How to English TEFL Podcast

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 such as:
🔹 Why can one-to-one English lessons feel so intense?
🔹 Should students spend lesson time doing exercises, or is that better for homework?
🔹 How important is the relationship and rapport between teacher and student?
🔹 Who should lead a private English lesson: the teacher or the learner?
🔹 How can teachers keep one-to-one conversation classes interesting?
🔹 Should teachers correct mistakes during speaking practice?
🔹 How can teachers encourage students to speak more and ask questions?
🔹 What should you do when a student says, “Can we just talk today?”
🔹 How can one-to-one lessons be personalised around a learner’s needs?
🔹 Are private English lessons more tiring than group classes?
Em also shares a poem inspired by her early experiences of teaching one-to-one — and the pressure of trying to create an entire conversation lesson from seemingly thin air!
Whether you’re an English teacher looking for one-to-one teaching ideas or an English learner taking private English lessons, this episode looks at how teachers and students can work together to make individual lessons more useful, communicative and enjoyable.
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How to English with Gav & Em is a podcast about teaching and learning English as a foreign language, with practical ideas, experiences and conversations for English teachers and learners.
#TeachingEnglish #LearnEnglish #OneToOneTeaching #EnglishTeacher #EnglishLearning #TEFL #ESL #EFL #PrivateEnglishLessons #EnglishPodcast #SpeakingEnglish

00:00 Introduction – Teaching & Learning English One-to-One
01:20 Why Are One-to-One English Lessons So Intense?
03:30 Should Students Do Exercises During Private Lessons?
06:10 Homework, Needs Analysis & Setting Expectations
08:20 How Important Is Teacher–Student Rapport?
10:15 Who Should Lead a One-to-One Lesson?
12:15 How Do You Keep Conversation Classes Interesting?
14:40 Give Your Student Time to Think!
15:40 What Makes One-to-One Lessons Personalised?
17:00 Em’s One-to-One Teaching Poem
20:20 Why “Just Talking” Is Hard Work for Teachers
22:25 How Should Teachers Correct Speaking Mistakes?
24:20 Why Should Students Ask Their Teacher Questions?
26:15 Teaching Two-to-One: Couples, Colleagues & Siblings
28:10 Materials & Books for One-to-One English Lessons
29:30 Final Thoughts – The Intensity of One-to-One Teaching

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 correcting errors.
We also talk about supporting lower-level learners, encouraging students to help each other, and remembering that while teachers may think about English all day, an English lesson might be just one small part of a student’s busy week.
Plus: a simple tip for learners — keep notes of interesting English you hear, read or see during the week and bring those questions to your teacher.
⏱️ KEY MOMENTS
00:00 – What do teachers really do in the classroom?
02:26 – Why your lesson shouldn’t be “The Teacher Show”
03:57 – Do students actually need a teacher?
06:26 – Should teachers give their opinions?
07:15 – Stepping back and delayed error correction
09:54 – The teacher as an orchestra conductor
11:43 – When should you correct errors?
13:05 – Getting a speaking activity started
13:58 – Supporting lower-level learners
16:04 – What does “lower-level” actually mean?
20:52 – Students teaching students
24:01 – The lesson from the student’s perspective
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How to English: Teach & Learn with Gav & Em — a podcast about teaching and learning English as a foreign language.

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 learning happen — in the book, in conversation, or online?

With practical examples, honest stories, and classroom‑tested hacks, this episode helps teachers rethink how they plan, how they use materials, and how they support learners in a more natural, intuitive way.
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00:00 – How do TEFL teachers use quiet weeks to get organised?
01:20 – What are TEFL learners actually looking for in a coursebook?
03:00 – What is a student’s book, and how does it support learning?
05:00 – Why do coursebooks teach through topics instead of grammar labels?
06:00 – What’s inside a teacher’s book, and why is it so overwhelming?
09:00 – Should teachers rely on the teacher’s book or trust their instincts?
16:00 – What do you do when a teacher’s book activity is badly designed?
20:00 – How do you adapt confusing listening tasks for real learners?
24:00 – Does teaching grammar actually work, or do students forget it anyway?
30:00 – Where does learning really happen — and how do teachers reinforce it?

