giving learners direction and motivation30:42 Collaborative activities for team building33:00 Teaching and learning tips beginning with D36:04 Adapting task difficulty for different levels37:15 Using AI to customise lesson materials37:54 Drilling, dialogues, delayed feedback and development38:38 D for done

How can teachers use CCQs effectively, prepare learners for C1 and C2 exams and bring culture into English lessons without overcomplicating everything?In this episode of How to English with Gav and Em, we continue our A–Z of TEFL with the letter C. We begin with practical C1 and C2 exam preparation, including understanding the format, managing time, reading instructions carefully, using advanced language naturally and helping learners check their own work.Em then demonstrates how Concept Checking Questions can reveal whether students genuinely understand new vocabulary. Using the word “query”, we explore effective CCQs, open questions and contextual examples—and why asking “Do you understand?” rarely tells a teacher enough.For a lighter classroom activity, Gav challenges Em to match some spectacularly cheesy English chat-up lines. Could these be used to practise grammar and vocabulary, compare cultures and start conversations—or would they simply make everyone cringe?We also discuss confidentiality in TEFL and the difficult boundary between sharing useful teaching experiences and protecting learners’ privacy. Then Em attempts to distinguish genuine business English buzzwords from Gav’s inventions, including “circle back”, “move the needle”, “touch base” and the rather suspicious “reinvent the rain”.Finally, we consider culture in English teaching. Can language ever be culturally neutral? How much of their own culture should teachers bring into class, and how can learners’ cultures receive equal space?Drawing on our many years in different classrooms, we finish with two connected teaching tips: keep explanations and instructions simple, and give learners more control. Stepping back can create more opportunities for students to participate, make decisions and use English independently.If you find the show useful, you can send us a thanks at https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod ☕Visit https://howtoenglishpod.com for practical teaching ideas and resources ready to use.Reference:English pick-up lines and activity inspiration:https://www.theknot.com/content/pick-up-linesChapters00:00 – Welcome to the Letter C in TEFL02:35 – C1 and C2 Exam Preparation Tips09:40 – What Are CCQs and How Should Teachers Use Them?14:05 – Cheesy English Chat-Up Lines as a Classroom Activity18:37 – Confidentiality and Protecting Learners’ Privacy25:07 – Real and Fake Business English Buzzwords32:42 – Culture and Cultural Differences in TEFL37:14 – Keep Teaching Simple and Give Learners More Control

How should you begin a new English course, find out what Business English learners really need and help students improve their pronunciation?In this episode of How to English: Teach and Learn with Gav & Em, we explore the letter B in our A to Z of TEFL. We begin with the importance of first lessons and why teachers should prepare carefully without putting themselves under pressure to make everything perfect.For Business English teachers, we demonstrate the specific needs-analysis questions that uncover what learners actually do at work. Do they give presentations, write emails, attend international meetings, manage projects or speak to customers? We also discuss using authentic workplace materials and why teachers do not need to be experts in every industry.You’ll hear a practical demonstration of backchaining, a pronunciation technique for breaking difficult words and sentences into manageable chunks. We compare different ways to use it and explain why hearing the complete word or sentence first can give learners valuable context.We also explore what students’ body language can reveal about attention, confusion and engagement—particularly online. However, appearances can be misleading, so checking politely may be more reliable than assuming somebody is not listening.What does “Bob’s your uncle” mean? Why do British people say something has “gone pear-shaped”? We unpack several baffling British expressions, including “faffing around”, “throw a spanner in the works” and “not my cup of tea”.Later, we ask whether coursebooks are still relevant in the age of ChatGPT and other digital tools. Finally, we challenge common language-learning myths and demonstrate “backflash”: a more natural way to revisit a previous lesson through a story rather than asking, “Do you remember what we did last week?”Drawing on their real classroom experience, Gav and Em offer practical ideas for teachers alongside plenty of disagreement, experimentation and laughter.References:ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/Grammarly: https://app.grammarly.com/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, episode guides and resources ready to use.Don’t forget to follow, subscribe and share the episode. See you next time for C!Chapters:00:00 Welcome to B in the A to Z of TEFL01:18 How to begin a lesson or course successfully04:18 What do Business English learners really need?06:35 Using authentic workplace materials07:15 Essential Business English topics08:35 Teaching unfamiliar industries confidently09:25 What do B1 and B2 English levels mean?12:10 How to teach pronunciation through backchaining14:10 Reading students’ body language15:35 Checking engagement in online lessons17:20 How teachers’ gestures affect learners20:00 Baffling British expressions explained23:55 Are coursebooks still relevant in TEFL?27:00 Bogus language-learning myths31:15 Backflash: a better way to review previous lessons34:00 Revisiting vocabulary through stories34:45 See you next time for C

