How to English TEFL Podcast

What do we do when feedback stings, a grammar sentence stops us in our tracks or the lesson ends before we've wrapped things up? In this episode, we explore three very familiar teaching moments. Gav tends to apologise first when a learner is unhappy, while Em wants to investigate before accepting all the blame. We discuss involving the school and how Gav adjusted a conversational class when on...

Can an English lesson be too much fun? A classroom game might be exciting for some students and stressful for others. So how do we keep lessons enjoyable while giving everyone time to think and learn? Join us, Gav & Em, as we explore classroom fun, cold coffee, cancelled lessons and the teaching habits we take home with us. Em remembers a lively grammar game that became overwhelming for one le...

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, w...

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 teache...

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...

In Episode 19 of How to English with Gav & Em , we explore the advantages, challenges and realities of one-to-one English teaching and learning . Private English lessons can be highly personalised, flexible and focused — but they can also be surprisingly intense for both the teacher and the learner. So what makes a successful one-to-one English lesson? In this episode, we discuss questions suc...

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...

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 corre...

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 learn...

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 autho...

Will AI replace English teachers? What can human TEFL teachers offer in a world of AI tutors, language-learning apps and instant translation? In S07E12 of How to English TEFL Podcast, Gav and Em discuss how artificial intelligence is changing English teaching and learning. Gav believes AI could eventually replace many human teaching roles. Em hopes future generations will value genuine human conta...

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...

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 you...

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) st...

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 als...

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 ju...

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 fo...

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 di...

Welcome back to How to English with Gav & Em! In this episode, they branch out into the rhythms of teaching life. From how long a lesson should be, to what really happens between classes, why students sometimes stare blankly at their stories, and how our increasingly dramatic hand gestures somehow hold it all together. Grab a cuppa, settle in, and if you’d like to support the show, you can alw...

In this episode of How To English Pod, Gav and Em dive into the ups and downs of teaching. From juggling long‑term classes and welcoming new students, to grammar slip‑ups, medical vocabulary surprises, and the eternal mystery of whether books are brilliant or boring. They also chat about remembering (and forgetting!) student details, merging groups, and why a single yawn might say more about a les...

Welcome back to How To English: Teach and Learn with Gav & Em! In today’s episode, we dive into the reality of teaching English — from trying to make lessons “fun,” to accidentally stressing students out, to Gav’s brand‑new teaching concept: Cold Coffee Syndrome. We also explore how TEFL life leaks into our “normal” lives, how online teaching affects real‑world conversations, and how cancelled...

Welcome to How To English: Teach & Learn with Gav & Em! A fun TEFL podcast where conversation lessons go wild, ideas run out, car parks become grammar topics, and teachers try to figure out how much personality is too much. Season 7 is all about relaxing, chatting, and seeing where the lesson leads! Support us at www.ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod 💛Timestamps00:00 — Welcome back & Season 7...

It’s the final episode of Season 6, and Gav and Em finish the A–Z of TEFL by squeezing X, Y and Z into one playful, language-packed show. Expect tricky pronunciation, unusual words, classroom games, zeitgeist vocabulary, zero articles, zero conditionals, and plenty of laughs along the way. A fun and thoughtful wrap-up to the season, celebrating language, teaching and learning. If you’d like to sup...

Welcome to another wild ride on the Gav & Em TEFL train! This week, they explore the wonderful world of W. From worst-case lesson nightmares to WH-questions, wish structures, word order, and the moments when teaching really does start to wear a bit thin. Expect laughter, language tips, classroom chaos, and some spectacularly silly sentences (dragons, rollercoasters, and volcanoes included!). I...

Welcome back to the A–Z of TEFL, where this week Gav and Em tumble head-first into the wonderfully vibrant world of V! Expect variety, velvet vests, victorious vocabulary moments, and a VERY enthusiastic debate about voiced fricatives. There are visual coincidences, laughing puppies, identical cars, and a surprisingly deep chat about finding your authentic teacher voice. Grab a cuppa to support th...