Build Real Speaking Confidence with Helen von Dadelszen | TEFL Tips, Communication Skills & Classroom CourageIn this episode of How to English: Teach & Learn with Gav & Em, we welcome communication coach, vocal trainer, and author Helen von Dadelszen, who shares practical, science‑backed strategies for speaking with confidence — whether you’re a teacher, learner, or anyone who wants to communicate more clearly.Helen breaks down the myth of “I’ll speak when I feel confident” and shows how confidence is built through action, not something you wait for. You’ll learn how to manage nerves, slow your breathing, shift your focus, and create a classroom environment where students feel brave enough to speak.Perfect for TEFL teachers, English learners, public speakers, and anyone who wants to feel calmer, clearer, and more courageous.Support the show: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodTimestamps00:00 Meet Helen: Why Confidence Isn't What You Think02:01 The Biggest Myth About Confidence05:11 3 Simple Ways to Calm Your Nerves07:25 What Helen's Advice Changed for Us10:03 Why You Should Act Before You Feel Ready11:53 The Breathing Trick That Actually Helps14:02 Why Speaking Slower Makes You Sound More Confident16:23 Stop Thinking About Yourself19:47 How Great Teachers Build Student Confidence24:43 How English Learners Became More Confident26:52 Why English-Only Lessons Really Work27:35 Final Thoughts & Thanks for Listening

Will AI replace English teachers? What is the future of TEFL in a world of AI language-learning apps, instant translation and artificial intelligence tutors?
In this episode of How to English: Teach and Learn with Gav & Em, we explore how AI is changing English language learning and ask what human TEFL teachers can offer that technology can’t. We also share practical teaching ideas for giving clear classroom instructions, using transcripts to improve English, and giving advice to fellow teachers without sounding critical.
What is a TEFL teacher?
A TEFL teacher teaches English as a foreign language to people whose first language is not English. Students may learn English for work, travel, relationships, entertainment or simply because they enjoy the language.
Will AI replace English teachers?Gav thinks AI could eventually replace many human teaching roles, while Em believes future generations may place greater value on real human interaction. We discuss AI teachers, language-learning apps, automated feedback and why students might—or might not—continue choosing human teachers.
How can AI help English learners?AI can help learners translate and summarise texts, practise conversations, receive feedback and generate transcripts. Used effectively, these tools can support independent English study alongside lessons with a teacher.
How should teachers give clear classroom instructions?
Keep instructions slow, clear and staged. Introduce the topic, explain the task before handing out materials, break complicated activities into smaller steps and check that students understand what they need to do before they begin.
How can transcripts help students learn English?
Transcripts can help learners notice vocabulary, grammar and useful phrases that they may have missed while listening. They can also be used for pronunciation practice, reading activities, language analysis and reviewing difficult sections of authentic spoken English.
Should experienced teachers give advice to other teachers?
Sometimes—but how the advice is phrased matters. We discuss when feedback is useful, when teachers may need to learn through experience, and how supportive phrases such as “That happened to me too” can be more helpful than simply pointing out what went wrong.
In this episode:
• What TEFL means and what TEFL teachers do
• AI and the future of English language teaching
• Human teachers vs AI teachers
• How students can use AI to learn English
• How to give effective classroom instructions
• Concept-checking and setting up activities
• Using transcripts for listening, vocabulary and grammar
• Pronunciation practice with transcripts
• Giving constructive advice to other teachers
• Common TEFL teaching challenges
Whether you’re an English learner, TEFL teacher, ESL/EFL teacher or someone interested in AI and education, this episode looks at how technology is changing language learning—and where human teachers might fit into its future.
Timestamps00:00 – What a TEFL teacher actually is03:01 – Will AI replace human teachers?06:49 – Future generations: tech backlash or tech dependence?11:01 – Em’s method: how to give perfect classroom instructions17:14 – Why transcripts transform student progress21:04 – Using the How To English transcription corpus22:13 – The delicate art of giving advice to fellow teachers28:23 – Support the show: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod

#TEFL #ESLTeaching #EnglishTeachers #TeachingTips #CELTA #LanguageLearning #TeacherLife #PodcastForTeachers #AITeacherTimestamps00:00 – What a TEFL teacher actually is03:01 – Will AI replace human teachers?06:49 – Future generations: tech backlash or tech dependence?11:01 – Em’s method: how to give perfect classroom instructions17:14 – Why transcripts transform student progress21:04 – Using the How To English transcription corpus22:13 – The delicate art of giving advice to fellow teachers28:23 – Support the show: ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod