How to English TEFL Podcast

Gav and Em
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Education
  • Updated Biweekly

How to English TEFL Podcast is hosted by Gav & Em, two English teachers with 40+ years of combined teaching experience around the world. We explore real questions from English teaching and learning, including lesson planning, grammar, vocabulary, speaking, confidence, Business English, classroom management, technology and more. Expect practical TEFL ideas, honest classroom stories and different perspectives from two teachers who don't always agree on the best way to teach. Listen, learn and teach with Gav & Em.

  1. 9h ago

    Why Do Students Stop Using Coursebooks? Teaching Lessons, AI & Goodbyes – S07E18

    Why do students ask for a coursebook at the start of a course, then a few weeks later ask if they can just talk instead? In S07E18 of How to English: Teach & Learn with Gav & Em, we look at why learners can lose interest in coursebooks and how teachers can balance structure with the conversations students actually want. We also ask where teachers really learn their best teaching lessons, whether teachers should learn their students’ language and culture before working abroad, how to say goodbye at the end of a course, whether an English teacher needs to be a walking dictionary, and how AI can help teachers and learners without replacing the learning. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 What’s coming up01:57 Why students stop wanting the coursebook05:20 Why coursebooks can feel repetitive07:43 Coursebook or conversation?08:26 Test-teach-test09:20 Mid-course reflection10:43 Where teachers learn their best lessons13:50 Learning from negative feedback15:27 A difficult first lesson abroad18:24 Should teachers learn students’ language and culture?20:19 How should teachers say goodbye?21:27 Does a teacher need to be a dictionary?23:18 Pros and cons of AI25:45 How Gav uses AI in lessons26:52 AI for tailor-made materials27:47 AI-written emails and learner confidence28:44 What can’t AI replace?30:12 Practical AI ideas31:48 Final questions READ THE S07E18 ARTICLES Why Do Students Ask for a Coursebook Then Stop Using It?https://howtoenglishpod.com/why-do-students-ask-for-a-coursebook-then-stop-using-it-s07e18/ Where Do English Teachers Learn Their Best Teaching Lessons?https://howtoenglishpod.com/where-do-english-teachers-learn-their-best-teaching-lessons-s07e18/ Should English Teachers Learn Their Students’ Language Before Teaching Abroad?https://howtoenglishpod.com/should-english-teachers-learn-their-students-language-before-teaching-abroad-s07e18/ How Should an English Teacher Say Goodbye to Students?https://howtoenglishpod.com/how-should-an-english-teacher-say-goodbye-to-students-s07e18/ Does an English Teacher Need to Be a Walking Dictionary?https://howtoenglishpod.com/does-an-english-teacher-need-to-be-a-walking-dictionary-s07e18/ How Should English Teachers and Learners Use AI?https://howtoenglishpod.com/how-should-english-teachers-and-learners-use-ai-s07e18/ EPISODE GUIDEhttps://howtoenglishpod.com/episode-guide-why-do-students-stop-using-coursebooks-teaching-lessons-ai-goodbyes-s07e18/ More practical teaching articles, mini-lessons, checklists and free resources:howtoenglishpod.com

    Why Do Students Stop Using Coursebooks? Teaching Lessons, AI & Goodbyes – S07E18

  2. 10h ago

    How Can You Stay Motivated and Confident Learning English? Year-End Special – S03E25

