How to English TEFL Podcast

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Latest Episodes:

Is Your Lesson Becoming the Teacher Show? | How to English TEFL Podcast - S07E15 Aug 28, 2026

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 MOMENTS

00:00 – 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 correction
09:54 – The teacher as an orchestra conductor
11:43 – When should you correct errors?
13:05 – Getting a speaking activity started
13:58 – Supporting lower-level learners
16:04 – What does “lower-level” actually mean?
20:52 – Students teaching students
24:01 – The lesson from the student’s perspective

☕ Support the show: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod
🌐 Visit us: howtoenglishpod.com

How to English: Teach & Learn with Gav & Em — a podcast about teaching and learning English as a foreign language.

Should TEFL Teachers Use the Teacher’s Book? Do Students Really Learn Grammar? | Gav & Em Answer Your TEFL Questions – S07E14 Aug 14, 2026

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/howtoenglishpod

Visit our homepage: https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/Timestamps

00:00 – 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?

Speak with Confidence: The Mindset Every TEFL Teacher Needs | Helen von Dadelszen - S07E13 Jul 31, 2026

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? The Future of TEFL - S07E12 Jul 17, 2026

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 challenges

Whether 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

English Teaching Tips: Correcting Student Mistakes, Lesson Efficiency & Common Errors -TEFL - S07E11 Jul 03, 2026

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 digital

How 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 #TEFLPodcastTimestamps

00:00 – Welcome back to How To English (TEFL teacher intro)

01:59 – Teaching efficiency: quick wins for busy TEFL teachers

05:24 – Em’s practical upgrades for TEFL & ESL classrooms

10:24 – Similar words teachers should highlight (classroom examples)

13:55 – Confusing English words: how to teach them clearly

15:53 – “But you understand me though” — correcting typical learner errors

22:06 – Gav’s translation dilemma (false friends in real lessons)

24:24 – More false friends English learners struggle with

26:33 – Teacher admin: how to track your teaching hours efficiently

31:11 – Final thoughts & a surprising TEFL classroom moment

The Perfect Lesson Recipe: Homework, Holidays & When Students Don’t Get It - S07E10 Jun 19, 2026

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/howtoenglishpod

Timestamps

00:00 – 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 metaphor

38:20 – Outro

Does CELTA Really Prepare You to Teach English? | TEFL Teacher Reflections - S07E09 Jun 05, 2026

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 experiences

What 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 #HowToEnglish

Resources:

Quiz music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=proOvlY-WKk

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Intro with TEFL nostalgia

03:17 – Gav’s “true or false” quiz begins 😄

03:47 – Weirdest places we’ve taught English

04:40 – Cutest (and strangest) student pets

06:02 – Longest commutes & travel stories

07:09 – Funny things students have called us

08:02 – Essential TEFL survival items ☕

08:32 – When classroom games get too competitive

11:02 – CELTA reflections: love it or hate it?

17:05 – Teaching style, classroom vibe & being approachable

18:22 – Can you spot another teacher’s influence?

23:18 – Bad habits students bring with them

25:24 – First lessons, pressure & first impressions

26:59 – Surviving the “autopilot” lesson blur

31:06 – Being human, making mistakes & wrapping up

How Can You Make English Lessons More Creative? | Spontaneous TEFL Ideas & Teaching Tips - S07E08 May 22, 2026

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

TEFL Teacher Strengths & Weaknesses | Distracted Students, Error Correction & Praise - S07E07 May 08, 2026

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 #HowToEnglish

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro & episode overview

01:28 – Strengths and weaknesses as TEFL teachers

09:04 – Exploring teaching weaknesses (and honesty time)

20:21 – How to deal with distracted students

24:27 – Starting from scratch with new students

27:23 – Recognising student progress & using praise

32:10 – Listener shout-out & teaching reflections

33:11 – Outro & support the pod

AI for English Teachers, Student Talk Time & Classroom Management | TEFL Podcast - S07E06 Apr 24, 2026

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 speakers

Remembering 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 grammar

Why teachers should double-check AI-generated content

Common classroom mistakes and what teachers can learn from them

How 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 #TEFLPodcast

Quiz 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

TEFL Teaching Tips: Translation Apps, L1 in Class & Getting Students to Answer Questions - S07E05 Apr 10, 2026

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 PODCAST
Help us keep How to English going:
ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – What are we talking about this week?
01:00 – Welcome to How to English: TEFL teaching and learning
02:00 – What do teachers actually do while they're teaching?
03:00 – Teacher stress, tension and body language
05:00 – Staying physically comfortable while teaching
06:00 – Exercise while teaching English online
08:00 – Standing desks and moving during online lessons
09:00 – Can you use a treadmill while teaching online?
10:00 – Ergonomics and staying healthy as a teacher
11:00 – 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 class
17:00 – 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 questions
22:00 – Asking better questions in English lessons
23:00 – Getting students to explain technical topics in English
24:00 – Teaching students to explain processes step by step
25:00 – Functional English: explaining how things work
26:00 – 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 classroom
31:00 – 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 practice
35:00 – Communication strategies instead of translation
36:00 – Difficult vocabulary for low-level English learners
38:00 – 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 English Lessons Be? Small Talk, Teacher Breaks, Grammar, and Classrooms - S07E04 Mar 27, 2026

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/howtoenglishpod

As 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.

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome
01:00 Who is the podcast for?
02:00 How many lessons per week?
03:00 Timetable “floaters”
04:00 Teaching hours vs real hours
05:00 60 or 90 minutes? Is small talk a waste?
06:00 Teaching students to small talk
07:00 Why Em prefers 90 minutes
08:00 Back-to-back classes
09:00 Time to reset
10:00 Reflection and notes
11:00 What happens during a break?
12:00 Gav's digital notes
13:00 Reflection with back-to-back classes
14:00 Tabs, worksheets and memory
15:00 Sending documents and homework
16:00 Registers, invoices and admin
17:00 Context for example sentences
18:00 Does every sentence have context?
19:00 The problem with grammar gap fills
20:00 I used to live in Spain
21:00 Colin in Seville
22:00 Humour and memorable sentences
23:00 Teachers telling personal stories
24:00 Why don't students react?
25:00 Teacher-student relationships
26:00 Cultural differences?
27:00 Why learners need to listen
28:00 Processing and response time
29:00 The classroom “soap opera”
30:00 Gestures for teaching English
31:00 Past-simple gestures
32:00 Big, tall and present simple
33:00 Past-to-present gestures
34:00 Word order, vocabulary and syllables
35:00 Tear vs tear and facial expressions
36:00 Error correction and goodbye
37:00 End music

🎙️ How to English TEFL Podcast — teaching and learning English as a foreign language with Gav & Em.

Should TEFL Teachers Use Coursebooks in Every Lesson? – S07E03 Mar 13, 2026

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/howtoenglishpod

Website https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/

Episode timestamps

00:00 Welcome and hungry ears
01:00 Teaching anywhere, anyone and anything
03:00 Adapting and rearranging a coursebook lesson
05:00 Teaching specialist Medical English
06:00 British and American pronunciation of saline
07:00 Remembering personal details about students
10:00 Using lesson notes and online chat to remember vocabulary
12:00 What to do when a student is right and the teacher is wrong
13:00 Checking sources and correcting mistakes
15:00 New classes versus established classes
18:00 Keeping long-running classes fresh
19:00 Continuing needs analysis throughout a course
20:00 Asking learners what they want to study
22:00 Preparing students to bring topics to class
23:00 New students joining established groups
24:00 Correcting new learners without embarrassing them
25:00 Seeing long-term learners’ progress through fresh eyes
26:00 Are coursebooks a waste of time?
28:00 Why some learners say they do not want a coursebook
29:00 Cherry-picking coursebook units for learner needs
30:00 Using books as structure and support
31:00 Choosing what is right for each class
31:30 Does a yawn mean the lesson has failed?
34:00 Support the podcast and closing thoughts

How Much Fun Is Too Much in the English Classroom? - S07E02 Feb 27, 2026

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 English
01:00 Does “discover” have a prefix?
02:00 Can English lessons be too much fun?
04:00 When a fun classroom activity becomes stressful
06:00 Why time limits can overwhelm students
08:00 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 talking
14:00 How teaching English affects your everyday life
15:00 Do English teachers mentally correct everyone?
17:00 Finding English lesson ideas in the real world
18:00 Why authentic materials don't always interest students
20:00 Real life vs online teaching
22:00 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 pause
30:00 A joke about past, present and future tenses
31:00 “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 Can Teachers Balance Conversation, Grammar and Personality in the Classroom? - S07E01 Feb 13, 2026

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 EPISODE

Planning and teaching conversation lessons
Balancing genuine conversation with language instruction
Moving naturally between grammar and speaking
Recovering when a discussion runs out of momentum
Using teaching journals and “hot feedback”
Encouraging authentic conversations with A1–A2 learners
Teaching short, natural everyday expressions
Reformulating learners’ language more simply
Introducing your personality gradually
Maintaining professional teacher–student boundaries

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Welcome and the new season format
01:40 Planning and confidence in conversation lessons
04:20 Conversation-led and grammar-led teaching
10:30 Turning grammar exercises into discussion
13:30 Hot feedback and teaching journals
15:45 What to do when conversation dries up
24:10 Authentic conversation with A1–A2 learners
30:00 Bringing your personality into the classroom
39:40 Closing reflections

SUPPORT 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.

S06E24 XYZ (transcribed) VIDEO Dec 19, 2025

It’s the final episode of Season 6, and Gav and Em finish the A–Z of TEFL by squeezing X, Y and Z into one playful, language-packed show. Expect tricky pronunciation, unusual words, classroom games, zeitgeist vocabulary, zero articles, zero conditionals, and plenty of laughs along the way. A fun and thoughtful wrap-up to the season, celebrating language, teaching and learning. If you’d like to support the podcast, you can buy them a coffee at ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

Resources

AI voice: https://elevenlabs.io/

Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt5YsCsv9Sc&list=RDQMRnuMug6asRQ&index=3

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome & end-of-season reflections

03:26 – Em's X word

04:30 – Gav's X, Y, Z words

15:37 – Gav & Em's pronunciation rules

17:12 – The Yes/No questioning game

21:46 – Teaching value of the Yes/No game

22:35 – Zeitgeist Decade vocabulary

28:24 – Superstitious Zero articles

34:19 – Zero conditional and comparisons

38:43 – It was sooooo...

42:26 – Em's teaching tips

43:19 – Gav's tip

42:22 – Season wrap-up & thanks

S06E23 W (transcribed) VIDEO Dec 05, 2025

Welcome to another wild ride on the Gav & Em TEFL train! This week, they explore the wonderful world of W. From worst-case lesson nightmares to WH-questions, wish structures, word order, and the moments when teaching really does start to wear a bit thin. Expect laughter, language tips, classroom chaos, and some spectacularly silly sentences (dragons, rollercoasters, and volcanoes included!). If you enjoy the show and want to show some support, you can do so at ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome aboard the W episode

01:22 – Worst lesson nightmares

08:42 – WH-question words & a mystery celebrity

13:57 – Wish sentences (present, past & would)

18:20 – “In time” vs “On time” – the great mix-up

22:13 – Emergency lesson: W is for Word Order!

30:43 – Wearing thin – is teaching ever boring?

35:57 – Negative WH-questions

38:20 – Tip of the episode: Warmers & candles

39:30 – Watch, Wait, Welcome – advice for teachers & learners

41:46 – Wrapping up W and looking ahead to X, Y, Z

S06E22 V (transcribed) VIDEO Nov 21, 2025

Welcome back to the A–Z of TEFL, where this week Gav and Em tumble head-first into the wonderfully vibrant world of V! Expect variety, velvet vests, victorious vocabulary moments, and a VERY enthusiastic debate about voiced fricatives. There are visual coincidences, laughing puppies, identical cars, and a surprisingly deep chat about finding your authentic teacher voice. Grab a cuppa to support the show at ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

Grammar Drops: https://www.youtube.com/@GrammarDrops

Whizbusters: https://whizbusters.teachable.com/

Game music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=951ZpDOP9VY&list=PL170TfEhZz-_GstI3bsghBfuD-u8nlHHD&index=13

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro

01:04 – Variety, spice, and T-shirts

04:58 – Shout-outs!

05:46 – Voiced letters & the /v/ vs /w/ showdown

13:06 – Visual coincidences picture task

22:54 – Finding your teacher voice

29:02 – Big & small teaching victories

31:07 – Vocabulary vs Lexis

35:14 – Body-action vocabulary game

39:48 – Vitality as a teacher

43:49 – Gav's tips and more Vs

43:13 – Em's tip

45:15 – Outro & next week’s teaser

S06E21 U (transcribed) VIDEO Nov 07, 2025

🎙️Gav & Em explore the letter U in this fun and practical TEFL episode. From quirky Under to Ultra words, plus uncountable nouns, role plays, grammar tips, and AI-powered sentence upgrades—there’s plenty to unpack.

References: English File, Oxford

Background music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q83yRKmKKYs&list=PLfP6i5T0-DkKSs8G6YbPHYAR70-f5tP9S&index=21

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome & intro banter

01:14 – Under-prefix wordplay

05:54 – Uncountable nouns role play

09:22 – Categories of uncountables

10:33 – Countable vs uncountable game

14:53 – Upgrading with AI

20:09 – “Used to” grammar practice

23:42 – Teaching with textbook units

26:40 – Prefixes: ultra, super, mega, hyper

30:26 – Tips of the episode

S06E20 T (transcribed) VIDEO Oct 24, 2025

🎧 How to English: Teach and Learn with Gav & Em — Episode 20: T Welcome to another tea-fuelled episode of How to English — the podcast for teachers and learners of English as a foreign language! ☕️ This week, Gav & Em tackle the letter T, exploring TEFL, timelines, tone, task-based learning, and a treasure trove of teaching tips from students themselves. Expect laughter, tongue twisters, biscuits, and plenty of teacherly tangents!💬 Support the show: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome & tea talk

01:06 – TEFL: Be prepared & Don’t stress

08:06 – T for Timelines: visualising grammar

16:55 – T for Tone: intonation, emotion, and the magic of meaning

20:18 – May and Will

25:04 – Teaching tips from learners (the student perspective!)

32:47 – T for Task-Based Learning: fun, communicative activities

39:17 – Gav's T Tip: Test Your Articles

42:00 – Em's T Tip: Transcription & IPA

43:13 – The hardest tongue twister ever

44:22 – Outro and Roller disco

S06E19 S (transcribed) VIDEO Oct 10, 2025

🎙️ S06E19 This week, Gav and Em tackle the letter S with style, sarcasm, and syllables. From subtle shifts in meaning to spontaneous small talk tips, it’s a packed episode full of teachable moments and classroom laughs. Expect staging breakdowns, student situations, and a few classic slip-ups that’ll make you rethink your next grammar lesson. ☕ Support the show at https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

References: Background quiz music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB5huilYDPc

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro & bloopers

01:06 – Semantics: “cool” vs. “cool”

04:49 – Small talk & safe topics

10:31 – Syllables & jaw-dropping wordplay

16:41 – Student situations & name misfires

21:22 – CELTA terminology

23:17 – Sentence slips & classic learner mistakes

28:49 – Staging & CELTA throwbacks

35:05 – Subject-verb agreement challenge

38:53 – Final tips for teachers & learners

S06E18 R (transcribed) VIDEO Sep 26, 2025

🎙️S06E18: The Letter R. Welcome to another episode of How to English: Teach and Learn with Gav & Em! This week it’s all about the letter R – from grammar to classroom hacks, language origins to fun word games. Expect laughs, real-life teaching tips, and a roller-disco soundtrack.☕ If you’d like to support the show, please visit: http://www.ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

References

Spaced repetition: https://www.heylama.com/blog/spaced-repetition#:~:text=Say%20you're%20learning%20German,solidly%20anchored%20in%20your%20memory.

Telephone activity: Call Me on my Mobile, In Company, Macmillan, 2nd Elementary, p. 103

Timestamps

00:00 – R, /ɑː/, /rʌ/, or /ɑːɹə/?

01:31 – Relative Clauses explained (not Santa Clauses!)

07:59 – Root words: from Sandwiches to a Shambles

12:49 – Realia in the classroom (menus, toys, postcards & more)

17:34 – Rubric: giving clear instructions & CCQs

20:35 – Instructions and Role playing

28:51 – R-words game

32:31 – Repetition, Remembering & Revision tips

35:29 – Reflexive pronouns practice (myself, yourself, etc.)

36:49 – Wrap-up & roller disco outro

S06E17 Q (transcribed) VIDEO Sep 12, 2025

🎙 S06E13: Q is for Questions – AMA with Gav & Em In this episode of How to English – Teach and Learn with Gav & Em, we’re going full Q&A mode. From funny classroom moments to TEFL tips, podcast behind-the-scenes, and our Rapid Fire TEFL Round, no question is too big, small, or silly! We even find out Em's favourite competitions in the Teacher Olympics. Expect plenty of laughs, useful insights, and maybe a few unexpected confessions along the way.☕ Support the show: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

Rapid fire background music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq4_kxdP468&list=PL_Z-vyXvZD7gac7I8eRuXn0CKceSpSVcN&index=2

⏱ Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome & Episode Theme: Q is for Questions
01:28 – The mystery of the remote control
02:49 – Gav's favourite country to teach in
05:16 – Most creative classroom activity
07:13 – If Gav could have any guest…
08:13 – When students left Em speechless
10:29 – The downsides of online teaching
13:13 – Trying not to laugh in class
14:51 – Making lessons fun for everyone
16:23 – Reaching the “flow state” in teaching
17:56 – Our favourite podcast episodes
21:15 – The best compliment Gav's ever received
21:50 – Which is easier: teaching or podcasting?
23:33 – Gav’s favourite part of making the podcast
25:08 – How we used the pod in class
26:16 – The strangest place Em's planned an episode
27:59 – A guaranteed winner classroom activity
29:26 – The TEFL Teachers’ Olympics
31:27 – Rapid Fire TEFL Round
32:33 – Final thoughts & outro

S06E16 P (transcribed) VIDEO Aug 29, 2025

🎧 Welcome to How to English: Teach and Learn with Gav & Em! In this lively episode, Gav & Em explore the power of the letter P in English teaching and learning. From PPP to peer correction, picture stories, and even pseudonyms, it’s packed with practical ideas, pronunciation quirks, and plenty of playful banter!☕ Support us on Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

Timestamps00:00 – Welcome & Episode Intro
01:15 – What are the Three Ps of Teaching?
04:39 – “P or No P?” Game
13:01 – Picture Stories & Placement Tests
21:06 – Present Perfect Simple vs Continuous
28:03 – Quickfire P-words
32:18 – Em's Tip of the show: Pre-teaching and Predict
32:56 – Gav's Tip: Positive Attitude & Put It to Use!

35:22 - Episode wrap-up and next week

S06E15 O (transcribed) VIDEO Aug 15, 2025

🎧 How to English TEFL Pod – S06E15: O Welcome to How to English: Teach and Learn with Gav & Em! In this episode, it’s the letter O – for one-to-ones, on-the-spot grammar, overcorrection, and more! Gav and Em share their usual mix of laughter, insights, and practical classroom tips, with a few onomatopoeic giggles and groans thrown in for good measure. 📣 Support the pod at: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod – Buy Gav & Em a coffee and show your appreciation!

⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome & What's the Letter?
00:58 – O is for One-to-Ones
05:02 – O is for On-the-Spot Grammar (With Error Cards!)
09:00 – Why Do We Say “Much Money” and Not “Many Money”?

10:11 – Overcorrection Skit (And How NOT to Handle Mistakes)
18:07 – One Minute Speaking Challenge
21:30 – Onomatopoeia: Giggles, Groans & More
25:06 – TEFL “O” Words: Objectives, Outcomes & Observations
27:46 – Open Cloze – Em’s Tip and Favourite Teaching Tool
29:36 – Gav’s Tip: Offer Options, Not Open-Ended Questions
32:46 – Wrapping Up & What’s Coming Next: P is for…

S06E14 N (transcribed) VIDEO Aug 01, 2025

🎙️ S06E14 – N is for… Notes, Nuance, No & Nominalisation! 🎧 Welcome back to How To English TEFL Pod with Gav & Em! In this fun and thoughtful episode, we're (over) halfway through our A–Z of TEFL and celebrating with a bit of housekeeping, a few fruit-related debates, and some grammar goodies – including nominalisation, negative answers, and the power of a simple “No.” 🧠 Expect linguistic nuance, a quiz on nouns, and a surprise visit from AI Gav & Em with their Top 8 Tips for Teachers. Yes, really. ☕ Like what we do? Support the pod at ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod We’d love a tea, coffee or fruit-based ice cream (aubergine flavour, anyone?).

References:

Voice cloning: https://www.uberduck.ai/voice-cloning

Background music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W16EsK4JCKM&list=PL170TfEhZz-_GstI3bsghBfuD-u8nlHHD&index=1

Timestamps

00:00 – Alphabet confusion and intro
01:35 – Notes – aubergines, acai & accurate facts
08:01 – N is for Nuance – wicked vs bad, British indirectness
11:09 – Negative answers – hilarious grammar practice
14:48 – No – how to say it (without saying it)
17:38 – N is for Nominalisation – noun-forming game fun!
21:17 – Bonus! AI Gav & Em’s Top 8 Tips for TEFL Teachers
23:01 – Real Gav & Em react to their AI doubles
25:46 – Signing off with silliness

S06E13 M (transcribed) VIDEO Jul 18, 2025

🎙️ This week on How To English with Gav & Em, it’s all about the letter M! From matching activities and mnemonics to a modal murder mystery, we explore how memory, meaning, and mindfulness can boost English teaching and learning. Expect laughs, learning, and the return of our matching game—with desserts! If you enjoy the show and want to support us, you can buy us a coffee at ☕ ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

Resources: 22. Elementary, My Dear Watson, Advanced Grammar Games, Nelson

Timestamps:
00:00 – Welcome and intro to the letter M
00:56 – Matching activities: fun or time-wasters?
04:30 – Dessert matching game 🍨
10:30 – Mnemonics and the FANBOYS trick
12:14 – What to do when students forget words
15:55 – Memory techniques and personalization
18:24 Modals through a murder mystery 🔍
24:09 – Movie Time: What happens next? 🎥
28:45 – Tip of the episode: Micro-teaching
30:08 – Tip of the episode: Mindful moments
32:59 – Final thoughts and wrap-up

S06E12 L (transcribed) VIDEO Jul 04, 2025

🎙️Episode 12 – L is for… Language, Lead-ins & Limp Vocabulary! Welcome back to Gav & Em's How to English: Teach and Learn TEFL Podcast – the show for English teachers and learners who love a laugh with their language!

This week, it’s L for... lots of things! From Language attrition to Learner autonomy, Lead-ins, and Listening, Gav and Em tackle the TEFL world one "L" at a time. Expect mini-lessons, metaphorical cushions, and a few questionable examples from your favourite language apps. 🐘🧦🐢

💡 What weird sentence did Gav find in Korean? Why is Em polishing her keyboard on camera? And how many words should a student really learn each day?

👉 Plus, enjoy a fun listening gap-fill on reporting verbs with characters like Sophie and Mark II. And teach students, Don't say say – say something better!

References:

https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-duolingo-sentences-silvermidnight/

Timestamps

[00:00:00] Intro & Greetings

[00:01:42] Language, attrition & atrophy

[00:07:55] Limitations of Language Apps

[00:13:30] Lesson Notes

[00:17:05] Learner Autonomy[00:22:14] Lead-ins that actually work

[00:26:03] Listening Gap-Fill: Reporting Verbs

[00:31:45] Tips of the Episode – Listening & Language Modelling

[00:32:27] Modelling better classroom language

[00:36:31] Ko-fi plug & goodbyes

Next week: M is for… Mystery? Mistakes? Motivation? You’ll have to tune in to find out!

S06E11 K (transcribed) VIDEO Jun 20, 2025

🎙️Hello and welcome to How to English TEFL Pod with Gav and Em. Your fortnightly dose of TEFL chat, classroom chaos, and questionable letter themes! This week it’s K, and we’re keeping up, keeping calm, and keeping it together... just about. Expect knowledge gaps, kinesthetic games, and a lot of Ks you didn’t know you needed. Fancy buying us a coffee or tea? Visit ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod – with a K!

🥾Let’s kick it off!

Online quizzes: https://www.jetpunk.com/Timestamps

[00:00:00] – Intro & preamble: Gav and Em reveal the letter of the episode – K!

[00:01:21] – Topic 1: Keeping Up – trends in teaching, student needs, and unexpected lesson twists.

[00:10:07] – Topic 2: Knowledge Gaps – recognising and responding to repeated student errors.

[00:17:30] – Topic 3: Knowledge vs Information – what it really means to know something.

[00:20:37] – Topic 4: Keeping Calm & Carrying On – burnout, low-energy lessons, and TED Talk breaks.

[00:22:35] – Self-care tips for teachers – batch planning, snacks, mindfulness, and boundaries.

[00:26:20] – Em’s Tip of the Episode: Kinesthetic Learning – from teddy bears to snowball fights.

[00:29:04] – Gav's Tip: Key Language for… everyday situations, from hotels to immigration.

[00:31:00] – Final thoughts, Krashen love, and Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

S06E10 J (transcribed) VIDEO Jun 06, 2025

🎧 Welcome to Episode 10, Season 6 of Gav & Em’s How to English – TEFL Podcast! Get ready for a jam-packed (and jelly-filled) episode as we explore the letter J in the TEFL Alphabet Series! From jargon and jobs to jokes, Jeopardy, and even a jazzy pronunciation chant, this episode is full of practical tips, laughter, and a few unexpected tangents. ☕ Like what we do? Support us with a coffee!🔗 ⁠ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod⁠Gameshow music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JAMcQyRRIQ

Timestamps
00:00 – Intro & J is for Jog Your Memory

02:33 – Jam, Jelly & Marmalade: A Fruitful Discussion
05:50 – J is for Jargon: Buzzwords in Business English
10:54 – Jokes in the TEFL Classroom: Pun or Punishment?
15:28 – Joiners (Conjunctions) and a Clever Grammar Game
21:51 – Jeopardy! Idioms Game for Language Learners
25:41 – Jazz Chants: Rhythm, Pronouns, and Clapping
28:35 – J is for Jobs: Guess the Occupation Game
31:18 – Journaling, Joy, Jocular Moments & a Jaw-Dropping Journey

S06E09 I (transcribed) VIDEO May 23, 2025

🎙️How To English – S06E09: “I” Is for Intonation, Icebreakers & Inspiration! Join Em and Gav as they explore all things “I” in this insightful, fun, and packed episode of How To English TEFL Pod. From intonation exercises to inspiring students, surprising teacher roles, and even a lively information gap activity, this episode is full of ideas and laughs for English teachers and learners alike. 💬Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

Reflection Questions:

Self-Awareness

1. What aspects of my teaching practice reflect my cultural background or values?

2. Have I ever assumed my way of doing things is “normal” or “universal”?

3. How do my personal beliefs influence the way I respond to student behavior or feedback?

Perspective

4. How might this lesson be experienced differently by a student from a collectivist culture vs. an individualist one?

5. If I were a newcomer or international student in this class, how welcome or included would I feel?

6. How do I create space for different communication styles—direct vs. indirect, expressive vs. reserved?

Bias and Areas for Improvement

7. Are there cultural groups or accents I subconsciously associate with “higher ability” or “better behaviour”?

8. When was the last time I challenged a cultural stereotype—my own or someone else’s?

9. Do I ever misinterpret silence, disagreement, or eye contact based on my own cultural expectations?

Classroom Practice

10. Do my teaching materials and examples reflect a variety of cultural contexts and perspectives?

11. What strategies do I use to learn about my students’ backgrounds without stereotyping them?

12. How do I handle culture-related misunderstandings or conflicts when they arise in class?

Growth and Intention

13. What have I learned from a student who challenged my assumptions?

14. How do I stay open and curious when something feels unfamiliar or uncomfortable?

15. What one thing can I do this week to increase inclusivity and cultural awareness in my teaching?
Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome!

00:59 – Capital “I” as a pronoun

03:00 – Inspiring students

08:16 – Intonation and Em's bike

11:44 – I didn’t sign up for this!

18:30 – Information gap

24:03 – Intercultural Reflection Questions

29:39 – Interaction

32:27 – Icebreakers

35:20 – Wrap-up & a nice cuppa tea/KO-FI

SO6E08 H (transcribed) VIDEO May 09, 2025

🎧 S6 E8 – H is for Homework, Holidays & Hyperbole. This week, Gav & Em explore all things H in the world of TEFL! From homework habits and holiday balance to the drama of hyperbole in class – it's packed with tips, laughs, and teaching insights.✨ Tune in for: homework pros & cons, holiday chat for teachers & students, hyperbole, homophones & headset fails. Plus, some practical H tips for speaking skills. Support the pod: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

References:

Hot trends and innovations https://www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/ten-trends-and-innovations-english-language-teaching-2024 UN Sustainabilty Development Goals https://www.tlbbhfoundation.org/learnteachsdgs-initiative/?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAp00WYv3ncMZ6lcna5KmocYppz3nR&gclid=Cj0KCQjwiLLABhCEARIsAJYS6umIgbnm7QPp0DIvZKHXgj9MThIcQSjjau0rsJMA94_ZQjVFf64FB0oaAsP0EALw_wcB

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro & recap

(00:34) H pronunciation

(01:45) To huff or not to huff?

(02:22) Homework – doing it or making excuses

(05:28) Sending homework

(13:19) Homophones, homonyms, and homographs.

(16:50) Holidays – teacher & student holiday plans

(19:49) Hot Trends in TEFL

(21:46) Headphones and Hypotheticals

(25:11) Speaking Tips beginning with H

(29:15) Hyperbole – teaching exaggeration

(31:51) Tips – have a break and handouts

(34:39) What we didn't cover

S06E07 G (transcribed) VIDEO Apr 25, 2025

🎙️ Gav & Em’s How to English – Season 6, Episode 7: G is for... Grammar, Games, Gnomes & Gap Fills! 🧠🌱 Welcome back to another giggle-filled yet deeply insightful episode of How to English TEFL Pod with your favourite hosts, Gav & Em! This week, the letter G sparks a cascade of conversations about everything from grammar preferences and group dynamics to gardening tools, gap fills, and even unicorns. 🦄✨✨ Support the show:If you enjoy the pod and want to help keep it going, treat Gav & Em to a coffee over at:👉 https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

📌Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and leave a review if this episode made you laugh, learn, or look at your shed in a whole new way.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your TEFL fix!

Timestamps [00:00:00] – Intro

[00:01:29] – The complexities of the letter "G" in pronunciation

[00:03:12] – Do students really want grammar? Em and Gav reflect

[00:07:30] – How to teach "either/neither/both" with ice cream and small children

[00:09:17] – A gardening tool guessing game (with comedy sound effects!)

[00:18:05] – AI-generated gap fill about unicorns (yes, really!)

[00:24:11] – Group dynamics: getting quiet students talking

[00:28:20] – Consider grading your language

[00:31:55] – Going global: the beauty and challenge of international classes

[00:34:36] – Teaching tip: Be a guide, not a grammar robot!

