EVERYTHING EFL

Think about the last few months of teaching that you've done: how much of it has been pure content and how much of it has been working on students' confidence, building community, mindfulness or mindset? Then ask yourself whether that ratio is well balanced. Don't think I can't hear some of you shouting at your phone and saying "I don't have time for that stuff" You d...

Was it Bob Marley who said 'You can please some people all of the time but you can't please all the people all of the time?' Well, as teachers, we are expected to please everyone in class at every turn. A tall order, don't you think? In this week's episode, (once you get past the lengthy update on my life -about the 6m 45s mark), I give you 8 tips on how to ensure the most one-...

The passive is a big topic and it causes all sorts of problems. Join me as I take you through my more receptive, lexical version of teaching the passive. I talk about the issues and how to overcome them and also what to expect and not expect from your learners. You will come away with a different view of where to start and how to get the most out of the materials and examples you give. Message me...

Even if you've been teaching for a long time, do you make assumptions about your classes' skills, attitude or ability to remember? And you know what they say about assumptions.... This week, I look at 4 things you should never assume about your learners. Join me as I raise questions and offer possible ideas, advice and tasks to help overcome these assumptions. Which one resonates with you?...

Of course, we can only learn a finite amount of things when training to be a teacher. But have the institutions caught up with today's ever-changing world? Did you learn an adequate balance of practical and emotional? In this week's episode, I asked my Linked In followers to comment on this very subject, plus I throw in my own thoughts. I'd love to know yours. Join the waiting list for...

The language your students are producing spontaneously can be part of the lesson. Is it on the curriculum? Who cares? If your students are trying to tell you something, listen, make notes and use this valuable language for future lessons. Join the waiting list for Methods and Mindset, starting in late September: http://subscribepage.io/qANdpX Contact me if you would like me to help you or your sch...

Do your students believe they can? Do your student know how to self-regulate and be mindful? Do you make sure this happens in your class? This week I talk about the importance and benefits of a healthy mindset and mindfulness. Both of these concepts lend themselves beautifully to teaching a language. Find out more and also join my waiting list to Methods and Mindset, starting in late September: ht...

Why, oh why are we still teaching words? Why are we still sticking to the grammar rules and not teaching how the grammar works in conjunction with certain words, structures and phrases? The Lexical Approach can transform your teaching and make impactful changes to the way you teach and your students learn. Find out just a few of the many reasons why in this week's episode. Join the waiting lis...

When was the last time you put yourself first? Just as I suspected............sounds like you need a pep talk. Spare a few minutes of your busy day for this episode. Join the waiting list for my new course, Methods and Mindset for an amazing one-time low price. Join the waiting list for Methods and Mindset. Signing up doesn't mean there's any obligation to buy - you will be offered a big d...

We've all been made to go to pointless professional development workshops, sessions, presentations........whatever they are called, there are definitely some things to avoid as a teacher trainer. I asked my fellow teachers on the social medias their opinion and I also put my 2 cents worth in. If you are a teacher, does anything in this episode resonate with you? What would you like to see in a...

We all do it. We all have our off days when we don't feel good enough. However, they should be few and far between. If you need a hand getting through these negative emotions, start by listening to this episode. You need to remember two things: I'm always here for you and you rock. Contact me if you would me to help you or your school become better teacher: erin@refreshyourteaching.com Joi...

Planning taking up too much of your time? There's so much you can do to cut down your prep time. This episode gives you just a taste of what you can do. The rest, you can find out on my upcoming course, Mindset and Methods, where I go into this in deeper detail. In the meantime, I challenge you to take one small thing from this episode and put it into action. Plan less, react more. You deserve...

What are your work-life boundaries? Do you have any? Isn't it about time you did? I can't promise to solve all your issues with this bite-sized episode, but it will pack enough of a punch to inspire you. Help yourself now: listen and make a promise to yourself to change that boundary line. Because you're worth more. Contact meif you would me to help you or your school become better tea...

