EVERYTHING EFL

Ever had a student say, “I’m not progressing” or “I feel stuck” ? It’s disheartening for and for you too. But often, it isn’t true. In this episode, we’ll explore why learners feel this way, how to help them see the progress they’re actually making, and practical classroom strategies to boost their confidence and motivation. Because sometimes, progress is happening right under their noses — they j...

This week I talk about a bugbear of mine: crap online resources that bear no resemblance to real-world language. Once I get that out of my system, I talk about how we teachers can do better. And it takes the same amount of time it takes to scroll through the Internet and search for ready-made supplementary tasks and lessons. Join my Breathe Easy, Teacher Newsletter community for teacher love and s...

This week, I’m opening the cupboard doors — literally. I’ve been going through 10+ years of teaching materials: dusty files, endless flashcards, laminated tasks I’ll never use again… and asking myself: Why am I still holding onto this stuff? In this episode, I share what this whole process taught me about growth, change, and the way we teach. Spoiler: it’s not really about the materials at all. It...

Want to add a natural, fun and engaging twist to your lessons? Let Jamie Keddie show you how with videotelling. Stories are a fundamental part of human connection and communication so why not use them more in class? Connect with Jamie here: https://share.google/2wjYdedXtCTwvncwl https://www.lessonstream.com/newsletters/lessonstream-blog Sneezing Panda video; https://youtube.com/shorts/bkIkKTxBci4?...

Why are brain breaks important? Find out why in this short and sweet episode, I also bring reflection into the mix, because who doesn't love a bit of that? Follow Andre Hedlund here: www.instagram/thelearningcosmos Join my Breathe Easy, Teacher Newsletter community for teacher love and support: ⁠ https://www.subscribepage.com/betterteachingnewsletter ⁠ Contact me if you would like me to help y...

Hello again! After a summer break, I'm back with a fabulous guest, Nicola Harwood, who breaks down TBL (Task-Based Learning). Have you thought about using it but not sure where to start? This episode is perfect.  She talks about deep and shallow-end TBL. Yes, there are two types: one for the brave and one for the teacher who needs a little more structure. Don't teach in her context?  Take...

Just a quick one to tell you where I'm at. I'll see you in September, when I'm back with some brilliant guest. In the meantime, if there's something you'd like me to cover on the pod, let me know! Deets below. Wishing you a safe and peaceful summer. Join my Breathe Easy, Teacher Newsletter community for teacher love and support: ⁠https://www.subscribepage.com/betterteachingnews...

This short, passionate episode is a bit of a rant — but it comes from a place of deep care for students and the craft of teaching. If you're a teacher and you recognize yourself in any of the points raised, this isn't meant to offend — it's a call to reflect and rethink some habits that might be holding your learners back. If you're short on time, under pressure, or stuck in a routine — you're not...

Sometimes you don't have a lot of time or energy. Or maybe you've just returned from holiday and haven't got into planning mode. This week I'm sharing with you my lesson plan for two 90-minute lessons using the Lexical Approach. And yes, it took me 5 minutes. Why was I so confident that it would work? Because I used my students' output, plus a bit of decoding for good measure....

If you’re feeling burnt out, stuck in overplanning mode, or just plain exhausted—you’re not alone. In this episode, I’m sharing a bit of a pep talk from the heart about the mindset traps so many of us fall into: fear of not doing enough, decision fatigue, and the struggle to let go in the classroom. I’ll walk you through how teaching can actually feel lighter —with more creativity, more impact, an...

There's a lot of controversy surrounding how science can help teachers and learning. Some say it's overtaking and is too rigid. My guest today says differently. We cover; - attention span - evidence-based learning - motivation -working memory and long-term memory - decoding regarding listening and reading. Enjoy! And don't forget to join the waiting list for my No-Nonsense Lexical Tool...

So I've discovered decoding so that means you should too. In this episode, I give you a basic rundown of what decoding for listening is and I share my semi-okay-but-not-great attempt at a decoding lesson. Because we all have to start somewhere. Join my Breathe Easy, Teacher Newsletter community for teacher love and support: ⁠https://www.subscribepage.com/betterteachingnewsletter⁠ Contact me if...