S06E06 F (transcribed) VIDEO Apr 11, 2025

🎙️ Welcome to Gav & Em’s How to English TEFL Pod – Season 6, Episode 6! This week, it’s all about the letter F in their A to Z of EFL series – and what a fantastic episode it is! Expect fun, fails, feedback, and fossilized errors as Gav & Em chat about their favourite F-words (the safe ones 😄). ☕ Love the pod? Support Gav & Em at ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

References:Five-Minute Activities :A Resource Book of Short Activities - Cambridge Handbooks for Language Teachers

Anki and Memrise repetition systems

VICTORIAN LONDON VIBES — Rainy Violin Music from the Gaslamp Era YouTube - Tunes Through Time

Lifescapes The Classics, Dirk Freymuth (Artist)

Dark Dramatic Choir - Overlord (Original Composition) Lucas KingIrish Reel Music - Rowdy Sailors - Fantasy & World Music by the Fiechters

STAR WARS I Melodies Glyn R. BrownParlormuse | Apple Blossom March - Steampunk Victorian Music - Parlormuse

Melodies of the Middle Ages - Calming Medieval Music for Study , and Relaxation - Medieval Horizons Music

pirate with radio full video - dogur_dev

Elevator Music (Kevin MacLeod) - Background Music (HD) - Gaming Sound FX

Mircrosoft Copilot

Google Gemini

Open AI ChatGPT

Timestamps

[00:00:00] Intro

[00:02:15] Flops in the classroom

[00:09:11] From Dickens to Shakespeare

[00:16:39] Fossilized errors

[00:19:06] Fast English

[00:24:00] Five-minute activity

[00:29:00] F-word vocabulary quiz

[00:31:16] Fact-check

[00:32:37] E-friends

[00:35:11] Outro

So grab your flashcards, engage your ears, and get ready for another fun and full-on episode of TEFL talk with Gav & Em!

S06E05 E (transcribed) VIDEO Mar 28, 2025

Join Gav & Em for another fun and insightful episode of How to English TEFL Pod as they continue their A to Z of TEFLing—this time focusing on the letter E! Expect engaging discussions on essential TEFL topics, practical teaching and learning tips, and plenty of laughs along the way. Don't forget to show your support here https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod ☕

Plus, a spontaneous grammar challenge, classroom eating habits, and a fun word-guessing game! 🎧🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube, or your favourite podcast platform. Or find all the transcriptions here: https://howtoenglishpod.com/

Timestamps

[00:00:00] Intro

[00:00:00] E for Elephant

[00:01:41] Elicitation

[00:08:44] Eating

[00:12:00] Equity in Language Education

[00:13:27] Echo Reading

[00:19:02] Exposure

[00:24:17] KO-FI.COM/HOWTOENGLISHPOD

[00:24:33] E words for Teaching and Learning

[00:29:36] Exploiting Lesson Materials (not students

[00:33:51] Outro

S06E04 D (transcribed) VIDEO Mar 14, 2025

🎙️ Welcome to How to English – Teach and Learn with Gav & Em! 🎙️In this episode, we're diving into the letter D in our A to Z of TEFL series! We chat about the dos and don’ts of English learning, the importance of determination and discipline for both teachers and students, and whether you should focus on accuracy or fluency first. 🍩 Plus, we discuss doughnuts in the classroom, why pronunciation matters (important vs. impotent 😆), and the origins of words like ‘nightmare’ and ‘quarantine’.We also demo a Dictogloss activity, a great classroom task to improve listening and writing skills, and share team-building strategies to keep your students engaged. Finally, we wrap up with top teaching tips and explore how AI can help customize your lesson difficulty.☕ Support us on Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod 🍩

Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Welcome to How to English – Teach and Learn with Gav & Em

[00:00:38] What’s this podcast about?

[00:01:21] D for Doughnuts… and TEFL skills! 🍩

[00:03:37] Dos and Don’ts of English learning

[00:11:16] Defining words (origins): Nightmare, quarantine & more!

[00:19:07] TEFL activity: Dictogloss demo ✍️

[00:28:58] Direction & motivation in teaching

[00:33:00] 🔥 Tips of the week! TEFL success skills

[00:37:54] More D-words we didn’t cover (drilling, dialogues & more!)

[00:38:38] D for Done – See you next time!💬

What are your favorite TEFL tips? Drop a comment below! 👇🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe and follow for more TEFL talk! ✨ #TEFL #EFL #HowToEnglish

S06E03 C (transcribed) VIDEO Feb 28, 2025

Welcome back to How to English with Gav & Em! This episode is all about the letter C in TEFL. They're talking about C1/C2 exam tips, the art of Concept Checking Questions (CCQs), the role of culture in the classroom, and even some cheesy English chat-up lines—because why not? ☕ Love the show? Support us at https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

Join them for a mix of insightful teaching advice, lighthearted banter, and plenty of laughs. Plus, they explore confidentiality in TEFL, business buzzwords, and why keeping things simple and controlled can transform your teaching approach.

References: https://www.theknot.com/content/pick-up-linesTimestamps:

00:00 – Welcome & Episode Intro

02:35 – C1 & C2 Exam Tips 📝

09:40 – CCQs: What Are They & How to Use Them? 🤔

14:05 – Cheesy Chat-Up Lines: A Fun Classroom Activity 💬

18:37 – Confidentiality in TEFL: What Should Stay in the Classroom? 🔒

25:07 – Business Buzzwords: Spot the Real from the Fake! 📊

32:42 – Culture in TEFL: How Much Should We Teach? 🌍

37:14 – Final Teaching Tips: Simplicity & Giving Students More Control 🎯

S06E02 B (transcribed) VIDEO Feb 14, 2025

✨Welcome to How To English: Teach and Learn with Gav & Em!✨ Join us in this fun and insightful episode as we explore the letter B in the A to Z of TEFL! 📚 From beginnings in teaching to Business English, from body language to baffling British expressions, we've got plenty of engaging discussions, practical tips, and a bit of laughter along the way! Support our podcast! ☕ If you enjoy what we do, consider buying us a cuppa at ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

📌 Find all previous episodes and transcriptions at http://howtoenglishpod.com

References:

🔗 ChatGPT https://chatgpt.com/

🔗 Grammarly https://app.grammarly.com/

👉 Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share if you enjoy the episode! See you next time for C! 🎙️✨

Timestamps:

00:00 – Welcome & Intro 🎧

02:00 – The importance of a good beginning in teaching 🏫

04:30 – Business English: What to ask your students 🤝

08:00 – Essential Business English topics 📊

14:00 – Backchaining: A pronunciation trick 🗣️

18:00 – Body language in the classroom 👀

20:00 – Baffling British expressions – Bob’s your uncle! 🇬🇧

24:00 – Books in TEFL – Are they still relevant? 📖

27:00 – Bogus language learning myths debunked 🔍

32:00 – Backflash: A better way to review past lessons 🔄

S06E01 A (transcribed) VIDEO Jan 31, 2025

🎙️How to English TEFL Pod – Season 6, Episode 1 🎉 We’re back with a brand-new season! This time, we’re taking an A to Z approach to teaching and learning English. In this episode, Gav and Em explore everything starting with the letter A - covering fun language games, AI in teaching, and accuracy versus fluency. Plus plenty more. References:

Benefits of note making: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/amerjpsyc.124.1.0063

Timestamps

[00:00] Welcome to Season 6!

[02:15] What’s new this season?

[05:30] Fun alphabet games to play in class

[10:45] AI in teaching – how Em used ChatGPT

[16:20] Exploring VR language learning and its benefits

[21:05] A quick-fire Animal Homes game

[25:30] Teaching tip: The power of "And…" for fluency

[29:45] Accuracy vs. Fluency – which should come first?

[34:00] End-of-episode teaching tips

💛 Support us on Ko-fi! → https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

Hit play, enjoy, and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share! 🚀

S05E24. End of Year Special (transcribed) VIDEO Dec 20, 2024

Join Gav and Em in this exciting wrap-up episode as they celebrate the end of an incredible Season 5 of How to English TEFL Pod! Reflecting on a year filled with teaching tips, student advice, and laugh-out-loud moments, this is your chance to revisit the highlights that made this season so memorable. Don't forget to buy us a coffee at ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod to show your support and check out all the podcast transcriptions here: http://howtoenglishpod.com/

Music:

Fluffing a Duck by Kevin Macleod https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hBDh3dRvLc

Blankety Blank Full Opening Title Sequence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjU5zZeD1yQ

Action Tense Cinematic Teaser Trailer Music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEN2bmZPKF0

Background music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqwnTNRtQ80

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro: End of Year Special

01:15 – Reflections on teaching and learning in 2024

06:45 – Best Student Tips from Season 5

12:30 – Top Teaching Tips

19:50 – Funniest Memorable Moments

25:00 – What’s Next? Discussing the future of Gav & Em’s podcast

29:45 – Will there be a Season 6?

32:00 – Final thoughts and a big thank you to listeners

S05E23. Perfection (transcribed) VIDEO Dec 06, 2024

Welcome to How to English TEFL Podcast with Gav & Em, your go-to show for everything teaching and learning English as a foreign language! In this episode, we dive into the world of coursebooks and share tips on how to make them more engaging and personalized for students. We also tackle the complexities of perfectionism, exploring what it means for teachers and students, and why imperfection is part of the learning journey.Other highlights include:Practical strategies for tailoring lessons to student needs.A hilarious take on formal vs. informal language through translation fails in our Quiz of the Week.Discussions on leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT to create resources on the fly.Reflections on the joys and challenges of being a TEFL teacher.Don't forget to check out this episode's transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/1XK69QvlP8LIf you'd like to support us, grab us a coffee at our Ko-fi page: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodHit play, and let's dive into the world of TEFL together!

References:

Simple to advance words: https://mrmrsenglish.com/500-daily-used-normal-vs-advanced/#google_vignette

Timestamps

0:00 - Introduction

0:48 - Coursebooks Revisited

3:15 - Personalising Lessons

5:52 - Exploring Perfectionism

9:05 - Perfect Students and Teachers

13:00 - Creating the Perfect Classroom or Online Space

14:30 - Supporting the Show at ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

15:45 - Why We Love TEFL

18:00 - Indifference in English

22:00 - Online Training and AI Tools

28:30 - Quiz of the Week

35:45 - Closing Thoughts

36:30 - Outro

S05E22. Rabbit and Pork (transcribed) VIDEO Nov 22, 2024

Welcome to all the followers of How to English TEFL Pod, a podcast for teachers and learners of English. This week, Gav & Em will go into some further detail on the topic of common collocations, Gav straightens out the issue of dangling prepositions. Em, reflects on syllabus design. They both look at some humorous outcomes using grammar and try to resolve the disconnect between learning and reality. And finally, this week's Quiz of the Week is Em's animal verbs.

Please let someone know just how much you enjoy this podcast and feel free to show your support here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Transcription with audio here: https://share.descript.com/view/h0xao94vmg0

Resources: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2018/feb/12/chas-and-dave-how-we-made-rabbit-camilla-parker-bowles

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(02:06) Collocation meanings

(08:46) Dangling prepositions

(11:05) Who designs the syllabus?

(17:57) Explaining unusual outcomes

(23:37) Reality disconnect

(37:48) Quiz of the Week

S05E21. Aiming for a Concert (transcribed) VIDEO Nov 08, 2024

Welcome to Gav & Em's How to English TEFL Pod - a podcast for teachers and learners of English as a foreign language. This week the two TEFL teachers cover topics like: how you might have a mishap with the share button during your online lesson, they ruminate on who the show's followers might be, they think about having a goal (or not) for their students, and the Quiz of the Week is a fast action game of complete the collocation. Here's where you can support the show: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod And the show transcription with audio is here: https://share.descript.com/view/Xc6K98rLTqk And remember, sharing is caring.💖Don't forget to mention the show to your fellow teachers, students and school!🤗 Timestamps (00:00) Intro (01:01) The share button (06:25) Who are our followers? (10:21) Rhubarb rhubarb (13:29) Aiming for a concert (20:08) Raising your fees (23:56) Cardinal rules (29:40) Quiz of the Week (34:13) Outro

S05E20. Flow (transcribed) VIDEO Oct 25, 2024

Welcome to Gav & Em's How to English TEFL Pod - the podcast that makes teaching and learning English fun! This week, join our dynamic duo as they explore the exciting world of finding flow, they challenge each other with an engaging adjective game, and share tips on how to shower your students with praise. Hang around to the end for Quiz of the Week, where they test your knowledge of language learning apps! Let’s make English learning fun together! Click here to support the show: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Check out the transcription with audio here: https://share.descript.com/view/uRlpVJmjoSO

References

English Vocabulary Builder, Dorking Kingsley: Chapter 5, p27, exercise C

Learning apps: https://amberstudent.com/blog/post/best-language-learning-apps

https://www.duolingo.com/

https://uk.rosettastone.com/product/mobile-apps/

https://talkpal.ai/

https://www.mondly.com/

https://languagedrops.com/

https://utalk.com/en/app

https://elevateapp.com/about

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro and house keeping

(07:48) Describing pictures

(10:51) Flow state

(16:05) Only talking to the teacher

(27:18) Giving praise

(35:44) Quiz of the Week

(44:40) Outro

S05E19. Getting Things Done (transcribed) VIDEO Oct 11, 2024

Do you get it done or do you do it yourself? You can find this and many more questions and answers on Gav & Em's How to English TEFL podcast. Feel free to buy them a drink here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod And check out the transcription with audio here: https://share.descript.com/view/L0Pmekz4ZbZ

And don't forget to mention the show to someone you know!

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro and house keeping

(02:15) The linchpin

(08:25) Getting things done

(14:20) Which name?

(17:41) Talking fast and slowly

(27:04) Quiz of the Week

(31:33) Outro

S05E18. Prefix Pandemonium (transcribed) VIDEO Sep 27, 2024

Hey followers, thanks for coming back to Gav & Em's How to English TEFL Pod. You can show your support for their show here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod This week our TEFLing duo take on topics such as the prefix "under" and compare it to some other prefixes, Em tries her hand at being a student, Gav answers some What Would Gav Dos, and the Quiz of the Week looks at some words with Greek roots. You can find the transcription with audio here: https://share.descript.com/view/Nszlv2MiPYr And here's a link to all the shows: http://howtoenglishpod.com/ References: Pronunciation - two syllable words: https://pronuncian.com/2syllable-word-stress Quiz of the Week: https://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=mte2otc2oqwroj Timestamps (00:00) Intro and house keeping (05:35) Under (09:18) Becoming a student (15:17) Making mistakes (25:11) What would Gav dos (32:00) Quiz of the Week (39:55) Outro

S05E17. Adapt, Tailor, Personalise (transcribed) VIDEO Sep 13, 2024

Hello and welcome to Gav & Em's How to English TEFL Pod. It's a show where two English teachers discuss their latest challenges, rewards and frustrations of teaching English online and in the classroom. This week they discuss pronunciation problems, using the suffix "over", how to adapt materials, and finally, this week's quiz isn't even a quiz! Support Gav & Em here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod You can find the show transcription with audio here: https://share.descript.com/view/a6G7GNoJEMe And check out all the previous shows here: http://howtoenglishpod.com/

Resources

Quiz of the Week questions: https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/questions-ask-friends

IPA converter used for the transcription: https://tophonetics.com/

S05E16. Idioms are Everywhere (transcribed) VIDEO Aug 30, 2024

Welcome to Gav & Em's How to English TEFL Pod. A podcast for teachers and learners of English. This week our intrepid travelling TEFL duo discuss the topics of just how clearly and naturally should the teacher speak in class? Their Quiz of Week is all about idioms. They talk about different words with similar meanings. And Em gives Gav a fun quiz to test his knowledge. Buy them a coffee here: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Get the show transcription here: https://share.descript.com/view/8AA0N3Jd2qgVisit their website for all the shows: http://howtoenglishpod.com/

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro and more

(02:56) Say it clearly

(05:17) Chair backs

(06:43) More kangaroo words

(11:55) Quiz of the Week

(13:41) Foundation basement or cellar?

(19:35) Em's fun quiz

(29:27) Quiz of the Week

(33:43) Outro

S05E15. Abso-freaking-lutely (transcribed) VIDEO Aug 16, 2024

Hello everybody! Gav & Em, your favourite TEFL teaching podcasters, are back with another episode. This week they tackle the topics of how to respond to a student who says, "We have a word for that", they discuss students' levels, Em demonstrates how to set up a task and don't forget to hang around for this week's Quiz of the Week which is all about words for words.

You can find the transcription with audio here: https://share.descript.com/view/ORhaDPQ5Zs1

And buy Gav & Em a coffee here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro and house keeping

(04:17) We have a word for that

(11:47) Students' levels

(15:19) Setting up a task

(23:37) Do you speak English?

(27:24) Quiz of the Week

(41:43) Outro

S05E14. Shiver Me Timbers (transcribed) VIDEO Aug 02, 2024

Welcome to this week's episode with Gav & Em. Join the two adventurous TEFL teachers as they explore their everyday classroom challenges. Buy them a coffee here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Check out the transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/TqxLgkLf8o3

Quiz of the Week:

https://arapahoelibraries.org/blogs/post/names-for-groups-of-animals/

Other references:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiver_my_timbers#:~:text=In%20heavy%20seas%2C%20ships%20would,strike%20me%20alive%20and%20well%22.

Clever crows: https://sentientmedia.org/which-animals-are-most-intelligent/

Cautionary Tales Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2yPlb6ynbhTJbziSIcykQd

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(01:31) Listening and speaking

(06:29) Business casual

(10:21) For, since and from

(15:07) Choose your favourite

(17:30) Patronising students

(24:40) Stealing students

(28:03) Is it okay for students to...

(32:36) Quiz of the Week

(40:14) Outro

S05E13. Agree to disagree (transcribed) VIDEO Jul 19, 2024

If you're new to teaching and learning or if you're a veteran of education, you'll find something in Gav and Em's How to English TEFL Pod. Show your support here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Check out the transcription and audio here: https://share.descript.com/view/O4pwYUKLxso This week our podcast language teachers discuss some common differences between US and UK English, advantages and disadvantages of using the dictation technique in class, how to deal with students who don't do their homework and hang around to the end to catch everyone's favourite Quiz of the Week! Differences between British and American English: https://preply.com/en/blog/differences-in-grammar-in-american-and-british-english/ Mixed metaphors: https://www.wordnik.com/lists/well-mixed-metaphors Timestamps (00:00) Intro (01:19) Correction (02:15) UK or USA? (08:51) Speech to text (14:54) Actually, no (19:12) ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod (19:27) Yes, I am game (22:50) Quiz of the Week (34:24) Outro

S05E12. Corrections and Lies (transcribed) VIDEO Jul 05, 2024

Welcome to Gav & Em's How to English TEFL Pod. This week the TEFL teaching duo have a lot of corrections to make from their last episode, they also discuss Em's "Another Folder", attempt to deal with late starters and early leavers, and play plenty of TEFL based games. Don't forget to buy them a coffee from ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod and take a look at the transcription with audio here: https://share.descript.com/view/hM1VkSnbq7j And their website is here: http://howtoenglishpod.com/ References: https://arden.ac.uk/what-type-learner-are-you Have you ever...? Cutting Edge, 4A, Pearson Portmanteaus: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_portmanteaus Timestamps (00:00) ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod (00:27) Intro (01:56) Corrections and more (13:03) Another folder (16:51) A late starter (24:24) An early leaver (28:10) Yes, I have (34:12) Quiz of the Week (41:46) Outro

S05E11. Portmantopia - featuring Matt Abrahams (transcribed) VIDEO Jun 21, 2024

Welcome to Gav & Em's How to English Pod. Here's our ko-fi so you can support our show: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Check out the transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/FAQbQSGJa8K This week, Gav & Em will decide how long is just too long to wait for an answer from their students, talk about really enjoyable lessons, overhearing a teaching technique, and how Gav makes the cover art. Plus an introduction from Matt Abrahams, from Think Fast, Talk Smart: Podcast. Check out his show here: https://mattabrahams.com/english-language-learning/

Visit our website: http://howtoenglishpod.com/

Podcast art AI: Podcast art - https://playground.com/

Picture editor: https://www.canva.com/

Timestamps

(00:00) ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

(03:20) Sound of crickets

(09:00) The kettle

(13:35) Matt Abrahams

(14:18) Only English

(17:20) Eavesdrop confession

(21:08) With a little help from AI

(23:48) Quiz of the Week

(37:01) Outro

S05E10. Oh, yeah, I remember now (transcribed) VIDEO Jun 07, 2024

It's tea and coffee time with Gav & Em. Go buy them a cuppa to show your support here https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod This week Gav & Em discuss how to deal with disappearing students, what to write in a student dossier, breaking free of your early teaching, and what to consider before TEFLing. Here's the transcription with audio https://share.descript.com/view/N0olMRd2DMu

Instructions for slowing down your Windows Media Player audio: Open Windows Media Player, maximise and right click, choose play speed fast, normal, slow. Or use the short cuts CTRL SHIFT F, CTRL SHIFT N, CTRL SHIFT S

Quiz of the week:

https://www.teachenglishabroad.co/faqs/25-questions-to-answer-before-you-tefl

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(00:52) ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

(02:26) Reaching out

(04:55) CELTA egg

(10:01) Student dossier

(13:21) Phrasal verbs

(18:30) Keep them bubbling

(23:27) Nice lessons

(25:25) Slowing audio

(26:51) Finns and Swedes

(29:56) Quiz of the Week

(40:32) Outro

S05E09. ...I was eating muffins (transcribed) VIDEO May 24, 2024

Welcome new and regular followers to Gav & Em's How to English TEFL Pod. Follow the two adventurers on a voyage of teaching and learning through the exploration of question order, disappearing students and just how many muffins did Em eat? Transcription with audio here: https://share.descript.com/view/gJVPmQ7Pkb7 Buy them a coffee here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

Quiz of the Week:

https://www.internationalteflacademy.com/where-should-you-teach-abroad-quiz

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(01:15) Question order

(03:50) Making it easier

(09:20) Old students

(12:52) What would Em say?

(14:56) Ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

(15:32) To Google or not?

(20:12) Dear Gav

(23:29) ...I was eating muffins

(27:19) Disappearing students

(31:14) Quiz of the Week

(36:25) Outro

S05E08. You should... (transcribed) VIDEO May 10, 2024

Welcome to the eighth episode of season 5 of Gav & Em's How to English TEFL Podcast. This week they find their students benefit from absence, how Em teaches and travels, other ways to say You Should..., and exactly what would Gav do? Transcription with audio here: https://share.descript.com/view/gSGUbRMEL93 Buy them a coffee here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Em's questions for the indirect questions activity: New English File, 2006, Intermediate, 6A, p188 You should activity: 700 Classroom Activities, MacMillan, 2003

Timestamps (00:00) Intro (00:52) Holidaying students (01:54) A catch up lesson (03:04) Teach and travel (07:20) A long break (10:09) You should... (14:10) Ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod (14:40) What would Gav do? (19:08) He the doctor (23:00) Two options (24:08) Quiz of the Week (31:24) Outro

S05E07. Pillars and Paddles (transcribed) VIDEO Apr 26, 2024

Looking for some teaching and learning English tips? You've come to the right place. This week with Gav & Em you can discover the benefits of revision, what to do with tired students, and how to deal with confusing and new words, plus play quizzes in your classroom. Transcription with audio here: https://share.descript.com/view/gt5XCBSPQOU Buy them a coffee here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Quiz of the Week: https://hobbylark.com/party-games/list-of-family-feud-questions Timestamps (00:00) Intro (00:57) Revision (07:55) Tired students (11:35) Getting on (13:18) Ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod (13:52) Oomphing students (16:58) Pillars and Paddles (18:24) Keeping it simple (40:21) Quiz of the Week (36:14) Outro

S05E06. Cuisenaire (transcribed) VIDEO Apr 12, 2024

Welcome back to Gav & Em's How to English TEFL Pod. A show for teachers and learners of English. This week they figure out who does what in a hotel, try to make sense out of The Chaos of English pronunciation, look at making something out of nothing, show how to deal with a technical failure and just what are Cuisenaire rods? Transcription with audio here: https://share.descript.com/view/LwpUrmfzpY2 Buy them a coffee here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

Resources:

https://www.tefl.net/quizzes/methods.php

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(01:41) Hotel language

(05:16) The Chaos

(08:18) Friday night planning

(13:13) Buy them a coffee

(13:41) Out of nothing

(18:24) Connection problems

(22:54) On the spot

(26:02) Quiz of the Week

(36:14) Outro

S05E05. Gnomes and that (transcribed) VIDEO Mar 29, 2024

Welcome to Gav & Em's How to English TEFL Pod. Who are they and what are they doing here? This week our adventurous duo find themselves asking and answering a huge range of TEFL related questions. Transcription with audio here: https://share.descript.com/view/TpJwg1yMqTy Buy them a coffee here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

The Chaos 1922 poem: https://ncf.idallen.com/english.html
Gav's Blankety Blank worksheet: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/cz1ne0gjcvm484qjwlz4r/blankety-blank.pdf?rlkey=ig83tlg368w3r1zf2bfdn8dzu&dl=0

Blankety Blank TV show@ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quZbRX9p8Z0&list=PLpFRxWf1dy8bOICHWC17Ax8j3VMvs1_dh Who or what?: https://www.grammarly.com/blog/who-vs-that/

Gotye's song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY

Timestamps (00:00) Intro (00:19) Who we are (01:35) Computer updates (02:38) A few words (14:28) Buy us a coffee (14:59) Own and owe (17:18) Getting arty (20:42) Saying sorry (23:11) Somebody who (29:20) Quiz of the week (37:48) Outro

S05E04. Bulge (transcribed) VIDEO Mar 15, 2024

Welcome! Drop in on Gav & Em to find out what disasters and successes befell them this week. Discussions on random word lists, AI teacher Em, sickness and an unexpected bulge. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/1tnKovU39Tx And buy Gav & Em a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Nationalities quiz: http://a4esl.org/q/h/mc-na.html

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(00:32) How to introduce yourself

(02:21) Words in common

(07:39) Confusing phrasal verbs

(06:35) AI Teacher Em

(11:25) Being ill

(16:57) Buy Gav & Em a coffee

(18:52) A prying question

(18:23) An unexpected student

(20:25) A bulge

(24:39) Quality materials

(26:30) Nationalities

(29:16) Quiz of the week

(33:00) Outro

S05E03. Donkey Bridge (transcribed) VIDEO Mar 01, 2024

Welcome to the 3rd episode of Gav & Em's new season. This week they talk about students unexpectedly turning pink, multitasking, massaging students, donkey bridges and much, much more. Plus, hang around till the end of the show to participate in a fun quiz. Support Gav & Em's show and buy them a coffee here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod And visit all the shows with transcriptions here: http://www.howtoenglishpod.com/ Timestamps (00:00) Intro (00:46) Talking of Zoom (02:00) Multitasking (07:19) Massaging students (10:16) Donkey bridge (14:51) Buy Gav & Em a coffee (15:27) Sweary students (18:52) On the topic of bosses (21:34) What Em learned (24:01) Quiz of the week (36:47) Outro

S05E02. Splat (transcribed) VIDEO Feb 16, 2024

Welcome to Gav & Em's How to English Pod! This week they discuss the happenings in and out of their classrooms, Easter Eggs, challenges for ambitious students, pet names and many more topics. Support Gav & Em's show by buying them a coffee here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Transcription with audio here: https://share.descript.com/view/8S7zrQfR5ni Type the following to see Google's Easter eggs: googly eyes, do a barrel roll, DVD screensaver, askew, dart mission, Chicxulub, meteor shower, Google in 1998, Thanos snap, The Last of Us, Pacman, puppy/cat, Holi, La Tomatina, Pride Month, mirror (in 'elgoog' mode)

Dummy subjects quiz: https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/english-grammar-reference/it-there-dummy-subjects

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(02:10) Em's Easter eggs

(11:25) Gav's ambitious student

(17:10) Support Gav & Em's show

(17:53) Em's being forgetful

(19:26) Keeping notes on your students

(21:03) A favourite student

(24:12) Describe your week

(26:51) Correcting mistakes

(32:11) Quiz of the week

(39:42) Outro

S05E01. A Staffroom Vibe (transcribed) VIDEO Feb 02, 2024

Welcome to Gav & Em's How to English Pod! They're back with a new season and a new format. Join them as they kick back and reflect on their week of teaching and learning. Buy them a coffee here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod And visit all the shows with transcriptions here: http://www.howtoenglishpod.com/ References: Gav's present perfect worksheet: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/t7kl6wzv5yy2mwlj1q3qe/Present-perfect-past-simple.pdf?rlkey=ybyday9xjp8v746ad20fe06pv&dl=0 Em's finance crossword: Professional English in Use, Finance, Ian MacKenzie, Cambridge Gav's quiz: https://www.goatsontheroad.com/teaching-english-equipment/

Timestamps (00:00) Intro (02:02) Gav talks about his Monday (04:16) Em talk about her Monday (05:40) Em gives homework (07:55) Gav has a late cancellation (10:05) Em gets distracted (14:39) Gav has a new student (16:41) Em makes a resolution (20:06) Em discovers a problem (23:30) Gav makes a mistake (25:28) Em asks Gav what he would do (27:25) Gav makes a game (31:05) Quiz of the Week: Essential Equipment (37:41) Outro

S04E26. Ask Your Teacher (transcribed) VIDEO Dec 29, 2023

What questions would you like to ask your teacher? What answers would you give to your students? For this final episode of the year, Gav & Em are answering questions from their amazing students. Plus, featuring three fantastic guest teachers who also have a go at answering students' questions. Transcription with audio: ⁠https://share.descript.com/view/pmwUXnHkzNc⁠ Say thanks by buying Gav & Em a coffee here: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod⁠ Teacher Charlotte: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/charlotte_teaches_english/⁠ Teacher Sergio: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/grammar_drops/⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/TeacherSergioViula⁠ Teacher Tsar: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/englishwithtsar/⁠ ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@EnglishwithTsar

S04E25. Visuals with Emily Bryson (transcribed) VIDEO Dec 15, 2023

Do you use drawings to teach and learn in your classroom? Have you ever tried sketchnoting? Do you have a visual vocabulary? Join Gav and Em on their journey of discovery with their special guest Emily from EmilyBrysonELT as they explore the fascinating world of drawing in the classroom. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/dcmujQK6mQP Buy Gav and Em a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Emily's website:www.emilybrysonelt.com/ Visual templates: https://www.emilybrysonelt.com/visual-templates-for-engaging-environmental-discussions/ Containers: https://www.emilybrysonelt.com/?s=containers Other resources Jamboard: https://jamboard.google.com/ Draw phrasal verbs: https://www.learn-english-today.com/phrasal-verbs/phrasal-verbs-DRAW.html Example of sketchnoting (baking bread): https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/645703665296605628/ Visit Gav & Em's website for more transcriptions http://www.howtoenglishpod.com/

S04E24. Welcome with IH Manchester (transcribed) VIDEO Dec 01, 2023

Do you feel welcome in your class? Do you make others feel welcome? Join Gav & Em and their very special guest Pete from International House Manchester as they talk about how they make their students feel welcome. Find the transcription and audio here: https://share.descript.com/view/B84oTRYpP6H Support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod International House links: https://ihmanchester.com/ https://www.instagram.com/ihmanchester/ https://www.youtube.com/@ihmanchester Things to do in Manchester: https://www.timeout.com/manchester/things-to-do/22-great-things-to-do-in-manchester Motivating students: https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator-english/motivating-students-to-learn-english/ Hygge: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygge

