How to English TEFL Podcast

Gav and Em

How To English: TEFL Podcast is your weekly boost of teaching inspiration. Gav & Em—two experienced, straight‑talking English teachers—break down the topics that matter most to TEFL teachers and English learners. Each episode delivers practical teaching techniques, smart learning tips, and real classroom stories. Whether you’re standing at the board or studying behind the desk, you’ll take away something useful, motivating, and immediately actionable. Listen in, learn more, teach better.

  1. Jul 17

    Humans vs AI in TEFL: Clear Instructions, Smart Transcripts & Ice Cream

    This week on How to English TEFL Pod, Gav & Em break down what TEFL teachers really do, how students can use AI to boost learning, and whether human teachers still have a future in an AI‑driven world. Em unpacks how she gives crystal‑clear instructions, Gav explains why transcripts are a game‑changer, and together they tackle the delicate art of giving advice to fellow teachers.If you enjoy the show and want to support them, you can buy them a brew at 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

    Humans vs AI in TEFL: Clear Instructions, Smart Transcripts & Ice Cream

  2. Jul 3

    TEFL Mistakes and Teacher Magic

    This week on How To English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em dive into classroom quirks, practical teaching tips, and real‑life language moments — perfect for TEFL teachers, ESL instructors, and CELTA trainees looking to sharpen their classroom practice.They unpack why students make typical errors, how teachers sometimes have to “perform”, and the tiny decisions that make lessons smoother. You’ll hear Em’s efficiency hacks, Gav’s linguistic rabbit holes, and a few classic “Did they really just say that?” moments.What you’ll learn in this episode:- How to spot and correct subtle student mistakes - TEFL efficiency tricks you can use tomorrow - Real ESL classroom stories and teacher dilemmas - False friends, confusing words, and translation issues - Practical admin tips for managing teaching hours Hosted by Gav & Em — TEFL teachers with years of classroom experience, sharing honest stories, teacher‑friendly advice, and CELTA‑friendly insights every week.If you enjoy the show and want to support their work, you can buy them a coffee (or tea) at: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodTimestamps00:00 – Welcome back to How To English (TEFL teacher intro)01:59 – Teaching efficiency: quick wins for busy TEFL teachers05:24 – Em’s practical upgrades for TEFL & ESL classrooms10:24 – Similar words teachers should highlight (classroom examples)13:55 – Confusing English words: how to teach them clearly15:53 – “But you understand me though” — correcting typical learner errors22:06 – Gav’s translation dilemma (false friends in real lessons)24:24 – More false friends English learners struggle with26:33 – Teacher admin: how to track your teaching hours efficiently31:11 – Final thoughts & a surprising TEFL classroom momentHashtags#TEFL #ESLteacher #CELTA #EnglishTeaching #TEFLPodcast

    TEFL Mistakes and Teacher Magic

  3. Jun 19

    TEFL Homework Tips, Teacher Holidays, Wish Grammar

    Struggling with TEFL homework ideas, online teaching admin, or tricky grammar like wish? In this episode of How to English with Gav & Em, we break down real teaching challenges, share practical tips, and have a bit of fun along the way. 🚀What you’ll learn in this episode: How to create engaging homework tasks (that students actually do!) Why holidays matter for teachers—and how they reset your teaching brain The reality of freelance TEFL life vs contracted teaching How to handle online lesson scheduling, invites & time zones What to do when students just don’t get it A clear explanation of tricky "wish" grammar (wish vs would vs past regret) Plus… a zombie apocalypse teaching scenario and the ultimate lesson “cake” formula Perfect for TEFL teachers, ESL teachers, and English learners looking for practical advice, classroom strategies, and relatable teaching stories. 👉 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

    TEFL Homework Tips, Teacher Holidays, Wish Grammar

  4. Jun 5

    TEFL Tales, Training, First Impressions

    This week on Gav & Em’s How to English TEFL Pod, we take a nostalgic wander through the weird, wonderful, and occasionally chaotic world of TEFL life! ✈️📚 Gav puts Em on the spot with a not-quite-true-or-false quiz that somehow turns into stories about teaching in bathrooms, cupboards, art galleries, and even gas refineries (yes, really). We chat about adorable (and slightly uncooperative) student pets 🐱, mega-long commutes, and the classroom games that got way too competitive… with adults 😅. Then things get a bit more reflective as we dig into our CELTA experiences—what stuck, what annoyed us, and how it’s shaped the teachers we are today. We talk about classroom dynamics, teacher “fingerprints” on students, first impressions (and first-lesson nerves!), and why being human in front of your class might just be your biggest strength. As always, it’s relaxed, honest, and packed with teaching insights you’ll definitely recognise—whether you’re in the classroom or learning in one. ☕ If you enjoy the show, you can support Gav & Em (and keep the coffee flowing!) at 👉 ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod 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