    What helps you keep learning English when your confidence takes a dip? A little encouragement, somewhere comfortable to practise and a reminder that you’re already doing something impressive! In this episode of How to English with Gav & Em, we celebrate our community with five guest teachers. Originally recorded at the end of 2022, this year-end special offers practical mini-lessons for teachers and learners. Aleksandra shares phrases for cheering someone on. Mahi suggests ways to practise when speaking English feels embarrassing. Veronica explores gonna, wanna and other reductions in American English. Tanguy untangles beside and besides, while Dr Anne challenges the idea that learning more than one language causes confusion. We also discuss active listening, revisit your lovely feedback and remember that first lessons can feel daunting for students too. And yes, Em even treats us to a little singing! READ THE ARTICLES How Can English Speakers Encourage Someone Without Choosing the Wrong Tone? With Aleksandrahttps://howtoenglishpod.com/how-can-english-speakers-encourage-someone-without-choosing-the-wrong-tone-with-aleksandra-s03e25/ How Can English Learners Take a First Speaking Step When They Feel Embarrassed? With Mahihttps://howtoenglishpod.com/how-can-english-learners-take-a-first-speaking-step-when-they-feel-embarrassed-with-mahi-s03e25/ How Can Learners Recognise Gonna, Wanna and Other Reduced Forms in Spoken English? With Veronicahttps://howtoenglishpod.com/how-can-learners-recognise-gonna-wanna-and-other-reduced-forms-in-spoken-english-with-veronica-s03e25/ What Is the Difference Between Beside and Besides? With Tanguyhttps://howtoenglishpod.com/what-is-the-difference-between-beside-and-besides-with-tanguy-s03e25/ Does Using a Home Language Have to Conflict with Learning English? With Dr Annehttps://howtoenglishpod.com/does-using-a-home-language-have-to-conflict-with-learning-english-with-dr-anne-s03e25/ Episode guide:https://howtoenglishpod.com/episode-guide-december-special-s03e25/ 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 Tanguy:https://www.instagram.com/nextlevelearning_/https://www.nextlevelearning.fr/ Dr Anne:https://www.instagram.com/laenglishtutor/https://linktr.ee/laenglishtutor Enjoy the show? Buy us a coffee or tea:https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Thank you to everyone who listened, shared an activity, contributed a lesson or sent us a kind word. Your encouragement keeps us going! CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome and supporting the show00:58 Celebrating teachers and learners02:06 Listener feedback and welcoming first lessons08:08 Why active listening matters10:48 Introducing our five guest teachers12:17 Aleksandra: phrases to encourage learners14:39 Mahi: overcoming embarrassment when speaking English16:48 Veronica: reductions in American English18:11 Reductions versus contractions26:25 Tanguy: beside or besides?29:56 Dr Anne: learning more than one language33:49 More listener feedback and thank-yous37:14 Looking ahead to the next year38:04 Final goodbyes

    How Can You Stay Motivated and Confident Learning English? Year-End Special – S03E25

  3. Sep 25

    What to do when a Grammar Lesson Goes Wrong - S07E17

    What should you do when a grammar lesson starts falling apart? Stick rigidly to your plan, stop and reset, or follow the language your students are actually producing? In S07E17 of the How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em discuss the reality of teaching when lessons refuse to behave themselves. Em shares a present continuous lesson involving unclear instructions, technical problems, students in different locations and an activity that gradually drifts away from the original plan. This raises a bigger TEFL question: when should teachers stick to their lesson plan, and when is it better to go with the flow? They explore emergent language after a student unexpectedly moves the lesson towards the past continuous, how teachers can “park” a useful question without ignoring it, and whether one student’s curiosity should change the direction of the whole class. Gav and Em also compare their teaching energy across the week. Is Monday teaching different from Friday teaching? Do teachers correct more when they are fresh? Can being tired sometimes produce a more relaxed, natural classroom? Finally, they remember teachers who influenced them years ago. What made those teachers special, and what can reflecting on your own favourite teacher reveal about the teacher you want to become? Plus, Gav explains how howtoenglishpod.com is developing into a practical resource bank of TEFL articles, episode guides, teaching ideas and podcast discussions. 📚 RELATED S07E17 TEACHING ARTICLES How Should TEFL Teachers Recover When a Grammar Lesson Goes Wrong?https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/how-should-tefl-teachers-recover-when-a-grammar-lesson-goes-wrong-s07e17/ Should You Stick to the Plan or Go with the Flow in a TEFL Lesson?https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/should-you-stick-to-the-plan-or-go-with-the-flow-in-a-tefl-lesson-s07e17/ Does Your Teaching Style Change From Monday to Friday?https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/does-your-teaching-style-change-from-monday-to-friday-s07e17/ What Makes a Teacher Memorable?https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/what-makes-a-teacher-memorable-s07e17/ How Can Thinking About Your Favourite Teacher Improve Your Own Teaching?https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/how-can-thinking-about-your-favourite-teacher-improve-your-own-teaching-s07e17/ Where Can TEFL Teachers Find Practical Teaching Resources and Podcast Articles Online?https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/where-can-tefl-teachers-find-practical-teaching-resources-and-podcast-articles-online-s07e17/ 🌐 More practical TEFL ideas, episode guides and teaching resources:https://howtoenglishpod.com ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – What happens when a grammar lesson falls apart?01:29 – Teaching the present continuous03:06 – When students understand the grammar but not the task05:06 – Stick to the plan or go with the flow?07:01 – Present continuous naturally becomes past continuous09:34 – How to “park” a useful student question11:59 – Thinking fast and adapting TEFL lessons12:16 – Does teaching style change from Monday to Friday?16:43 – Friday teaching, natural speech and correction19:47 – What makes a teacher memorable?21:36 – How favourite teachers influence our teaching23:07 – Qualities of a good teacher25:04 – Turning a TEFL podcast into a teacher resource bank ❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED What should teachers do when a grammar lesson goes wrong? When should you stick to a lesson plan or follow emergent language? How can you handle a useful student question without losing the lesson? Does teaching style change during the week? What makes a teacher memorable? How can your favourite teacher influence your own teaching? #TEFL #EnglishTeaching #LessonPlanning #TEFLTeachers #ESLTeaching #GrammarTeaching #TeacherDevelopment #ClassroomIdeas #EmergentLanguage #TeachingTips #ELT #EnglishTeachers