Sharing is caring: what is a classroom without community? Teaching the course book content and box ticking and curriculum Is not enough. We have to think about how to build community in our classes. It's not too hard and it has a lot of benefits.  And, like mindfulness and mindset, community lends itself to language teaching so well, there's no excuse not to give it a try. Join the waiting...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!Don't face it alone! Listen to this super-sweet-and-short pep talk to help you get ready (but not too ready) for the first week back at school. Listen before you start planning. Get your  Mindful Grammar Freebie here: www.subscribepage.io/4tlanYContact me if you would like me to help you or your school become better teachers: www.refreshyourteaching.comJoin my Breathe Easy, Teac...

It's tough to remember EVERYTHING when you're busy and planning multiple lessons but one thing that is essential is peaks and valleys. This short episode is a gentle reminder on how you can switch up the energy levels in your class and it doesn't take anything new, innovative and mind-blowing. Sign up for my FREE webinar: Beyond the Gap-Fill: Practical Tasks to Get Students Speaking he...

Strap in: it's about to get deeply personal. I've had a tough few weeks. I think it's important to share these feelings with you, as I know you feel them too. Social media platforms can make it look like we're always happy and it's sunshine and roses but we all know reality isn't like that. And you know what? That's okay. Be a dear and fill out this survey on student li...

Self doubt: it creeps in and tells you you’re not doing a good job. Fear not!  I give you now only my, but some lovely people from LinkedIn’s tips to dispel the doubt and celebrate your fabulousness. Enjoy! Thanks to the following lovelies on LinkedIn:  Elizabeth Mackie, Ellen Baker Dubois, Rasha Awad, Harry Waters, Silvina Mascitti, Ian Brownlee.  Theme music by @sean.cass (Instagram). Contact me...

I'm on holiday! I decided to give you a couple of episodes that aren't teachy but are very much from the mind of Erin. This episode is my thoughts on the fabulous Rupaul Charles and his groundbreaking reality TV show, Rupaul's Drag Race.  I tell you what I think drag is, how the show and Rupaul constantly inspires me and hopefully give you a dose of sequin-covered joy, positivity and i...

Phrasal verbs.  Two words that conjure up fear in the bravest and most competent of English learners. Join me as I discuss the ins and outs of these devilish chunks of language and my thoughts on how to make them more accessible and easier to learn. Join my Breathe Easy, Teacher Newsletter community for teacher love and support: ⁠ http://subscribepage.io/0a49dr Please donate to the Kakuma Refugee...

This week I talk to Charlie Cranmer, aka Charlie's Lessons. We talk about.....well, what don't we talk about? Here's a quick rundown of where our initial conversation about pressure and prioritizing went: - students might not like us vs common ground - box-ticking vs approaches that aren't grammar-oriented -grammar vs function - the security blanket of the course book - perfection...

We've all rushed through tasks and given our students way too much information. This is disastrous for our students' ability to process and retain anything. As a natural follow-on from last week's episode (mini-tasks), this bite-sized approach could make a difference, especially if you consider todays' limited attention spans..... Sign up for my FREE webinar: Beyond the Gap-Fill: P...

What are you students' attention spans like? Just as I thought.... Not only that, language takes time to learn, so let's think about how you can stretch out the process for your students, rather than moving onto the next thing. Join me as I talk about the benefits of making time for mini-tasks, how they can save you time prepping and give your students lots of bite-sized exposure to the la...

Have you ever had a class where it's like walking into a morgue? The students couldn't be more unenthusiastic if they tried. Here's my take on the situation and what you should and DEFINITELY shouldn't do. Sign up for my FREE webinar: Beyond the Gap-Fill: Practical Tasks to Get Students Speaking here: ⁠http://subscribepage.io/Rb9Qf1⁠ .  You will get a great discount on my Heart and...

Christmas is almost upon us so with that in mind, I'm all about giving. I round up this year by taking your through 5 pieces of advice for you, my darling teacher, based on the things that reflected upon as I try to grow my business. Turns out it all pertains to teaching too. Listen if you'd like a little bit of love, support and teacher talk. Get your Mindful Grammar Freebie here: www.sub...

Has ANY lesson EVER gone to plan? I bet the answer is squarely more on the 'no' side of things than yes. What does that tell us? - embrace it - take advantage of learner questions and turn them into teachable moments - don't stress about not covering the syllabus all the time Join me as I tell you about my lesson, where I did practically NOTHING that was in my lesson plan. Was it my be...