Unlock Your Potential as an EFL Educator with Practical Tips, and Innovative Strategies for Engaging Lesson Planning and Classroom Management.
Starting a new class can feel a little awkward, especially when no one knows each other yet. As a language teacher, you want to create a space where everyone feels comfortable speaking from the very first day. ESL icebreakers give you simple, fun ways to get your class talking, moving, and learning together right away. … Read More “15 Fun ESL Icebreakers To Energize Your Classroom” »
I mentioned elsewhere that icebreakers are a good way to warm up a class. Brand new classes, even with more experienced students, can suffer from shyness or lack of familiarity with their classmates. On top of that, less experienced students struggle with a lack of language. They also often struggle to switch to their “English … Read More “Conversation Starter Question Cards You Can Use In Your Classroom” »
If you’ve been teaching for any length of time, you’ll find yourself in a situation where you need an activity NOW. Maybe an activity fell flat, or your students whipped through it faster than expected. Whatever happened, you find yourself with a spare 5-10 minutes at the end of class. This is why when I … Read More “Three No-Prep TEFL Activities Using Just a Deck of Cards” »
I talked previously about lesson planning and how you need to write everything down, especially if you’re a new teacher. If you don’t, you’re probably going to forget and skip parts or get confused or do something else. I have, at least, so I assume most people will, too. But what do you need to … Read More “Printable Lesson Planning Sheet For New TEFL Teachers” »
Planning your first TEFL lesson might seem a bit daunting, but honestly, it’s pretty exciting too. It’s also critically important. I’ve said it many times on this site; you can’t teach a great lesson without a lesson plan. But how do you actually plan your first TEFL lessons? It’s actually not that difficult. But you … Read More “How to Plan Your First Lesson – TEFL 101 for New Teachers” »
I talked before about reflection and how keeping a journal can help you as a TEFL teacher. It’s a vital part of personal development. There are many ways to keep that journal, but I thought I’d share with you the one I use. Voila! The TEFL Teaching Hub Class Reflection Journal This is the journal … Read More “The Reflective Journal I Actually Use – and How You Can Use It” »
When I saw the words “reflective teaching in TEFL”, what comes to mind? You might be thinking about looking in a mirror while you teach. While there are times you might want or need to look in a mirror, it’s not going to be while you’re teaching, but instead before and after. And it won’t … Read More “Reflective Teaching in TEFL – Growing Through Pedagogical Self-Reflection” »
They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. I aim to prove them wrong. As I mentioned on the home page, I’m pretty much making this whole website thing up as I go. I’m not a web designer or anything; I’m a English teacher. I don’t know really what I’m doing. But that … Read More “Teach an Old Dog New Tricks – Site News” »
If you’re here, that probably means you’re new to teaching English as a foreign language. If so, you might wonder what exactly “pedagogy” means. Pedagogy in TEFL is the way you approach teaching and learning in the classroom, including your methods, strategies, and the reasons behind them. It shapes everything from the way you explain … Read More “What is Pedagogy in TEFL – TEFL 101 for New Teachers” »
When you start learning about TEFL, you’ll hear words like “pedagogy” and “methodology.” Heck, I use them on this site because they are important aspects of TEFL teaching. These words might seem confusing at first. I mean, methodology was fairly straightforward for me, but pedagogy was a complete mystery when I first heard it. But … Read More “Pedagogy vs Methodology in TEFL – TEFL 101 for New Teachers” »