    TEFL Tales, Training, First Impressions

  5. May 22

    Emails, Accents, Websites

    Season 7, Episode 8 is packed with spontaneous teaching ideas, lesson lead-ins, online classroom routines, creative listening tasks, and the eternal TEFL struggle of being stuck indoors when the sun is shining. Gav and Em discuss how they start lessons, ways to avoid classroom monotony, using real-world materials in class, and the freedom TEFL teachers have to experiment and improvise. There’s also a brilliant live email-writing activity, an impromptu Jackie Chan listening lesson, favourite teaching websites, and a very important discussion about forks. Support the pod and fuel the tea and coffee fund at ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Resources: Jackie Chan interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0IWSyc5AQQ Wikipedia: https://www.wikipedia.org/ BBC learning: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/ Google images: https://images.google.com/ https://test-english.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro and what’s coming up in this episode 02:07 – How Gav and Em start the first five minutes of a lesson 05:39 – Greeting students and avoiding classroom monotony 10:17 – Being stuck inside teaching when the weather is beautiful 14:03 – The creative freedom of TEFL teaching 16:01 – Gav’s spontaneous live email-writing lesson 21:59 – Em’s improvised Jackie Chan listening activity 26:01 – Favourite websites to use during lessons 29:19 – Safe searching, grammar websites, and online teaching tools 32:11 – “Put a fork in me, I’m done” and outro banter

    Emails, Accents, Websites

  6. May 8

    TEFL Strengths, Weaknesses, Growth

    In this episode, Gav and Em dive into the realities of teaching English as a foreign language. Exploring their strengths and weaknesses as teachers, how to handle distracted students, and the feelings of starting again with brand-new learners. They also discuss praise in the classroom, and give a well-deserved shout-out to a loyal listener and follower. Whether you're teaching, learning, or just curious about TEFL life, there’s plenty here to reflect on and laugh about. ☕ Support the pod: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod 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

    TEFL Strengths, Weaknesses, Growth

  7. Apr 24

    Students' motivations, Managing TTT and STT, Teaching with AI

    Why do students really come to English classes, and what should teachers do about it? In this episode of the How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em dig into the realities of the classroom: student motivation, managing turn‑taking, dealing with similar (or identical!) student names, and knowing when teachers should step back and let students do the talking. They also share: practical strategies for balancing TTT vs STT, how to handle awkward silences and dominant speakers, real examples of using AI in lesson planning, and a cautionary tale about why you should always check your materials before class… Grab a coffee (or tea), settle in, and join Gav and Em for an honest, practical conversation about what actually happens when you’re teaching English — and why it matters. ☕ Support the podcast: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod Quiz music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpSEdFEwCS0 Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome to How to English TEFL 01:50 – Why do students come to English classes? 05:24 – Different motivations in the same group 07:56 – When students have the same (or similar) names 10:14 – What to do when you say the wrong name 12:49 – Turn-taking: order, randomness, and balance 15:44 – Encouraging quieter students to speak 16:22 – Awkward silences and “no questions” 22:01 – When students ask the teacher questions 23:15 – TTT vs STT: how much should teachers talk? 26:18 – Using AI in lesson planning 30:34 – Why you should always check your materials

    Students' motivations, Managing TTT and STT, Teaching with AI

  8. Apr 10

    Teaching Tension, L1 and Translation Apps

    Welcome back to the show. I guess you're wondering what really goes on while teachers are teaching? In this episode of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em talk about the physical and mental tension of teaching, what happens when you leave a class and come back to find students speaking their own language, and why learners often answer a different question to the one you asked. They also discuss how to grow their podcast. Whether translation apps help or hinder language learning. And finish with a surprising deep dive into the words don and doff. Honest teaching talk, classroom realities, and plenty of reflection for teachers and learners alike. ☕ Support the podcast: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodTimestamps00:00 Introduction00:39 What teachers do while teaching05:23 Movement, posture & staying healthy10:53 Leaving the class and L1 switching17:24 Not answering the question22:08 Getting deep and technical26:11 Growing the podcast29:10 Translation apps in lessons35:36 Don vs doff (word origins)

    Teaching Tension, L1 and Translation Apps
See All (181)

Trailer

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

How To English: TEFL Podcast is your weekly boost of teaching inspiration. Gav & Em—two experienced, straight‑talking English teachers—break down the topics that matter most to TEFL teachers and English learners. Each episode delivers practical teaching techniques, smart learning tips, and real classroom stories. Whether you’re standing at the board or studying behind the desk, you’ll take away something useful, motivating, and immediately actionable. Listen in, learn more, teach better.

Information