S04E22. SPECIAL: Gav & Em with TEFL Org (transcribed) Nov 22, 2023

Welcome to Gav & Em's How to English Podcast. In this special episode they are co-hosting a show with their favourite podcaster and journalist Euan from TEFL Org. Euan is the host of the I Taught English Abroad podcast where he interviews TEFL teachers from around the world. Check out this episode (link below) and get to know more about Gav & Em. Transcription with audio here: https://share.descript.com/view/b6sddKTAzUk And buy them a coffee here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodI Taught English Abroad podcast: https://www.tefl.org/podcast/ TEFL Org: https://www.tefl.org/

S04E23. Language Variation with Respect the Dialect (transcribed) VIDEO Nov 17, 2023

Which English dialects do you teach and learn in your classroom? Are you familiar with many varieties of English? Join Gav & Em and their very special guest Dionna as they shine a light on English dialects, colonization in the classroom, African-American English, and much more. Plus, suggest strategies for including the many varieties of English in your class. Transcription with audio: ⁠https://share.descript.com/view/Eo6UjAFLfn3 ⁠Buy Gav and Em a drink here: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod⁠ Dionna's links: ⁠https://www.respectthedialect.com/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/respectthedialect/⁠ Other resources: Linguistic racism article: ⁠https://www.buffalo.edu/ubnow/stories/2021/11/baker-bell-linguistic-racism.html⁠ Promoting equity article: ⁠https://pce.sandiego.edu/strategies-for-promoting-equity-in-the-classroom-faqs/⁠ Supporting diversity article: ⁠https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/blog/diversity-in-the-classroom/⁠ List of books to learn AAVE: ⁠https://kojiilanguages.com/books-to-learn-aave/

S04E21. Alleviating Anxiety with Paola Montero (transcribed) VIDEO Nov 03, 2023

Do you suffer from anxiety while teaching or learning English? Are you looking for some tips on how to relieve stress? Check out Gav & Em's How to English TEFL Podcast with their special guest Paola Montero, a language anxiety expert. Consider buying Gav & Em a coffee here: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod⁠ Here is the transcription with audio: ⁠https://share.descript.com/view/sMAmRv5pI9Z Find Paola here: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/mimentoradeidiomas/⁠ Other resources: ⁠https://teachingenglishwithoxford.oup.com/2023/03/22/managing-learner-anxiety-and-stress/⁠ ⁠https://psychcentral.com/anxiety/anxious-vs-nervous#differences⁠ Find all the shows here: ⁠http://howtoenglishpod.com/⁠

S04E20. Comprehension with Open Shores English (transcribed) VIDEO Oct 20, 2023

How are your comprehension skills? Do you know how to make CCQs? Fancy doing a listening task with Gav & Em? Joined by this week's amazing guest, Deanna from Open Shores English, Gav & Em learn about the environment, sustainability and Earth systems. Don't forget to download the PDF for today's show here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/d0z3ame9sg08g0rduqgkc/Earth-Systems-Worksheet-with-Key.pdf?rlkey=lfn5gheqmr18ln7e5jdkg9oal&dl=0 Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/rh0okuEyb2H Please support the show here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Deanna's links: https://www.openshoresenglish.com/english-for-earth https://www.instagram.com/openshoresenglish/

S04E19. Talking (transcribed) VIDEO Oct 06, 2023

How much do you talk in your classes? How can you fit teaching and learning into a conversation? What's grammar broccoli? Find out the answer to these questions and many more in this week's episode of Gav & Em's How to English TEFL Podcast. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/UnEWIKbuZgR Support our show here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

S04E18. Reading with WeAreBettering (transcribed) VIDEO Sep 22, 2023

Looking for some motivation to pick up a book? Would you like some suggestions on what to read next? Check out this week's episode of Gav & Em's How to English Pod for some fun reading activities to try in your classroom. Joined by their very special teacher guest Josefina, this week's show will be a real page-turner. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/de8SGTY1trL Contribute to our show: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Josefina's links Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearebettering/ Website: https://betteringlang.com/ Charlotte's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlotte_teaches_english/ Josefina's book recommendations: Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Fabilli and Francesca Cavallo Smile by Reina Telgemeier The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupéry Wonder by R. J. Palacio The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Hutton My Salinger Year by Joanna Rakoff Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer Little Women by Louisa May Alcott A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens First lines article: https://bookriot.com/best-first-lines-of-books/ Book idioms: https://englishbyday.com/book-idioms/?utm_content=cmp-true

S04E17. Newbie with Isa (transcribed) VIDEO Sep 08, 2023

Are you a newbie teacher or learner? Do you remember how it felt to be a newbie? Follow Gav & Em on a journey of nostalgia and discovery as they share their memorable experiences and challenges of being newbies. Featuring this week's fabulous, recently trained teacher, Isa who shares her journey to becoming a qualified teacher. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/PekSDDCZVHE Support Gav & Em with a coffee or tea here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Isa's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/isa_english_lessons/ Parts of a church: https://www.britannica.com/topic/SantAmbrogio-Basilica The church rhyme and actions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smtucwvzuCc

S04E16. Native Speakerism with Meri (transcribed) VIDEO Aug 25, 2023

Have you heard of native speakersism? Have you experienced it yourself? Is there really such a thing as a native English teacher? How can we deal with questions like, "I only want a native English teacher" or, "Can you help me sound like a native English speaker?"? Along with Gav & Em their very special guest Meri, also known as the Non-Native Speaker explore, challenge, and suggest solutions to the notion of native speakerism. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/nKP7Mo0B4fW Send your appreciation to Gav & Em here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Meri's links: https://www.instagram.com/the_non_native_speaker/⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@thenonnativespeaker767 https://thenonnativespeaker.com/⁠ Charlotte Teaches English's link: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/charlotte_teaches_english/⁠ Other resources and referenced materials: https://www.tesol.org/blog/posts/tackling-native-speakerism-what-can-you-do-to-address-discriminatory-ideologies/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/-ism Nordquist, Richard. "Native Speaker - Definition and Examples in English." ThoughtCo, Aug. 25, 2020, www.thoughtco.com/native-speaker-linguistics-1691421 https://www.teaching-revolution.com/blog/the-myth-of-the-native-speaker https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/04/25/989765565/tower-of-babble-non-native-speakers-navigate-the-world-of-good-and-bad-english English speaking world: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English-speaking_world

S04E15. Journaling with Earl Grey (transcribed) VIDEO Aug 11, 2023

Ever thought about how writing can help you teach or learn English? Enjoy Gav & Em introducing you to the world of journaling in this week's episode of How to English TEFL Podcast. Joined by their very special guest, Earl Grey, they explore the benefits for teachers and learners expressing themselves in writing. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/6eml3mE7gMR Buy Gav & Em a hot beverage to say thanks: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Earl Grey's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earlgreyinseoul/ Website: https://earlgreyinseoul.art.blog/ Other resources: Tips for journaling: https://www.eslactivity.org/journaling-english-learners/ Uncommon words: https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/surprising-uncommon-words

S04E14. What if...? with Arpana (transcribed) VIDEO Jul 28, 2023

What would you do if...? is the question Gav and Em answer in this week's show. Covering zero to 3rd conditional, they discuss the uses, form, and meaning of these "if clauses" in English grammar. Plus a comprehensive listening task and quiz sheet recorded by their very special guest Arpana from AFBIELTS. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/7myWVD9A5A0 Visit our ko-fi page to say thanks: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Arpana's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afbielts/ Website: https://arpegis.my.canva.site/ Listening worksheet for the show: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/lj35rom6aan6wny598q34/Conditional-sentences-with-Arpana.pdf?rlkey=q5keiwkau0ma4tkfi1t2n23n4&dl=0 References: 3rd conditional activity: English File, 2nd Edition, Oxford University Press, Teacher's Book, 8A, p175

S04E13. Mistakes - Pick and Mix (transcribed) VIDEO Jul 14, 2023

Do you know the typical English mistakes made by speakers of your language? How do you prepare yourself or your students to avoid these errors? Gav and Em look at the Cambridge exam corpus and highlight typical language mistakes made by speakers of different languages and how you might deal with them. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/XeNRe6IP05P Buy Gav and Em a hot beverage to show your appreciation: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Episode theme suggested by Charlotte: https://www.instagram.com/charlotte_english_teacher/ Resources: Cambridge Learner Corpus: https://www.cambridge.org/elt/blog/2020/03/02/understanding-common-learner-error-cambridge-learner-corpus/ Suffixes: https://www.latchontolearning.com/post/wacky-word-wednesday-top-10-suffixes

S04E12. Giving Up (transcribed) VIDEO Jun 30, 2023

Have you considered giving up teaching or learning? What was your motivation to stay or leave? This week Gav & Em look at quitting; throwing the towel in; giving up! Whether it's an activity, a class, or even a company, Gav & Em have a motivating guide for you. Buy Gav & Em a coffee/tea here to say thanks: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/jinDRSXT0Ay References: Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/tech-support/201501/8-ways-you-can-tell-that-its-the-right-time-to-quit Sergio on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GrammarDrops Confusing words list: https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/commonly-confused-words-list

S04E11. Setbacks with Eni (transcribed) VIDEO Jun 16, 2023

What setback do you face as a teacher or learner? How do you deal with the challenges of learning a language? Join Gav and Em as they discuss these questions and give their own take on the solutions to overcoming setbacks. Featuring an aspiring learner and content creator, Eni, who will discuss her own setbacks and how she was motivated to achieve her learning goals. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/N9l4BZKy7wW Buy us a coffee or tea here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Eni's links Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eni.englishjourney/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@englishjourneywitheni⁠

S04E10. UK and USA with PingoLearn (transcribed) VIDEO Jun 02, 2023

Do you know the differences between UK and USA words? Do you use British or American pronunciation? Do you think about the variation in spelling when writing? This week, Gav and Em will answer these questions and demonstrate fun and instructive ways to present and practice British and American English. Also, check out the amazing PingoLearn app to help you or your students improve their pronunciation and build confidence. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/pnANOunPR9o⁠ Buy us a tea or coffee: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod PingoLearn: https://pingolearn.page.link/howtoenglishpod_p Other references: Dictionary blog: https://www.dictionary.com/e/british-english-vs-american-english/ Espresso English: https://www.espressoenglish.net/british-english-vs-american-english-pronunciation/ Babbel: https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/what-are-the-differences-between-american-and-british-english

S04E09. Get Social (transcribed) VIDEO May 19, 2023

Do you use social networks for your teaching and learning? How many different types of posts are there and what are the benefits of each? Take a trip with Gav & Em and their amazing social media influencers as they present the advantages of using social media for language learning and teaching. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/jQa22w4c6Wh Buy us a coffee or tea: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Guests: Marta at English Smart Llama https://www.instagram.com/english_smart_llama/ Vivi from Ki-Bird English https://www.instagram.com/kibirdenglish/ Mike at Mike English Academy https://www.instagram.com/mike_english_academy Andy at Andy's Everyday English https://www.instagram.com/p/CqBJx1jIgRZ/ Charlotte at English in Athens https://www.instagram.com/english_in_athens/ Pearl at Pearl English Academy https://www.instagram.com/pearl_english_teacher/ Sergio at Grammar Drops: https://www.youtube.com/@GrammarDrops Other references https://postfity.com/blog/promote-language-school-using-social-media-8-social-media-marketing-tips-language-teachers-schools-case-studies/ https://blog.hootsuite.com

S04E08. Fillers and Discourse Markers with Valerie (transcribed) VIDEO May 05, 2023

Do you use filler words and discourse markers? Do you teach and learn them in your classroom? This is Gav & Em's discussion topic today. Featuring a very special guest, Valerie Fridland, a sociolinguist studying the interactions between language and society and the author of the hilarious and educational book Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English (Viking). In today's show, Valerie explains the uses of one of the most common filler words, like. We hope you, like, enjoy the show, Gav & Em. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/p4KnOH8DHdB Buy Gav & Em a coffee or tea: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Valerie's book: https://www.amazon.com/Like-Literally-Dude-Arguing-English/dp/0593298322https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/language-in-the-wildh ttps://www.thegreatcourses.com/professors/valerie-fridland/ Grammar Girl Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grammar-girl-quick-and-dirty-tips-for-better-writing/id173429229 Speechling.com article: https://speechling.com/blog/15-common-english-filler-words-you-should-know/ Gav's activity based on Speechling's article: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1rYcCuH753GD55x_l2DbiIVgIakPOZbNJCgDOaNsguLc/edit?usp=sharing Auxiliary activities: Cutting Edge, Intermediate, 1B. Three Person Snap Cutting Edge, Pre-Intermediate, 3B. Neither do I New English File, 2nd Edition, Upper-Intermediate, 1B. Grammar - Auxiliary verbs

S04E07. Organize with vei (transcribed) VIDEO Apr 21, 2023

How organized are you? How many platforms do you use to teach and learn English? Have you been looking for a solution that could save you time? Check out Gav and Em's How to English Podcast to find out how they organize their teaching. Introducing vei an all-in-one teacher and creator platform that could streamline your teaching business. Check out vei using the link here: https://app.vei.live/referral/d37j2m Episode transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/ha1ReZizom7

S04E06. The Psychology of Learning with Katy (transcribed) VIDEO Apr 07, 2023

Welcome, everybody! Do you know the three major types of behavioral learning? Do you use any of these in your classroom? This week's episode takes Gav & Em on a deep dive into the psychology of learning languages. Plus, a motivational talk from their special guest, Katy from langscapesenglish.com, who leads us onto a path of reflection and confidence building. Enjoy the show! Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/dwDBnqXBBlu Buy Gav & Em a hot beverage here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Katy's links: https://langscapesenglish.com/ https://www.instagram.com/katy_langscapes/ Kendra Cherry's article: https://www.verywellmind.com/learning-study-guide-2795698⁠ Funny interview questions: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/funny-interview-questions Em's activities: Pronunciation maze from Pronunciation Games, Cambridge Would you prefer...? English File, Oxford, 2nd Edition, Intermediate, page 183

S04E05. Types of Learners with Vivi at Ki-Bird English (transcribed) VIDEO Mar 24, 2023

Do you know what kind of learner you are? Do you know which types of learners your students are? Join Gav & Em with their special guest Vivi from Ki-Bird English, as they break down the topic of learner types, personalities, and many of the challenges teachers and learners face. Remember to hang around for this week's Learn-A-Word at the end of the show. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/WmuaWvZYeyT Send Gav & Em some love: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Ki-Bird English links: Website https://ki-bird.com.br/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kibirdenglish/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KiBirdEnglish

S04E04. Worksheets with Quick and Easy English (transcribed) VIDEO Mar 10, 2023

Do you use worksheets in your class? Does your teacher use interesting and engaging resources? Teachers, are you looking for some inspiration? Catch this week's How to English Podcast with Gav & Em to find out what makes a good or bad worksheet for your class. Audio with transcription: https://share.descript.com/view/nTQTvnk4CeF Support Gav & Em: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Quick and Easy English: https://quick-and-easy-english.com/ https://www.instagram.com/quickandeasyenglish/ Gav and Em's worksheet for this episode: https://www.dropbox.com/s/vyfhyjbim8up7ew/Worksheet.pdf?dl=0

S04E03. Reinvention and Accountability with Reinventress (transcribed) VIDEO Feb 24, 2023

Are you looking to reinvent your teaching and learning? Any idea what an accountability partner is? Join Gav and Em on their quest to find a new and effective way to teach and learn with the invaluable insights and intriguing teaching methodology of their very special guest, Reinventress. Don't forget to hang around for the word of the week. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/wTX5bUxhgxB Support our podcast here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Reinventress' links: https://englishwithreinventress.com https://www.instagram.com/englishwithreinventress/ https://www.youtube.com/@englishwithreinventress Other references: An accountability partner: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accountability_partner Sabira Merchant: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabira_Merchant

S04E02. Lesson Planning with A.I. from Twee.com (transcribed) VIDEO Feb 10, 2023

What's the future of English teaching? Will computers take over the task of teaching our students? Hopefully not soon😉. Join Gav & Em and their very special guest Alina from www.twee.com as they explore the topic of using A.I. to create texts, dialogues, and questions for busy teachers. Don't forget to visit www.twee.com to get early access to their amazing A.I. platform and start creating your lessons in seconds. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/kEpddqKhMR7 Demonstration on the A.I. lesson planning tools: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjfQOLOqm-M

S04E01. New Year (transcribed) VIDEO Jan 31, 2023

Welcome everyone to the New Year and new episode of Gav & Em's How to English Podcast. This week they are chatting on the topic of how they finished the last year and started the New Year. Stick around to the end of their show to catch the new feature: Learn-A-Word, where they describe a word and its common usage. Don't forget to check out the transcription with audio here: https://share.descript.com/view/GdkX05qudvu Buy Em a tea or Gav a coffee here: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Femur bone found: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2021/07/25/femur/ SMART Goals: https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/management/smart-goal/

S03E25. Special (transcribed) VIDEO Dec 31, 2022

Welcome to the final show of the year! Gav and Em take some time to thank their followers for all their wonderful feedback and introduce five amazing teachers and learners to the show. Check out their links below. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/KlwRmqLezAE Buy us a coffee (or tea): https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Guests: Aleksandra https://www.instagram.com/distant_eng/ http://distanteng.tilda.ws/ Mahi https://www.instagram.com/english.withmahi/ Veronica https://www.instagram.com/wannaspeakbyveroniq/ https://www.youtube.com/@wannaspeakbyveroniq Tanguay https://www.instagram.com/nextlevelearning_/ https://www.nextlevelearning.fr/ Dr. Anne https://www.instagram.com/laenglishtutor/ https://linktr.ee/laenglishtutor Thanks to: Sergio https://www.instagram.com/grammar_drops/ Teacher Milena https://www.instagram.com/teachermilena/ English with Reinventress https://www.instagram.com/englishwithreinventress/ Charlotte https://www.instagram.com/english_in_athens/ Kleber https://www.instagram.com/klebergiurizatto.ingles Whizbusters https://www.instagram.com/whizbusters/ LaDoris https://www.instagram.com/improve_my_pronunciation/ Tsar https://www.instagram.com/englishwithtsar/ Fateme https://www.instagram.com/f.zamani1376nn/ Barbara https://www.instagram.com/englishmusiceducation/ Eugeniu https://www.instagram.com/lingojunkie/ Jumpe4English https://www.instagram.com/jump4english/ GoodPods https://goodpods.com/ Gav & Em: https://www.instagram.com/howtoenglishpod/ https://www.youtube.com/@HowtoEnglishPod https://www.facebook.com/howtoenglishpod/ "Down in the dumps" usage and origin: https://english-grammar-lessons.com/down-in-the-dumps-meaning/ Cake pops (smooshed cakes): https://www.craftsy.com/post/how-to-make-smooth-cake-pops/

S03E24. Articles - Featuring Shikha Das and Students (transcribed) VIDEO Dec 23, 2022

Welcome to Gav & Em's podcast all about teaching and learning English. In this show, Gav & Em will discuss the topic of articles: a, an, and the. Introducing Shikha Das and her class, who bring the language to life. Learn, practice, and have fun with How to English Podcast. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/qaL26v90lav Shika's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/english_with_shikha/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@shikhabiswas5157 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shikha.biswas2022 Other resources: Gav's articles activity: https://www.dropbox.com/s/pjsdctq4bi8qdni/Gav%27s%20Articles%20Activity.pdf?dl=0 https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/How_English_works.html?id=ZUBPvdUx39IC&redir_esc=y https://www.educationtopia.net/grammar/articles-shouldnot-used https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/famous-buildings-india/index.html

S03E23. Book Club - Featuring Andrew at what_to_read_next and Dara at AppliedESL (transcribed) VIDEO Dec 09, 2022

What's a book club? Do you belong to one? How do your start your own? With special guests Andrew from what_to_read_next and Dara at AppliedESL we explore the fascinating world of kids' books, adult fiction, subgenres, and street signs. On Gav and Em's How to English Pod. Transcription with audio: Andrew's link: https://www.instagram.com/what_to_read_next/ Dara's link: https://www.instagram.com/appliedesl/ Dara's Books: https://www.amazon.com/Dara-K.-Fulton/e/B0879B8Y1H Other resources: David Long: http://www.davidlong.info/books.html Tom Palmer: https://tompalmer.co.uk/ Vashti Hardy: https://www.vashtihardy.com/landing-ethan The Literary Trust: https://literacytrust.org.uk/ https://ihteachenglish.com/blog-post/how-run-efl-book-club https://bookstr.com/article/obscure-book-genres-you-may-not-know/ Em's Book recommendations: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woman_on_the_Edge_of_Time https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51648276-drive-your-plow-over-the-bones-of-the-dead https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haruki_Murakami

S03E22. Neurodiversity - Featuring Anna from Polca Languages (transcribed) VIDEO Nov 25, 2022

Welcome back to Gav and Em's teaching and learning English show. Today's topic is neurodiversity in the ESL classroom. Led by their special guest Anna from Polca Languages, Gav and Em learn all about neurodivergent students and how to support their needs, along with plenty of resources, links, and activities. We hope you enjoy the show. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/2TxSA22jUlK Anna's links: https://www.instagram.com/polca_languages/ https://linktr.ee/polca_languages Michelle Swan's website: https://hellomichelleswan.com/tips-for-teachers-supporting-neurodivergent-students/ Other links: Definition of neurodivergent students: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/queenmaryacademy/educators/resources/inclusive-curriculum/neurodivergent-learners/ Calls and responses: https://www.thoughtco.com/tips-and-tricks-get-students-attention-2081544 Clicker activity: https://kahoot.com/ Martin Bloomfield quote: https://www.english.com/blog/dyslexia-and-elt-how-to-help-young-learners/ Adrian at First Thinkers: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CI0WpNb2loI Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, Ph.D. book: https://www.waterstones.com/book/teaching-english-language-learners/elsa-cardenas-hagan/9781598579659 Website: https://mycll.org/elsa-cardenas-hagan/ Activity worksheet: https://files.liveworksheets.com/def_files/2020/3/25/3251913257005/3251913257005001.jpg Decodable books: https://www.readinga-z.com/phonics/decodable-books/ Jolly Phonics: https://www.jollylearning.co.uk/jolly-phonics/ Toe-by-Toe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVvMlHs8tzmP3PumCD4t92A

S03E21. How to Sound - Featuring Bianca and Jasmin (transcribed) VIDEO Nov 11, 2022

How's your pronunciation? How's Your knowledge of vowels? Why are some Gs pronounced hard or soft in English? Learn the difference between a monophthong and a diphthong. Featuring Bianca from Master an American Accent and Jasmin from CCC Language Learning, on this week's How to English Pod with Gav & Em. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/p7kYYAwRjUq Bianca's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/master.an.american.accent/ Website: https://accentcoachbianca.com/ Jasmin's links: TikTok: tiktok.com/@ccclanguagelearning Instagram: https://instagram.com/ccclanguagelearning?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Website: https://www.ccclanguagelearning.com/speaking Other resources: Em's hard and soft "G" activity: The engine was a gift given by a guest who was a misogynist. My glove and magic mug was grabbed by a guilty astrologer. There's gum in my wig so I guess I should go and get the detergent. A new page of legislation for the guild has zigzags in the margin. English File, Oxford, IPA chart: https://elt.oup.com/student/englishfile/beginner3/pronunciation?cc=gb&selLanguage=en Adrian Underhill video on vowels and consonants: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqeiFDVZDVY Long and short vowel sounds: https://www.speechactive.com/english-vowels-ipa-international-phonetic-alphabet/ Easy English with James, diphthongs video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI3xTvwYsa8

S03E20. Learning Tools with HelloTalk (transcribed) VIDEO Oct 28, 2022

Welcome everybody to Gav & Em's How to English Pod. This time they're talking about learning tools for learners and teachers to use inside and outside the classroom. Tools such as course books, study plans, apps, and much, much more. Joined by their special guest Timmons, from HelloTalk who will present the awesome benefits of the HelloTalk app and its many learning and teaching features. So, after the show, make sure you download the app using the link below: Download the HelloTalk app here: https://brc.hellotalk.com/GavAndEm What is a Language exchange: https://www.hellotalk.com/blog/what-is-a-language-exchange/#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20most%20effective,practicing%20each%20other's%20native%20language.HelloTalk live: https://www.hellotalk.com/blog/meet-hellotalk-live-tailored-language-learning-content-on-your-schedule/ Resources: Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/CzRNqdG2wL5 How to make an effective study plan: https://www.vu.edu.au/about-vu/news-events/study-space/how-to-make-an-effective-study-plan Study plan tips: https://manwrites.com/how-to-build-the-perfect-english-study-plan/ Nik Peachey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikpeachey/?originalSubdomain=uk Google Calendar: https://calendar.google.com Outlook Calendar: https://outlook.live.com/calendar/ Trello Calendar: https://trello.com/ Pomodoro technique: https://todoist.com/productivity-methods/pomodoro-technique

S03E19. SPOTIFY VIDEO 21st Century Teaching - Featuring Teacher Imane (transcribed) VIDEO Oct 14, 2022

Are you a 21st Century teacher? Is your teacher a 21st Century teacher? Are you still teaching or learning in a 20th Century way? What should we consider focussing on in our curriculums and methods as educators and learners in this current century? Plus, find out about Teacher Imane: an educator, author, and content creator who talks about her journey through teaching and publishing children's books. So learn and have fun with Gav & Em's How to English Pod. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/aiJ3WKGRb3K Imane's links: https://linktr.ee/Imane1 https://www.instagram.com/teacherimane/ Under the Sea: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09QKKSSPQ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 Ramadan ABC: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09V31GMVT/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1 Other resources: 21st Century skills – Critical thinking, Communication, Collaboration, Creativity Written by the Helpful Professor – Chris Drew, PhD https://helpfulprofessor.com/21st-century-learning/ Make communication more meaningful to improve learning: http://psychlearningcurve.org/learning-more-meaningful/

S03E18. Confusing Words with Gav & Em (transcribed) VIDEO Sep 30, 2022

Which words confuse you when communicating in English? Are there similar words that you always mix up? This episode, Gav & Em explore some confusing words that their students often make mistakes with and try to explain the differences through different activities. Hope you enjoy the show! Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/VlWA1e0CzID Gav's list of confusing words: https://www.dropbox.com/s/gnnderlodwt6sim/Confusing%20words.pdf?dl=0 References: Online die: https://www.online-dice.com/ Online drawing app: https://www.autodraw.com/ https://www.natterandramble.co.uk/list-of-confusing-words/ https://www.luke.lv/post/for-students-confusing-words-for-russian-ukrainian-speakers https://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises_list/mix_words.htm https://www.costaricatesol.com/tefl-costa-rica-blog/common-errors-spanish-speakers-make-when-learning-english-459 https://www.esolcourses.com/content/vocabulary/spelling/homophones/multichoice/spelling-confusing-words.html Sheep under the shade of a tree: https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.11129001.5224/flat,1000x1000,075,f.jpg

S03E17. Polyglotism - Featuring Azren the Language Nerd - Vocabulary by Andy (transcribed) VIDEO Sep 16, 2022

What is a polyglot? Are you one? Would you like to be? Just what does it take to become one? Check out this week's episode of Gav and Em's How to English Pod to discover the answer to these and many more questions on the topic of polyglots. Plus, catch Andy from andys.everyday.english on Instagram who shares a learning vocabulary tip. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/SrkX5nPvR0D Azren's links: https://azrenthelanguagenerd.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/PolyglotAzren TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@polyglotazren Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polyglotazren/ Andy's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andys.everyday.english/ TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/andys.everyday.english1/ Other resources: https://storylearning.com/blog/methods-top-polyglots https://www.fluentu.com/blog/how-polyglots-learn-language/ https://storylearning.com/blog/methods-top-polyglots How long it takes to learn another language for English speakers: https://www.state.gov/foreign-language-training/ Factors influencing learning languages: https://www.researchprospect.com/10-key-factors-influencing-language-development/

S03E16. Quiz Time - Featuring Alexandra from English4Style (transcribed) VIDEO Sep 02, 2022

Everybody loves a quiz, that's why Gav and Em have decided to devote an entire episode to questions all about languages, the origins of English words, and English grammar. Test your knowledge and have some fun with this episode of How to English Pod. Featuring Alexandra from English4Style as we learn the differences between the words trip, journey, and travel. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/7nSe3KJqa1V Alexandra's link: https://www.instagram.com/english4style/ Gav's intro: https://www.britannica.com/topic/English-language Em's quiz questions: https://speakt.com/language-facts/ The longest word in English: https://www.wikihow.com/Pronounce-the-Longest-Word-in-the-English-Dictionary https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longest_word_in_English Longest unofficial word in English: https://www.digitalspy.com/fun/a444700/longest-word-has-189819-letters-takes-three-hours-to-pronounce/ Origin of the word penguin: https://www.etymonline.com/word/penguin How much of English is actually English?: https://commongroundinternational.com/learning-english/borrowed-words-english-languages/ How many languages are represented in English?: https://www.ilovelanguages.com/how-many-english-borrowed-words-are-there/

S03E15. How to Podcast - Featuring Ian Antonio Patterson - Grammar by Leo Nova (transcribed) VIDEO Aug 19, 2022

Have you ever thought about making your own podcast? Which topic would you choose? Check out Gav & Em's episode all about podcasts where you can find out all about their show and it may even inspire you to make your own! Featuring Ian Antonio Patterson from English Coach Podcast and Leo Nova who introduces us to some "false friends". Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/ZKACBcEr1gV Ian Antonio's links: https://www.instagram.com/englishcoachpodcast/ https://iantonio.media/podcasts/ https://www.facebook.com/Ian.Antonio.Patterson https://ian-antonio-patterson.com/work/ Leo's links: https://www.instagram.com/nova.tips/ https://drum.io/novatips Resources: https://castos.com/podcast-topics/ http://thepodcasthost.com/planning/how-to-start-a-podcast/

S03E14. Writing - with Gera from Speak, Write, Play - Vocabulary from Angelica (transcribed) VIDEO Aug 05, 2022

How often do you write in English? Which styles of writing can you do? Do you know the difference between expository, descriptive, persuasive and narrative writing? With their special guest Gera, from Speak, Write, Play - follow Gav & Em on a journey of creative writing. And enjoy Teacher, Teach Me with teacher trainer Angelica from english.for_teachers who explores irregular plural nouns. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/FPwWaKpyCA6 Gera's links: https://speakwriteplay.com/ https://www.facebook.com/SpeakWritePlayEnglish/ https://www.instagram.com/speakwriteplay/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SpeakWritePlayinEnglish/videos Angelica's link: https://www.instagram.com/english.for_teachers/ References: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-beginners-guide-to-writing#3-things-to-consider-when-choosing-a-topic-to-write-about http://haikuworld.org/books/farbeyond.review.html https://examples.yourdictionary.com/20-funny-haiku-poems-examples-for-all-ages.html https://www.tefl.net/elt/articles/teacher/7-tips-for-teaching-writing/ https://magoosh.com/pro-writing/what-is-rhetorical-writing/?amp https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z8mktyc/revision/1

S03E13. Words - Featuring Kitty Sensei - Vocabulary from Pooja (transcribed) VIDEO Jul 22, 2022

Words are this week's topic. From a deep dive to skimming the surface, Gav and Em explore the world of teaching, learning and reviewing words. With their special guest Kitty Sensei to share 10 practical tips for memorizing vocabulary. Plus, introducing Whizbusters' Vocabulary Builder with lifetime membership (https://whizbusters.teachable.com/p/english-vocabulary-practice-tests-free). And finally, don't forget to check out Pooja's trick to learn the difference between three similar words in Teacher, Teach Me. Audio with transcription: https://share.descript.com/view/60MZOUrxg2a Kitty's links: https://www.instagram.com/kittykikuchi1509/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvqRD9bbw795Zd8tMAf-1EQ Whizbusters' link: https://www.youtube.com/WHIZBUSTERS Pooja's link: https://www.instagram.com/making_english_easy/ References: www.merriam-webster.com https://englishlive.ef.com/blog/language-lab/many-words-english-language/ https://www.ilovelanguages.com/how-many-words-in-average-english-vocabulary/ https://www.justlearn.com/blog/vocabulary-games https://www.englishclub.com/esl-games/vocabulary/

