Teaching English to Kids: A Journey of Fun Learning

Paola
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Education

"Teaching English to Kids: A Journey of Fun Learning" is the podcast that bridges the gap between rigorous methodology and engaging practice. Each episode delves into the core foundations of ELT – from SLA theory and classroom management techniques to curriculum planning and phonics fundamentals – and translates them into practical, game-based learning activities you can use immediately. Discover creative strategies for immersive storytelling, effective song use, and designing lessons that spark curiosity and build genuine confidence in your young learners. Whether you're a seasoned teacher or new to the classroom, join a community of dedicated educators who are transforming language learning. Move beyond the theory and find actionable inspiration to make your classroom more effective and incredibly fun. Subscribe now for your weekly dose of evidence-based strategies and playful teaching inspiration!

  1. 18h ago

    From Words to Conversation – Turn-Taking, Dialogue and Assessing Oral Production

    Send us Fan Mail She can produce a perfect sentence. She just can't have a conversation with it. Last week we found the words and the willingness to speak. This week we build the machine that turns isolated sentences into real, back-and-forth talk. Topics: turn-taking rules almost nobody teaches (Sacks, Schegloff & Jefferson), linguistic vs. interactional competence, whether children really negotiate meaning (Oliver; García Mayo & Lázaro Ibarrola; Lázaro-Ibarrola & Azpilicueta-Martínez), the trap in the IRF pattern and how to move past it (Sinclair & Coulthard; Gibbons; Alexander), teaching communication strategies so breakdowns become repairs (Nakatani), and Dynamic Assessment for zero-anxiety formative assessment (Poehner & Lantolf). Plus three ready-to-use activities. #TurnTaking #DialogicTeaching #OralProduction #TeachingEnglish #YoungLearners #FormativeAssessment #MindfulFacilitator #SLA Follow me @PaolaPandoDiaz on Linkedin, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook Teacher course and resources at www.educratica.com ESL Young Learner section

  2. Sep 15

    Speaking Skills: How to build oral fluency through meaningful interaction

    Send us Fan Mail For three weeks we have built the listening foundation. This week, we let them speak. Some children understand everything and say almost nothing. Others repeat everything and freeze when asked a real question. Both raise the same question: how do we get from comprehension to communication? In this episode, you'll discover: Why speaking is the most cognitively demanding of the four skills – Levelt's model of speech production, and why a child who understands your question perfectly can still stand there in silence.The Output Hypothesis (Swain) – how producing language triggers noticing, hypothesis testing and metalinguistic reflection, making speaking a driver of acquisition and not just evidence of it.The Interaction Hypothesis (Long) – why negotiation for meaning needs a genuine information gap, and can never happen in a drill.Willingness to Communicate (MacIntyre et al.) – the research that shows the immediate cause of speech is not proficiency but confidence and affiliation. Building a warm classroom is language work.Four research-backed strategies: input-based tasks before output-based tasks (Ellis); task repetition and the power of three (Sample & Michel) – with an honest caveat from Boers on why the stopwatch should stay in the drawer; teaching chunks rather than only words (Wray; Boers et al.); and engineering willingness to communicate through extended wait time (Rowe).Three ready-to-use activities: Spot the Difference Three Times, the Chunk Bank Challenge, and the Expert Chair.Adaptations from the Silent Period to intermediate fluency – plus a word on pronunciation: aim at intelligibility, never at erasing an accent (Derwing & Munro).If you've been following since Season 1, this is the next step in your journey. If you're new, this is your starting point. Next week, Episode 5: from single utterances to real conversations. 🎧 If you're enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening. Follow Paola on LinkedIn, instagram, TikTok and Facebook @PaolaPandoDiaz. #SpeakingSkills #OralFluency #TeachingEnglish #YoungLearners #TBLT #WillingnessToCommunicate #MindfulFacilitator #SLA

