The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast

E 65 - “The world comes to TESOL!” (with Dr. Debra Suarez) In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Debra Suarez, President of TESOL International Association, to explore what’s in store for TESOL 2025 and reflect on the evolving landscape of English language teaching. From AI in ELT and translanguaging to teacher advocacy and building global communities of practice, this conversation is packed with...

E 64 - Soft Skills, Strong Impact: Supporting Multilingual Healthcare Professionals (with Shweta Rumkumar) Happy 2025! In this episode, we dive into the essential intersection of soft skills and intercultural communicative competence (ICC) in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) contexts. Join Shé and Anna as they chat with special guest Shweta Ramkumar, an educator specializing in coaching multili...

Shey and Anna wrap up 2024 by looking back on personal milestones, professional breakthroughs, and podcast highlights—from raising multilingual children to using AI in the classroom. Join them for a candid chat about motherhood, teacher training abroad, balancing multiple roles, and where the podcast is headed next year. Get ready for reflections, lots of laughs, and a peek at future plans for 202...

Raising multilingual children takes some planning and intention. Join us as ESOL teacher and multilingual mama Anna (Anya) Burt walks us through what it takes to raise multilingual children, the myths surrounding bilingualism, and practical approaches to introducing languages to your children. 👶🏻🍼 Whether you have or plan to have your own children, or simply whether you teach a language or love...

In this episode, Anna and Shey chat with Aileen Hale, international teacher trainer, consultant, and creator of Travel with Purpose, a podcast about language and culture acquisition through service learning. Join us to reflect on what it means to teach in an international context and how to do so in a meaningful and respectful way.  💡 Reflect with us: Where have you taught around the world, or wh...

Join us for a fascinating conversation with Ben Buckwold, CEO and Founder of Ellii (formerly ESL Library) and Tara Benwell, Ellii’s VP of Publishing, as we dive into the world of materials writing! 📚 ✨ Whether you're a teacher curious about transitioning into content creation or looking to learn more about how Ellii got its start, this episode is packed with insights and inspiration.  Tune i...

In this episode, we explore the often-overlooked role of silence in the language classroom. Discover how integrating moments of quiet can enhance learning, foster self-reflection, and support social-emotional learning (SEL). Luis Javier Pentón Herrera shares his insights and practical tips for teachers looking to bring quiet into their classrooms. Tune in now and learn how silence can be a powerfu...

On this episode, guest Eric Trader shares his experience as the director of a community-based learning center serving a multilingual population with diverse needs. Join us and be inspired by Eric’s optimism, creative problem-solving, and his lovely singing voice! 📚Resources: Podcast episode: Jennifer Jenkins on Global Englishes (TEFLology, 2018) Article: Teaching pronunciation for English as a Li...

On this episode, guest Angela Tribus Ramos shares her perspective on teaching networking, considering all of the cultural nuances involved in this challenging skill. From reducing anxiety around small talk to Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and, yes, our passion for birding 🦆🦅🦉you’re sure to come away with oodles of practical takeaways. 📚 Resources: Name Coach Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture H...

How do you sustain your professional development as an educator? In this episode, guest Yulia Kharchenko shares a framework she and her colleagues have developed to ensure future teachers are prepared for future challenges in the teaching profession… 🎧 📚Resources: Article: Reflective Practice for Language Teachers (Farrell, 2018)  Article: Reflective practice framework for TESOL teachers: one te...

How do you create a welcoming atmosphere for all students? 🌈 In this episode, guest Kim Carroll shares insights on how to make our classrooms safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ individuals worldwide. 📚Resources: Webinar: Making Space for All: LGBTQ+ Awareness and Engagement in the English Language Classroom (RELO Andes) Article: Exploring LGBT Lives and Issues in Adult ESOL (British Council) Article: It’s...

We’re just recovering from our week in Tampa, Florida, for the TESOL 2024 Convention. And wow, what a week! 🌴 In this episode, we reflect on our experience, share snippets from other conference attendees, and take the pulse of the field of TESOL. Watch on YouTube or Spotify for the full effect! 🎥 ⭐  Check out our Reflective Practice Starter Kit! 🤓 Read our blog post: Maximizing Your Conference...

Have you engaged in advocacy efforts as a language teacher? ✊ In this episode, guest Rosemary Colón talks about her experience at the 2023 TESOL Advocacy & Policy Summit and shares entry points for teachers to find their footing as advocates for English language learners. #advocacy #multilinguallearners #teacheradvocates#ELT #TeachEnglish #ESL #EFL #TESOL #Teaching #Education #LoveTeaching #G...

