Business owner Rob Howard shares his experience and tips on teaching one-to-one English language classes. In this episode, Rob talks about: 1. Challenges we may encounter in moving from teaching groups to one-to-one 2. The multiple skills a one-to-one practitioner needs 3. The difference between teaching, facilitating and coaching 4. The value in using student-sourced materials to plan and deliver tailored lessons To learn more about Rob's work, visit his website here. Check out Rob's...

Renewable English Founder Harry Waters shares three fun and simple activities we can use in our face-to-face classes to help raise students' awareness about Climate Change. In this episode, Harry talks about: How we can connect the activities to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Activity 1: A Climate Board Race to engage learners in reviewing language Activity 2: A Snowball 'fight’ as a way to engage learners in writing and sharing Planet Pledges Activity 3: A Two-Minute...

Author and teacher Adrian Bethune shares his experience with stress in his career and how this inspired him to find ways to support teacher self-care and wellbeing. In this episode, Adrian talks about: Normal versus chronic stress he has experienced in his career The difference between passive and active stress management strategies How to create a bank of wellbeing activities for better self-care How to build new habits using the Easy, Attractive, Social, Timely (EAST) framework To...

This special episode features soundbites from the English Teachers Association Switzerland (ETAS) Professional Development (PD) Day in Bern on 2 September 2023. We interviewed attendees Elizabeth Hirst, Veronique Vouilloz, presenters Samvidha Srinath, Ian McMaster, and ETAS members Rumana Yasin and Yuval Shomron about their experience of the event.

Teacher and Examiner Ruth Brewer shares how she uses TikTok to support her students’ English studies. In this episode, Ruth talks about: - What inspired her to start using TikTok to create bite-sized learning - Examples of content she creates to help students review and prepare for exams - The impact her TikTok account @steertosuccess has had on students - What to keep in mind when creating educational content for social media To see examples of Ruth’s videos, visit her TikTok page at...

PhD candidate Blair Hongzhi Wang shares highlights from her studies on Mandarin English speakers’ pronunciation and teaching strategies that can help learners develop their intelligibility. In this interview, Blair talks about: 1. Vowel sounds Mandarin English speakers find challenging and why 2. The meaning of intelligibility and its relevance to research and teaching 3. How similar sounds between learners’ L1 and English doesn't always make learning easier 4. How gestures and...

Teacher Training Manager Jane Kaskova shares her best practices for giving feedback to teenage or adult language students to power their learning and motivate them. In this interview, Jane shares tips on: 1. How to tailor feedback for lower-level versus higher-level students. 2. What to prioritise when facilitating error correction in class. 3. The different ways we can communicate feedback to our students. 4. How to organise our feedback to keep it balanced. You can support the work we do...

Event Design Consultant and Executive Zoom Producer Robbie Samuels shares best practices from his latest book 'Break Out of Boredom: Low-Tech Solutions for Highly Engaging Zoom Events'. In this episode, Robbie walks through how to set up, manage, and wrap up breakout room tasks to keep the lesson's pace moving forward. To learn more about Robbie's work and latest publications, visit his website or connect with him on LinkedIn here. References Samuels, R. (2023) Break Out of Boredom:...

Director of Studies Jenny Galligan reflects on her recent experimentation with Task-Based Learning (TBL) with her teenage language students. Jenny summarises task-based learning, how she structured a lesson using this approach, and how her students responded to the lesson. Lastly, Jenny shares her teaching tips on using Task-Based Learning so you can experiment with this approach in your classes too.

ESL and EAL specialist Adrienn Szlapak shares her personal journey of discovering the benefits of using L1 as a supportive tool for English language learning. In this episode, Adrienn explores various scenarios where L1 can be celebrated and leveraged to enhance students' learning.

Teacher Trainer and Language Examiner Bryan reflects on his experience in finding LGBTQ+ inclusive communities while travelling and teaching English all over the world over the last 15 years.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant Peter Fullagar talks about the importance of including LGBTQIA+ identities in English language teaching materials. Peter shares three practical tips on adapting existing teaching materials to make our classes more inclusive. Check out Peter's library of inclusive teaching materials here. Stay up to date with his latest publications by following him on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram.References Sanders, S. (2022) 'Visibilising and Usualising' the...

Independent Languages Consultant Joe Dale demonstrates how Immersive Reader, Voice Typing, and Closed Captioning in Microsoft and Google tools can support learners to make lessons more accessible and inclusive. Watch the podcast recording here for demonstrations of these tools in use.