  3. Sep 10

    Supporting Materials and Visual Resources for Listening Development

    Send us Fan Mail Last week, we explored four strategies for improving listening skills. This week, we focus on something often overlooked but absolutely essential: the role of supporting materials and visual resources in listening development. Visual resources—ranging from images and videos to infographics and realia—have been shown to enhance comprehension and retention, fostering a more engaging and effective learning environment. These are not just "nice to have." They are essential tools for building listening comprehension in young learners. In this episode, you'll discover: The neuroscience of visual support: Dual Coding Theory (Paivio), how visuals reduce cognitive load, embodied cognition, the generation effect, and how visuals lower the Affective Filter.Four types of visual resources: Images and pictures, videos and animations, infographics, and realia—and when to use each one.The Three‑Phase Model for integrating visuals into listening instruction: Pre‑Listening (Activate and Prepare), During‑Listening (Support and Guide), and Post‑Listening (Consolidate and Extend).Practical activities: Listen and Draw, Picture Sequencing, and Video Comprehension.Adaptations for different levels: How to scaffold visuals for beginners, intermediate, and advanced learners.Tune in to learn how to make listening accessible, engaging, and memorable for every learner in your classroom. 📚 Explore my resources at www.educratica.com – ESL Young Learners section – and on Hotmart: 🎓 The Mindful Facilitator – 8‑week online course 📘 A Practical Guide for Teaching English to Kids – Ebook 🎲 11 ESL Circle Games for Young Learners – Ebook Subscribe and never miss an episode. Follow Paola on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram @PaolaPandoDiaz. #Season3 #ListeningSkills #VisualResources #TeachingEnglish #YoungLearners #MindfulFacilitator #DualCoding #NeuroscienceInEducation #Educratica #Hotmart

  4. Sep 4

    Strategies for improving Listening Skills – From passive hearing to active comprehension.

    Send us Fan Mail Last week, we explored why listening is the foundation of all language acquisition. This week, we move from theory to practice. In this episode, we dive into four powerful, research‑backed strategies for improving listening skills in young learners: collaborative learning, scaffolding techniques, technology integration, and formative assessment. Drawing on cognitive, social, and interactionist theories of Second Language Acquisition (SLA), we explore: Why collaborative listening activities activate Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development and build comprehension through peer interaction. Discover practical activities like Listen and Retell, Pair Dictation, and Circle Stories.How scaffolding reduces cognitive load and supports learners as they move from dependence to independence – with a practical scaffolding continuum from heavy to independent support.The role of technology in providing authentic, differentiated listening experiences through audio stories, video clips, and interactive apps.How formative assessment turns listening into an ongoing conversation, not a one‑time test – using observation, exit tickets, and peer feedback.If you've been following since Season 1, this is the next step in your journey. If you're new, this is your starting point. 📚 Explore my resources at www.educratica.com – ESL Young Learners section – and on Hotmart. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Follow Paola on LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram @PaolaPandoDiaz. #Season3 #ListeningSkills #TeachingEnglish #YoungLearners #Kidslearning #SLA

  5. Aug 28

    The Foundation of Fluency: Why Listening Comes First and How to Build It

    Send us Fan Mail Season 3 is here – and we're starting where language acquisition itself starts: with listening. Over the past two seasons, we've built our foundational toolkit and developed the Mindful Facilitator's mindset. Now, in Season 3, we apply everything we've learned to the four core language skills. And we begin with the skill that underpins all others: listening. Recent neuroscience confirms that effective listening is not merely about hearing sounds but comprehending and interpreting those sounds in a meaningful way. As one study notes, "listening represents the heart of children's language acquisition". Listening skills are vital for young learners of a foreign language, and when we speak of listening, what we really mean is understanding. In this episode, you'll discover: Why listening is the foundation of fluency and how the brain processes spoken language.The neuroscience of cognitive load, neural coupling, and embodied cognition – and why they matter for listening instruction.How the Affective Filter impacts listening comprehension.Practical, ready‑to‑use activities: Story Listening with Embodied Response, Listen and Draw, and Information Gap with Listening.If you've been following since Season 1, this is the next step in your journey. If you're new, this is your starting point. 📚 Explore my resources at www.educratica.com – ESL Young Learners section – and on Hotmart. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Follow Paola on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram @PaolaPandoDiaz. #Season3 #ListeningSkills #TeachingEnglish #YoungLearners #MindfulFacilitator #NeuroscienceInEducation #Educratica #Hotmart