S03E12. Conferences - with James Taylor from BRAZ-TESOL - Vocabulary from Naeem (transcribed) VIDEO Jul 08, 2022

Have you been to a conference this year? What kind of conferences interest you? With James Taylor, a very special guest from BRAZ-TESOL teachers' association, Gav and Em discuss the topic of conferences. Don't forget to listen to this episode's vocabulary section where Naeem tackles two very tricky words. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/JYfpUK8Gx8g BRAZ-TESOL links: https://braztesol.org.br/ https://www.facebook.com/braztesol https://www.instagram.com/braztesol/ English with Naeem: https://www.instagram.com/englishwithnaeem/ References: Raise Up! Course books: https://raiseup.gumroad.com/ https://info.wwsg.com/blog/difference-between-plenary-and-keynote-speakers https://www.ets.org/toefl/conferences#tabs-past https://students.unimelb.edu.au/academic-skills/explore-our-resources/speaking-and-presenting/presenting-at-conferences#Presenting%20your%20research

S03E11. Experience - Featuring Felipe Coelho - Vocabulary by Meshkat (transcribed) Jun 17, 2022

What's your experience of teaching and learning English? Follow Gav & Em and their fantastic guest Felipe talk about their journey to becoming teachers and lifelong learners. Find out all about the tools in any teacher's or learner's toolkit to improve and grow your knowledge. Also, check out Gav's quiz for Em all about words and phrases to use to talk about your own experience. Their special grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation coach this week is Meshkat who introduces us to some similar and confusing words. Finally, don't forget to share How to English Pod with your teacher and learner friends so more people can enjoy the show. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/UmuDxvv9CRG Felipe's links: https://www.tiktok.com/@inglescomfelipe https://www.instagram.com/inglescomfelipe1/ Meshkat's links: https://www.instagram.com/englishwithmeshkat/ References: Gav's Quizizz: https://quizizz.com/join/game/U2FsdGVkX1%252BlKrd%252BsZMCHRCR%252F7TLWV6wzHoq24EIcoDlmSjeJvKRXFxIbaJxvnEK?gameType=solo https://enguroo.com/2021/12/29/how-to-talk-about-experience/ https://www.freecollocation.com/search?word=experience

S03E10. Measure Reduce Offset - Featuring Sara Do Carmo (transcribed) Jun 03, 2022

Welcome everybody! This is a very special show all about climate change and how you can teach and learn about this topic in your classroom or by yourself. Featuring Sara Do Carmo who explains the problems and solutions for how to make positive changes in your life and reduce your negative impact on our planet. Check out the full transcription here with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/dENryJEWs5n Sara's link: https://www.instagram.com/sara.docarmo/ References: Websearch and plant trees: https://www.ecosia.org/ Measure your carbon footprint: https://footprint.wwf.org.uk/#/questionnaire Offsetting your carbon footprint: https://www.goldstandard.org/our-story/gold-standard-offsetting-guide More references: https://www.iea.org/commentaries/the-carbon-footprint-of-streaming-video-fact-checking-the-headlines https://ourworldindata.org/greenhouse-gas-emissions-food https://www.greeneatz.com/foods-carbon-footprint.html https://www.theecoexperts.co.uk/home-hub/food-waste-facts-and-statistics https://bernardmarr.com/the-future-of-cars/

S03E09. Passions - Featuring Joe - Grammar by Em (transcribed) May 20, 2022

What are your passions? What are you keen on? Passionate about? Into? Learn how to talk about your own passions and find out all about Gav & Em's. Plus their special guest talks about his enthusiasm for food, travel and fitness. Don't forget to check the audio transcription here: https://share.descript.com/view/p2Dc4SGV7R3 Joe's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisisjoe11/ Gav and Em's website: http://www.howtoenglishpod.com/ Other links: https://liveboldandbloom.com/10/passion-in-life/things-to-be-passionate-about

S03E08. Accents - Featuring Bianca from Unpuzzled English - Grammar by Andy (transcribed) May 06, 2022

What's your accent? Is there a standard accent? What are RP and GA accents? Find out the answer to these and many more questions in this week's How to English with Gav & Em. Featuring Bianca from Unpuzzled English on Facebook and Instagram who talks in detail about accents and how important they are. Plus Andy from Parlour Language Room who introduces us some phrasal verb tips. Enjoy the Show! Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/QiBmOm12rac Bianca's links: https://www.instagram.com/unpuzzled_english/ https://www.facebook.com/unpuzzledenglish https://open.spotify.com/user/31mu7twcjbcgzyloa2s72kwfhrhq?si=dc8311f70c6d43bc&nd=1 Andy's links: https://www.instagram.com/parlourlanguageroom/ Countries where English is the official language: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_territories_where_English_is_an_official_language Minimal pairs demonstration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCTZrK2p8Ww Activity cards: https://testyyettrying.blogspot.com/2012/06/final-t-k-minimal-pair-picture-speech.html

S03E07. EdTech - Featuring Charlie from charlieslessons - Pronunciation from LaDoris (transcribed) Apr 22, 2022

What is EdTech? Are you using it in your classes? Is your teacher using it to teach you English? Explore the topic with Gav & Em's guest Charlie from charlieslessons on Instagram and Youtube. And catch LaDoris' pronunciation practice to improve your ability with the long and short "e". So, get your tech-head on and follow us down the digital path of enlightenment in this week's How to English Pod. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/SPJZLnqVLqj Charlie's links: https://www.instagram.com/charlieslessons/ https://www.youtube.com/c/CharliesLessons Charlie's website and his new blog: http://charlieslessons.com/ LaDoris' links: https://www.instagram.com/improve_my_pronunciation/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUptngBTAf1V5KJApw2DOmA Gav's memes presentation on Google Docs: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vSL1vZHg5FNm3sspA7yGJVjgwbCMpEWZanaSIMHKiDXVRhxsgiON_uAhNTaMHy2lu7Tm3MK6OS2xhig/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000 Nearpod: https://app.nearpod.com Apps for learning languages: (https://www.usnewsglobaleducation.com/) 1. Rosetta Stone (https://www.rosettastone.co.uk/) 2. FluentU (https://www.fluentu.com/) 3. Hello English (https://helloenglish.com/) 4. Duolingo (https://www.duolingo.com/) 5. HelloTalk (https://www.hellotalk.com/) Zoom: https://zoom.us/

S03E06. Reported Speech (transcribed) Apr 08, 2022

Welcome back to Gav and Em's How to English Pod. This special episode is dedicated to all the people affected by the war in Ukraine. Gav and Em are examining some of the headlines related to the invasion and especially drawing attention to the reporting verbs and their meanings. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/NqqSwURM4Ue Gav and Em's transcription website: http://www.howtoenglishpod.com/ References: Ready For FCE: https://www.macmillanenglish.com/us/catalogue/courses/exam-preparation/ready-for-first-3rd-edition/course-information www.news.sky.com https://www.theguardian.com/international https://news.un.org www.independent.co.uk www.factcheck.org https://7esl.com/reported-speech/

S03E05. How Do You Say It? Featuring Rasoul - Pronunciation by Toktam (transcribed) Mar 25, 2022

Welcome everybody! Gav & Em are so excited to bring this new episode to you on one of their favourite teaching and learning topics - pronunciation. Joined by two amazing teachers and trainers Rasoul, also known as Mr_Pronunciation and Toktam found on Instagram under the handle: morning_english_. And don't forget to check out the transcribed version of the show here: https://share.descript.com/view/uXN3z8ar5hg Rasoul's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mr_pronunciation/ YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/c/AppliUniCation Toktams link: https://www.instagram.com/morning_english_/ Pronunciation links: British and American pronunciation: https://www.angmohdan.com/22-words-with-british-and-american-pronunciations-that-may-confuse-you/ https://allesl.com/free-english-pronunciation-exercises/ Word stress: (https://www.fluentu.com/blog/english/english-word-stress/) Adding an "e" to words: https://www.cram.com/flashcards/adding-silent-e-to-short-vowel-words-524324

S03E04. Development - Featuring Carolina Cunha - Grammar by Kamlesh Thakkar (transcribed) Mar 11, 2022

Today's topic is development. How do you further your skills? What are your qualifications? Have you ever wondered if you're overqualified? Find out Gav & Em's take on these and many more questions. Plus a guest appearance by Carolina Cunha: language teacher and trainer who runs her own school in Brazil. Grammar by Kamlesh Thakkar who describes the present simple in a simple and concise way. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/p33VD2Tep6f Carolina's links: Links: https://linktr.ee/ccunha.solucoeslinguisticas Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccunha.solucoeslinguisticas/ Article: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10qWM1UvOLwAR-A-2bpeorqr1LbbbWryy/view

S03E03. Loss - Featuring Brittany Collins - Grammar from Cassandra Ormachea (transcribed) Feb 25, 2022

Welcome, everybody! In this episode, Gav & Em are discussing a really important topic that affects us all inside and outside the classroom. It's the topic of grief and loss. Featuring the author of Learning from Loss A Trauma-Informed Approach to Supporting Grieving Students, Brittany Collins shares her knowledge of how to approach this topic within a language teaching context. Also presenting Cassandra Ormachea who introduces us to a very useful idiom in a fun and memorable way. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/r1DJdFNR9dL Brittany's links: Instagram: @griefresponsiveteaching Website: www.griefresponsiveteaching.com Link to buy the book: https://www.heinemann.com/products/e13420.aspx Cassandra's link: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassandraormachea.elt/

S03E02. TEFL Teachers - Featuring Kat - Grammar by Reyhaneh Rezvaneh (transcribed) Feb 11, 2022

Welcome, everybody! What kind of teacher are you? Or is your teacher a TEFL teacher? Let's explore the types of teachers and the many different roles they have in the language teaching industry. With a contribution from their special guest Kat from Teach Travel Tribe, Gav & Em outline the fascinating world of TEFL teaching. Don't forget to catch this week's grammar point from Reyhaneh and Rezvaneh. Have fun and enjoy the show! Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/EvTptalpTLd Kat's links: Teach and Travel Tribe: https://free.teachtraveltribe.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Teach-Travel-Tribe-105153621905127 https://www.instagram.com/teachtraveltribe/ Reyhaneh and Rezvaneh: https://www.instagram.com/saramirnadem2020_english/ References: TEFL, TESOL and TESL: https://www.goabroad.com/articles/tefl-courses/tefl-tesl-tesol-whats-the-difference Recruitment sites: https://www.tefl.com/ https://www.eslcafe.com/jobs/international Worksheets: https://www.linguahouse.com/en-GB/ Oxford University Press: https://global.oup.com/?cc=gb Types of English jobs: https://www.tefl.org/blog/types-of-english-teaching-jobs/ List of online teaching companies: https://www.tefl.org/teach-english-online/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA0eOPBhCGARIsAFIwTs7ejrQNgcItnDdqOzew3zZHaNvaHELlCNgRtkwsl5V5daVSCFHPUcAaAsBLEALw_wcB International House, https://www.ihlondon.com/ British Council, https://www.britishcouncil.org/ English First, https://www.ef.co.uk/ Berlitz, https://www.berlitz.co.uk/

S03E01. Back to School (transcribed) Jan 28, 2022

Welcome back everyone to Gav & Em's How to English podcast. They're back for a new season of their teaching and learning English podcast. In this episode they discuss taking breaks, returning to school/work, and some New Year's resolutions. Plus a new feature called Teacher, Teach Me where teachers and learners can introduce a language point in the show. In this episode, Gav demonstrates the grammar: used to, didn't use to, get used to, and be used to. Finally, don't forget to catch them on their socials on Instagram, Facebook and also find them on Youtube. Enjoy the show! Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/ULlDaLulTNc

S02E19. Memorable Moments 2 - Music by Whizbusters (transcribed) Dec 24, 2021

Welcome to the final show of Season 2 of How to English Podcast with Gav & Em. It's been a real rollercoaster of a year and to finish off the year, your favourite hosts have invited some more amazing teachers and learners to tell their treasured memorable moments in and outside the classroom. Make sure you listen to the end to hear Whizbuster's fabulous musical rendition of the Twelve Days of Christmas and check out their Youtube channel for great resources. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/tgv1YWlmJgv Whizbusters links: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/WHIZBUSTERS More links: https://linktr.ee/whizbusters Featured teachers and learners: LaDoris: https://www.instagram.com/improve_my_pronunciation/ Cyndi: https://www.instagram.com/cyndi_elt/ Taravat: https://www.instagram.com/tinglish_me/ Monifa: https://www.instagram.com/jaenglishcoach/ Ivana: https://www.instagram.com/ucionica_engleskog/ Milena: https://www.instagram.com/teachermilena/ Una: https://www.instagram.com/naucimo_svedski_engleski/ Wanda: https://www.instagram.com/waworkshops/ Helen: https://www.instagram.com/helenteacheseng/

S02E18. Memorable Moments - Music by Shaisan Devasia (transcribed) Dec 17, 2021

Welcome everybody! It's time again for Gav & Em to finish the year with a special double episode featuring amazing teachers and learners. Enjoy stories of the most memorable moments in the classroom told by fabulous educators and students of English. A special thanks goes out to Shaisan Devasia for this week's incredible song. Get ready to be captivated by this week's How to English Pod. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/I34pAbBi3kv Shaisan's links: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSovnRhn3vsLMKSxEnSUaIw Shaisan's Verbal Planet: https://www.verbalplanet.com/publicviewprofile.asp?tr_id=10030090454&lang=HIN Featured teachers and learners: https://www.instagram.com/seuteacheragradece/ https://www.instagram.com/mylearningstuff/ https://www.instagram.com/englishmusiceducation/ https://www.instagram.com/englishsbeasy/ https://www.instagram.com/f.zamani1376nn/ https://www.instagram.com/hedreichnichols/ https://www.instagram.com/dlanguages/ https://www.instagram.com/englishbysanja/

S02E17. Influence - Featuring John's English Page - Music by Tony Kaizen (transcribed) Dec 03, 2021

Welcome to Gav and Em's podcast about teaching and learning English as a foreign language. This week Gav and Em are joined by John from John's English Page on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. They will be talking about influence and how to improve your social media presence. Make sure you listen to the end as they'll be joined by Tony Kaizen from the YouTube channel: Life in English. Hope you enjoy the show! Transcription with audio:https://share.descript.com/view/NKpgkTQEYDp John's links: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnsenglishpage/channel/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFYboIBO6DDxaa2Q_70KVuw Tony Kaizen's links: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdmOcmuG4yd2-_hFOlwHtSg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/englishwithkaizen/ Andy's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parlourlanguageroom/

S02E16. Phrasal Verbs - Music by Fluency MC (transcribed) Nov 19, 2021

Welcome Everybody! Can you answer these questions? What's a particle? Which phrasal verbs are seperable? What must we do with a transitive phrasal verb? It's study time with Gav & Em as they practice phrasal verbs from beginner to advanced level English. Also introducing the amazing talents of Fluency MC - Jason Levine, who performs GO, an awesome rap featuring an amazing number of expressions with go. With no further delay, let's begin! Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/9PZU1H5LMnk Jason's links: Website: https://fluencymc.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/fluencymc/videos Link tree: https://linktr.ee/fluency_mc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fluency_mc/

S02E15. Inspiration - Music by John Betton (transcribed) Nov 05, 2021

Hello! A special Welcome! to all the wonderful listeners and readers of Gav & Em's transcribed podcast. This week on How to English, the topic of inspiration will be explored. From Gav's first steps into teaching to Em's inspiring moments inside the classroom, they discuss that mysterious spark of inspiration. Don't forget to listen to the end of the show to hear English teacher and musician, John Betton's amazing and inspiring song, Family Man. Enjoy the show! Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/kbWXBplp3zY John Betton's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/0nenessagroove References: Dictionary reference: https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/ Dr. Alban: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6BkcAbUkfIBM4XudxieMq8

S02E14. Pidgin English - Featuring Coco Mbassi (transcribed) Oct 22, 2021

Welcome Everybody! Here is a very special episode of How to English podcast with Gav & Em. This week they are joined by an amazing guest, who is a linguist, translator, and award-winning musician, Coco Mbassi. Coco talks about her own experiences of learning and teaching languages, plus her work as a music and theatre artist. Make sure you don't miss this episode of the show! Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/2TMqgWXIRIq Palaba lyrics: https://www.dropbox.com/s/u9c7uv34gmie4ue/Palaba%20Lyrics.pdf?dl=0 Coco's references: Coco's website: https://cocombassi.co.uk Support Coco's work: https://www.patreon.com/CocoMbassi Other references: Pidgin English: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pidgin Article about banning language in a UK school: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/sep/30/oh-my-days-linguists-lament-slang-ban-in-london-school

S02E13. Tenses 2 The Future - Featuring Anchor Creative Education (transcribed) Oct 08, 2021

Welcome back! Here is the second part of Gav's story about his ant infestation and a look at the future tenses. If you haven't heard the first part of the story, go back and check out episode 12. This week Gav and Em are featuring the amazingly talented Anchor Creative Education who will finish the show with a wonderful song on irregular past tense verbs. Sit back or get up, put your headphones on, or open the transcription, and enjoy this week's How to English with Gav and Em. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/CeDwRgv0O6x Anchor Creative Education's links: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF3idoSaI6I-2bJcYtq4rvQ https://anchorcreativeeducation.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Anchorgrammar https://www.instagram.com/anchor_grammar/ Do ants sleep? https://www.kingstownelawn.com/blog/do-ants-fly-sleep-bite-10-surprising-facts#:~:text=2.,Their%20Sleep%20Through%20Power%20Naps&text=A%20recent%20study%20of%20ants,minutes%20of%20sleep%20per%20day. How English Works: A Grammar Practice Book; with Answers, Book by Catherine Walter and Michael Swan, Oxford English File, by Christina Latham-Koenig, Clive Oxenden, and Paul Seligson, Oxford Tenses: https://www.dropbox.com/s/isweapze59c5hic/Tense%20examples%20from%20Gav%27s%20story.pdf?dl=0

S02E12. Tenses - Featuring English with Rob (transcribed) Sep 24, 2021

Welcome to all our new followers and our regulars. This week Gav and Em take on the tenses of English. Teachers and students, have your pens and pads ready to take notes on an entertaining way of presenting grammar. Featuring our special guest Rob from English with Rob, who shares a delightful song which perfectly complements the show's theme. Listen, read and enjoy this week's episode of Gav and Em's How to English Podcast. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/oaLaaWaMiAD Tenses from the show: Present simple - There are ants in the sink! (a fact) They wake early. (routine) The ant bus arrives at 7 am in the morning. (a schedule) Present continuous - That piece of lettuce is walking away! (a longer action in the present) Past simple - The ants decided to invade the kitchen. (a past action) Past continuous - While the ants were walking away with the lettuce I decided to grab it. (a longer past action interrupted by a short action) Past perfect - Maybe you had left the door open and the ants got in. (a past action before another past action) Past perfect continuous - She had been doing a lot of overtime and that's why she felt stressed. (a longer action before a past action) Present perfect - The ants have been in the kitchen for two hours. (a past action that continues to the present) The ants have just taken control of my kitchen! (for recent past actions with present results) The ants have taken three lettuces. (when using a number of completed past actions with present results) They have occupied the sink. (started in the past, a permanent and completed situation) Present perfect continuous - They have been occupying the sink for two hours. (a temporary repeated action that started in the past and continues to the present.) Compare: Present perfect - The ants have eaten the lettuce. (for a completed past action with present results) Present perfect continuous - The ants have been eating the lettuce. (for an incomplete action started in the past and continues to the present and maybe beyond)

S02E11. Another Language - Featuring Ahmed Khalifa - Music by Ellie Meriz (transcribed) Sep 10, 2021

Welcome, everybody! In today's show, Gav and Em introduce an amazing speaker and podcaster, Ahmed Khalifa, to discuss British sign language. Maybe you're already familiar with it, or perhaps you've never thought about it before, but prepare yourself for a fascinating insight into British Sign Language. Are you ready to take Ahmed's challenge along with Gav and Em? Plus two captivating songs from our featured singer Ellie Meriz. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/sZvBplpPCDp Ahmed's links: Hear Me Out CC: https://hearmeoutcc.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwVOu4aDForkmx5ZuTU73zg Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0jRRHxkR6F55FsnmykxQss Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hearmeoutcc/ Ellie's links: Music: https://wiseband.lnk.to/Ellie-Meriz-Youre-Young Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elliemeriz/ References: Uk statistics on disabilities: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/understanding-disabilities-and-impairments-user-profiles/saleem-profoundly-deaf-user#:~:text=11%20million%20people%20in%20the,BSL%20users%20in%20the%20UK. Signing tips: https://blog.ai-media.tv/blog/signing-tips Course information here: https://www.coursera.org/learn/educating-deaf-children/lecture/NuhK9/understanding-deaf-culture-and-community Trabscriptons: https://descript.com/ Captioning your videos: www.app.wavve.co Autocap app Voicella Kaptioned GetSubtitle foxsubpro Who to follow on Instagram: adventures in deaf ed https://www.instagram.com/adventuresindeafed/?hl=en signlanguagecenter https://www.instagram.com/signlanguagecenter/?hl=en Hear a million: https://www.instagram.com/hearamillion/ Why I sign: https://www.instagram.com/whyisign/ Shout outs! inglesonline_uy https://www.instagram.com/inglesonline_uy/ inglish_glossy https://www.instagram.com/english_glossy/ cyndi_elt https://www.instagram.com/cyndi_elt/ teacherbiavieira https://www.instagram.com/teacherbiavieira/ ielts_meshkateducation https://www.instagram.com/ielts_meshkateducation/ englishsahartaremiiiiiii https://www.instagram.com/englishsahartaremiiiiiii/ sanaz_english_teacher https://www.instagram.com/sanaz_english_teacher/ prof.larissacampos https://www.instagram.com/prof.larissacampos/ lynegiannoccaro https://www.instagram.com/lynegiannoccaro/

S02E10. Innovative Teaching - Featuring Vitor Hugo - Music by Shemsi (transcribed) Aug 27, 2021

What does innovative teaching mean to you? Have you tried any new and exciting ways to teach and learn English in your classroom? Have you heard of Dogme teaching? This week, Gav and Em share some tips and tricks on recent innovations in teaching and learning English. Featuring their special guest Vitor Hugo #seu teacher agradece who talks about lip-syncing and being a queer online English teacher. Plus an amazing hit song from Shemsi! You'll be singing this until the end of summer. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/18iwS5nRsLe Vitor's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVo-FrBN6kD1tqrn7qo9_7w and instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seuteacheragradece/ Shemsi's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcVVrL6qxnUFT6H04Pdx7KQ/videos Vitor's references: Alok Vaid-Menon : https://www.instagram.com/alokvmenon/?hl=en Billy Porter: https://www.instagram.com/theebillyporter/?hl=en Jonathan Van Ness: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Van_Ness Pabllo Vittar: https://www.instagram.com/pabllovittar/ Lineka: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liniker Vitor's suggest artists to lip-synch to: Jason Maraz: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8ey1FYCmgHPa9f5KxWb0mw Boyce Avenue: https://www.boyceavenue.com/ Pentatonix: https://music.ptxofficial.com/ Glee: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheAllGleeMusic Shout out Instagram teachers: conversational_english_online https://www.instagram.com/conversational_english_online/ jucyaracipriano https://www.instagram.com/jucyaracipriano/ andys.everyday.english https://www.instagram.com/andys.everyday.english/ in2englishh https://www.instagram.com/in2englishh/ englishwithsaviz https://www.instagram.com/englishwithsaviz/ liveandlearn_podcast https://www.instagram.com/liveandlearn_podcast/ vita_british https://www.instagram.com/vita_british/ Gav and Em's references: Wikipedia Dogme: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogme_language_teaching There's a great article and description of Dogme at: https://www.whatiselt.com/single-post/2018/10/09/what-is-dogme-elt Example of Dogme lesson by Luke Meddings: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/a-dogme-lesson-luke-meddings-exeter

S02E09. Holidays - Music by JD Levin (transcribed) Aug 13, 2021

Happy holiday(s) everyone! Hope you're having a nice vacation or enjoying some free time. Gav & Em, this time, are sharing their thoughts on holidaying and how to teach and learn words, chunks of language, and grammar suitable for discussing this topic. With a special thanks to JD Levin for sharing his amazing song: Brian Wilson's Smile, featured at the end of the show. So relax, put your flip-flops on, wander down to the beach, and take a seat in a deck chair for this summery episode of How to English with Gav & Em. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/XFeQOKMaXKF JD Levin's website: https://www.notsosilentlibrarian.com/ References: Travel agent activity: Role Plays for Today, p. 20, Delta Publishing Travel and Tourism vocabulary: English File, 3rd Edition, vocabulary bank, Advanced, Oxford The Truth About Air Travel: English File 3rd Edition, 3A, p. 24, upper-intermediate, Oxford. At the Airport: English File, 1st Edition, p. 150. Intermediate, Oxford. An example of spot the difference at an airport: https://www.twinkl.es/resource/roi-l-745-up-up-and-away-spot-the-difference-activity-sheet Beginner's Communication Games, Unit 33, Room Service, Longman www.booking.com/

Trailer Jul 31, 2021

Welcome to a podcast about English as a foreign language. Listen to two experienced teachers discussing the most important topics for both teachers and students. Each show they'll cover teaching techniques and learning tips. Whether you're up at the board, or behind the desk, you'll get something from Gav and Em's: How To English Podcast. Find them on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter/YouTube #howtoenglishpod Show your support here: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod ID: Picture shows two white people, Gav and Em on the a green background. Gav, left, is middle-aged with short hair and a large brown-grey beard. He's wearing a blue-white striped shirt. Gav is screwing his face up in a funny way and winking towards the camera. On the right is Em who has long brown hair with a fringe. She's also screwing up her face in a funny way. At the top of the picture is the logo, How to Enlgish written in italics. Below that are the words, teach and learn with Gav and Em. Between them at the bottom of the screen is the hashtag podcast and below that is the word transcribed with a document and pencil graphic.

S02E08. Spaces - Featuring Helen Slee - Music by Celest (transcribed) Jul 30, 2021

Welcome everybody! This week Gav and Em are discussing the topic of Spaces: open, safe, and work. They discuss the topics of representation and diversity from an educational context. Joined by their special guest Mx Helen Slee and accompanied by music from Celest (lyrics below). Enjoy, engage and come on a learning journey with How to English. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/OsEj9ZjMllO Helen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helenteacheseng/ Helen's article at Teachers as workers (TAWSIG), https://www.teachersasworkers.org/time-to-talk-about-beating-the-binary/ Celest's links: https://www.instagram.com/dontfretcelest/ https://linktr.ee/dontfretCelest References: Barriers for transgender students: https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/barriers-and-enablers-of-education-equality-for-transgender-stude TEFL Workers Union: https://teflworkersunion.org/ Tips for making your classroom more inclusive: https://www.hrc.org/news/tips-for-making-classrooms-more-inclusive-as-students-head-back-to-school Gender pronouns app: https://pronouns.minus18.org.au/ More information on gender pronouns: https://uwm.edu/lgbtrc/support/gender-pronouns/ Make your school library more diverse: http://hereweeread.com/2020/12/the-2021-ultimate-list-of-diverse-childrens-books.html Resources for teachers: https://www.commonsense.org/education/top-picks/diversity-equity-and-inclusivity-resources-for-classrooms https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/secondary-education-resources/lesson-plan-ideas/lesson-1-actions-and-consequences Lyrics to Celest's song: Tiptoe © Celest Knocked out through the day The nights with you last so long If we stay tucked away I'll call out from your arms Fell sick under charm To your voice like honey Honeyyyy And the rain outside Makes a unfair fight Tiptoe down the hallway Pick your side of the bed Spend all night spend all day like you do in my head When you leave me tell me You’ll be back again ‘Cause I can't wait No I can't wait to see you again If I were time id fly Like the times with you Ask me anything you want Bc I know you got a few Questions for me Like it's too good to be true Ask me How I feel And I'll tell you to Tiptoe down the hallway Pick your Side of the bed Spend all night Spend all day like you do in my head When you leave me Tell me you’ll be back again ‘Cause I can't wait No I can't wait to see you again

S02E07. Idioms - Music by Gareth Evans-Jones (transcribed) Jul 16, 2021

Welcome everybody! Hello to all our new and returning listeners. For the summer Gav & Em are releasing fortnightly shows to share their knowledge on EFL teaching, introduce some awesome guest speakers and share some incredible music. The topic for this episode is idioms, which will leave you with a whole slew of new terms. This week's show also features a track from the amazing singer, songwriter and performer Gareth Evans-Jones (lyrics below). It's an incredibly catchy song you'll be singing all week! Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/QdfOloILLRM Gareth Evans-Jones: https://www.instagram.com/garethevansjones/ Gareth's music: https://soundcloud.com/gmej2406 References and lyrics: Education First, Idioms: https://www.ef.com/wwen/english-resources/english-idioms/ New Market Leader, 2nd Edition, Intermediate, Unit 14 Competition New Market Leader, 3rdEdition, Upper-Intermediate, Unit 1 Communication Idioms from Everyday Use, Milada Broukal, National Textbook Company to beat around the bush: https://www.gingersoftware.com/content/phrases/beat-around-the-bush/ to walk around the hot porridge (like a cat): https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/561432/etymology-of-walking-around-hot-porridge to have a dumpling stuck in your throat: https://english.radio.cz/have-butter-your-head-and-a-dumpling-your-throat-8296746 to have a cat stuck in your throat: https://www.europe1.fr/culture/dou-vient-lexpression-avoir-un-chat-dans-la-gorge-3997982 ©Gareth Evans-Jones 2015 GHOSTWRITER Verse 1 The Ghostwriter makes his mark, signs his name in the dark – The Ghostwriter The Ghostwriter works all day, gropes around, finds a way – The Ghostwriter Bridge: So if you think you have something to say And you’d like to have it your own way (take it to…) Chorus: The Ghostwriter fumbles through pages of other people’s Humble beginnings, their losses and winnings, ‘cos he Knows how to edit the truth underpinning your whole life – and maybe cut you like a knife Verse 2 The Ghostwriter drops his pen in the sand then tries again – a lone rider This Ghostwriter closes down, shuts his eyes and turns around – a fee finder Bridge Chorus

S02E06. Music - Featuring Bárbara at English Music Education (transcribed) Jun 25, 2021