We all want to spend less time preparing our lessons but we want to maintain the quality. Easier said than done. You don't need gimmicks or tons of games: you just need a few tips and tricks to exploit what you're already working with. We also need to exploit our students more. That isn't as sinister as it sounds.... Join me this week as I give you some simple things to do that will pu...

Well, that's where this episode starts off, anyway. This week my guest is the wonderful Kate Clifton, from the Kate Languages podcast. We talk about how to manage expectations from upcoming exam pressures, digress into what to teach that isn't necessarily on the syllabus. We also take a dive into switching it up in class to keep your learners on their toes and we ping pong a few practical...

Working memory. What is it? Why do we need to know about it? The absolutely lovely Veronika Rogochaia guides us through the basics. She talks about why this is important and how we can free up space in our learners' working memory. This is especially useful if you have low-level learners. Enjoy. Veronika is an ESL teacher with 12 years of experience. She's a certified SNA with hands-on exp...

Getting students to speak can build confidence but is it the only way for them to learn the language? Our sweet beginners need input. Lots of it. There are a million things you can do but in this juicy episode, I talk about 3 ways you can introduce input that are engaging, simple to tailor to your class and low-to-no prep. And if you make it to the end of the episode, there's a little bonus fo...

Joining me this week is the ever-so-nice Dylan Gates. He explains what Dogme, or the easier-to-pronounce Teaching Unplugged, is. We talk about the advantages, nay, joys of emergent language and how it can help your students to speak more naturally. Also, Dylan talks about mini-tasks. Pure Gold. We also talk about PPP and its limitations and some really practical examples and tips on how to impleme...

In this episode, we delve into the power of stepping outside your comfort zone. Explore the reasons  and discover the benefits of resisting change, moving past the  fear and overwhelm, and learn to navigate these toxic feelings. It's all a learning experience, never as bad as you think, and essential for growth. Plus, the weekly challenge: start with small changes, small steps, and small wins....

Does the mere mention of AI strike fear into your heart? Totally understandable - it's all so overwhelming but don't worry, Teacher: I got you. For this week's episode, I enlisted the expertise of Legend-in-the-Modern-Foreign Languages-World Joe Dale to give you a starting point. We also briefly talk about the pitfalls and things you need to consider, especially if teaching younger lea...

Dive into the new year with a little humour and a lot of empathy as I reflect on the chaos of teaching. I talk about the importance of mindset, tackling common teacher stressors, and the revelation that you won't reach every student immediately. But of course I'll give you a few practical strategies so that we can try our damndest!! Join the weekly challenge and let me know how you get on....

The end of Cornerstones of Learning is upon us.  Let's go out with a bang. Or maybe just a slow, deep breath out....Mindfulness is becoming a bit of a buzz word, but for good reason. In this episode, I give you a few mindful activities you can try out in class and also I'll give you 3 meditation techniques you can do yourself to combat the stress and overwhelm of the job. And if it all sou...

Do you leave a little time and space for your students reflectHow about you?  Do you reflect on your teaching practice? Why is is so important and how can you implement it into your classroom practice? Fear not - I have a few ideas - no prep, not fuss and totally doable. References https://www.edmentuminternational.com/blog/the-importance-of-self-reflection-in learning/#:~:text=This%20helps%20stud...

Student autonomy is ESSENTIAL.You can't be there for the other 23 hours of the day. How can we teach or encourage our students to be autonomous, especially if they're not that motivated.  Some of your students may work or have families.  What then? In this installment of my Cornerstones of Learning series, I talk about why student autonomy is so important, and of course, give your some ide...

Why reuse your materials? Why on earth wouldn't you? - you can cut down your prep time - you will be less overwhelmed Need more reasons?  Need some ideas on how to do this?  I got you. Listen to this week's Cornerstones of Learning episode of Everything EFL Podcast and find an easier way to get through the week. Join my Breathe Easy, Teacher Newsletter: http://subscribepage.io/0a49dr Conta...