How can teachers use AI, alphabet games and targeted correction to create more effective English lessons?Welcome to Season 6 and the beginning of Gav and Em’s A–Z of TEFL. In this episode, the letter A leads to a lively mix of practical classroom activities, teaching technology, animal vocabulary and the continuing debate over accuracy versus fluency.Discover several materials-light alphabet games, including collaborative stories, picture challenges, Pictionary and 20 Questions. Gav and Em also discuss how teachers can use ChatGPT to research unfamiliar topics, generate personalised questions, create gap-fills and adapt materials around learners’ interests.Could virtual and augmented reality make speaking practice less intimidating? Em recalls entering a virtual forest and talking to avatars, while Gav considers how simulated cafés and other everyday environments could give learners realistic opportunities to practise English. They also explore the potential benefits and limitations of VR language learning, including confidence, accessibility, cost and corrective feedback.The conversation continues with a quick-fire animal homes quiz before Em introduces the power of “And…?” as a simple prompt that encourages learners to expand their answers and keep speaking.Should teachers prioritise accurate English or fluent communication? Drawing on their classroom experience, Gav and Em explain why the answer depends on each learner’s needs. Sometimes students need uninterrupted speaking practice; at other times, a persistent mistake deserves focused attention.Finally, they share two A-themed tips for teachers and learners: prepare the right attitude before a lesson and become a little more academic by recording useful language. Even when notes are never reread, the act of making them may support learning and recall.🎙️ How to English TEFL Pod brings you practical teaching ideas, honest classroom discussion and plenty of Gav and Em humour.💛 If you find the show useful, you can send us a thanks at https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod🌐 Visit https://howtoenglishpod.com for practical teaching ideas and resources ready to use.Reference:Benefits of note-making:https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/amerjpsyc.124.1.0063Chapters and timestamps00:00 Welcome to Season 600:50 Meet Gav and Em02:35 Introducing the A–Z of TEFL03:47 Materials-light alphabet games06:35 Using AI and ChatGPT in English lessons10:37 VR and AR for immersive language learning15:50 How AI could support teachers16:52 Animal homes vocabulary game21:34 Using “And…?” to encourage fluency23:55 Accuracy or fluency: which should come first?27:35 A-themed teaching and learning tips28:38 Preparing the right attitude for a lesson32:16 Note-making and becoming a little more academic34:29 Coming next: the letter B

