Adult learners often have very specific ideas about how they’ll use English as their foreign language and why they need it. That, in turn, leads to sometimes specific requests. Sometimes they’re REALLY specific– intellectual property legal terms? Salmon farming vocabulary? Digital marketing terminology? Other times, they might have less of a specific topic they want […]
A lot can happen in a group class, and they can be a lot to manage at times– even if you’re teaching adults. While the rich interactions, questions, insights, and challenges that arise in group classes can be amazing, they still require some management strategies here and there. Let’s look at some different ways you […]
Language learning as an adult is a huge challenge to undertake. It doesn’t help that there is tons of marketing out there, from institutes to apps and everything in between, that says there is a proven, painless method. For those of us that work in language education, and especially those who are multilingual, we know […]
Whether you’re teaching adult learners as your first assignment or are transitioning from teaching kids, we’ve rounded up 9 important things that adult learners want in the language classroom. Check out the list below to get a better idea of how to meet the needs and expectations of adult EFL learners! 1) They want to […]
Imagine this scenario: You’ve started a brand new lesson (from our toolkit or elsewhere), and you teach it throughout the entire class, but it takes longer than expected, and you now need to finish this lesson in the next class. How are you going to do that? What happens if you don’t make it to […]
Trying to implement new changes in the EFL classroom can be a tricky task– how do you do it, analyze if it’s been successful, and decide what’s next? It can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! This week on the blog, we’re highlighting a few changes you can implement that will be high-impact […]
Teaching low-level English learners is a challenge that some teachers shy away from, while others dive right in. The truth is that, while it can be intimidating to teach a new beginner (especially if you don’t speak their L1), it doesn’t have to be scary or frustrating! Many seasoned teachers will tell you that, after […]
Warming up at the beginning of an English class is an essential step, but have you ever stopped and thought about all the things it really does? The humble warm-up at the start of a class does so many things! It helps your learners transition into class mode (or English-speaking mode) from whatever task they […]
The world of TEFL is full of a huge combination of classroom configurations. Teachers go to social media groups and online forums all the time to seek advice, but the truth is that every teacher has a unique experience! Someone who only teaches 1-on-1 classes with children will have a fairly different experience in the […]
Let me tell you about a time I understood absolutely nothing. It was in my very first statistics class. I was nervous but excited to go in and take diligent notes. I went in and found a great seat, got my notebook out, and was ready to go when our professor walked in, briefly introduced […]
Where do accents come from in a learner’s second language (L2)? Research shows that the accent someone uses in their L2 is related to their L1. Based on a learner’s L1, the challenges they face regarding pronunciation may vary. Teaching pronunciation and addressing the obstacles different student populations face is a challenge that, unfortunately, many […]
You might have heard that it’s not necessary to speak your students’ L1 to be able to teach them, and while that’s certainly true, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t learn ANY language! Check out these 6 reasons you might want to learn another language as a teacher. 1. It’s going to give you a whole […]
Part of being an effective teacher is being able to make a decision on the spot to extend an activity or increase the difficulty right then and there. Fortunately, this is a skill that you can hone with a little practice and the tips we’ve put together for you on this list. If you’ve just […]
If you’ve gotten your start in the world of EFL for kids, pat yourself on the back. Teaching children is equal parts challenging and rewarding, and by now you’ve likely found several tips and tricks that you keep up your sleeve when planning lessons and teaching. But if you’ve been thinking about transitioning to teach […]
Learning a new language, especially as an adult, is a unique experience. There aren’t too many other instances in life that can reduce your ability to communicate to that of an infant. The language learning process is, in reality, rife with anxiety, frustration, and never-ending opportunities to humble yourself. So how do we create a […]
What type of encouragement works best in the EFL classroom? The truth is there’s no standard answer. In and of itself, encouragement is essential to the learning process, but there are tons of factors that go into choosing how, when, and why you cheer students on or praise them. Let’s look at some of the […]