Returning and new guests of the TESOL Pop podcast share their experience of the 56th IATEFL International Conference and Exhibition in Harrogate. Listen to guests Marcus James, Gina Rodriguez, Fiachra McCleary, and Claire from Englii_Insta for insights into the conference and talks. References Ichaporia, N 2023, ‘What is the teacher’s role in increasingly automated online education?’ 56th IATEFL International Conference and Exhibition. Harrogate, UK, 18th April 2023. Lynch, C 2023, ‘What...

ELT Marketing & Education Consultant Gina Rodriguez talks about the benefits of building a personal brand on a site like LinkedIn for teachers. Gina unpacks how to set up and maintain a LinkedIn profile in three steps and provides tips on following netiquette for different social media platforms. If you want content inspiration for your LinkedIn page, share this episode with your reaction and tag Gina and TESOL Pop to continue the conversation. Alternatively, you can share on Instagram...

Teacher Thu Thu Naing talks about her recent experience studying for a master’s degree in TESOL with Educational Technology. Thu shares how she chose a course and provider, what the course was like, and what she plans to do next in her career. Catch Thu Thu Naing’s talk at IATEFL in Harrogate on Adapting Materials to Teach Speaking in a Virtual Reality Environment on Tuesday, 18th April 2023. Would you like to get involved and support TESOL Pop? Ask a question or pitch an idea. Sponsor...

Educator and materials writer Michelle Worgan talks about Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) and the qualities that set it apart from Project-Based Learning. In this episode, Michelle provides examples of Inquiry-Based Learning in practice and how it can blend into existing curricula and lesson materials, including coursebooks. Visit Michelle's website here to learn more about her work and the teacher training courses she offers. Would you like to get involved and support TESOL Pop? Ask a...

Author André Hedlund discusses the "Know, Show, and Grow" phases in education and illustrates how they can be applied in the classroom. He also highlights how portfolios can be an effective tool for monitoring the progress of both teachers and students. Learn more about Andre's publications and work by visiting his website here. References Hedlund, A. (2022) The Owl Factor: Reframing your Teaching Philosophy. Independently published

Founder of the Strength, Yoga, Freedom Community, Justin Ricci, talks about the positive impact mindfulness can have on the quality of our decision-making and interactions. To help fit mindfulness into our daily lives, Justin describes three simple practices that we can try. Learn more by following Justin on YouTube and Instagram or tuning into The Strength, Yoga, & Freedom Podcast, wherever you get your podcasts.

Co-founder and CEO of the EdTech App Vibbl Nihad Ćehić talks about the vital role delayed feedback plays in the learning process, the challenges teachers often face in giving great feedback, and how technology like Vibbl can help. Find out more about the Vibbl App by clicking here. Follow Vibbl on Twitter @TryVibbl to stay up-to-date with the latest news.

Are you new to TESOL Pop? Learn about the podcast and how its bite-sized episodes are a source of professional development for educators who teach English to speakers of other languages. For a video version of this trailer, click here. Are you already a fan of the podcast? Help spread the word by sharing this trailer with fellow educators. Would you like to get involved and support TESOL Pop? Ask a question or pitch an idea. Sponsor our coffee break. Say hello on Instagram.

Teacher and Quality Assurance Specialist Julie Chen reflects on challenges beginner-level learners often encounter when studying in a one-to-one or group setting. In this episode, Julie also shares practical tips on building learners’ confidence and supporting their understanding and use of the target language.

Teacher Erin Vobornik talks about key principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and how they can be applied to the ESL classroom. Erin shares her own experience and examples of ways in which UDL can be applied to make learning more accessible to various students’ needs. Follow Erin on Twitter at @VobornikErin References Cast (2022). Available here. Accessed on 06 Dec 2022 UDL-IRN (2022). Available here. Accessed on 06 Dec 2022

Teacher, writer, and developer Steponas Dabužinskas discusses common challenges learners face in continuing learning after lessons and suggests three online technologies to help engage teenage and adult students in further learning. Steponas also shares his top tips for fostering learning outside lesson time as a parting gift.

Former teacher and Founder of @theteacherspt Martin reflects on challenges he and fellow teachers have in creating a work-life balance and shares practical strategies to set boundaries and prioritise work tasks. Follow Martin on Instagram @theteacherspt Would you like to get involved and support TESOL Pop? Ask a question or pitch an idea. Sponsor our coffee break. Say hello on Instagram.