How can teachers make English lessons more useful, memorable and enjoyable—and help learners recognise their progress?Join Gav and Em for the Season 5 finale of How to English TEFL Podcast as they revisit a year of classroom discoveries, differing opinions and moments that still make them laugh. Drawing on their own English classes, they explore what helped their learners, what challenged their teaching and which ideas deserve another outing.Who should choose lesson topics: the teacher or the learner? How can you get honest student feedback? When should you change an activity, and when should you let a good conversation continue? Gav and Em compare their approaches, including Em’s preference for having material ready and Gav’s expectation that learners bring their own questions and language problems.For English learners, there are reminders about silent letters, memory aids, repetition, practice outside lessons and the attitude that helps you make progress. For teachers, the conversation covers varying error correction, reviewing the board or online chat, avoiding badly timed computer updates and recognising when students need a change of pace.There’s also a squirrel that nobody seems to hear, phrasal verbs with very different meanings, questionable business casual clothing and a student’s shoe becoming an unexpected vocabulary resource. Discover how playful gap fills and real objects can create memorable learning moments.Finish with the Quiz of the Year, a lightning recap of all 23 previous episodes, before Gav and Em reveal their A–Z idea for Season 6 and discuss their teaching goals.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, plus podcast transcriptions.Timestamps00:00 – Welcome to the Season 5 finale02:47 – Reflecting on classes and changing learner needs06:45 – AI in lessons and recognising student progress10:18 – Learning tips: silent letters and pronunciation11:40 – Who should choose the lesson content?13:41 – Memory aids, repetition and regular practice17:32 – Teachers, books and learner motivation18:22 – Getting honest feedback from students20:45 – Adapting error correction to different learners21:56 – Reviewing the board and online chat23:37 – When should you change a classroom activity?26:49 – Computer updates and online teaching problems27:54 – The freedom of teaching English online28:58 – Memorable moments: quizzes versus tests31:23 – Listening, translation apps and the squirrel story33:04 – Phrasal verbs and mixed-up idioms34:48 – Dress codes and teacher confidence36:40 – Making gap fills fun with Blankety Blank38:17 – Realia and memorable classroom communication41:09 – Quiz of the Year: revisiting 23 episodes50:53 – Season 6: the A–Z of teaching and learning English52:02 – Teaching goals for the coming year54:05 – Thank you and goodbyeMusicFluffing a Duck by Kevin MacLeodhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hBDh3dRvLcBlankety Blank Full Opening Title Sequencehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjU5zZeD1yQAction Tense Cinematic Teaser Trailer Musichttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEN2bmZPKF0Background musichttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqwnTNRtQ80

How can teachers make coursebooks more engaging, relevant and useful without planning the “perfect” lesson?Gav and Em return to coursebooks and explore how teachers can combine their helpful structure with personalised conversation and meaningful language practice. Em explains how she adapts logistics, finance and Business English materials by eliciting learners’ existing knowledge, adding vocabulary and encouraging students to use new language in their own professional contexts.They also ask what makes the perfect student, teacher and learning environment. Is a good learner someone who always gets everything right, or someone willing to experiment and make mistakes? Drawing on their classroom experience, Gav and Em discuss preparation, punctuality, patience, reflection and why teachers should not expect themselves to have every answer immediately.You’ll also hear:How to move between focused coursebook work and personalised speaking practiceWhy making mistakes is an essential part of learning EnglishWhat teachers and students really need from a classroom or online learning spaceWhy Gav and Em still love teaching English after many years in TEFLThe differences between “I don’t mind”, “I don’t care”, “It doesn’t matter” and “I couldn’t care less”How professional development can refresh your teachingHow Gav used ChatGPT during a live lesson to create instant grammar practiceWhy AI-generated teaching materials still need checkingFinally, Quiz of the Week explores what happens when translation tools choose unnecessarily formal English. Do learners really need words such as “raucous”, “diminutive” and “nourishment”, or would simpler alternatives sound more natural?Listen to the transcript with audio:https://share.descript.com/view/1XK69QvlP8LIf 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.ReferenceNormal and advanced vocabulary:https://mrmrsenglish.com/500-daily-used-normal-vs-advanced/#google_vignetteChapters00:00 Coursebooks, perfectionism and AI for teachers01:36 Returning to coursebooks02:40 How to personalise coursebook lessons05:34 Is perfection possible in language learning?07:10 What makes the perfect English student?09:05 What makes the perfect teacher?11:48 Creating an effective classroom or online space14:05 Support How to English TEFL Podcast14:43 Why we still love teaching English17:42 How to express indifference politely19:06 I don’t mind, I don’t care or it doesn’t matter?21:48 What teachers gain from online training24:02 Using ChatGPT during a live English lesson26:55 Checking AI-generated teaching resources28:40 Quiz of the Week: formal and informal vocabulary35:20 A translation message that was far too formal36:00 Closing thoughts