    What to do when a Grammar Lesson Goes Wrong - S07E17

  4. Sep 25

    How do you teach English to one-to-one students? And giving private English lessons? - S01E19

    Why can teaching just one English learner feel more demanding than teaching a whole class? Join us, Gav & Em, as we explore the rewards, challenges and everyday realities of one-to-one English lessons. Private lessons give us space to personalise learning, build confidence and focus on what a student really needs. They also require plenty of energy, quick thinking and a working relationship that suits both people! We discuss:🔹 Why one-to-one lessons can feel so intense🔹 Whether silent exercises belong in paid lesson time or at home🔹 How to agree realistic homework and course expectations🔹 Who should lead: the teacher or the learner?🔹 How to build rapport while keeping professional boundaries🔹 Why thinking time matters in conversation lessons🔹 How to correct and upgrade language without stopping every sentence🔹 Why learners should ask their teacher questions too🔹 How to adapt coursebooks and pair work for individual lessons We agree on the importance of understanding the learner, but we don’t always agree on how to use lesson time! Em usually saves independent exercises for homework, while Gav sees a place for short writing tasks with immediate feedback. Em also shares her one-to-one teaching poem, capturing the hidden effort behind keeping a conversation lesson going. Teachers who have ever finished a friendly chat feeling completely exhausted may recognise themselves! 🌐 EXPLORE THE ARTICLES How Can Teachers Manage the Intensity of One-to-One English Lessons?https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/how-can-teachers-manage-the-intensity-of-one-to-one-english-lessons-s01e19/ Should One-to-One Students Do Silent Work During Lessons?https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/should-one-to-one-students-do-silent-work-during-lessons-s01e19/ What Should a One-to-One English Needs Analysis Cover?https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/what-should-a-one-to-one-english-needs-analysis-cover-s01e19/ How Should You Plan a One-to-One English Course?https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/how-should-you-plan-a-one-to-one-english-course-s01e19/ Who Should Lead a One-to-One English Lesson?https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/who-should-lead-a-one-to-one-english-lesson-s01e19/ How Do You Build Rapport Without Losing Authority in One-to-One Lessons?https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/how-do-you-build-rapport-without-losing-authority-in-one-to-one-lessons-s01e19/ How Can Teachers Adapt Group Coursebooks for One-to-One Lessons?https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/how-can-teachers-adapt-group-coursebooks-for-one-to-one-lessons-s01e19/ ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction01:28 Why one-to-one lessons feel intense02:43 Independent exercises: classwork or homework?04:18 Our debate about exam writing in lesson time05:53 Agreeing expectations and homework06:54 Rapport, authority and who leads10:25 Different opinions and professional boundaries11:56 Using homework to develop conversation12:50 Pacing, thinking time and silence13:39 Personalising lessons and useful takeaways14:38 Em’s one-to-one teaching poem16:31 The hidden work behind conversation lessons17:39 Reformulating and correcting speaking mistakes18:47 Encouraging learners to ask questions21:03 Teaching two learners together22:37 Books and adapting group materials24:08 Final thoughts and goodbye ☕ Support How to English:https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod 🌐 Teaching tips, guides and free lesson materials:https://www.howtoenglishpod.com/ How to English TEFL Podcast with Gav & Em explores teaching and learning English as a foreign language through practical ideas, honest classroom experiences and a little teacher humour. #TeachingEnglish #OneToOneTeaching #TEFL #ESL #EnglishTeacher #PrivateEnglishLessons #LearnEnglish