Welcome Everybody! Gav & Em are delighted to be featuring Barbara from English Music Education in this special show all about music. How can we introduce our students to this wonderful world of melody and lyrics? How can learners improve their English through the study of music? Find out the answer to these questions and many more. Make sure you listen right to the end to enjoy Barbara's song: 2021 (Looking Through the Glass). Lyrics are below. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/0WGQPgDwvbJ English Music Education: http://musicenglish.weebly.com/ English Music Education Books: http://musicenglish.weebly.com/libros.html English Music Education YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPDmG3cWHXmtiN-NH1sj3Xw/videos Resources: Headway, Oxford, Upper-intermediate, Unit 10 English File, Oxford, 3rd Edition, Upper-intermediate p153, vocabulary bank: Music English File, Oxford, 3rd Edition, Intermediate, 7B, Tchaikovsky's house Writing an album review: https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/writing/advanced-c1/a-music-review Reward, Macmillan, Intermediate Resource Pack, Unit 5, Are you in Tune? Google translate: https://translate.google.com/ YouTube: X Factor 5 Best Performances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PirZLgS3QoE Bare Naked Ladies, If I Had a Million Dollars. Gordon Lightfoot, Of You Could Read My Mind. Lyrics to Bárbara's song: 2021 (LOOKING THROUGH THE GLASS) © Bárbara Lázaro, 2021 The streets are covered in white On the first day of a new time There is no one outside but the bird's song Sugar coat and footprints on the ground The town sleeps, no wonder why The fireworks lasted ‘til 2 am The last dinner she had on her own The freezing night before 2021 And she is looking through the glass Images of when she was young No one to hold her hand or put arms around But she will wait there for her love to come She was fifteen when they first met All these moments running in her head Sixty years have passed and the snowflakes look the same As when they chased each other in the lake And she is looking through the glass Images of when she was young No one to hold her hand or put arms around But she will wait there for her love to come And oh! When they meet again They will walk and laugh and never leave Her home warm like a summer night ‘Cause she will have her love to hold her hand And she is looking through the glass Images of when she was young No one to hold her hand or put arms around But she will wait there for her love to come ‘Til they meet again ‘Til they meet again

S02E05. What Works and What Doesn't (transcribed) May 28, 2021

Welcome everybody! In this episode Gav & Em mull on the following topics: How do you know the lesson is working? How do you make it natural? Universal topics, body language, engagement, using music and film in class. Revision and choosing the right teacher. Along with many other interesting topics. Sit back or get up and enjoy this month's How to English with Gav & Em. Transcriptions here: https://share.descript.com/view/dZs6LJ0xlnw References: The Apprentice (TV show): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Apprentice_(British_TV_series)

S02E04. Chat and Chillaxation (transcribed) Apr 30, 2021

Welcome to this month's episode of How to Teach and learn. In this show, Gav & Em will answer questions and give advice on teaching and learning English. Topics include: which podcasts they listen to, giving yourself feedback on your progress, Em's apple box, and Gav's exercise bike! Tune in and enjoy: How to English! Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/IvrHOwb1KGY SmallBites podcast and Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIuJbBSmeAo6d98SDC_zanQ Ologies podcast: https://www.alieward.com/ologies Today in Focus podcast: https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/todayinfocus The Allusionist podcast: https://www.theallusionist.org/ Dear Hank and John podcast: https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/dear-hank-john Imagine Otherwise podcast: https://ideasonfire.net/imagine-otherwise-podcast/ Everything EFL podcast: https://everythingefl.com/ Instagram, How to English: https://www.instagram.com/howtoenglishpod/

S02E03. Bias - Featuring Hedreich Nichols from SmallBites (transcribed) Mar 26, 2021

In this episode, Gav and Em discuss the topic of Bias. This week's special guest is Hedreich Nichols, a curriculum designer and Middle Years Program district edtech lead from North Texas. The author of What is Anti-racism? and What is the Black Lives Matter Movement? and also the host of Smallbites, a YouTube channel, and podcast. Enjoy Hedreich's show and Gav and Em's discussion on bias, favouritism, randomising, diversification, and empathy. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/O5uRbwPgj95 Resources: Hedreich and SmallBites at: https://hedreich.com/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIuJbBSmeAo6d98SDC_zanQ Oxford dictionaries: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/ https://zoom.us/ Raise up! Books: https://raiseupforelt.com/

S02E02. Fatigue (transcribed) Feb 26, 2021

Are you feeling weary and a bit worn out? Is the repetition of your work/life/studies getting you down? Gav and Em talk about both their teaching and learning experiences and how to avoid fatigue. Check out this month's episode of How to English for tons of tips on improving your teaching and learning. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/a70KNfQnAbd References: https://www.duolingo.com/ https://www.funeasylearn.com/ Podcasts for learning languages: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/feb/09/top-podcasts-learning-language-german-japanese

S02E01. How to Begin (transcribed) Jan 29, 2021

Welcome back! Here is the second season of Gav & Em's How to English podcast. Join them as they discuss the topic of learning a language from the beginning. Transcription with audio: https://share.descript.com/view/FQPetj9pi0P

References:

Pimsler: https://www.pimsleur.com/

Duolingo: https://www.duolingo.com/

101 Languages: https://www.101languages.net/

Fun Easy Learn: https://www.funeasylearn.com/

Michel Tomas: https://www.michelthomas.com/

Qualities of good teachers: https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/2017/12/qualities-of-a-good-teacher

S01E50. Top Tips Two (transcribed) Dec 25, 2020

In the final show of their first season, Gav & Em present the second part of teachers' and learners' top tips. Whether you're a student or teacher you'll find wonderful tips and tricks to improve your teaching and learning English skills. Remember to return in the New Year with season two! Season's greetings and happy New Year to you all, from Gav & Em. Buy Gav & Em a coffee here: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod⁠ And visit all the shows with transcriptions here: ⁠http://www.howtoenglishpod.com/ Teachers and Learners on Instagram: kasaei72 https://www.instagram.com/kasaei72/ sara_nativeenglishfast https://www.instagram.com/sara_nativeenglishfast/ renan_weteachonline https://www.instagram.com/renan_weteachonline/ everything_efl_pod https://www.instagram.com/everything_efl_pod/ bits_n_pieces_english https://www.instagram.com/bits_n_pieces_english/ parlourlanguageroom https://www.instagram.com/parlourlanguageroom/ english.unite https://www.instagram.com/english.unite/ english4brazilians https://www.instagram.com/english4brazilians/ rosanna_spreadjoy https://www.instagram.com/rosanna_spreadjoy/ vicky.loras https://www.instagram.com/vicky.loras/ the.eng.bang https://www.instagram.com/the.eng.bang/ liveandlearn_podcast https://www.instagram.com/liveandlearn_podcast/ canaryislandsenglish https://www.instagram.com/canaryislandsenglish/ mohsen.sabetmand https://www.instagram.com/mohsen.sabetmand/ english_with_amira https://www.instagram.com/english_with_amira/ etook.english https://www.instagram.com/etook.english/ WaWorkshops https://www.instagram.com/waworkshops/ Google docs: https://docs.google.com/ Google jamboard: https://jamboard.google.com/ Quizlet: https://quizlet.com/en-gb The Crown, TV show, Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/80025678 Friends, TV show: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108778/

S01E49. Top Tips - Part One (transcribed) Dec 18, 2020

In this penultimate show of season one, Gav & Em ask their fellow teachers and student followers to share their top teaching and learning language tips. This week's fun-packed show won't fail to inspire and motivate your teaching and learning. Buy Gav & Em a coffee here: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod⁠ And visit all the shows with transcriptions here: ⁠http://www.howtoenglishpod.com/ Teachers and learners on Instagram: f.zamani1376nn https://www.instagram.com/f.zamani1376nn/ englisharthas https://www.instagram.com/englisharthas/ maxi.kot https://www.instagram.com/maxi.kot/ 6afraidof7cause789 https://www.instagram.com/6afraidof7cause789/ aceenglishonline https://www.instagram.com/acenglishonline/ english_like_a_non_native https://www.instagram.com/english_like_a_non_native/ dosecertadeingles https://www.instagram.com/dosecertadeingles/ learnenglishwithparis https://www.instagram.com/learn.english.with.paris/ patriciademier https://www.instagram.com/patricia_demier/ tungning_inthepicture https://www.instagram.com/tungning_inthepicture/ edsvets_english https://www.instagram.com/edsvets_english/ fabulousfabes https://www.instagram.com/fabulous.fabes/ teachloveearn https://www.instagram.com/teach.love.earn/ tutorstoptips https://www.instagram.com/tutors.toptips/ creative.ideas.4.esl https://www.instagram.com/creative.ideas.4.esl/ Resources: Business Builder Resources, 1.3 Showing Interest, Macmillan, 2002 Flipgrid: https://info.flipgrid.com/ DeepL: https://www.deepl.com/en/translator

S01E48. Books - Featuring Raise Up! (transcribed) Dec 11, 2020

This week Gav & Em review some of their favourite teaching and learning English books. The show includes a very special message from two of the authors of Raise Up! a diverse and representative series of student's course books. We really recommend you get a copy for your own classroom. Enjoy the show! Buy Gav & Em a coffee here: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod⁠ And visit all the shows with transcriptions here: ⁠http://www.howtoenglishpod.com/ Raise Up! visit their website: https://raiseupforelt.com/ James's ELT podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kZ6ubdXZipTx2YRdkvSud?si=fgys1lvWQbGZDK-oNn_0rA&utm_source=copy-link&dl_branch=1 English File, Oxford University Press: https://elt.oup.com/catalogue/items/global/adult_courses/english_file_fourth_edition/?cc=gb&selLanguage=en&mode=hub Market Leader, Pearson: https://www.pearson.com/english/catalogue/business-english/market-leader.html In company, MacMillan: https://www.macmillanenglish.com/catalogue/courses/business-english/in-company-30/course-information Cutting Edge, Pearson: https://www.pearson.com/english/catalogue/general-english/cutting-edge-3e.html Headway, Oxford University Press: https://elt.oup.com/catalogue/items/global/adult_courses/headway/?cc=gb&selLanguage=en&mode=hub How English Works, Oxford: https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/How_English_Works.html?id=ZUBPvdUx39IC&redir_esc=y English Grammar in Use, Cambridge: https://www.cambridge.org/gb/cambridgeenglish/catalog/grammar-vocabulary-and-pronunciation/english-grammar-use-5th-edition Language Practice, MacMillan: https://www.waterstones.com/author/michael-vince/298029 Penny Ur https://www.cambridge.org/gb/cambridgeenglish/authors/penny-ur New Inside Out, MacMillan: https://www.macmillanenglish.com/catalogue/courses/adults-and-young-adults/new-inside-out/course-information Reward, Longman: https://www.eltbase.com/books-6-reward-intermediate-resource-pack

S01E47. It's The Business (transcribed) VIDEO Dec 04, 2020

Are you a business person? Do you teach business English? What's the difference between general and business English? Find the answer to these and many more fascinating questions on this week's How to English with Gav & Em. Welcome listeners. This week Gav & Em discuss the topic of learner levels. From beginners to proficiency, what are the differences, challenges and rewards of both teaching and learning at these levels? Buy Gav & Em a coffee here: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod⁠ And visit all the shows with transcriptions here: ⁠http://www.howtoenglishpod.com/ References: CEFR table and "can do" statements: https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/table-1-cefr-3.3-common-reference-levels-global-scale English File, Oxford References: Market Leader, third edition, Upper-Intermediate, Longman New Cutting Edge, Upper-Intermediate, Pearson

What Are the Best Topics for English Lessons? Student Favourites & Practical TEFL Ideas – S01E46 Nov 27, 2020

What are the best topics for an English lesson?

The most effective lesson topics give learners something meaningful to say, introduce useful language and can be adapted to their level, interests and reasons for learning English.

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em compare topics that have worked with their students and explore how familiar themes can become productive lessons.

Drawing on their experience of teaching different ages, levels and course types, they discuss food, recipes, festivals, healthy eating, legal cases, art, cultural rules, stories, British idioms and superstitions. Examples include BBC recipes, the Stella Liebeck hot-coffee case, a David Hockney painting, a Douglas Adams story and the UK Eatwell Guide.

They also consider how one topic can provide a natural context for speaking, reading, vocabulary and grammar, including inchoative verbs.

Questions answered include:

What are some good topics for English lessons?
Which conversation topics do learners enjoy?
How can teachers adapt one topic for different levels?
How can food, culture, art and stories generate useful language?
How much should learners’ interests influence lesson planning?
How can familiar coursebook topics become more memorable?

Whether you are planning a conversation class, adapting a coursebook unit or looking for fresh inspiration, this episode offers practical ideas based on materials and discussions Gav and Em have used with real learners.

☕ Enjoying the podcast? Show Gav and Em your appreciation with a coffee, tea or another well-earned beverage:
https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

🌐 Busy teacher? Find practical teaching resources, classroom ideas and episode guides at:
https://howtoenglishpod.com

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Introduction
00:42 – What makes a good English lesson topic?
02:27 – Food, recipes and festival lesson ideas
05:24 – Legal English and the Stella Liebeck hot-coffee case
06:46 – Using paintings and visual material
08:48 – Cultural rules, laws and discussion activities
10:46 – Stories, healthy eating and language through topics
17:36 – British idioms
19:44 – English superstitions and cultural beliefs
23:43 – Choosing topics students genuinely enjoy
24:48 – Closing thoughts and outro

REFERENCES

BBC Recipes:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes

Food, Unit 1, English File, 3rd Edition, Intermediate, Oxford

Festivals in Germany:
https://cs.hotels.com/go/germany/best-festivals-germany

Absolute Legal English, Delta Publishing:
https://www.ajshop.cz/delta-publishing/absolute-legal-english/

Stella Liebeck case: Cutting Edge, Advanced, Longman

David Hockney painting: English File, 3rd Edition, Pre-Intermediate, Oxford

Cultural Rules and Laws: Are They True? New English File, 2nd Edition, Intermediate, p.179, Oxford

Douglas Adams’ story:
https://theoldvillage.wordpress.com/2004/01/28/douglas-adams-shares-a-true-story/

UK Eatwell Guide:
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/the-eatwell-guide/

Inchoative verbs:
https://www.usingenglish.com/files/pdf/inchoative-verbs.pdf

British idioms:
https://www.chapter-living.com/blog/28-classic-british-idioms

English superstitions:
https://artsandculture.google.com/story/QQIyTWmzJ9QvLg

How Do You Teach English to Kids? Practical TEFL Tips for Young Learners & Teens – S01E45 Nov 20, 2020

How do you teach English to children and teenagers — and what makes teaching young learners so different from teaching adults?

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em look back at their own experiences of teaching kids, from very young learners and energetic summer-school groups to teenagers, exam students and one-to-one lessons.

Drawing on more than 40 years of combined English-teaching experience, including plenty of first-hand experience with children and teens, they discuss the lessons that worked brilliantly, the classes that definitely didn’t, and the techniques they learned along the way.

How do you keep children interested in English? Should you use rewards and star charts? How important are routines? What should you do when teenagers simply don’t want to participate? And how can teachers combine structure with games, stories, crafts and topics students genuinely care about?

Gav explains why he sometimes abandons the coursebook when a young learner becomes enthusiastic about a topic such as fashion or a favourite film, while Em remembers both the excitement of teaching highly motivated children and the challenge of trying to energise tired teenagers.

They also explore classroom management, clear instructions, consistency, praise, short activities, storytelling, hands-on learning, revision and keeping teacher talking time under control.

Later, Gav and Em consider the particular challenge of teaching children online and ask how teachers can maintain energy, interaction and attention when young learners are sitting behind a screen.

Whether you are teaching English to kids for the first time, returning to young learner classes after a break, or looking for practical TEFL ideas for children and teenagers, this episode offers honest classroom experiences and plenty of ideas to try.

☕ Support Gav & Em:
https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

🌐 More TEFL articles, episodes and teaching ideas:
https://howtoenglishpod.com

References:Best books for kids: https://bilingualkidspot.com/2019/06/11/esl-english-learning-books-for-kids-beginners/Oxford Picture Dictionary: https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-oxford-picture-dictionary-for-kids-joan-ross-keyes/book/9780194349970.htmlLet’s Go Series: https://elt.oup.com/catalogue/items/global/young_learners/lets_go_fourth_edition/?cc=cz&selLanguage=csSong: We're going on a bear hunt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QlAx20TvEIKids peer teaching: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/peer-correctionUseful Tips for Teaching ESL To Children: https://www.eslbase.com/teaching/teaching-esl-childrenTimestamps:

00:00 Teaching kids: Gav & Em introduce the topic
02:16 Coursebooks or the learner’s interests?
04:31 Why teaching children is a different skill
05:52 Motivating children and difficult teenage classes
09:34 Classroom management, boundaries and respect
10:51 Rewards, stars and the importance of consistency
13:34 Routines, clear instructions and lesson structure
15:45 Story time and activities for younger learners
17:17 Crafts, stories and interactive listening
19:18 Hands-on activities and keeping instructions short
21:32 Review, correction and praise
22:52 The challenges of teaching kids online
25:44 Following their interests — even if it means Frozen 2
26:28 Gav & Em’s favourite memories of teaching children
28:47 End

How much pressure should English teachers put on their students — and how much pressure should teachers put on themselves? - S01E44 Nov 13, 2020

How much pressure should English teachers put on their students — and how much pressure should teachers put on themselves?

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em explore pressure in English teaching and learning from four directions: students to teachers, teachers to students, teachers to other teachers and companies, and students to students.

Drawing on decades of experience teaching in classrooms, companies and online, they discuss when pressure can motivate progress — and when it becomes unhelpful.

Em talks about imposter syndrome, second-guessing herself and still feeling nervous before some lessons. She also recalls being asked early in her career to teach a high-profile politician who later became the president of a country, complete with bodyguards and very little preparation time.

Gav explains why teaching senior executives can still feel intimidating and what happens when students suddenly ask difficult grammar or vocabulary questions. Do teachers need every answer immediately, or is checking and working through language together part of good teaching?

They also look at pressure on students: comfort zones, correction, homework, difficult questions and the balance between keeping learners comfortable and helping them improve.

Then there is pressure from other teachers. Social media and staffrooms can make everybody else’s lessons look polished and effortless, leading teachers to compare themselves with others.

Gav and Em also discuss pressure from language schools and companies: last-minute cover lessons, progress tests, admin, demanding timetables and the fear freelance teachers can feel about saying no to work or taking a holiday.

Finally, can pressure be positive? They look at study buddies, group work and peer pressure as ways learners can motivate one another without all the responsibility falling on the teacher.

Support How to English:
https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

More episodes, teaching ideas and resources:
https://howtoenglishpod.com

References:
Synonyms: https://www.synonyms.com/
Dictionary: https://www.dictionary.com/
Mice on wheels: https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/21/science/study-shows-that-mice-run-for-fun-not-just-for-lab-work.html
Dan Rather quote: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/79856

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 What does “pressure” mean in English teaching?
01:00 Four types of pressure in teaching and learning
02:10 Imposter syndrome and self-pressure
03:00 Teaching VIPs and senior executives
06:20 Em’s experience teaching a high-profile politician
09:30 What if a student asks a question you can’t answer?
12:40 Student expectations, goals and useful pressure
17:30 Comfort zones, motivation and progress
19:50 Homework, correction and classroom pressure
22:40 Comparing yourself with other teachers
25:30 Pressure from schools, companies and workload
28:45 Freelance teaching, holidays and saying yes
30:45 Study buddies and positive peer pressure
32:20 Group work and useful pressure
33:40 Self-care, managing pressure and wrapping up

How to Organise Teaching Materials, Lesson Plans & Resources – S01E43 Nov 06, 2020

How should English teachers organise years of worksheets, lesson plans, coursebook materials, audio files and student notes without creating an even bigger digital mess?

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em talk about something almost every experienced teacher eventually has to deal with: organising their teaching stuff.

Em has spent years moving from paper-based teaching materials to digital resources — including her famous pink folders — while Gav explains the system he developed for organising lessons by Business English, General English, exam preparation, topics, grammar, vocabulary and functional language.

They compare different ways of storing and naming teaching materials, discuss why searchable file names can be as important as folders, and look at the advantages and disadvantages of keeping PDF, Word, audio and other versions of the same resource.

Gav also explains how he built reusable lesson packs from favourite coursebook activities, audio and worksheets, making it easier to find a complete lesson when a familiar topic comes up again. But digital organisation creates another problem: what happens when you save so much material that you can no longer decide which activity to use?

The conversation then turns to English learners. Gav and Em discuss ways students can organise vocabulary and study habits, including keeping a diary in English, making vocabulary lists, using flashcards, testing themselves, taking useful notes and identifying words and expressions they actually need in everyday life.

Em also shares the system she uses for keeping notes about individual students so she can remember important details from previous lessons and build stronger continuity and rapport from class to class.

Finally, they tackle one of Gav's weaker areas: teacher admin. Should attendance, lesson records and other paperwork be completed immediately after each class, or can you leave everything until the end of the month?

Drawing on years of face-to-face and online English teaching, Gav and Em compare two very different approaches to organisation and ask an important question: how organised does an English teacher really need to be?

In this episode:

00:00 What does “organising stuff” mean for teachers?
02:10 Em's move from paper folders to digital teaching materials
04:30 Should teachers keep paper copies of old lessons?
06:00 Building reusable digital lesson packs
08:05 Can teachers save too many resources?
09:30 Gav's system for organising TEFL materials
12:00 Why searchable file names matter
13:25 PDF vs Word files for teaching online
15:10 Going paper-free as an English teacher
17:15 Organising vocabulary and study habits
18:45 Choosing English words you actually need
20:25 Flashcards, revision and testing yourself
21:40 Immersing yourself in English
23:15 Keeping organised notes about individual students
25:35 How teacher notes can improve lesson continuity
27:20 Organising attendance, lesson records and admin
29:10 Gav and Em's very different approaches to teacher admin

Support How to English:
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More TEFL articles, teaching ideas and episodes:
https://howtoenglishpod.com

References:

CEFR table and “can do” statements:
https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/table-1-cefr-3.3-common-reference-levels-global-scale

English File, Oxford

How Can You Prepare for English Exams? IELTS, TOEFL & Cambridge Exam Skills – S01E42 Oct 30, 2020

How should you prepare for an English exam such as IELTS, TOEFL or Cambridge English — and which exam skills actually make a difference?

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em explore English exam preparation from both the teacher’s and learner’s perspective. They compare IELTS, TOEFL and Cambridge English exams and discuss why learners take them for university, work, migration, promotion or as a personal language-learning goal.

Preparing for an English exam involves more than improving grammar and vocabulary. Gav and Em look at practical strategies across reading, listening, speaking and writing, including time management, recognising listening distractors, skimming texts, practising keyword transformations and word formation, and learning the test format before exam day.

They also discuss how teachers can make exam preparation more engaging and memorable.

For speaking exams, Gav and Em explain why candidates should focus on genuine communication rather than memorised answers. They discuss interacting with another candidate, dealing naturally with difficult questions, recovering from mistakes and showing the range of English expected at the learner’s level.

Writing gets special attention from guest teacher Dino Koaching, who shares his experience of helping Cambridge exam students improve essay planning. Dino explains how “reverse engineering” an essay — taking an existing piece of writing apart to identify its structure and key ideas — can help learners understand planning before moving on to brainstorming and writing a new essay.

Whether you're preparing for IELTS, TOEFL, B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency, or you're an English teacher running exam preparation classes, this episode offers practical ideas for approaching exams with clearer strategies and greater confidence.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction – do Gav and Em like exams?
02:10 Can exam preparation lessons actually be fun?
04:20 IELTS, TOEFL and Cambridge English exams
07:30 Why do learners take English exams?
10:05 Exam-day timing and preparation
12:20 Listening skills and recognising distractors
15:05 Exam formats, levels and scores
17:20 Choosing exam preparation books and materials
20:00 Reading skills, skimming and independent practice
23:10 Cambridge keyword transformations and word formation
26:15 Building vocabulary for advanced exam reading
28:20 Speaking exam strategies and natural communication
32:10 Writing skills with guest Dino Koaching
33:40 Why traditional essay planning can fail learners
36:10 Reverse engineering an essay
38:15 Brainstorming and building an essay plan
40:10 Dino’s Cambridge exam writing course
41:15 Gav and Em reflect on Dino’s approach
42:15 Final thoughts on teaching and learning exam skills

Support How to English:
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More TEFL articles, podcast episodes and teaching resources:
https://howtoenglishpod.com

REFERENCES

CEFR Global Scale and “Can Do” statements:
https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/table-1-cefr-3.3-common-reference-levels-global-scale

English File, Oxford

Dino Koaching on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/dinokoaching/

Dino’s Cambridge Exams – Essay Writing Course:
https://www.udemy.com/course/cambridge-exams-essay-writing/?referralCode=61CF3E54ED5E94D2DECD

Difference between TOEFL and IELTS:
https://www.schoolapply.com/blog/posts/2017/january/ielts-vs-toefl-what-is-the-difference/

Cambridge English exams:
https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/

TOEFL:
https://www.ets.org/toefl

Barron’s TOEFL exam book:
https://www.toeflresources.com/blog/review-barrons-toefl-ibt-17th-edition/

Recommended IELTS books:
https://ieltsliz.com/recommended-books-for-ielts/

Macmillan Ready For series:
http://www.macmillan.cz/ucebnice-anglictiny/jazykove-zkousky

Cambridge C2 Proficiency and official exam preparation materials:
https://www.cambridge.org/gb/cambridgeenglish/official-exam-preparation-materials/exam/c2-proficiency

Why the CELTA Was Worth It: Lessons That Shaped Our Teaching - S01E41 Oct 23, 2020

Are you a teacher with a CELTA qualification? Are you thinking about taking the CELTA training course? Does your teacher have a CELTA or another teaching qualification? Whatever your certificate, listen to Gav and Em discuss their experiences of studying in another country to become teachers.Welcome followers. This week Gav & Em discuss the topic of learner levels. From beginners to proficiency, what are the differences, challenges and rewards of both teaching and learning at these levels? Buy Gav & Em a coffee here: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod⁠ And visit all the shows with transcriptions here: ⁠http://www.howtoenglishpod.com/References:CEFR table and "can do" statements: https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/table-1-cefr-3.3-common-reference-levels-global-scaleEnglish File, OxfordReferences:IH Budapest, teacher training: http://teacher-training.hu/Details of the course:https://www.cactuslanguage.com/benefits-of-a-celta-online-course/Pass rates of the CELTA internationally: https://passthecelta.com/faq/what-is-the-pass-rate/#:~:text=CELTA%20pass%20rates%20differ%20depending,candidates%20get%20a%20pass%20gradeAmazing task based learning book: https://www.deltapublishing.co.uk/book/activities-for-task-based-learning-9783125017016/?page_id=1CELTA preparation book: https://www.cambridge.org/gb/cambridgeenglish/catalog/cambridge-english-exams-ielts/celta-course

What Makes a Good English Lesson? Real Students Share What Helps Them Learn – S01E40 Oct 16, 2020

What makes a good English lesson — and what do learners actually want from their teachers?

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em put students at the centre of the discussion.

Drawing on 40+ years of combined English-teaching experience, they compare their own classroom ideas with direct feedback from learners. Some of Gav’s students even join the episode to explain why they are learning English, what motivates them and what helps them improve.

The reasons are varied: business, meetings, career opportunities, travel, entertainment, football, living abroad and simply enjoying the challenge of learning something new.

Em also asks her students what makes a good English lesson. Their answers highlight a positive atmosphere, plenty of speaking time, relevant topics, appropriate challenge and clear lesson structure. Gav and Em discuss Teacher Talk Time, group size, learner feedback and how teachers can adapt lessons to students’ needs.

Gav’s students share practical learning tips too: don’t be afraid of mistakes, use English regularly, watch programmes, read in English, follow subjects you enjoy and make learning part of everyday life.

The episode also looks at error correction and why some learners want teachers to identify repeated mistakes, help them reformulate and give them chances to use new language again.

Sometimes the best way to discover what students need is simply to ask them.

Support the podcast:
https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

Teaching resources:
https://www.howtoenglishpod.com/

References:

CEFR table and “Can Do” statements:
https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/table-1-cefr-3.3-common-reference-levels-global-scale

English File, Oxford

“I am still learning” quote:
https://www.maryellencarsley.com/blog/i-am-still-learning-misattributed-to-michelangelo-di-lodovico-buonarroti-simoni

Statistics on language learners:
https://www.elc-schools.com/blog/4-reasons-why-learning-english-is-so-important/

Why are students learning English?
https://www.knowblereader.com/why-learn-english

The world’s languages:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/04/23/the-worlds-languages-in-7-maps-and-charts/

2 billion English learners:
https://www.internationalteflacademy.com/blog/report-from-tesol-2-billion-english-learners-worldwide

How many people speak English?
https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/how-many-people-speak-english-and-where-is-it-spoken

Positive adjectives:
http://www.cytss.edu.hk/cytss97pyl/car/testimonial%20reference.pdf

Negative adjectives:
https://www.speakconfidentenglish.com/describe-people-negatively-english/

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 It’s All About the Students
01:35 How many people are learning English?
04:15 Why do people learn English?
09:10 Real students explain why they are learning
12:50 What makes a good English lesson?
15:10 How many students should be in a class?
16:05 Should students talk more than the teacher?
19:10 Do English lessons need a clear structure?
20:15 Why topics should be relevant and interesting
21:45 How difficult should an English lesson be?
24:30 English words used in other languages
25:40 Students share their best English-learning tips
29:00 Using books, TV and lessons together
30:05 Learning from mistakes and teacher correction
31:50 What makes a good student?
35:15 Make English enjoyable, not a chore

How Can English Teachers Make Environmental Topics Engaging? Practical TEFL Ideas – S01E39 Oct 09, 2020

How can English teachers make environmental topics interesting, practical and relevant to learners?

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em explore both meanings of “environment”: the spaces in which we teach and learn, and the environmental issues we can bring into English lessons.

They discuss how changing an online teaching background, using real websites, maps and virtual locations, or even taking learning beyond the classroom can create fresh opportunities for communication. They then turn to practical ways of teaching environmental English through personal questions, quizzes, statistics and everyday choices rather than relying only on abstract discussions about “saving the planet”.

Topics include the three Rs, eco-guilt, reusable bags, recycling, water use, transport, paper versus e-books, reusing coursebooks, the environmental cost of online searches and video streaming, carbon footprints, and ways teachers can turn these subjects into speaking, vocabulary and grammar work.

Gav and Em also share examples from their own lessons and discuss why environmental topics can generate stronger conversation when learners are given information they can question, compare and relate to their own lives.

☕ Support How to English:
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🌐 Free TEFL articles, teaching ideas and practical classroom activities:
https://www.howtoenglishpod.com/

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction
00:45 Why talk about “the environment”?
01:45 Changing your teaching environment
03:25 Community as classroom and learning beyond the classroom
05:00 Using real websites, maps and virtual environments
06:20 The three Rs and environmental awareness in lessons
08:15 The Eco-Guilt quiz
15:55 Turning environmental questions into English lessons
17:30 E-books vs paper books: which is greener?
20:55 Reusing books and reducing classroom waste
23:00 What is the carbon footprint of an online search?
24:05 What is the environmental cost of streaming video?
25:45 Carbon-footprint activities for learners
27:00 Environmental topics students can research and discuss
28:25 Online vs face-to-face teaching environments
29:35 Final teaching tips and recap

REFERENCES

Background ideas for online teachers:
https://tr.pinterest.com/pin/28217935150687259/?nic_v2=1a6Ctya2G

TED Talk by David Barnum – Rethinking Learning Environments: Community as Classroom:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98F2AxZwGAE

Joe Wicks PE classes:
https://www.youtube.com/user/thebodycoach1

How To Cultivate Environmental Awareness In Schools:
https://www.greenschoolsalliance.org/blogs/60/628

English File, Unit 4A, Eco-Guilt, Upper-Intermediate, 3rd edition, Clive Oxenden, Christina Latham-Koenig, Oxford.
Future perfect / future continuous topic.