Who should decide what happens in an English lesson: the teacher, the students or both?In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, we explore syllabus design and learner involvement. Em wonders whether teachers should accept “whatever you want” as an answer, while Gav explains how asking every learner for three topics can help teachers create a more relevant course.We also revisit common English collocations, including spick and span, hustle and bustle, black and blue, kith and kin, ups and downs, blood and guts, and odds and ends.Can you end an English sentence with a preposition? We clear up the confusion surrounding so-called dangling prepositions and explain why natural questions such as “What’s it for?” and “Who’s it about?” are perfectly acceptable.Gav then shares a playful present perfect continuous activity in which learners explain unusual outcomes. Why is your phone in the freezer? Why are your students wearing sunglasses indoors? The activity encourages spontaneous answers and can be adapted as a matching or memory game for lower-level learners.Em also reflects on the frustrating gap between teaching something and seeing learners apply it in real life. After spending 90 minutes teaching email conventions, she receives an email containing one of the mistakes she had carefully covered. We discuss concept checking, correcting authentic emails and why changing established language habits takes time.Finally, Em tests Gav on animal names that can also be verbs. Can you fish for compliments, duck an object, wolf down a meal, badger someone or squirrel something away? We finish by discovering how “rabbit” came to mean “talk” through Cockney rhyming slang.Gav and Em draw on more than 40 years of combined English-teaching experience, sharing practical ideas alongside the honest successes, frustrations and unusual moments that arise in real lessons.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.Listen to the transcription with audio:https://share.descript.com/view/h0xao94vmg0ResourceHow We Made Rabbit by Chas & Dave:https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2018/feb/12/chas-and-dave-how-we-made-rabbit-camilla-parker-bowlesChapters00:00 Introduction02:06 Meanings of common English collocations08:46 Can a sentence end with a preposition?11:05 Who should choose the syllabus and lesson content?17:57 Present perfect continuous activity with unusual outcomes23:37 Why learners struggle to apply classroom learning29:18 Quiz of the Week: animal names used as verbs36:40 Why does “rabbit” mean “talk”?37:46 Final thoughts and outro

Should every English learner have a clear goal, or is maintaining their level and enjoying lessons enough?In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em consider whether students need a specific target to work towards. Inspired by an orchestra rehearsing for a concert, Em asks whether English lessons should prepare learners for a real performance, such as an exam, presentation, holiday or everyday conversation. Gav explores the other side: some learners may simply want to practise, have fun and remain confident without additional pressure.Drawing on their classroom experience, Gav and Em also discuss online teaching mishaps, including pressing “leave” instead of “share”, accidentally cutting students off and failing to leave time for a proper lesson ending. How can teachers balance warm-ups, core activities and cool-downs more effectively?They also ask who listens to the podcast and what teachers, learners and prospective TEFL teachers can gain from hearing two experienced teachers reflect honestly on their working week.Later, the conversation turns to raising teaching fees, requesting payments and deciding whether learners should pay in advance. Finally, Gav and Em compare two apparently contradictory teaching rules: change an activity after 25 minutes, or keep it going for as long as it is working. The episode finishes with a fast-paced collocation challenge featuring common English pairs and expressions.Listen to the transcription with audio:https://share.descript.com/view/Xc6K98rLTqkIf 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. Sharing is caring, so please mention the show to a fellow teacher, learner or school.Chapters00:00 What is in this week’s episode?01:01 Online teaching problems with the share and leave buttons02:35 Why Gav and Em make the podcast03:17 How to end an online lesson without cutting students off04:40 Balancing lesson warm-ups and cool-downs06:25 Who is the How to English TEFL Podcast for?08:11 Using natural conversations for English listening practice10:21 What does “rhubarb, rhubarb” mean?12:00 Bandwagons, coattails and gravy trains13:29 Should English learners have a long-term goal?14:25 Treating lessons as rehearsals for real-life English16:11 Goals, motivation, exams and learner confidence18:14 Do all students want to be challenged?20:08 When should private English teachers raise their fees?22:15 Discussing payments and asking students for money23:56 Two conflicting cardinal rules of teaching24:16 Should an activity stop after 25 minutes?25:31 If an activity is working, should you continue?27:39 Extending activities through feedback and language analysis29:40 Quiz of the Week: complete the collocation34:13 Outro