    How do you teach English to one-to-one students? And giving private English lessons? - S01E19

  5. Sep 11

    How Should English Teachers Check Answers, Pronounce Names & Stay Motivated? | TEFL Tips – S07E16

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

    How Should English Teachers Check Answers, Pronounce Names & Stay Motivated? | TEFL Tips – S07E16

  6. Aug 28

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

    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 correction09:54 – The teacher as an orchestra conductor11:43 – When should you correct errors?13:05 – Getting a speaking activity started13:58 – Supporting lower-level learners16:04 – What does “lower-level” actually mean?20:52 – Students teaching students24:01 – The lesson from the student’s perspective ☕ Support the show: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod🌐 Visit us: howtoenglishpod.com How to English: Teach & Learn with Gav & Em — a podcast about teaching and learning English as a foreign language.

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

  7. Aug 14

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

    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?

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

  8. Jul 31

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

    Build Real Speaking Confidence with Helen von Dadelszen | TEFL Tips, Communication Skills & Classroom Courage How can teachers and English learners become more confident speakers without waiting until they suddenly feel ready? In this episode of How to English: Teach & Learn with Gav & Em, we welcome Helen von Dadelszen, communication coach, vocal trainer, former TEFL teacher and author of Courageous Action. Helen challenges the idea of “I’ll speak when I feel confident” and explains why confidence is built through action. We discuss practical ways to manage nerves, slow your breathing, speak more calmly, shift the focus away from yourself and create a classroom where students feel safer speaking English. Gav and Em also explore helping shy learners, using pair work to reduce pressure, avoiding over-correction and encouraging small courageous actions that gradually build confidence. In this episode:✅ Why confidence often comes after action✅ How to manage nerves before teaching or speaking✅ Simple breathing techniques✅ Why nervous speakers often talk too quickly✅ How slowing down improves communication✅ Helping shy students speak more✅ When not to correct speaking mistakes✅ How real learners build confidence 📚 S07E13 Teaching Articles Breathing Techniques for Teachers and Learnershttps://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/breathing-techniques-for-teachers-and-learners-helens-vocal-coaching-tips/ Encouraging Small Courageous Actions in Englishhttps://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/encouraging-small-courageous-actions-in-english-inspired-by-helen-von-dadelszen/ Helping Shy Students Speak More in Englishhttps://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/helping-shy-students-speak-more-in-english-advice-from-helen-gav-em/ How can I help my students feel confident speaking English?https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/s07e13-how-can-i-help-my-students-feel-confident-speaking-english/ How Real Students Build Confidence in Englishhttps://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/how-real-students-build-confidence-in-english-stories-from-gav-ems-classrooms/ How Teachers Can Manage Nerves Before Teachinghttps://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/how-teachers-can-manage-nerves-before-teaching-helens-science-backed-tips/ How to Build Speaking Confidence in the ESL Classroomhttps://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/how-to-build-speaking-confidence-in-the-esl-classroom-with-helen-von-dadelszen/ How to Teach Speaking Without Over Correctinghttps://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/how-to-teach-speaking-without-over-correcting-confidence-friendly-techniques/ Shifting the Spotlight: How Teachers Reduce Self Consciousness While Teachinghttps://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/shifting-the-spotlight-how-teachers-reduce-self-consciousness-while-teaching/ 🌐 More TEFL guides and podcast episodes:https://howtoenglishpod.com Support the show:ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 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

    Speak with Confidence: The Mindset Every TEFL Teacher Needs | Helen von Dadelszen - S07E13
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How to English TEFL Podcast is hosted by Gav & Em, two English teachers with 40+ years of combined teaching experience around the world. We explore real questions from English teaching and learning, including lesson planning, grammar, vocabulary, speaking, confidence, Business English, classroom management, technology and more. Expect practical TEFL ideas, honest classroom stories and different perspectives from two teachers who don't always agree on the best way to teach. Listen, learn and teach with Gav & Em.

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