  6. Aug 19

    A Season of Growth, A Future of Impact - Let's wrap up season 2

    Send us Fan Mail It's the Season 2 finale! After 17 episodes of exploring the neuroscience of play, vocabulary recycling, TPR, project‑based learning, word walls, visual organisers, and the art of being a Mindful Facilitator, we've reached the end of our journey – and it's time to celebrate. In this special finale episode, host Paola Pando brings together the most important ideas from this season: the key strategies that can never be forgotten when teaching ESL to young learners. This is the episode that condenses everything into one powerful summary. You'll discover: The shift from "Activity Manager" to Diagnostic Facilitator – and why it changes everything.The 8 essential activities every ESL teacher needs in their toolkit.The neuroscience behind what works – and why it matters.A look ahead to Season 3: the language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing).If you've been following along, this is your reminder. If you're new, this is your starting point. Tune in to reflect, celebrate, and prepare for what's next. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Follow Paola on LinkedIn and Facebook @PaolaPandoDiaz. 📚 Resources to Support Your Practice: The Mindful Facilitator – 8‑week online course. Video lessons, downloadable resources, and practical assignments.A Practical Guide for Teaching English to Kids – Ebook. The main contents of this podcast in a concise, accessible format.11 ESL Circle Games for Young Learners – Ebook. Brain‑boosting games complete with instructions and neuroscience explanations.👉 Find them all at: www.educratica.com – ESL Young Learners section – and on Hotmart. #SeasonFinale #TeachingEnglish #YoungLearners #MindfulFacilitator #ESL #TeacherPD #NeuroscienceInEducation #Educratica #Hotmart

  7. Aug 12

    Visual Organisers – Building connected vocabulary for deep learning.

    Send us Fan Mail Word walls make vocabulary visible. Visual organisers make vocabulary connected. Together, they create a classroom where vocabulary is not just taught – it is lived. In this episode, we explore the neuroscience behind why graphic organisers, concept maps, the Frayer Model, and semantic feature analysis build the semantic networks that are essential for fluency. Learn how these tools reduce cognitive load, activate the generation effect, and leverage dual coding to create deep, durable vocabulary knowledge. Tune in to transform how your students connect and remember vocabulary. 📚 New Resources to Support Your Practice: The Mindful Facilitator – 8‑week online course. Video lessons, downloadable resources, and practical assignments.A Practical Guide for Teaching English to Kids – Ebook. The main contents of this podcast in a concise, accessible format.11 ESL Circle Games for Young Learners – Ebook. Brain‑boosting games complete with instructions and neuroscience explanations.👉 Find them all at: www.educratica.com – ESL Young Learners section – and on Hotmart. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Follow Paola on LinkedIn and Facebook @PaolaPandoDiaz. #VisualOrganisers #ConceptMaps #FrayerModel #TeachingEnglish #YoungLearners #VocabularyBuilding #SpiralCurriculum #MindfulFacilitator

  8. Aug 6

    How Word Walls Build a Language-Rich Environment

    Send us Fan Mail Your classroom walls are silent. But what if they could teach? In this episode, we explore how word walls and visual organisers create a language-rich environment where vocabulary is constantly recycled, visible, and unforgettable. Discover the neuroscience behind why visible vocabulary lowers the Affective Filter, reduces cognitive load, and builds the semantic networks essential for fluency. You'll learn practical strategies for building word walls that actually work, types of organisers for different purposes, and a week‑at‑a‑glance plan to integrate them into your daily routine. Tune in to transform your classroom walls into active teaching tools. 🎧 If you're enjoying the podcast, please take a moment to rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you're listening. Your ratings help other teachers discover these strategies and build their own sustainable classrooms. 💼 For business enquiries & paid deals 👉 https://socialdb.xyz/podcast/teaching-english-to-kids-a-journey-of-fun-learning Subscribe and never miss an episode. Follow Paola on LinkedIn and Facebook @PaolaPandoDiaz. #WordWalls#TeachingEnglish #YoungLearners #VocabularyBuilding #SpiralCurriculum

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"Teaching English to Kids: A Journey of Fun Learning" is the podcast that bridges the gap between rigorous methodology and engaging practice. Each episode delves into the core foundations of ELT – from SLA theory and classroom management techniques to curriculum planning and phonics fundamentals – and translates them into practical, game-based learning activities you can use immediately. Discover creative strategies for immersive storytelling, effective song use, and designing lessons that spark curiosity and build genuine confidence in your young learners. Whether you're a seasoned teacher or new to the classroom, join a community of dedicated educators who are transforming language learning. Move beyond the theory and find actionable inspiration to make your classroom more effective and incredibly fun. Subscribe now for your weekly dose of evidence-based strategies and playful teaching inspiration!

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