E-books or paper books:
https://www.custommade.com/blog/e-readers-vs-print-books/
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/jan/06/should-i-buy-an-e-reader

What’s one tonne of CO2?
https://www.aashe.org/one-ton-co2-really-mean/

What’s the cost of watching videos online?
https://www.carbonbrief.org/factcheck-what-is-the-carbon-footprint-of-streaming-video-on-netflix

A carbon footprint quiz for kids:
https://www.gokid.mobi/carbon-footprint-for-kids-some-facts-a-quiz-and-also-a-worksheet/

What Are the Biggest Problems with Teaching English Online? Tech, Cameras, Cancellations & Teacher Boundaries – S01E38 Oct 02, 2020

What are the biggest challenges of teaching English online — and what do experienced TEFL teachers actually do when things go wrong?

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em share the funny, frustrating and sometimes awkward reality of online English teaching. Drawing on more than 40 years of combined English-teaching experience, they compare their own approaches to technology, student behaviour, cancellations, cameras, lesson boundaries and the physical demands of spending hours teaching from a laptop.

Why can online lessons feel more tiring than face-to-face classes? How should you position your laptop? What happens when the audio stops working, a student is late, nobody lets you into the online meeting or a learner suddenly wants to rearrange a lesson?

Em puts Gav through a series of quick-fire online teaching dilemmas. What would he do if a student refused to switch on their camera? How long would he wait for a late learner? Should teachers comment on what they can see in a student's home? What happens when a child, cat or other unexpected visitor appears on screen? And where should teachers draw the line between relaxed online learning and professional boundaries?

Gav and Em also discuss the difficulties of juggling different teaching platforms, including Microsoft Teams, Skype, WhatsApp and online chat tools. They admit that even experienced teachers don't necessarily understand every feature — and consider how much technical knowledge an online English teacher really needs.

Finally, Gav turns the tables on Em with a TEFL.net parts-of-speech quiz covering nouns, adjectives, determiners, pronouns, verbs, prepositions and conjunctions. Can you get 10/10 too?

Whether you're an online TEFL teacher, Business English teacher, private tutor or English learner curious about what happens behind the webcam, this episode offers practical ideas, real teaching experiences and plenty of Gav and Em humour.

☕ Support How to English TEFL Podcast:
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🌐 Visit our website for practical TEFL articles, teaching ideas, classroom activities and free resources you can use in your lessons:
https://www.howtoenglishpod.com/

References:

This week's quiz: ⁠https://www.tefl.net/quizzes/terms-parts-of-speech.htm⁠

⁠https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/microsoft-teams/group-chat-software⁠

⁠https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/skype-for-business/download-app⁠

⁠https://whereby.com/⁠

Chunky book: ⁠http://www.owenhopkins.co.uk/architectural-styles

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Welcome to How to English with Gav & Em
01:00 – Messages and feedback from listeners
03:10 – Why is teaching English online so tiring?
05:40 – What equipment do you really need to teach online?
08:45 – Em's shoebox laptop stand and avoiding neckache
11:45 – When online teaching technology goes wrong
15:00 – Cancellations, rescheduling and teacher boundaries
16:35 – Quick-fire: What would Gav do while teaching online?
18:20 – Funny virtual backgrounds in online lessons
19:10 – What if a student won't turn their camera on?
19:45 – How long should you wait for a late online student?
21:55 – Children, cats and unexpected visitors on camera
24:30 – How professional should students be during online lessons?
26:10 – Why can Microsoft Teams be so confusing?
29:00 – Waiting rooms, permissions and getting into online classes
31:00 – How many teaching platforms does a teacher need to understand?
32:20 – TEFL.net and the parts-of-speech challenge
33:50 – Can Em get 10/10 in the grammar quiz?
38:35 – Quiz answers and Em's final score
40:00 – What did you do online this week?

How Can English Teachers Teach Money and Discuss Pay Inequality in TEFL? Featuring Zdenek Lukas – S01E37 Sep 25, 2020

How can English teachers make money a useful classroom topic—and what does money reveal about fairness in the TEFL industry?

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em explore two sides of money in English teaching. Drawing on their own classroom experience, they discuss ways of presenting money as a General English and Business English topic, using questions, vocabulary and coursebook activities to generate meaningful conversation.

The discussion then moves from teaching money to earning it. Gav and Em consider pay differences within TEFL, the opportunities available to teachers from different backgrounds and the effect of “native-speaker” preferences on recruitment.

The episode also features English teacher and podcaster Zdenek Lukas, whose contribution adds another perspective to the discussion of identity, opportunity and equality in English-language teaching. Should teachers be judged by where they were born and which language they learned first—or by their teaching ability, experience and the value they bring to learners?

This episode is for TEFL, TESOL and ESL teachers interested in money lessons, Business English, teacher pay, recruitment bias and greater equality across the English-teaching profession.

Support Gav and Em:
https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

Find more episodes and free teaching resources:
https://howtoenglishpod.com

Reference: Zdenek's English Podcast: https://zdeneksenglishpodcast.podbean.com/English online as a non-native speaker: https://www.teachaway.com/blog/teach-english-online-non-native-speaker-jobsTEFL Equity: https://teflequityadvocates.com/Money, p. 216, 3C, English File, Advanced, 3rd Edition, 2010, Teacher's BookMarket Leader, Unit 6, p. 54, Intermediate, 3rd Edition, 2010, Student's BookEquity and Inclusion in Pronunciation teaching online conference on the 4th October: https://pronsig.iatefl.org/conf4oct2020/ It's illegal to advertise native only jobs: https://teflequityadvocates.com/2014/04/01/native-speakers-only-ads-and-eu-law/#:~:text=In%20its%20answer%20to%20Question,any%20circumstance%2C%20under%20community%20law.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction: money in English teaching
02:05 What does money bring to mind?
05:20 Presenting money as a lesson topic
09:10 Money activities and coursebook ideas
12:50 Money in Business English
16:25 Salaries and pay differences in TEFL
20:10 Recruitment and opportunities for English teachers
24:50 Zdenek Lukas on identity and equality
30:05 Final reflections from Gav and Em
31:59 Outro

How Do Words Change in English? Vocabulary, Word Formation & Sentence Transformations – S01E36 Sep 18, 2020

How can English learners expand their vocabulary, understand word forms and become more flexible when building sentences?

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em explore how words work: from nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs to prefixes, suffixes, sentence transformations and newly emerging English vocabulary.

They begin with practical word-family activities, turning words such as action, decision and significance into different grammatical forms. Gav and Em discuss whether learners really need terminology such as noun, adjective, adverb and preposition, and how teachers can introduce these terms without making language unnecessarily complicated.
The conversation then moves into sentence transformation: changing the structure of a sentence while keeping the meaning. Gav demonstrates activities commonly associated with higher-level and Cambridge exam preparation, while Em explores how the same ideas can be adapted for lower-level learners using prompts, gap fills and written support.
You’ll also hear simple vocabulary activities teachers can use with minimal preparation, including Em’s “banana” word-replacement game and domino-style activities for practising prefixes, suffixes and word formation. These are the kinds of adaptable classroom techniques Gav and Em have developed and collected through years of teaching different learners and levels.
Finally, Gav and Em look at how English keeps changing. They discuss words entering dictionaries, changing usage, newly popular expressions and the way English turns existing nouns into verbs — from elbowing somebody to eyeballing something and footing the bill.
Whether you teach English, study for an exam or simply enjoy discovering how English vocabulary develops, this episode is full of practical ideas you can try yourself.

Support How to English TEFL Podcast:
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More free English teaching articles, activities and resources:
https://www.howtoenglishpod.com/

References:Calvin and Hobbes, Bill Waterson: https://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1993/01/25Buffalo, buffalo, buffalo, buffalo, buffalo, buffalo, buffalo, buffalo: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/18209/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffaloWord forms grids: https://vocabularyhome.com/nouns/nouns-verbs-adjectives-and-adverbs/(Old) English File, Unit 5 B, Intermediate, Bleep Game, OUP Oxford, 1999New Cutting Edge, Intermediate, Unit 2, Study Practice, p134, Pearson, 2007Inside Out, 9C, "Dominoes", Intermediate, Macmillan Education, 2000https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/new-words-in-the-dictionaryPodcast about words: https://www.theallusionist.org/The word werewolf: https://qz.com/289884/werewolf-is-the-most-sexist-word-in-the-english-langu Online Dominoes: http://www.onlinedominogames.com/Timestamps

00:00 Introduction – What does “wording” mean?
03:00 Word types: nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs
05:00 Building word families: action, decision and significance
08:00 Why learners should put new vocabulary into sentences
10:00 Do students need to know grammar terminology?
13:00 Sentence transformation activities
16:00 Adapting transformations for different English levels
18:00 The “banana” vocabulary game
21:00 Prefixes, suffixes and word-formation activities
23:30 How new words enter English dictionaries
25:00 New and changing English vocabulary
27:30 How English turns nouns into verbs
29:00 Final thoughts and wrap-up

Which Teaching Techniques Really Work? Timeless TEFL Methods and Ideas – S01E35 Sep 11, 2020

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em explore the “evergreen” side of teaching and learning English: the problems, principles and techniques that keep appearing year after year.

Drawing on 40+ years of combined English-teaching experience, Gav and Em discuss recurring classroom challenges such as late students and common grammar mistakes, alongside teaching techniques that remain useful regardless of new technology or trends.

They look at why repetition, practice and plenty of examples continue to matter; how familiar topics such as hobbies, family, music, films, sleep and seasonal celebrations can generate useful conversation; and how teachers can reuse reliable themes without simply repeating the same lesson every year.

Gav demonstrates a simple activity he uses when learners repeatedly make third-person -s mistakes, using examples such as people like, everybody likes and Gavin likes to help students notice the grammatical pattern.

They also ask whether testing will always be part of English education, whether being able to communicate successfully may sometimes be a better measure of progress than a traditional test, and whether online teaching has now become a permanent part of the profession.

For learners, the final message is refreshingly simple: revise what you learn, practise it repeatedly and use your English in speaking and writing.

A relaxed conversation about what changes in ELT — and what probably never will.

☕ Support How to English TEFL Podcast:
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🌐 Free TEFL articles, practical classroom ideas and teaching resources:
https://www.howtoenglishpod.com/

Pop Idol winner Will Young:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5xLMNbN9V8

Evergreen topics for students:
https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator-english/esl-discussion-topics-for-adults/

Non-standardized tests in Scandinavian schools:
https://bigthink.com/mike-colagrossi/no-standardized-tests-no-private-schools-no-stress-10-reasons-why-finlands-education-system-in-the-best-in-the-world

Contents & Chapters

00:00 Welcome to How to English with Gav & Em
00:45 What does “evergreen” mean in English teaching?
02:40 Can technology keep English lessons fresh?
04:00 Evergreen classroom problems that never disappear
05:30 Learning online: too much information and too many choices
08:00 When should you stop using a learning resource that isn't working?
10:50 Evergreen lessons: holidays, festivals and seasonal topics
14:35 Conversation topics that learners can always talk about
16:35 Which English-teaching techniques never go out of date?
17:55 Repetition, examples and recurring grammar mistakes
18:00 Will English-language testing always exist?
20:55 The evergreen principles behind Em's lessons
21:20 Is online English teaching now here to stay?
22:55 Should online lessons cost the same as face-to-face lessons?
24:50 Evergreen advice for English learners
25:40 End

S01E34. Keeping it Fresh Sep 04, 2020

How do you keep your English lessons fresh, fun and up-to-date? Delve into the world of language acquisition with Gav and Em. This week they'll give their take on how to keep your classes and lessons fresh and avoid stagnation. Take a seat and enjoy! Buy Gav & Em a coffee here: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod⁠ And visit all the shows with transcriptions here: ⁠http://www.howtoenglishpod.com/ References: How air quality affects students' ability: http://www.developmentchannel.org/2019/12/23/3-105/ Why you should provide learning objectives: https://www.edglossary.org/learning-objectives/

How Does Em Teach English Vocabulary? Real Classroom Techniques for Elicitation, & Speaking – S01E33 Aug 28, 2020

How can English teachers introduce, elicit and recycle vocabulary without simply giving students a list of words to memorise?

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Em demonstrates one of the ways she teaches vocabulary, with Gav taking the role of the learner. Starting with a natural conversation about restaurants, she gradually builds a story and uses definitions, clues, first letters, gestures and questions to help Gav retrieve useful language for himself.

Rather than presenting vocabulary in isolation, Em organises the language around a real-life situation: arriving at a restaurant, reading the menu, ordering food and drinks, talking about meals and dealing with common situations. Gav explains how this logical sequence helped him visualise the experience and remember the vocabulary.

Drawing on Gav and Em’s 40+ years of combined English-teaching experience, they explore how teachers can make vocabulary lessons more engaging, memorable and communicative.

They discuss how to:

elicit vocabulary instead of immediately giving learners the answer
organise new language around a clear context
use stories to keep students actively listening
give clues without making learners feel pressured
accept several possible answers rather than insisting on one “perfect” word
record and recycle vocabulary during the lesson
move from elicitation into personalised speaking practice
adapt the technique for one-to-one lessons and groups
use real menus and restaurant role-plays
add functional language such as requests and offers
balance teacher talk with meaningful student participation
use performance, personality and humour to make language more memorable

Em also reflects on something she has learned from experience: elicitation can become counterproductive if the teacher keeps pushing for one particular word. Sometimes several answers are perfectly good English, so the teacher needs to recognise useful learner language rather than simply waiting for the word on the lesson plan.

The result is a practical look inside an experienced teacher’s classroom thinking — from the initial conversation and vocabulary presentation through to recycling, speaking practice and real-life role-play.

🎧 Support How to English TEFL Podcast:
https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

📚 Free TEFL articles, teaching ideas, activities and episode resources you can use in your lessons:
https://www.howtoenglishpod.com/

Chapters & Timestamps00:00 – Welcome to How to English TEFL Podcast
01:00 – From “How Gav Teaches” to “How Em Teaches”
02:00 – Starting a vocabulary lesson with natural conversation
03:00 – Building the restaurant context
05:00 – Turning a story into an elicitation activity
06:00 – Eliciting restaurant vocabulary: cutlery and more
07:00 – Teaching “bland” through clues and context
08:00 – Eliciting condiments and related vocabulary
09:00 – Describing wine: dry, sweet and sparkling
10:00 – Reviewing recently introduced vocabulary
11:00 – Expanding vocabulary: plate, dish and food language
12:00 – Categorising meat and food vocabulary
13:00 – Game, venison, pheasant and quail
14:00 – Napkin, serviette and choosing words for the situation
15:00 – Courses, drinks and restaurant vocabulary
16:00 – Still, sparkling and tap water
17:00 – Why elicitation helps learners retrieve vocabulary
18:00 – Why vocabulary needs a logical context and sequence
19:00 – Turning coursebook material into a real conversation
20:00 – Recording, reviewing and recycling new vocabulary
21:00 – Moving from vocabulary input to freer speaking
22:00 – Why teaching can involve performance and animation
23:00 – Does this activity give students enough speaking time?
24:00 – When elicitation becomes too demanding
25:00 – Turning the activity into a full 60-minute lesson
26:00 – Authentic menus, functional language and restaurant role-play
27:00 – Final reflections and teaching takeaways

How Does Gav Teach English Through Conversation? Vocabulary, Grammar & Drilling Techniques – S01E32 Aug 21, 2020

How can you teach English through natural conversation while still developing grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation?

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav turns a casual conversation with Em into a live demonstration of his conversation-led teaching style. Instead of simply following a worksheet or fixed list of questions, he listens carefully, asks follow-up questions, encourages longer answers and uses the conversation itself to generate language work.

Gav draws on more than 20 years of English-teaching experience, including one-to-one lessons, Business English, exam preparation and general English with learners of different ages and levels. He has taught in Europe and Asia, both in classrooms and online, and explains how years of working with real learners have shaped his flexible, conversation-led approach.

Gav and Em explore how teachers can feed new vocabulary into conversation naturally, use synonyms and rephrasing without making learners feel everything they say is wrong, and help students retrieve language they already know. Gav also explains why he sometimes keeps a thesaurus nearby when teaching online and why unfamiliar expressions should be checked rather than automatically corrected.

They look at how grammar can emerge naturally too. Carefully chosen questions can repeatedly expose learners to the same structure without turning the lesson into a traditional grammar exercise. Em then becomes Gav’s student for an intensive demonstration combining grammar drilling, pronunciation, contractions, connected speech and repetition with the question “How long have you been...?”

It’s energetic, materials-light and highly focused — although Em discovers that being one of Gav’s students can be exhausting!

The episode also asks: does a lesson need to look like a traditional lesson for learning to happen? Drawing on his experience teaching adults, professionals and one-to-one learners, Gav explains how conversation-led teaching can still be combined with worksheets, coursebooks and structured activities when learners need extra support.

Whether you teach one-to-one lessons, Business English, adults or conversation classes, this episode offers practical ideas grounded in extensive teaching experience for turning almost any student answer into useful grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation practice.

☕ Support the podcast: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod
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References:
Thesaurus: https://thesaurus.com/
The Direct Method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk6HS8RlD98
Andy the English teacher: https://www.instagram.com/parlourlanguageroom/
English File — Christina Latham-Koenig, Clive Oxenden, Paul Seligson, Oxford University Press.

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to How to English
01:00 – Em’s online and face-to-face teaching
03:00 – Working from home and “home office”
05:00 – Returning to companies and changing routines
08:00 – Greetings, handshakes and changing classroom habits
11:00 – What face-to-face teaching gives us
13:00 – Eye contact and reading body language
16:00 – Gav reveals his teaching demonstration
17:00 – Follow-up questions and longer answers
18:00 – Should unfamiliar expressions be corrected?
19:00 – Synonyms and activating known vocabulary
20:00 – Feeding better vocabulary into conversation
21:00 – The danger of rephrasing everything
22:00 – Using questions to practise grammar repeatedly
23:00 – Why one-to-one conversation lessons feel intense
24:00 – Do students realise they are learning?
25:00 – When to use worksheets and coursebooks
26:00 – Adapting conversation-led teaching for groups
27:00 – Intensive grammar and pronunciation practice
28:00 – Practising “How long have you been...?”
29:00 – Connected speech, contractions and drilling
30:00 – Why intensive drilling needs concentration
31:00 – Materials-free grammar practice
32:00 – Turning “I did nothing” into conversation
33:00 – The listener question that inspired the episode

How Can English Teachers Handle Classroom Conflict? Difficult Students, Sensitive Topics & Teacher Confidence – S01E31 Aug 14, 2020

How should an English teacher respond when a student disagrees with the lesson, dominates the conversation, refuses to engage or challenges what the teacher says?

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em explore the kinds of conflict teachers can encounter — from disagreements and sensitive topics to dominant students, low-energy classes, cultural misunderstandings and teacher doubt.

Drawing on more than 40 years of combined English-teaching experience, Gav and Em discuss situations they have faced in real classrooms and the quick decisions teachers sometimes have to make.

What should you do when a learner strongly disagrees with a topic or dismisses language you are teaching? Gav and Em discuss how teachers can remain professional, explain why particular language is being discussed and use reliable sources without turning the classroom into a debate about personal opinions.

They also consider culturally sensitive and taboo subjects. How much should teachers know about local customs? When should you continue a difficult discussion — and when is it better to change the subject?

Em shares an online lesson where one student arrived stressed about work while another was barely awake. Should a teacher abandon the lesson plan, adapt it to the students’ mood or continue with the planned language work?

Gav and Em also compare ways of managing dominant students and ensuring everyone gets enough speaking time. They discuss distracted learners, phones in lessons, and whether difficult behaviour should be addressed immediately or privately afterwards.

Humour can create conflict too. Sarcasm, irony and jokes that seem harmless between friends can easily be misunderstood across languages and cultures.

Finally, they discuss internal conflict and teacher confidence. What happens when a learner challenges your understanding of a word or introduces language you have never heard before? Even experienced teachers are still learning.

In this episode:
• Handling students who disagree with you
• Teaching sensitive and controversial topics
• Cultural differences in the classroom
• Adapting lessons to tired or stressed students
• Managing phones and distracted learners
• Dealing with dominant students
• Sarcasm, humour and misunderstandings
• Teaching polite disagreement and negotiation
• Teacher confidence and imposter syndrome

References:
Unit 11 Conflict, New Market Leader, Pre-intermediate, 3rd Edition, Pearson

Taboos and Issues, Richard MacAndrew and Ron Martínez, Thomson, Heinle

Support How to English:
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Teaching resources and articles:
https://howtoenglishpod.com

Timestamps:
00:00 Welcome and introducing conflict
04:49 What kinds of conflict happen in class?
05:24 Physical conflict between students
06:46 Mental, internal and language conflict
06:58 What if a student disagrees with the lesson?
07:24 Sensitive and controversial language
08:59 Responding to student pushback
10:26 Using reliable sources
11:10 Disagreeing professionally with students
12:17 Politics, religion and taboo topics
13:39 Cultural differences and sensitive subjects
15:00 When to abandon a lesson topic
16:25 What if students dislike the topic?
17:31 When the lesson plan clashes with students’ moods
18:13 Teaching stressed and tired students
19:36 Should you abandon the lesson plan?
21:05 When the teacher becomes the therapist
21:59 Different energy levels in the same class
22:21 Student responsibility and participation
22:46 Phones and distracted learners
24:14 Dealing with dominant students
25:21 Different classroom-management approaches
26:19 Talking privately to a difficult student
27:13 Why jokes can create conflict
28:04 Sarcasm, irony and cultural misunderstandings
28:28 Negotiation and polite disagreement
29:45 Teacher imposter syndrome
30:12 What if a student challenges your English?
31:41 Experienced teachers are still learning
32:03 Final thoughts

What Is It Really Like to Teach and Learn English Abroad? – S01E30 Aug 07, 2020

What is it really like to teach or learn English in another country? In this episode of the How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em share their experiences of teaching, studying and living abroad — from visas, contracts and accommodation to culture, language learning and everyday life overseas.

They discuss how much support TEFL employers should provide, what paperwork teachers may need, and why contracts, insurance and residency documents deserve careful attention. Em explains how some schools organise flights, accommodation and bureaucracy, while others expect teachers to arrange almost everything themselves.

Gav and Em also explore the cultural side of living abroad. How useful is it to learn the local language? Can students become a valuable source of local knowledge? And how can teachers turn food, traditions, places and everyday experiences into meaningful classroom conversations?

The episode also looks at teacher buddies and support networks, host families, summer schools and living on a school campus. Em reflects on the benefits of feeling safe and supported, but also on how easy it can be to remain inside a bubble and miss some of the culture around you.

In the classroom, Gav explains how teaching learners from the same language background can reveal recurring grammar, vocabulary and word-order problems. These patterns can become useful lesson ideas and even help shape a course plan. Gav and Em also discuss idioms and false friends, and how comparing languages can lead to interesting cultural conversations.

Finally, they consider whether studying abroad automatically improves your English. Learners may still spend most of their time with people who speak their own language, so host families, mixed-nationality groups and everyday tasks can create more opportunities to use English naturally.

Whether you are thinking about teaching English abroad, studying English overseas or simply wondering what life in another country is really like, this episode explores the practical challenges, cultural surprises and rewards.

☕ Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

📚 Gav & Em’s Teacher Resource Hub:
https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/

CONTENTS & TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Welcome: Teaching and Learning in Another Country
01:00 – Why teach or learn English abroad?
02:00 – Contracts and paperwork when teaching abroad
04:00 – Visas, residency and government registration
06:00 – Should you learn the local language before you move?
07:00 – Bureaucracy and preparing for the unexpected
08:00 – Health insurance and reading the small print
09:00 – Why learning the local language matters
10:30 – Using local culture as a classroom resource
11:30 – Getting involved in local life
13:00 – Teacher buddies and support networks
14:00 – Host families and study-abroad programmes
15:30 – Summer schools and life outside the classroom
16:30 – How much support should TEFL employers provide?
18:30 – Living and teaching on a school campus
21:00 – Finding teaching work once you are abroad
22:30 – Should you arrange everything before you leave?
23:30 – Common English mistakes and first-language influence
24:30 – Turning learner errors into a course plan
25:00 – Idioms, culture and false friends
26:30 – How can studying abroad improve your English?
27:00 – Should learners avoid their own-language bubble?
28:00 – Is teaching or learning abroad worth it?
29:00 – Final thoughts and listener experiences

How Can English Learners Improve and TEFL Teachers Grow? Q&A with Gav & Em - S01E29 Jul 31, 2020

In this special Q&A episode of the How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em answer questions sent in by English learners, teachers and listeners from around the world.

How can teachers encourage students to participate more? What are the best ways for TEFL teachers to keep developing professionally? How much English should learners study every day? And what can students do to improve their pronunciation and understand English in films and TV more easily?

Gav and Em also explore the different TEFL niches and career paths available to English teachers, from Business English and exam preparation to teaching children, online lessons and English for Specific Purposes. They discuss natural conversation in lessons, choosing the right teacher, inviting other teachers onto the podcast and why they both still love teaching English.

It’s a wide-ranging episode packed with practical ideas for TEFL teachers, ESL/EFL teachers and English learners — all inspired by real questions from the How to English community.

☕ Support How to English and help us keep making the podcast and free teaching resources:
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References:

ELT Journal from Oxford Academic, https://academic.oup.com/eltj

Useful online resources from International House, https://www.ihteachenglish.com/resource/11-useful-online-resources-elt-teachers

Teacher podcasts, ELT Chile: https://www.eltinchile.com/ ⁠The TEFLology Podcast⁠: https://teflology-podcast.com/

How many hours does it take to learn a level in English? https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/faq/how-long-to-learn-english/ https://anchor.fm/everything-efl

Learning English podcasts and Youtube, Speak English with Tiffani: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGLGVRO_9qDc8VDGGMTcUiQ Wanda's #saywhat Podcast, https://www.buzzsprout.com/1010788 Zdenek's English Podcast: https://zdeneksenglishpodcast.podbean.com/ English Journey Podcast: ⁠https://linktr.ee/englishjourney⁠

Books from Oxford University Press on English for Specific Purposes, https://elt.oup.com/cat/subjects/business_and_english/english_specific/?cc=cz&selLanguage=cs

Pronunciation of specific words, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQwDYYZ44evRH0_64Q5Vag

Bic pens, https://www.bicworld.com/en/our-products/stationery

Collins A-Z: https://collins.co.uk/pages/a-z

Our website is packed with free, practical TEFL teaching resources and articles covering lesson planning, classroom management, speaking, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, technology, teacher development, Business English and much more.

Chapters & Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to How to English
00:30 – One more self-care tip: sleep, routines and timetables
04:25 – Q&A with Gav & Em begins
06:10 – How can teachers encourage students to participate?
11:15 – How can TEFL teachers develop professionally?
14:40 – How much English should learners study each day?
18:15 – Should we invite other teachers and learners onto the podcast?
20:25 – What different TEFL niches and teaching careers are available?
25:00 – How can learners improve their English pronunciation?
29:55 – How can you understand English films and TV programmes better?
31:25 – Do you need a particular kind of English teacher?
31:40 – How can teachers create more natural English conversation in class?
33:40 – How long do Gav and Em plan to keep teaching English?
35:00 – The important question: what is Em’s favourite pen?
37:10 – Final thoughts and thanks to our listeners

How Can English Teachers Practise Better Self-Care? Wellbeing, Workload & Boundaries - S01E28 Jul 24, 2020

Happy International Self-Care Day, followers!

Teaching can be incredibly rewarding — but what happens when your timetable, screen time, lesson planning and constant interaction with students start taking over your day?

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em talk honestly about self-care and wellbeing for English teachers. They compare their different approaches to timetabling, discuss the importance of proper breaks and switching off after work, and explore how teachers can create healthier boundaries between their professional and personal lives.

They also look at the realities of teaching back-to-back lessons, working evenings and weekends, managing screen time, organising your workspace, staying comfortable while teaching online, dealing with social media and student contact outside lessons, and knowing when you simply need some time away from work.

Gav and Em also discuss teacher training, taking time off when you are unwell, recycling successful lesson plans instead of constantly creating new material, and why fellow teachers and supportive colleagues can make such a difference.

This isn't medical or professional wellbeing advice — just two experienced English teachers sharing the practical habits, mistakes and strategies that have helped them manage their own working lives.

☕ Support How to English and help us keep creating free TEFL content:
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https://www.howtoenglishpod.com/

You'll find loads of free English-teaching articles, practical classroom ideas, lesson inspiration and fun activities you can use today — all based around real teaching experience and episodes of the podcast.

Contents & Timestamps00:00 Welcome to How to English
00:32 What exactly is self-care?
01:40 Why teacher wellbeing can affect the classroom
04:31 Everyday self-care tips for teachers and learners
05:21 Creating a timetable that works for you
06:15 Why teachers need proper breaks
07:20 Protecting your lunch break
08:17 Back-to-back lessons or breaks between classes?
09:34 Working weekends, evenings and unusual hours
10:18 Limiting screen time and properly switching off
11:47 Teaching, social energy and finding time alone
13:23 Should teachers have students on personal social media?
16:01 Creating a healthier teaching workspace
17:21 Separating work and home when teaching online
18:44 Screens, lighting, posture and teaching comfortably
20:48 Meditation, reading and simple ways to unwind
22:27 Is teacher training part of self-care — or more work?
24:29 Should teachers work when they're ill?
26:14 Using online teaching as a flexible alternative
27:05 Reducing workload by recycling good lessons
28:32 Why every lesson doesn't need hours of preparation
29:08 How colleagues and teacher communities can support you
30:27 Listener feedback and final thoughts
31:23 How to English outro

How Should English Teachers Handle Offensive or Outdated Language in Class? | Politically Correct English - S01E27 Jul 17, 2020

What should an English teacher do when a student uses a word that sounds offensive, outdated or insensitive — especially when the learner has no idea there is a problem?

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em explore politically correct, sensitive and inclusive language from a practical teacher’s point of view. Rather than simply telling learners that a word is “wrong”, they discuss how teachers can explain context, offer alternatives and turn potentially awkward moments into useful conversations about how English is actually used.

They look at outdated and potentially ableist vocabulary, everyday expressions connected with disability and mental health, gender stereotypes in teaching materials, singular “they”, assumptions about gender, labels such as “ladies”, “girls” and “guys”, and the cultural differences that can make apparently polite English sound very different to different people.

Gav and Em also discuss why teachers need to keep reviewing their own language, what to do when students disagree with changing language conventions, and why authentic recordings may be a better choice than imitating accents in class.

It’s a thoughtful and sometimes humorous conversation about an area of English teaching where there often isn’t one simple rule — and where teachers are learning and adapting too.

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🌐 Visit the How to English website to find all our podcast episodes and tonnes of free TEFL teaching resources:
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References:Ableist language and alternatives: https://www.autistichoya.com/p/ableist-words-and-terms-to-avoid.htmlAppropriate terms for people with disabilities: http://nda.ie/Publications/Attitudes/Appropriate-Terms-to-Use-about-Disability/Offensive language to avoid: https://www.rd.com/list/words-with-offensive-origins/Varieties of English, Cutting Edge, New Edition, Advanced, Pearson, Unit 1, page 15Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome and episode setup
00:53 – What does “politically correct language” mean for English teachers?
01:58 – What should you do when a student uses offensive language?
05:19 – Explaining why vocabulary becomes outdated or inappropriate
06:45 – Disability-related language, senses and mental-health expressions
11:36 – Why English teachers need to keep their language up to date
13:08 – Avoiding gender stereotypes in teaching materials
14:00 – Teaching singular “they” and avoiding gender assumptions
17:42 – “Guys”, “ladies” and other group labels — plus student pushback
19:22 – Cross-cultural politeness and when “ladies first” can backfire
20:30 – Should English teachers imitate different accents?
22:06 – Sensitive language, stereotypes and the main takeaways
24:40 – End

How Can Teachers and English Learners Manage Time Better? | Lesson Timing, Timetables & Exam Tips – S01E26 Jul 10, 2020

Tick-tock, tick-tock, how's your timing? This week Gav & Em examine the essential theme of time. Organising your time, arriving on time, and when you just don't have enough time. Tune in to this week's How to English and have a great time! Buy them a coffee here: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod⁠ And visit all the shows with transcriptions here: ⁠http://www.howtoenglishpod.com/

References:

https://youcanbook.me/

Things We Wish We’d Known Before Teaching English – Practical TEFL Advice – S01E25 Jul 03, 2020

What do experienced English teachers wish they had known when they first started teaching?