How can teachers create better flow in an English lesson, encourage students to listen to each other and give praise without constantly interrupting?In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, we explore what lesson flow feels like, why it sometimes disappears and whether teachers can actively create it. Gav shares what happened when a student told him directly, “There’s no flow,” while Em considers whether every learner in an adult group really needs to engage with every conversation.We discuss how the right topic can transform a stop-start lesson, why students sometimes direct everything towards the teacher and how breakout rooms may help learners build fluency and stronger connections without the teacher being constantly present.You can also try Gav’s fast-paced adjective game, adapted from a vocabulary-book exercise. It shows how teachers can take a simple activity off the page and turn it into an engaging listening and speaking challenge.Then we compare ways of praising learners. Should teachers simply say “Great,” highlight an excellent sentence or use gestures to encourage students without disrupting their fluency? We consider specific praise, written feedback, positive error correction and how to celebrate ambitious vocabulary without making learners think they have made a mistake.Finally, Quiz of the Week challenges Em to distinguish genuine language-learning apps from some convincing inventions. Can you identify Mondly, Drops, uTalk and Elevate among the impostors?Gav and Em draw on their everyday experience of teaching adult English learners online and in groups, including the unpredictable moments when a lesson suddenly begins to flow.Transcription with audio:https://share.descript.com/view/uRlpVJmjoSOIf 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.ReferencesEnglish Vocabulary Builder, Dorling Kindersley, Chapter 5, page 27, exercise CLanguage-learning apps:https://amberstudent.com/blog/post/best-language-learning-appshttps://www.duolingo.com/https://uk.rosettastone.com/product/mobile-apps/https://talkpal.ai/https://www.mondly.com/https://languagedrops.com/https://utalk.com/en/apphttps://elevateapp.com/aboutChapters00:00 What teachers and learners can expect01:00 Corrections and classroom reflections07:48 Turning picture descriptions into an adjective game10:51 What creates flow in an English lesson?12:35 What to do when a class has no flow16:05 Why students only talk to the teacher18:00 Should everyone listen during group discussions?22:23 Using breakout rooms to develop fluency27:18 How to praise students without interrupting31:14 Combining praise with positive error correction33:08 Written feedback and recognising progress35:44 Quiz of the Week: real or invented language apps?43:35 What does jibber-jabber mean?44:40 Final reflections and outro

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

How can English teachers explain prefixes clearly, experience classroom tasks from a learner’s perspective and correct memorable mistakes sensitively?This week, we explore the prefix under- and compare words such as undercooked and uncooked, underqualified and disqualified, and underreport and misreport. These examples reveal how changing a prefix can completely alter a word’s meaning.Em becomes a student by completing a challenging listening and note-taking task alongside her class. This raises some useful questions for teachers: Should learners hear a recording more than once? How much thinking time do they need before feedback? When should a detailed listening task be paused?We discuss the value of attempting your own classroom activities, allowing silence after listening and using transcripts to examine unfamiliar language such as habitually late.Gav then shares genuine learner errors from his recent lessons. We consider the differences between tall and high, bad and badly, hair and hairs, anybody and everybody, and do sport and make sport. We also explore why learners might say I feel myself happy, the responsible person or I’m looking for the TV.In What Would Gav Do?, Em asks how a teacher could handle an unidentified student repeatedly yawning during an online lesson—and how to stop a talkative learner politely when the class has already run over time.Finally, test your knowledge of Greek and Latin roots and prefixes in the Quiz of the Week, featuring auto, mono, micro and pan. Can you work out how these roots contribute to words including autoimmune, monogram, micromanagement and pandemonium?Drawing on our everyday experience teaching English online and in the classroom, we share practical ideas, honest reactions and language explanations for teachers and learners.📚 EXPLORE THE ARTICLES FROM S05E18• How Can English Teachers Explain Prefixes Clearly?• What Can Teachers Learn by Attempting Their Own Classroom Activities?• How Many Times Should Students Hear a Listening Recording?• Tall or High? How to Teach Commonly Confused English Words• Bad or Badly? A Practical Guide to Adjectives and Adverbs• Hair or Hairs? Anybody or Everybody? How Context Changes English Grammar📝 Full transcription:https://share.descript.com/view/Nszlv2MiPYr☕ Support the podcast:https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod🌐 More episodes and practical teaching ideas:https://howtoenglishpod.com📖 REFERENCESTwo-syllable word stress:https://pronuncian.com/2syllable-word-stressQuiz of the Week:https://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=mte2otc2oqwroj⏱️ CHAPTERS00:00 Introduction and pronunciation corrections05:35 What does the prefix under- mean?09:18 Experiencing a listening task as a student12:00 Thinking time, repeated listening and transcripts15:17 Correcting memorable learner mistakes25:11 What Would Gav Do? Yawning in online lessons29:00 Ending a talkative student’s answer politely32:00 Greek and Latin prefixes quiz39:55 Final thoughts and outro