In this episode, guest Anna Ayrapetyan, a university professor in Armenia, walks us through her innovative approach to get students practicing speaking outside of the classroom: podcasts! 💡 Learn about her process, receive recommendations for implementing this project in your context, and hear a snippet from a few of her students! #ProjectBasedLearning #PBL #Podcasting #PodcastingForLanguageLearn...

Happy New Year, everyone! 🌟 We’re kicking off 2024 with a special video episode: Friends of the Podcast - AI in ELT! Featuring voices from new and old friends. 🥰Listen and join the conversation about #AI and English language teaching, from why teachers are wary of it to creative ideas on how to use it for teaching. 💡 Watch on YouTube or Spotify for the full effect. 📽️  🎧 On this episode: E48 -...

Episode 50…can you believe it?! 🌟 We’ve nested some fun bloopers into this reflective episode, in which we think back on our personal developments and podcast highlights from 2023. Listen to the very end (after the theme music) for one last little surprise. 😜 Wishing happy holidays to all! ☃️ 🎧 On this episode:  E46 - Challenging inequities toward multilingual teachers (with Carine Saucillo and...

In this episode, guest Amy Joy Rovirosa, the creator of @your_fav_english_teacher, tells us about what it takes to get your English language teaching YouTube channel off the ground and how learners can leverage YouTube for greater language gains. Complete with excerpts from her fantastic videos! Watch the episode video on our YouTube channel or Spotify for the full effect. 📽️ ✔️ Follow Your Favori...

In this episode, guest Jeff McIlvenna talks through his approach to using ChatGPT in the English language classroom, from amplifying teacher creativity to personalizing student learning. This is the first of many more episodes we hope to bring to you on this ever-evolving topic. 🎓 For further exploration: #ElliiCon2023 Playlist Chat GPT’s Bias Against Non-Native Speakers Friends of the Podcast: A...

Don’t forget to take your vitamins! In this episode, Shey and Anna speak with friend of the podcast Ekaterina Pipia about her experience facilitating an exciting project with @PH_Int at @ibsu1995 in Tbilisi, Georgia, in which civics, technology, and English language came together into a harmonious, healthy concoction… 💊 🎧 Further listening: Episode 2 - Shut up and let them talk!  📚Further readi...

We’re back! Just a light little topic for our first episode after our summer break… 😜Don your social justice caps, kick into your critical lens, and prepare to reflect as Shey and Anna explore the challenges and strengths of multilingual teachers, commonly referred to as non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs), with research collaborators and super-ELT-stars Alex Tang and Carine Saucillo....

In this episode, Anna and Shey look at how the landscape for professional development evolved over the course of the pandemic and learn how international colleagues continue to reap the benefits of increased hybridity and other “forced habits” post-pandemic… Listen now! A huge thank you to our contributors for this episode! We love reflecting with our listeners!  Reflect on your PD with our tool:...

“Global citizenship can happen in our back yard.” 🏠🌏 In this episode, Shey and Anna plunge head-first with guest Brantley Turner —East Asia Education Director for Dwight Schools —into what it means to cultivate a global mindset, how to teach it in a culturally responsive way, how to navigate the discomforts of a globally-minded worldview, and much more… Listen now!  Questions for reflection: Wha...

Not much represents a culture better than its stories. In this episode, Anna and Shey chat with Dustin from Sandman Stories Presents about storytelling, teaching, and cross-cultural understanding.  Listen and travel the world through folklore! 🕯️ 🎧 Listen to Sandman Stories Presents on Spotify , Apple Podcasts , or wherever you get your podcasts.  🌍 On this episode: Episode 133: Ghana–Morning Su...

E42 - Stop hovering! (with Miriam Plotinsky) Are you a helicopter teacher or a hover-free teacher? In this episode, Shey and Anna chat with author Miriam Plotinsky about her book Teach more, hover less: How to Stop Micromanaging Your Secondary Classroom , and explore ways to implement an approach to teaching that is truly student-centered. Further listening: Explore strategies for augmenting stude...

E 41- Media Literacy 102: Disinformation, propaganda, and conspiracies... oh my! Media literacy is an essential skill in our world today and one that needs to be addressed in the English language classroom! 🎯 In this episode, Anna and Shey discuss some of the greatest challenges our students face in the digital era, including discerning the reliability of a source, noticing propaganda techniques,...