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em look back at the lessons they learned the hard way during their early years in the classroom — from spending far too long planning lessons to building confidence, organising teaching materials and surviving intimidating job interviews.

Drawing on years of real classroom experience, they discuss practical TEFL advice that can make life easier for new and developing English teachers. Should you really spend hours planning every lesson? How can you build a reusable bank of teaching materials? Is it okay not to know every grammar rule? And what should you expect when you apply for your first English-teaching job?

Gav and Em also discuss why teachers should plan for the actual students in front of them rather than an imaginary “perfect class”, why demonstrating activities clearly matters, and how coursebooks can save enormous amounts of preparation time when you use them creatively rather than simply racing through the pages.

They also look at the realities of teaching jobs that new teachers may not expect: lesson planning outside paid teaching hours, observations, level testing, demonstration lessons, summer-school duties and other responsibilities beyond the classroom.

Most importantly, they discuss something many new teachers need to hear: teaching gets easier. Grammar knowledge grows, lesson planning becomes faster, useful materials accumulate and classroom confidence develops through experience.

The final part of the episode turns to English learners. Gav and Em explain why building a regular English-learning routine early — using videos, podcasts, TV, vocabulary notebooks, apps and reading — can make long-term progress much easier.

Whether you're taking a CELTA, starting your first TEFL job, teaching English abroad, moving into ESL/EFL teaching or simply trying to become a more confident teacher, this episode is packed with practical lessons Gav and Em wish they had known earlier.

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https://www.howtoenglishpod.com/

Gav & Em's Top tips:6 Minute English: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-englishLearn/Practice Movies With English: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA7lNLNvxTzig5dqfGl8DGbLOvUI08yXg Magoosh: https://magoosh.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_u7254yx6gIVmN4YCh0vPQJFEAAYASAAEgIo4_D_BwEQuizlet: https://quizlet.com/How I Met Your Mother, TV SeriesFriends, TV SeriesThe Office (UK/USA), TV SeriesThe Big Bang Theory, TV Series

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Things we wish we’d known about teaching English
02:20 – Should new teachers plan less?
04:43 – Planning for different days, times and class energy
06:07 – Plan for your real students, not an imaginary class
07:07 – Build a reusable bank of teaching materials
08:54 – Why teachers should demonstrate everything clearly
10:23 – How to organise and digitise teaching resources
13:06 – Use coursebooks properly and save planning time
15:42 – Play more games and enjoy your lessons
16:07 – Teacher confidence and not knowing every grammar rule
17:58 – TEFL job interviews and demonstration lessons
20:08 – The extra duties English-teaching jobs can involve
21:37 – The important truth: teaching gets easier
24:10 – Building an English-learning routine from day one
26:51 – Vocabulary notebooks, apps and reviewing new language
27:20 – Why regular reading helps English learners progress
28:41 – What do you wish you had known when you started?

Stuck at B1 or B2? How English Learners Can Break Through to the Next Language Level – S01E24 Jun 26, 2020

Why do English learners sometimes feel stuck, and what can teachers and students do to get progress moving again?

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em explore three common kinds of getting stuck: when a learner stops understanding during a lesson, when progress seems to slow at intermediate levels such as B1 or B2, and when communication breaks down in a real-world situation.

Drawing on more than 40 years of combined English-teaching experience across Europe and Asia, Gav and Em share practical strategies they have used with real learners.

What should a teacher do when an explanation simply isn’t working? Gav suggests reformulating the language, trying synonyms, changing the example, writing it down or putting the language into a clearer context. Em and Gav discuss using pictures, demonstrations, timelines, stories and memorable associations to make difficult vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation easier to understand and remember.

They also look at the English-learning plateau. Progress from B1 to B2 or B2 to C1 can feel much slower than progress at beginner levels. Gav and Em discuss setting specific goals, increasing exposure to English, using self-study materials alongside real language production, and giving learners challenges such as presentations, conversation groups or other situations where they actually need to use English.

Finally, what happens when you understand almost nothing someone says in a café, hotel, restaurant, conference or phone call? Gav and Em share communication strategies including preparing likely questions in advance, asking someone to repeat or rephrase, repeating back what you think you heard, focusing on the words you do understand and simply admitting when you haven’t understood.

Whether you teach English or you are trying to move your own English to the next level, this episode offers practical ways to deal with confusion, language-learning plateaus and those uncomfortable moments when communication suddenly stops working.

Support How to English TEFL Podcast:
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Find practical TEFL articles, classroom ideas, teaching activities and resources you can use today:
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References:How English Works, Michael Swan, Catherine Walter, Oxford University Press, 1997https://books.google.cz/books/about/How_English_Works.html?id=ZUBPvdUx39IC&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y Intermediate Language Practice, Michael Vince, Paul Emmerson, Macmillan, 2003https://books.google.cz/books?id=5OmfQgAACAAJ&source=gbs_similarbooksEnglish Grammar in Use, Raymond Murphy, Cambridge, 2019https://englishforforeignersonline.com/english-grammar-in-use-by-raymond-murphy-book-review/Timestamps

00:00 Welcome to How to English
00:53 What does “getting stuck” in English mean?
02:27 Why learners get stuck around B1 and B2
04:20 What should teachers do when students stop understanding?
05:00 Reformulating vocabulary and using synonyms
06:38 Pictures, objects and demonstrations
08:01 Explaining difficult grammar with context and stories
10:04 Memory tricks for vocabulary and pronunciation
10:57 Finding the explanation that works for each learner
12:40 Why “Do you understand?” may not tell you much
13:24 Skip difficult questions and come back later
14:24 Why English progress can feel slower at higher levels
15:18 Motivation, intensive study and setting goals
16:51 Can self-study and grammar books help you improve?
18:02 How teachers can keep learners motivated and moving forward
19:33 Give yourself a real reason to use English
20:04 What happens when real-world communication breaks down?
20:34 Prepare for conversations before they happen
21:29 What to do when you cannot understand an accent
22:33 Repeat back what you think you heard
23:47 Ask people to repeat, rephrase or write something down
24:31 Overcoming fear when speaking English
25:56 Practice, take chances and keep communicating
26:23 Final thoughts and outro

How Do You Teach English at Different Levels? From Beginners to Advanced Learners - S01E23 Jun 19, 2020

How should English teachers adapt their lessons for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners?

Teaching an A1 beginner can feel completely different from teaching a confident B2 or C1 learner. In S01E23 of the How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em explore what changes as students move through different English levels — from classroom routines, instructions and drilling at lower levels to conversation, motivation, authentic materials and the subtleties of English at higher levels.

Drawing on their own classroom experience, Gav and Em discuss CEFR levels from A1 to C2, why beginner students may need more structure and clearer instructions, why pre-intermediate learners can suddenly seem to “bloom” as speakers, and why B1/B2 students sometimes hit a frustrating learning plateau.

They also look at the different challenges teachers face at advanced levels, including choosing materials that are genuinely interesting, introducing new language without patronising learners, and helping students move beyond the comfort zone of being able to communicate “well enough.”

Along the way, they discuss coursebooks, drilling, games, authentic newspapers and media, learner motivation, self-study, exams and the importance of choosing materials that are appropriate for the learner’s actual level.

Whether you teach A1 beginners, B1 intermediate students, B2 upper-intermediate learners or advanced C1/C2 classes, this episode offers a practical and refreshingly realistic look at how teaching changes as learners progress.

☕ Support How to English and help us keep making the podcast:
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https://www.howtoenglishpod.com/

It’s chock-full of free and genuinely useful English-teaching resources, including practical TEFL articles, classroom ideas, lesson-planning advice, teaching techniques and episode guides for English teachers.

Timestamps00:00 – Welcome to How to English
01:14 – What are the different English learner levels?
01:34 – A1 to C2: traditional levels and the CEFR
03:28 – How does teaching change depending on learner level?
04:10 – Teaching beginner and elementary students
05:03 – Building classroom routines and teaching students how to learn
06:29 – Giving clear instructions and checking understanding
08:43 – Why beginner progress can feel so rewarding
10:18 – Should lower-level learners use coursebooks?
11:51 – Using games and changing the pace of beginner lessons
12:28 – Why pre-intermediate can be such a rewarding level to teach
14:18 – When learners suddenly start having real conversations
15:18 – The intermediate plateau: why progress can feel slower
16:14 – Why B1 and B2 learners can lose motivation
17:08 – Why understanding TV and real English can still be difficult
18:12 – Moving towards deeper and more meaningful conversations
19:46 – Why some B2 learners stop feeling the need to improve
20:45 – Breaking out of the intermediate comfort zone
21:24 – Choosing authentic materials for higher-level learners
22:06 – Why teaching C1 and C2 students can be challenging
23:22 – Teaching nuance and subtle differences in advanced English
23:51 – Self-study and choosing the right materials for your level
25:26 – Can exams help motivate intermediate learners?
26:21 – Why learners get stuck between levelsReferences:CEFR table and "can do" statements: https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/table-1-cefr-3.3-common-reference-levels-global-scaleEnglish File, Oxford

How Should English Teachers Respond to Racism in ELT? – S01 Special Jun 16, 2020

Hi Everyone, here's a mid-week episode from Gav & Em in which they show their support for anti-racism, equality, and fairness in ELT.

How should English teachers and the wider ELT profession respond to racism?

In this short Season 1 special of the How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em discuss racism in English language teaching and why the subject deserves attention across the profession.

The conversation is relevant to TEFL and TESOL teachers, teacher trainers, school leaders and anyone interested in equality, representation and inclusion in language education.

What is this episode about?

It introduces an important conversation about racism within English language teaching and the responsibility of the ELT community to listen, reflect and engage with the subject.

Who is this episode for?

English teachers, teacher trainers, school leaders and others working in TEFL, TESOL, ESL or English-language education.

☕ Support the How to English TEFL Podcast:
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🌐 Practical teaching resources for busy English teachers:
howtoenglishpod.com

How to English TEFL Podcast with Gav and Em — practical teaching ideas, classroom experiences and honest conversations about teaching and learning English.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Introduction

02:00 – Introducing the subject of racism in ELT

05:00 – Main discussion

06:00 – Reflections for English teachers and the ELT profession

09:00 – Closing thoughts

11:39 – End

What Are Our Favourite English Lesson Activities? TEFL Teachers' Ideas That Really Work - S01E22 Jun 12, 2020

What are our favourite activities to use in English lessons?

In this episode of How to English with Gav & Em, we share some of the classroom activities that we keep coming back to — from activities in English teaching books to online resources and ideas we’ve created ourselves.

We talk about case studies, telephone roleplays, grammar games, pronunciation and intonation activities, escape rooms, survival scenarios, email writing, connected speech, compound nouns and plenty more.

We also discuss an important teaching question: what happens when students are having a great conversation… but completely forget to use the language you wanted them to practise?

Whether you teach EFL, ESL, Business English or General English, we hope there are a few ideas here that you can borrow, adapt and try with your own students.

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References:Choose the Best Candidate, Market Leader, Pearson Longman, 2nd Edition, pre-intermediate, unit 1Choose the Best Location, Business Results, Oxford, elementary, unit 3Auxiliary game, Three-Person Snap, Cutting Edge, Pearson, 3rd Edition, unit 1BEscape from the Moonlight Cottage, https://www.365escape.com/Pleasurable-Cottage.htmlEmail Style, https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/business-english/email-styleLife and Death Decisions, In Company, McMillan, upper-intermediate, 2002, unit 10Maze of Terror, New Cutting Edge, Pearson, upper-intermediate, 1999, pp,143-145Call Me On My Mobile, In Company, McMillan, elementary, 2002Intonation Directions/ Contradict Me, Pronunciation Games, Cambridge, 1995

Timestamps

00:00 – Support How to English Pod
01:00 – Welcome & our favourite lesson activities
03:00 – Case studies and problem-solving activities
05:00 – Telephone roleplays that feel real
07:00 – Auxiliary Snap: a deceptively difficult grammar game
09:00 – Pronunciation Games: “Contradict Me”
11:00 – Intonation, sentence stress and changing meaning
12:00 – Life and death decisions
15:00 – The Maze of Terror & practising modals
17:00 – Should teachers force students to use target language?
18:00 – Going online: Escape from Moonlight Cottage
20:00 – LinguaHouse & writing email subject lines
22:00 – Activities we create ourselves
23:00 – Present perfect simple vs continuous with picture cards
25:00 – “Whatcha Wanna Do?” and connected speech
26:00 – The mystery bag: practising compound nouns
28:00 – “How to…” activities and sequencing language
29:00 – Countable & uncountable nouns
30:00 – Mushrooms, survival tips & goodbye

🎧 How to English with Gav & Em — a podcast about teaching and learning English as a foreign language.

How to Teach and Learn English Effectively: 7 Practical Tips | How to English TEFL Podcast - S01E21 Jun 05, 2020

How can teachers make English lessons more memorable? What helps English learners retain vocabulary, use grammar confidently and communicate in real life?

In this episode of How to English with Gav & Em, we explore practical ways to make teaching and learning English more effective. We discuss memorable stories and activities, relevant lesson content, real-life communication, repetition, active language production and the importance of choosing the right pace.

You’ll learn:

• How stories and surprising examples make language memorable
• Why lessons should connect with a learner’s real needs
• How real-life communication improves fluency
• Why repetition is essential for remembering vocabulary and grammar
• How speaking, writing and teaching others activate knowledge
• Why learners need time to reflect and process information
• What those special moments of successful learning feel like

Whether you’re an English teacher, an ESL student or an independent language learner, this episode offers useful ideas for creating engaging lessons and making English stick.

☕ Support How to English with Gav & Em:
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📚 Find articles and additional resources related to this episode:
https://www.howtoenglishpod.com/

References: Memory Palace - The Art of Memory, Frances Yates, Random House UKStirrers and Settlers, British Council: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/stirrers-settlers-primary-classroomFeats of Memory: https://www.ted.com/talks/joshua_foer_feats_of_memory_anyone_can_do/transcript?language=enEffectiveness of Information Exchange: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334502101_The_Impact_of_Information_Gap_Activities_on_Young_EFL_Learners'_Oral_FluencyThe Protégé Effect: How You Can Learn by Teaching Others: https://effectiviology.com/protege-effect-learn-by-teaching/Timestamps

00:00 Introduction
00:36 How do you teach and learn English effectively?
01:34 How can you make English lessons memorable?
07:32 Why do stories help learners remember language?
07:36 How can lessons be relevant to students?
09:36 Why should language practice be real?
14:30 How important is repetition in language learning?
17:14 Why must learners produce and use new language?
21:05 What is the right pace for an English lesson?
24:39 How does active learning help students?
25:52 When does learning actually happen?
28:07 The special moment when students understand
29:23 Is learning English online as effective as learning in person?
30:17 Final thoughts

#LearnEnglish #EnglishTeaching #ESL #EnglishLearning #TEFL #EnglishPodcast

References:

Memory Palace - The Art of Memory, Frances Yates, Random House UK

Stirrers and Settlers, British Council: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/stirrers-settlers-primary-classroom

Feats of Memory: https://www.ted.com/talks/joshua_foer_feats_of_memory_anyone_can_do/transcript?language=en

Effectiveness of Information exchange: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334502101_The_Impact_of_Information_Gap_Activities_on_Young_EFL_Learners'_Oral_Fluency

The Protégé Effect: How You Can Learn by Teaching Others: https://effectiviology.com/protege-effect-learn-by-teaching/

Why Become an English Teacher? And Why Learn English? How to English TEFL Podcast - S01E20 May 29, 2020

What’s so great about teaching and learning English? A lot, actually!

In this episode of How to English with Gav & Em, we’re focusing on the positives. From travelling the world and experiencing different cultures to meeting fascinating people, building confidence, getting creative in the classroom and constantly learning something new, Gav and Em explore some of the many reasons why teaching and learning English can be so rewarding.

Drawing on 40+ years of combined TEFL teaching experience, Gav and Em have taught English face-to-face and online, across the globe. They share some of their own experiences of teaching in unusual places, getting a glimpse behind the scenes of different industries, learning from their students and seeing learners grow in confidence.

For students, learning English can open up a whole new world – understanding films and TV, reading books in English, joining conversations, travelling, meeting new people and experiencing that wonderful sense of achievement when all the hard work starts to pay off.

And for teachers? Every lesson can take you somewhere unexpected. One minute you’re teaching English, the next you’re learning about airports, museums, banking, beekeeping… or discussing a student’s latest hobby!

Plus, there’s Christmas Pass the Parcel, muffins, presents from students, Gav’s international online teaching adventures and Em living out her childhood Mr Benn dream. 😄

So, whether you’re an English teacher, TEFL teacher, trainee teacher or English learner, join Gav and Em for a celebration of the things that make teaching and learning languages worthwhile.

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We’d also love to hear from you: What’s your favourite thing about teaching or learning English?

00:00 Welcome to How to English with Gav & Em
01:10 Looking on the bright side: the positives of English teaching and learning
02:20 Travel, new places and experiencing different cultures
04:15 Meeting fascinating people through teaching
06:05 Going behind the scenes in different workplaces
08:15 Getting paid to learn from your students
10:25 Why teaching can be so rewarding
12:15 Watching students grow in confidence
14:10 How learning English can open up your world
16:15 Muffins, gifts and the unexpected perks of teaching
18:00 Christmas lessons and Pass the Parcel
21:00 Is learning a language good exercise for your brain?
22:30 Challenging yourself as a teacher and learner
24:40 How teaching transformed Em’s confidence
26:15 Creativity and flexibility in English teaching
28:10 Why English itself is fascinating
30:05 Teachers never stop learning
31:50 Reading books and enjoying media in the original language
33:20 Why Gav loves being an English teacher
35:00 Teaching online around the world
36:15 What do YOU love about teaching or learning English?

How to Teach English in Groups: Classroom Management & Student Engagement | TEFL/ESL - S01E18 May 15, 2020

How do you teach English successfully in a group? In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em explore classroom management, group dynamics, pair work and practical ways to help English learners communicate confidently.

From the intimidating first lesson to lively online classes, we discuss how teachers can build a supportive learning environment without dominating it. You’ll hear ideas for arranging seats, mixing partners, remembering names, balancing fluency with correction and keeping every student involved.

We also consider the advantages and challenges of group English lessons, including dominant and introverted students, fixed seating habits, online breakout activities and the moment when a productive conversation starts feeling more like a chat in the pub!

Whether you’re a TEFL teacher, ESL/EFL tutor, trainee teacher or English learner, this episode offers practical teaching techniques, honest classroom experiences and plenty of Gav and Em’s usual humour.

☕ SUPPORT THE PODCAST
Buy Gav and Em a tea or coffee: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

🌐 WEBSITE
Find more episodes and transcripts: https://howtoenglishpod.com

IN THIS EPISODE

• Creating a welcoming atmosphere in the first group lesson
• Establishing authority without becoming a bossy teacher
• Recognising dominant, supportive and introverted students
• Helping a new class bond and communicate
• Balancing student conversation, correction and lesson aims
• Arranging seats and changing partners effectively
• Adapting group activities for online English lessons
• Learning and using students’ names
• The advantages and disadvantages of group learning
• Team-building and problem-solving activities for adults
• Finding the balance between teacher-led and student-centred learning

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Introduction and listener countries
03:30 – Why the first group lesson can feel intimidating
07:00 – Authority, confidence and classroom management
11:15 – Understanding personalities and group dynamics
16:00 – Helping English learners bond
20:15 – Conversation, correction and lesson objectives
25:00 – Giving students responsibility and authentic communication
29:30 – Classroom layout, seating and the whiteboard
34:00 – Mixing seats, partners and groups
39:30 – Teaching groups online
44:15 – Remembering and using students’ names
47:30 – Benefits and challenges of group English lessons
52:00 – Teaching large groups
56:30 – Team-building and problem-solving activities
59:30 – Student-centred, teacher-led learning and final thoughts

What techniques do you use when teaching or learning English in a group? Tell us in the comments.

Like, subscribe or follow for more practical conversations about teaching and learning English.

#TEFL #ESL #EFL #EnglishTeaching #TeachEnglish #EnglishTeacher #ClassroomManagement #StudentEngagement #GroupWork #EnglishLearning #LearnEnglish #TeacherTips #TeachingTips #ELT #TEFLPodcast

How to Teach Speaking: Fluency, Confidence and Conversation Skills - S01E17 May 08, 2020

How to Teach Speaking: Fluency, Confidence and Conversation Skills - S01E17Episode Description

What does it really mean to teach speaking English? Gav and Em explore how conversation lessons can balance fluency, accuracy and confidence while giving learners meaningful opportunities to communicate.

They discuss correcting spoken errors without interrupting every sentence, encouraging quieter students, managing dominant speakers and using pair work to increase student talking time. The episode also covers role-plays, functional language, voice recordings, fluency games and the listening skills that keep a conversation going.

Support How to English on Ko-fi:
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Visit the How to English website:
https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/

References:Taboos and Issues, Richard MacAndrew and Ron Martínez, Thomson, Heinle.Role Plays for Today: Photocopiable Activities to Get Students Speaking, Jason Anderson, Delta Publishing.Find a speaking partner: https://www.fluentu.com/blog/english/english-speaking-online/Voice recording online app.: https://vocaroo.com/Just a Minute Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2asXQnUvrGcTaboo Game: https://eslgames.com/esl-taboo/

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction: What does teaching speaking mean?

02:00 – Organic conversation lessons and group dynamics

05:00 – Conversation classes and different speaking purposes

08:00 – Balancing fluency, accuracy and error correction

12:00 – Encouraging quiet students with pair work

16:00 – Increasing student talking time and reducing teacher focus

19:00 – Role-plays, functional language and lower-level support

20:00 – Voice recordings and speaking practice outside class

22:00 – Conversation topics, Just a Minute and fluency games

24:00 – Thinking-time phrases and showing interest

25:00 – Teaching learners how to listen and respond

27:00 – Final speaking advice

How to Teach Listening in English | TEFL Listening Activities, Podcasts, Songs & Accents - S01E16 May 01, 2020

How can teachers make English listening practice easier, more realistic and more effective?

In How to English TEFL Podcast S01E16, Gav and Em explore practical ways to teach listening in the English classroom and help English learners become more confident listeners.

We discuss how to prepare learners before they listen, why prediction matters, and how teachers can move from gist to detailed listening without expecting students to understand every word. We also look at podcasts and audiobooks for English learners, changing playback speed, using subtitles and audio scripts, and choosing listening material that matches a learner's interests and level.

For teachers, there are plenty of practical TEFL listening activities too. We talk about using songs for gap fills, lyric ordering, prediction, rhyme and colloquial English; exposing learners to different English accents; using classmates as authentic listening practice; and even adding controlled background noise for higher-level students to recreate real-world situations such as cafés and busy workplaces.

Whether you're an English teacher, TEFL teacher, ESL teacher or English learner, this episode is packed with ideas for developing listening skills inside and outside the classroom.

Enjoying the podcast? Buy Gav & Em a tea or coffee and help support the show:

Ko-fi: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod⁠

Website: ⁠https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/⁠

References:BBC Science Podcast50 Things that made the Modern Economy Podcast30 Animals that Made Us Smarter PodcastSpotifyYoutubeDear Hank and John PodcastSerial PodcastCSI TV programmePaul TherouxBill BrysonEd SheeranStephen Fry, Harry Potter, audiobooksMovies on YouTubeNews in LevelsMarket Leader, Pearson English File, OxfordApple, iPhoneGoogleMicrosoft, CortanaAmazon, Alexahttps://www.facebook.com/excitingenglishyoutube/

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction – How to Listening
04:00 Preparing and predicting before listening
08:00 Podcasts, audiobooks and playback speed
13:00 Films, TV, subtitles and audio scripts
18:00 Teaching listening: gist, detail and learner support
23:00 Background noise and authentic listening practice
26:00 Using songs for English listening activities
32:00 Different English accents and listening to classmates
36:00 Smart speakers, radio and final listening recommendations

TEFL listening activities • ESL listening practice • teaching listening skills • English listening comprehension • podcasts for English learners • audiobooks for learning English • subtitles for English learners • teaching English with songs • different English accents • authentic listening activities • gist and detailed listening • listening strategies • English as a lingua franca • TEFL classroom activities

#TEFL #ESL #EnglishTeaching #LearnEnglish #ListeningSkills #EnglishListening #TEFLTeachers #ESLTeachers #TeachingEnglish #HowToEnglish

How to Teach Writing Without Making It Boring | TEFL Tips & Activities - S01E15 Apr 24, 2020

✍️ How do you make writing fun in an English lesson?

In this episode of How to English with Gav & Em, we look at practical ways to teach and practise writing — without always asking students to sit down and write a long essay!

We explore everything from emails, WhatsApp messages and levels of formality to running dictations, collaborative stories, reviews, exam writing and business English. We also look at why good writing matters in everyday communication — especially when one small language mistake can completely change the meaning of a message.

Along the way, Em introduces Gav to running dictation and the wonderfully named “exquisite corpse”, while Gav shares ideas for practising emails in class. We also get into storytelling, narrative tenses, linking words, punctuation and how to help students recognise the difference between formal and informal writing.
Whether you're an English teacher looking for classroom ideas or an English learner wanting to improve your writing, there should be something here you can put into practice.

🌐 More from How to English:
howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com

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Your support helps us keep making the podcast — and might even buy Gav a coffee or Em a tea!

📚 In this episode:
• Why writing isn't just essays and long texts
• Emails, messages and real-world writing
• How misunderstandings happen in written English
• Paper email activities for the classroom
• Running dictation
• Collaborative story-writing games
• Reviews, exam writing and Business English
• Templates and useful language for real situations
• Linking words and more sophisticated writing
• Storytelling and narrative tenses
• Formal vs informal English
• Analysing emails with students
• Spelling, grammar and punctuation
• Writing arguments and essays

References: Outlook email: https://outlook.live.comGmail email: https://mail.google.com/A running dictation: https://comprehensibleclassroom.com/2011/06/29/running-dictation/#:~:text=Running%20Dictation%20in%20a%20nutshell,where%20a%20secretary%20transcribes%20it.Exquisite corpse game: https://www.eslprintables.com/writing_worksheets/other_writing_worksheets/Exquisite_Corpse_Collaborati_806468/Skype: https://www.skype.com/en/WhatsApp: https://www.whatsapp.com/Messenger: https://www.messenger.com/Email style: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/business-english/email-styleOne stop English (not first stop): https://www.onestopenglish.com/

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome & what does “What’s up?” actually mean?
01:45 – How to Writing: why students avoid writing
03:00 – Writing isn't just essays
04:00 – Emails, WhatsApp messages & communication problems
05:00 – When “I need to cancel” goes very wrong
06:00 – Paper emails: a classroom writing activity
07:00 – Formality, style & different kinds of messages
08:00 – Running dictation explained
10:00 – Making running dictation competitive
11:00 – “Consequences” / Exquisite Corpse writing game
12:00 – Creative writing & supporting lower-level learners
13:00 – Reviews, exams & real-life writing tasks
14:00 – Business English writing + Ko-fi
15:00 – Reports, apologies & practical writing
16:00 – Postcards, requests & building writing confidence
17:00 – Templates and useful language
18:00 – Linking words & conjunctions
19:00 – Storytelling and narrative tenses
20:00 – Past perfect: making stories more interesting
21:00 – Why formality and appropriateness matter
22:00 – Formal vs informal writing
23:00 – Analysing emails with students
24:00 – Summarising emails & writing subject lines
25:00 – Writing tools, apps & punctuation
26:00 – Essays, arguments & paragraph structure
27:00 – Final writing tips & what Gav and Em write
28:00 – Outro

🎙️ How to English with Gav & Em — a podcast about teaching and learning English as a foreign language.

How to Improve Your English Reading Skills: Books, News & Everyday English - S01E14 Apr 17, 2020

Want to improve your English reading skills without getting stuck in difficult or boring texts? In this episode of How to English with Gav & Em, we explore practical ways for English learners and teachers to make reading more useful, enjoyable and effective.

We discuss how to choose the right books for your English level, why reading something you genuinely enjoy matters, and how graded readers can make classic books more accessible. We also look beyond books at the English you can read every day — including news, social media, reviews, recipes, games, adverts and instructions.

For English teachers, Gav and Em share ideas for making reading activities more interactive, including jigsaw readings, summarising texts, matching headings and giving students different parts of a text to read and explain. The episode also covers skimming and scanning, moving from general meaning to detailed understanding, and adapting reading activities to your students' level.
Whether you're learning English as a foreign language (EFL/ESL) or teaching it, this episode is packed with practical ideas for improving English reading comprehension, vocabulary and reading fluency.

☕ Support How to English with Gav & Em:
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🌐 Visit How to English:
https://www.howtoenglishpod.com/

Topics: English reading skills, reading comprehension, learning English through books, graded readers, English vocabulary, skimming and scanning, reading activities for ESL/EFL students, English teaching ideas, learning English through everyday reading.

References:Dan BrownNick HornbyJohn LancasterJK RowlingMarian KeyesHaruki MurakamiErnest HemingwayKen FolletJohn SteinbeckJRR TolkenJane AustenShakespeareArthur Conan DoyleGeorge RR MartinTwitter http://twitter.com/https://www.instagram.com/howtoenglishpod/https://facebook.comhttps://google.comhttps://bbc.comVOA News https://www.voanews.com/Penguin Readers https://www.penguinreaders.co.uk/Cambridge exams: CAE, FCE, IELTS ExamTOEFL ExamEnglish File, Pearson Jigsaw Reading exercise https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/jigsaw-readinghttps://www.ikea.com/

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome & introduction
01:35 How to improve your English through reading
02:00 Choose books and genres you actually enjoy
03:00 Reading books you've already read in your own language
04:00 Recommended authors for English learners
06:00 Classics, difficult books & Penguin Readers
07:00 Graded readers and choosing the right level
08:00 E-books and built-in dictionaries
09:00 Learn English through websites, social media & your interests
10:00 Reviews, recipes and everyday English
12:00 Learning vocabulary through games & instructions
13:00 Should you read aloud in English?
14:00 Reading aloud, confidence & choosing the right level
15:00 Reading the news in English
16:00 News for different English levels
17:00 Reading activities for English teachers
18:00 Jigsaw reading activities
19:00 Putting stories and sentences in order
20:00 Reading activities for online English lessons
21:00 Reading, summarising & sharing information
22:00 Giving students a reason to read
23:00 Idiomatic English online & historical fiction
24:00 Children's books and graded reading for lower levels
25:00 Skimming, scanning & reading for detail
26:00 Adverts, instructions & task-based reading
27:00 Final thoughts & goodbye

How to Improve Your English Pronunciation | Connected Speech, Stress & Practical Tips - S01E13 Apr 10, 2020

How can you improve your English pronunciation and sound more natural? In this episode of How to English with Gav & Em, we explore practical ways for English learners and teachers to work on pronunciation, listening and speaking.