How can English teachers adapt textbook materials for different learners, lesson formats and time limits? And what can you do when students repeatedly mispronounce everyday words?This week, Gav and Em share practical ideas drawn from their own online and classroom teaching. They explore common pronunciation problems involving TH sounds, silent letters, word stress and challenging words such as bush, opposite, choir, clothes and wander. Discover how rhymes, memorable sentences, visual prompts, repetition and pronunciation games can help learners recognise and correct their mistakes.Em also tests Gav on a surprisingly confusing group of words beginning with “over”, including overview, oversee, oversight, overlook and overhear. Context and elicitation prove much more helpful than definitions alone.The conversation then turns to adapting and personalising teaching materials. Gav and Em discuss transforming textbook exercises into collaborative speaking activities, making dense pages more engaging and controlling what online students see. They also consider how to tailor tasks for mixed-level classes, divide attention between learners and respond when a student suddenly has only 15 minutes available.Finally, Quiz of the Week is not technically a quiz. Gav and Em try adaptable conversation questions that teachers can use to encourage speaking and help learners get to know one another.If you find the show useful, you can send us a thanks at https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodVisit https://howtoenglishpod.com for previous episodes and practical teaching ideas and resources ready to use.Transcription with audio:https://share.descript.com/view/a6G7GNoJEMeResourcesQuestions to Ask Friends:https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/questions-ask-friendsIPA converter used for the transcription:https://tophonetics.com/Chapters00:00 Pronunciation, “over” words and adapting materials01:00 Welcome and reflections from the classroom02:22 Teaching difficult TH sounds04:15 Correcting the pronunciation of bush06:00 Using word groups, rhymes and memorable sentences06:40 Teaching the stress in opposite08:30 How can students pronounce choir?10:00 Helping learners pronounce clothes11:25 Practising W and V sounds12:35 Making word stress visible13:40 Games for practising silent letters15:00 What do overview, oversee and oversight mean?17:00 Overlook and overhear in context19:00 Why should teachers adapt coursebook materials?21:35 Turning textbook exercises into collaborative tasks24:00 Adapting materials for online lessons26:00 Focusing attention on part of a page27:20 Adapting tasks for different learner levels29:15 What if a student only has 15 minutes?31:30 Managing a mixed-level class35:35 Conversation questions for speaking practice42:00 Closing the episode

Should English teachers speak naturally in class, or should they pronounce every word and expression carefully? Gav and Em explore how teachers can expose learners to authentic spoken English without making unfamiliar language unnecessarily difficult to understand.Drawing on their everyday classroom experience, they discuss when to explain an idiom, when to write new language on the board or in the chat, and when learners should use context to work out the meaning. They also share a useful end-of-lesson technique that gives students another opportunity to ask about language they noticed.Gav challenges Em to find hidden synonyms inside “kangaroo words” such as destruction, devilish and masculine. The pair then compare several easily confused words, including foundation, foundations, basement, cellar, basis and base.Em demonstrates a fun science quiz that practises listening, speaking, present-simple facts and explaining ideas in your own words. You’ll also hear practical suggestions for helping a highly motivated new student choose suitable English books, podcasts, television programmes and homework.Throughout the episode, Gav and Em secretly compete to include idioms naturally in their conversation. Could you adapt their “hide the idiom” challenge for your own English lesson?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.Transcript with audio:https://share.descript.com/view/8AA0N3Jd2qgChapters00:00 Should teachers speak clearly or naturally?02:56 Helping learners understand natural speech and idioms05:17 Chair backs and unusual furniture vocabulary06:43 Kangaroo words and hidden synonyms11:55 How to play Hide the Idiom13:41 Foundation, basement or cellar?19:35 A science quiz for English learners25:17 Explaining facts in your own words26:42 Supporting highly motivated new students29:27 Idiom answers and explanations33:43 Final thoughts and outro