We discuss word stress, sentence stress, intonation, connected speech, weak forms, minimal pairs and the IPA, as well as common pronunciation problems and the differences between British, American and other varieties of English. Gav and Em also share pronunciation activities for the classroom and simple techniques learners can use at home, including recording yourself, repetition, reading aloud, listening to podcasts, watching videos and practising with songs.

Why does pronunciation matter? Because it isn't only about being understood—learning how English really sounds can also help you understand native and fluent speakers more easily.

Whether you're learning English as a foreign language, teaching ESL/EFL, or looking for English pronunciation exercises and teaching ideas, this episode is packed with practical tips—with the usual Gav and Em tangents along the way.

☕ Support How to English Pod:
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Topics: English pronunciation, how to improve English pronunciation, British English pronunciation, connected speech, word stress, sentence stress, intonation, minimal pairs, IPA, weak forms, English listening skills, speaking English naturally, ESL pronunciation, EFL teaching, English teaching tips.

TitleDescriptionReferences:English File IPA pronunciation chart: https://elt.oup.com/elt/students/englishfile/pdf/nef_int_bookmark_bw.pdf?cc=global&selLanguage=enUsing a dictionary for pronunciation: https://www.dictionary.com/Minimal Pairs (activity): https://www.tinyteflteacher.co.uk/teach-english/pronunciation/minimal-pair-listStrong or Weak? (to/for/the): Cambridge Business English Activities, Cambridge, 2000How to Pronounce th, mmmEnglish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCkONOv2JJM&t=14sAmidst the Mists tongue twister: https://www.grandmasnurseryrhymes.com/amidstthemists.html18 Tongue Twisters from around the World, Easy Languages: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5RNk0zLwmo

Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome to How to English
01:00 – Why pronunciation matters
02:00 – English spelling vs pronunciation: fruit and suit
04:00 – Different pronunciations and accents
05:00 – Should teachers simplify their pronunciation?
06:00 – Natural English, contractions and the IPA
08:00 – Word stress and why it matters
10:00 – Intonation, rhythm and sentence stress
11:00 – Connected speech: gonna, wanna and natural English
13:00 – Minimal pairs for pronunciation practice
15:00 – Reading aloud and recording yourself
17:00 – Common pronunciation problems and the TH sound
19:00 – Pronunciation challenges for different language backgrounds
20:00 – Do tongue twisters actually help?
22:00 – Pronunciation games and teaching activities
24:00 – YouTube, podcasts, songs, films and conversation exchange
25:00 – British, American and other English accents
26:00 – Final pronunciation tips & goodbye

How to Learn Vocabulary (and Actually Remember It) - S01E12 Apr 03, 2020

How do you learn new vocabulary — and, more importantly, how do you actually remember it?

In this episode of How to English with Gav & Em, we look at vocabulary from both the teacher’s and learner’s point of view. We talk about choosing words that are actually useful, teaching vocabulary in context, regular and irregular verbs, eliciting language, and some of our favourite classroom activities.
There are plenty of practical ideas along the way, including matching activities, Pelmanism, board races, Taboo, Pictionary, mime and flashcards — plus the occasional shuttlecock. We also discuss phrasal verbs, prepositions, Quizlet and why recycling vocabulary is so important if you want new words to stick.
Whether you’re teaching English or learning it, the message is simple: choose useful vocabulary, practise it, use it in context and keep coming back to it.

☕ Support How to English Pod:
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Resources:Taboo (game): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Agdd3PR8zgoPictionary (game): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTslIbA2JF4Board Race (game): https://teachingrecipes.com/board-race/Pelmanism (game): https://busyteacher.org/22375-memory-pelmanism-17-great-ways-to-use.htmlEnglish Grammar in Use Supplementary Exercises with Answers, Hashemi Louise and Raymond Murphy, Cambridge, 2012Quizlet: https://quizlet.com/en-gbTimestamps:

00:00 – Welcome to How to English
01:00 – What is vocabulary?
02:00 – Do we actually say “vocabulary”?
03:00 – Different types and groups of words
04:00 – Regular and irregular verbs
05:00 – Pronouncing past-tense -ed endings
06:00 – Vocabulary and grammar go together
07:00 – What does “I want to learn vocabulary” mean?
08:00 – Is the vocabulary actually useful?
09:00 – Choosing vocabulary for your needs
10:00 – How to teach vocabulary in context
11:00 – Eliciting, matching and Pelmanism
12:00 – Making vocabulary activities more interactive
13:00 – Getting students to guess the word
14:00 – Vocabulary board races
15:00 – Support us on Ko-fi + using pictures
16:00 – Teaching words together with context
17:00 – Practising vocabulary with games
18:00 – How to play Taboo with vocabulary
19:00 – Pictionary, sentences and prepositions
20:00 – Phrasal verbs and difficult prepositions
21:00 – Why reading helps your vocabulary
22:00 – Quizlet and flashcards
23:00 – Recycling and revising vocabulary
24:00 – Use it or lose it
25:00 – Goodbye + what’s next?

How to Teach Grammar: Tenses, Timelines, Fluency & What Students Really Need - S01E11 Mar 27, 2020

How should English teachers teach grammar without overwhelming students — or destroying their fluency?

In S01E11 of the How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em tackle the big topic of grammar from both the teacher’s and learner’s point of view.

We discuss whether students really need to know terms such as noun, adjective, verb and present participle, and whether grammar is better learned through rules, formulas, chunks, repetition or simply using the language.

We also look at practical ways to teach English tenses, including timelines, visual explanations, model sentences and meaningful practice. Em explains why intermediate students can sometimes forget grammar they learned at lower levels, while Gav argues for regularly recycling language rather than teaching a grammar point once and abandoning it.

Then there’s the big question: do students really need all those advanced tenses?

Future perfect might not appear in every conversation, but it could be exactly what a Business English learner needs for project planning:

“By the end of this year, we will have completed…”

So should we teach grammar because it’s in the coursebook — or because our students actually need it?We also discuss:

• grammar terminology and whether students need it

• teaching tenses as formulas

• turning grammar structures into natural chunks

• using timelines and drawings

• balancing grammatical accuracy with speaking fluency

• correcting mistakes without stopping communication

• recycling and revising previously learned grammar

• British and American English differences

• third conditional and future perfect

• adapting grammar lessons to learners’ real needs

• English word order and fossilised errors

• useful grammar books for teachers and learners

☕ Support How to English and help us keep making the podcast:

https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

Website: https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to How to English

01:30 – What is grammar?

02:30 – Do students need grammar terminology?

06:00 – Teaching tenses as formulas

08:00 – Can thinking about grammar slow down fluency?

09:30 – Teaching grammar through chunks and repetition

10:30 – Using timelines to explain English tenses

13:00 – Different ways to visualise grammar

14:30 – Making grammar practice meaningful

16:00 – Why intermediate students forget basic grammar

17:30 – Recycling and revising grammar

19:00 – Why English grammar can feel overwhelming

20:30 – Grammar knowledge and teacher preparation

21:30 – British vs American English grammar

23:00 – Accuracy vs fluency

24:30 – Should students worry about perfect grammar?

25:30 – Do students really need advanced tenses?

27:00 – Third conditional, past perfect and useful grammar

29:00 – Does anyone actually need the future perfect?

30:30 – Teaching grammar for Business English and project planning

32:00 – Should coursebooks decide what grammar we teach?

34:00 – English word order36:00 – Fossilised grammar errors

37:30 – Recommended grammar books

39:00 – Final thoughts on teaching grammar

🎧 How to English TEFL Podcast

Practical conversations about teaching and learning English with Gav & Em.

#tefljobs #EnglishTeaching #Grammar #ESL #ELT #TeachEnglish #EnglishGrammar #TEFLTeachers #EnglishTeachersReferences:Parts of speech: https://www.lexico.com/grammar/word-classes-or-parts-of-speechEnglish Grammar in Use, Raymond Murphy and Surai Pongtongcharoen, Cambridge.Using timelines: https://eflrecipes.com/2014/06/21/timelines/Differences between British and American English with present perfect: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0KWEAWwASQIntermediate Language Practice, Michael Vince, Macmillan. How English Works: A Grammar Practice Book; with Answers, Catherine Walter, Michael Swan, Oxford.

How to Teach English Online: What Do TEFL Teachers Need to Get Right? - S01E10 Mar 20, 2020

How do you move face-to-face English lessons online? Which video-call platform should a TEFL teacher use? How can you improve sound and connection, share worksheets and videos, manage turn-taking, and keep online lessons organised?

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em share their first-hand experiences of teaching and learning English from home. Em explains how her face-to-face lessons moved online and why she discovered that the fear of online teaching could be worse than the reality. Gav and Em then work through the practical questions teachers and learners face when the classroom moves onto a screen.

They compare platforms including Zoom, Webex, Microsoft Teams, Skype, WhatsApp and Whereby, discussing video and audio, screen sharing, invitations, access restrictions and the importance of having a simple backup when technology fails.
The conversation also gets into the details that can make or break an online English lesson: staying near the router, using headphones and a microphone, reducing background noise, managing turn-taking and delays, checking mute and camera settings, and practising with the technology before the first lesson.
Gav and Em also explore how teachers can share screens, worksheets, documents, audio and video while keeping students involved. And once the lesson is over, they discuss saving annotated materials, emailing work to students and creating individual folders so previous lessons and homework are easy to find.
Whether you're teaching your first online English lesson or looking for practical ways to improve your remote TEFL setup, this episode is full of realistic advice from two teachers working through the same problems.

00:00 — Should we talk about teaching and learning English from home?
02:00 — How do you move face-to-face English lessons online?
03:00 — Which online teaching platform should you use?
04:00 — What features does a TEFL teacher actually need?
06:00 — Skype for Business, Microsoft Teams and access problems
07:00 — How do students join an online English lesson?
08:00 — Which video-call platform works best?
09:00 — What should you do when the technology doesn't work?
10:00 — Chargers, routers and internet connections
11:00 — Do online English teachers need headphones?
12:00 — How should turn-taking work in online classes?
13:00 — Setting online classroom rules and anticipating problems
14:00 — Preparing students for technical difficulties
15:00 — How can teachers share worksheets and other materials online?
16:00 — Screen sharing versus sending students documents
17:00 — Sharing audio and video during online lessons
18:00 — Mute buttons, cameras and checking your settings
19:00 — Why should teachers practise before their first online lesson?
20:00 — Creating a comfortable, distraction-free teaching space
21:00 — Lighting, cameras and the advantages of teaching from home
22:00 — Can you teach speaking, listening, grammar and vocabulary normally online?
23:00 — Saving lesson materials, organising student folders and final thoughts

Online teaching changes the location and technology, but it doesn't have to change the fundamentals of good English teaching. As Gav and Em conclude, teachers can still work on speaking, listening, questions, grammar, vocabulary and familiar lesson materials once they become comfortable with the tools.

☕ Enjoy How to English TEFL Podcast? Support Gav & Em and help us keep making the show:
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How to English TEFL Podcast — Teach and Learn with Gav & Em.

In this episodeReferences:Zoom: https://zoom.us/Skype: https://www.skype.com/en/Skype for Business: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/skype-for-business/download-appWebex: https://www.webex.com/Microsoft Teams: https://www.microsoft.com/en/microsoft-teams/group-chat-softwareWhereby: https://whereby.com/Whatsapp Web: https://web.whatsapp.com/Google Hangouts: https://hangouts.google.com/Foxit PDF Reader: https://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf-reader/

How Do You Structure an English Lesson? TEFL Lesson Planning Tips - S01E09 Mar 13, 2020

How should you structure an English lesson — and what should happen from the moment students walk into the classroom to the final speaking activity?

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast with Gav & Em, we explore a classic approach to English lesson structure for TEFL, TESOL and ESL teachers, while also looking at the lesson from the student’s perspective. We discuss how teachers can balance careful planning with flexibility and make sure lessons reflect what learners actually need.

We take you through the stages of a lesson, including warm-ups and icebreakers, lead-ins, eliciting students’ existing knowledge, presenting useful language, controlled practice and activation. Using a lesson on telephone English as an example, we look at listening activities, gap fills, authentic language and ways to keep teaching materials relevant to real life.

And then comes the “apex of the learning mountain” — activation! We discuss why role-plays can help learners turn passive vocabulary into language they can actually use, plus alternatives for students who need a greater challenge.

Whether you’re a new English teacher looking for lesson-planning ideas, an experienced ELT professional comparing teaching approaches, or an English learner wondering what makes a good language lesson, this episode is packed with practical ideas you can take into your next class.

☕ Support How to English with Gav & Em:ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

Topics: English lesson structure, TEFL lesson planning, TESOL, ESL teaching, English teaching methods, lesson stages, warm-up activities, lead-ins, eliciting, controlled practice, language activation, role-play, speaking activities, student-centred teaching, teaching English as a foreign language.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – What makes a well-structured English lesson?

03:00 – Should teachers plan everything in advance?

05:00 – How do you choose materials for an English lesson?

07:00 – How do you keep English lessons relevant to real life?

09:00 – What should you do at the beginning of a lesson?

11:00 – Who decides what students need to learn?

13:00 – How do you introduce and practise new language?

15:00 – How can you support How to English?

16:00 – How do students activate new language?

17:00 – Do students actually like role-plays?

18:00 – How do you turn passive English into active English?

20:00 – What can you do instead of role-play?

22:00 – Should teachers give students conversation questions?

24:00 – Is there only one correct lesson structure?

🎧 Perfect for English teachers, TEFL and TESOL trainees, ESL teachers, language learners and anyone interested in English teaching methodology.

Lessons Outside the Classroom | Real-World English Teaching & Learning Tips |How to English - S01E08 Mar 06, 2020

Can English lessons work better outside the traditional classroom?
In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast with Gav & Em, we explore English lessons outside the classroom and the advantages and challenges of teaching and learning English in different environments.
We talk about online English lessons, teaching in cafés and offices, and taking English into real-world places such as supermarkets, museums, galleries and workplaces.
🎧 In this episode:• Online English teaching and learning• Face-to-face vs online English lessons• Teaching English in cafés and public spaces• Business English lessons in the workplace• Classroom management outside the classroom• Using technology in English lessons• Real-world English practice• Practical tips for ESL/EFL teachers and learners• Creative places to teach and practise EnglishWhether you're an English teacher, TEFL/TESOL professional, EFL student or English learner, this episode is packed with practical ideas for making lessons more flexible, relevant and connected to real life.
☕ Support How to English with Gav & Em: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod
Subscribe for more conversations, teaching ideas and practical advice about teaching and learning English as a foreign language.
#LearnEnglish #EnglishTeaching #TEFL #TESOL #EFL #ESL #EnglishTeacher #TeachingEnglish #EnglishLearning #BusinessEnglish #HowToEnglish
References:Classroom management: https://www.onestopenglish.com/methodology-tips-for-teachers/classroom-management/146450.article
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction – Lessons Outside the Classroom01:45 What does a traditional English classroom look like?04:10 Moving English lessons online06:00 Benefits of online English lessons09:10 Real-life English for video calls11:00 Problems with online teaching13:00 Teaching English to groups online

16:30 Correcting mistakes using online chat19:00 Teaching English in cafés22:30 Is a coffee shop really a good place for a lesson?26:00 Choosing the right café for teaching28:30 Teaching Business English in the office31:00 Distractions and interruptions at work34:30 Making workplace English lessons relevant37:00 Practising presentations and emails39:30 Essential teacher tip: carry a notebook!41:00 English lessons in supermarkets, museums & galleries43:00 Learning English in real-world situations45:00 Tips for successful lessons outside the classroom47:00 Final thoughts & wrap-up

How to Correct English Mistakes Without Killing Confidence | Error Correction for Teachers & Learners - S01E07 Feb 28, 2020

How should English teachers correct mistakes — and how can learners stop making the same errors again and again?

In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast with Gav & Em, we explore practical ways to correct and avoid mistakes in English, from instant correction and delayed error correction to pronunciation problems, grammar mistakes, vocabulary slips and those stubborn errors that just keep coming back.

We discuss when teachers should interrupt, when it’s better to let a conversation flow, and how correction can affect a learner’s confidence. We also share practical classroom techniques including questioning intonation, gestures, facial expressions, correction slips, keeping an error log and turning students’ real mistakes into revision activities.

And correction isn’t only the teacher’s responsibility. We look at what English learners can do themselves — choosing a language focus before a lesson, deliberately using new vocabulary, working on pronunciation, and becoming more aware of recurring mistakes.

Whether you’re an English teacher, TEFL/TESOL professional or English learner, this episode is full of practical ideas for making mistakes a useful part of learning.

☕ Support How to English with Gav & Em:
ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

References:

BBC 6 minute English: ⁠https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english⁠

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction: correcting and avoiding mistakes
01:30 – Instant vs delayed error correction
03:00 – Correcting grammar with intonation and gestures
05:00 – Vocabulary and pronunciation mistakes
07:30 – Correction slips and getting students to correct errors
09:30 – Positive correction without embarrassing learners
11:30 – Should teachers use buzzers, whistles and sound effects?
13:00 – Keeping an error log and revisiting recurring mistakes
15:00 – Fossilised errors and the importance of repetition
17:00 – What learners can do to avoid mistakes
19:00 – Choosing a personal language focus for each lesson
21:00 – When a mistake shows a real gap in knowledge
22:30 – Getting learners to explain and practise corrections
24:00 – Why teaching something once isn’t enough
25:30 – Final thoughts

Making Mistakes (Part Two): Why English Learners Get It Wrong - S01E06 Feb 21, 2020

Why do English learners make the mistakes they do – and why are some mistakes so difficult to get rid of?

In Part Two of Making Mistakes, Gav and Em continue their conversation about mistakes in the English classroom, this time focusing mainly on the learner. They look at where common errors come from, why perfectly understandable English doesn’t always sound natural, and what teachers can do when a student seems to be making mistakes with almost everything!

In this episode, Gav and Em discuss:

Contractions and connected speech – why learners may prefer will not to won’t, avoid forms like gonna, and struggle to understand natural spoken English.
Sounding too formal – why advanced vocabulary and complicated language aren’t always the best choice, and why simpler English can often sound much more natural.
Choosing which mistakes to correct – when a learner has lots of problems, where should a teacher even begin? Sometimes you have to pick your battles.
First-language (L1) interference – how translating directly from another language can affect sentence structure, auxiliary verbs, articles, tenses and prepositions.
False friends – those dangerous words that look familiar across languages but mean something completely different in English. Gav and Em share some particularly memorable classroom examples!
Pronunciation problems – from difficult individual sounds such as R and L to the wonderfully inconsistent pronunciation of OUGH.
English rules…and all their exceptions – irregular plurals, countable and uncountable nouns, much and many, articles and all those rules learners thought they understood until English decided otherwise.
The B1/B2 barrier – why English can feel relatively easy at first before suddenly becoming much more complicated at intermediate and upper-intermediate levels.
Learning vocabulary you don’t like – you might hate mushrooms, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to know the word mushroom. Especially when you’re ordering dinner!

There are also crying students, confusing coffees and waters, embarrassing pronunciation mistakes, and the important reminder that teachers don’t actually make the rules – English just likes to keep changing them.

Whether you’re an English teacher who recognises these mistakes from your own classroom or a learner wondering why English sometimes makes absolutely no sense, this episode is full of examples, observations and practical tips from real teaching experience.

And after two episodes discussing mistakes, there’s one obvious question left: how should we correct them?

That might just be a topic for next time…

🎧 How to English with Gav & Em – a podcast about teaching and learning English as a foreign language.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Welcome back & Making Mistakes Part Two
02:15 – Common mistakes English learners make
04:40 – Contractions and connected speech
08:25 – Why learners sometimes sound too formal
11:45 – Using complicated English vs keeping it simple
14:30 – Which mistakes should teachers correct first?
17:10 – How your first language influences your English
20:20 – Articles, tenses and translating directly
23:10 – False friends and some unfortunate misunderstandings!
28:05 – Prepositions and sentence structure
31:20 – When students cry in class 😢
34:15 – Pronunciation mistakes teachers never forget
37:10 – R vs L and difficult English sounds
40:05 – English rules…and all those exceptions
43:00 – The B1/B2 barrier: why English suddenly gets harder
45:15 – Much, many, water, coffee and uncountable nouns
48:10 – Why English rules keep changing
50:20 – Why you should learn words you DON'T like 🍄
52:40 – Articles: “This is pen!”
54:15 – What should we talk about next? Correcting mistakes!
55:00 – Goodbye & outro

Teachers' Biggest English Teaching Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them!) - S01E05 Feb 14, 2020

Every teacher makes mistakes—but some are funnier than others!

In this episode of How to English, Gav and Em share hilarious classroom stories, embarrassing teaching moments, and practical advice for English teachers. From forgetting lessons and writing on whiteboards with permanent marker to teaching the wrong language point, they discuss what teachers can learn from their mistakes and how students can benefit too.

Whether you're a new English teacher, an experienced ESL professional, or an English learner curious about life in the classroom, this episode is packed with useful insights, relatable stories, and plenty of laughs.

In this episode you'll learn about:

Common mistakes teachers make
Funny classroom disasters
Professionalism vs honest mistakes
Lesson planning and classroom preparation
Teaching language accurately
Managing classroom interaction
Correcting student mistakes effectively
Cultural awareness in the classroom

This is Part 1 of our discussion on mistakes. In Part 2 we'll explore how teachers should correct mistakes and how students can learn from them.

👍 If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to like, subscribe and leave us a comment telling us about your funniest teaching mistake!

#EnglishTeacher #ESL #TEFL #EnglishPodcast #LearnEnglish #TeachingEnglish #TeacherLife #ELT #ESLTeacher #HowToEnglish

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction
01:10 Why everyone makes mistakes
03:00 Funny classroom accidents (falling off chairs & paper cuts!)
06:00 Forgetting lessons and turning up at the wrong place
10:00 Being late and making a good first impression
13:00 Forgetting lesson plans and classroom materials
16:00 Pen disasters, drawing mistakes & the elephant misunderstanding
21:00 The permanent marker nightmare
23:00 Wardrobe mishaps and professionalism
26:00 Teaching incorrect English—and admitting you're wrong
30:00 Talking too much in class
34:00 Understanding students' needs and cultural awareness
38:00 Pair work, remembering names & giving students thinking time
43:00 How much should teachers correct mistakes?
48:00 Using students' first language in class
51:00 Part 2 preview & outro

Technology in the Classroom | Best Apps, Google Classroom & Modern ELT Tips - S01E04 Feb 07, 2020

Welcome to How to English: Teach and Learn with Gav & Em!

In S01E04, Gav and Em explore one of the biggest topics in modern English teaching: technology in the classroom. From simple notebooks and pens to Google Classroom, Quizlet, Duolingo, Bluetooth speakers, interactive whiteboards and online learning platforms, they discuss what really helps students learn—and what might just be technology for technology's sake.

Whether you're an English teacher, TEFL/TESOL professional, language learner, or simply interested in educational technology, this episode is packed with practical ideas, classroom tips, and honest discussion.💬 We'd love to hear from you!

What's your favourite piece of classroom technology?

Do you use Google Classroom, Quizlet, Kahoot!, or something else? Share your teaching tips in the comments.

⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe and leave us a 5-star review.

#TechnologyInTheClassroom #ELT #TEFL #TESOL #EnglishTeacher #LearnEnglish #GoogleClassroom #Quizlet #Duolingo #EducationalTechnology #TeachingEnglish #EnglishPodcast #HowToEnglishReferences:WhatsApp https://www.whatsapp.com/Messenger https://www.messenger.com/Quizlet https://quizlet.com/Duolingo https://www.duolingo.com/Grammarly https://www.grammarly.comMagoosh https://magoosh.com/Google Classroom https://classroom.google.com/Skype https://www.skype.com/WebEx https://www.webex.com/

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to How to English

00:38 – Introducing technology in the classroom

02:05 – Pens, notebooks, tablets and taking notes

04:20 – Recording English lessons and getting permission

06:15 – Using Quizlet for vocabulary practice

09:05 – Photos of the whiteboard and homework reminders

10:25 – WhatsApp and Messenger groups for students

13:40 – Should teachers correct students in group chats?

16:10 – Duolingo, Magoosh and language-learning apps

18:45 – From cassette players to smartphones

22:15 – Why Bluetooth speakers transformed teaching

24:35 – Videos, tablets, laptops and projectors

26:30 – Are interactive whiteboards worth using?

29:35 – Using Google Classroom for homework

32:35 – Real-time classroom conversations with chat apps

34:05 – Online calendars and real-world digital tasks

36:25 – Technology for learning—or technology for its own sake?

39:05 – Screen time, virtual classrooms and meaningful communication

41:40 – Is technology a barrier or a bridge?

43:15 – Final thoughts and listener questions

How to Plan Better English Lessons | TEFL Lesson Planning & Teaching Tips for ESL Teachers - S01E03 Jan 31, 2020

How do experienced English teachers plan lessons that actually work?In this episode of How to English with Gav & Em, we discuss practical lesson planning strategies for English language teachers, TEFL teachers, ESL tutors, and anyone teaching English as a foreign language.Topics include:How to plan an effective English lessonCourse planning for long-term student progressSetting realistic learning goalsTeacher-led vs student-led learningTest-Teach-Test and communicative teachingUsing coursebooks without relying on them completelyPlanning grammar and vocabulary lessonsOrganic teaching (Dogme) vs structured lesson planningAdapting lessons to student needsAvoiding over-planning while staying preparedBuilding confidence as a new English teacherWhether you're a new TEFL teacher or an experienced ESL professional looking for fresh ideas, this episode shares real classroom experiences, practical advice, and honest discussion about what actually works.🎙️ Subscribe for weekly English teaching conversations, classroom ideas, and professional development.What is lesson planning in English language teaching?Lesson planning is the process of deciding learning objectives, activities, language focus, and practice opportunities before teaching a class.Why is lesson planning important?Good lesson planning helps teachers organise activities, anticipate student needs, manage classroom time, and keep lessons focused on learning goals.Should English teachers always follow the coursebook?No. The discussion suggests teachers should use coursebooks as resources while adapting activities to match students' existing knowledge and learning needs.What is Test-Teach-Test?Test-Teach-Test is a teaching approach where students first demonstrate what they already know, teachers address gaps in knowledge, and students then practise the new language. It is discussed as one possible lesson structure in the episode.What is Dogme teaching?Dogme is a communicative teaching approach that builds lessons around conversations and language that emerge naturally rather than following a fixed lesson plan. The episode explores this as an alternative planning style.How much time should teachers spend planning?The podcast notes that new teachers often spend many hours planning a single lesson, while experienced teachers gradually become more efficient by reusing and refining materials.How can teachers personalise lessons?By identifying what students already know, responding to their errors, and adapting lesson content rather than teaching every page of a textbook in order.References:English File, Third Edition, Oxford University Press, (2013)Cutting Edge, Pearson Education Limited, (2014)Dogme, Scott Thornbury: https://scottthornbury.wordpress.com/2010/02/28/d-is-for-dogme/Royal Family picture: www.townandcountrymag.comTimestamps00:00 Introduction01:10 Why lesson planning matters03:15 Teacher goals vs student goals06:20 Using coursebooks effectively10:00 Planning grammar lessons15:00 Communicative teaching and Dogme21:30 Test–Teach–Test explained27:00 Planning an English course33:00 Managing planning time38:00 Advice for new English teachers

What's the Difference Between Teaching General English, Business English, Exam & ESP? - S01E02 Jan 26, 2020

Thinking about teaching Business English, Exam English or ESP?As English teachers, we often get asked to teach far more than "General English." But what's the real difference between General English, Business English, Exam Preparation and English for Specific Purposes (ESP)? And do you need to be an expert before you accept those classes?In this episode of How to English, Gav and Em share their experiences of teaching each type of lesson, the challenges they've faced, and what new teachers should expect before stepping into the classroom. From Business English in multinational companies to exam preparation and highly specialised ESP courses, they discuss what changes—and what stays exactly the same.You'll learn:

The four main types of English lessons
When Business English is really just General English in disguise
What to expect when teaching exam classes
How to approach ESP without becoming an industry expert
Practical advice for TEFL, TESOL and ESL teachers looking to broaden their teaching skills

Whether you're a new English teacher or an experienced professional thinking about specialising, this episode will help you decide where your teaching strengths—and interests—lie.

References:

English File, Oxford.

New Market Leader, 3rd edition, Upper-intermediate, Unit 8, Pearson.

In Company, Macmillan.

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

What Should Happen in Your First English Lesson? Practical TEFL Tips for Teachers & Students – S01E01 Jan 18, 2020

What should teachers and students do in their first English lesson?

A successful first English lesson should help everyone feel comfortable, establish the learner’s level and goals, build rapport, and create a clear idea of what the course should achieve. But how do you do all of that without turning the lesson into an awkward interview?

In the very first episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em explore what really happens when teachers and students meet for the first time. Drawing on 40+ years of combined English-teaching experience, they discuss first-lesson nerves, preparation, needs analysis, level assessment, classroom relationships and practical activities that can help a new class get started.

Gav shares the story of a carefully prepared question activity that turned into 20 painfully awkward minutes of short answers, while Em explains how a class of late-arriving students accidentally created a memorable introduction activity. Their experiences show why teachers need flexibility, a Plan B and the confidence to change direction when an activity is not working.

They also compare approaches to one-to-one and group lessons, discuss how much teachers should reveal about themselves, and consider how teachers can observe different personalities and learning preferences without making the first class feel like a test.

For learners, Gav and Em look at how to prepare before a first English lesson, what to bring, why asking questions matters and how active participation can help teachers design a course around your real needs.

In this episode:

• How should teachers prepare for a first English lesson?
• Why are first lessons nerve-racking for experienced teachers too?
• How can you avoid awkward silences and one-word answers?
• What should teachers find out about students in lesson one?
• How can teachers assess English level naturally?
• What activities work well when students first meet?
• How much should teachers plan for a one-to-one lesson?
• How can teachers build rapport while remaining professional?
• How can teachers recognise different learner preferences?
• What should students do before their first English class?
• Should students learn something specific in the first lesson?
• Why every teacher needs a Plan B

Whether you're a new TEFL teacher preparing for your first class, an experienced ESL/EFL teacher looking for fresh first-lesson ideas, a CELTA trainee, or an English learner wondering what to expect, this episode offers practical advice drawn from real classroom experience.

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Explore our growing collection of practical teaching articles, classroom ideas and activities you can use today:
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REFERENCES

Learner Questionnaire: Cutting Edge, Advanced, (p.12–13), Pearson (2006)

Giving Tips on Learning a Language Well: Cutting Edge 3rd Edition, Advanced, (p.12–13), Pearson (2014)

Question Game: Keep Talking, (p.53), Cambridge University Press (1984)

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome and episode setup
01:35 – First-lesson nerves and preparation
05:39 – When an icebreaker falls flat
09:08 – Late arrivals and remembering names
13:08 – Pressure, comparison and classroom atmosphere
15:02 – Assessing levels and learner expectations
17:28 – Teacher-student relationships and anxiety
21:13 – Student types and difficult classroom dynamics
24:07 – Activities, learning preferences and the classroom contract
27:48 – Teacher notes and how students can prepare
30:54 – Should you teach something specific in lesson one?
32:56 – Practical first-lesson tips and outro

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