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 one learner wanted more grammar and vocabulary.
Em shares a Business English negotiation sentence that caught her off guard. We unpack the conditional and discuss the follow-up email that helped her return to the learner's question.
Finally, we compare organised recaps with positive, confidence-building finishes, including homework, attendance checks and those unexpected spare minutes.
Articles and free practical downloads
How Should English Teachers Respond to Negative Feedback? - S07E19
https://howtoenglishpod.com/how-should-english-teachers-respond-to-negative-feedback-s07e19/
What Should Teachers Do When a Learner Complains About Too Much Small Talk? - S07E19
https://howtoenglishpod.com/what-should-teachers-do-when-a-learner-complains-about-too-much-small-talk-s07e19/
What Should Teachers Do When an Unexpected Grammar Question Stops a Lesson? - S07E19
https://howtoenglishpod.com/what-should-teachers-do-when-an-unexpected-grammar-question-stops-a-lesson-s07e19/
Why Does ‘Providing You Ordered More Units’ Use a Past Form? - S07E19
https://howtoenglishpod.com/why-does-providing-you-ordered-more-units-use-a-past-form-s07e19/
How Can English Teachers End a Lesson with Clear Learning and a Positive Finish? - S07E19
https://howtoenglishpod.com/how-can-english-teachers-end-a-lesson-with-clear-learning-and-a-positive-finish-s07e19/
Questions answered
• How should teachers respond to negative feedback?
• Should we apologise before investigating a complaint?
• What if a learner wants less small talk and more exercises?
• What can we do when we cannot explain a grammar sentence immediately?
• Why does providing you ordered more units use a past form?
• How can we finish a lesson with clear learning and a friendly goodbye?
Chapters
00:00 Welcome and today's questions
01:03 Handling negative feedback
04:53 Should we apologise first?
09:02 Getting the school involved
10:15 A complaint about too much small talk
13:21 Unexpected language questions
14:34 A negotiation sentence with providing
17:23 Following up after the lesson
18:31 How do you end a lesson?
24:56 Checking next lesson's attendance
25:24 Using spare minutes
27:05 Wrapping up the podcast
Teaching note: providing introduces a condition in the negotiation example. Our brief noun/gerund comments in the recording are a slip.
Support the show: https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod
TEFL ESL EnglishTeaching TeacherDevelopment BusinessEnglish LessonPlanning

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 learner. We discuss competition, time limits and different learning speeds, plus ways to check whether students remember the language as well as the game.Then Gav introduces Cold Coffee Syndrome: when a student has so much to say during a coffee-shop lesson that their drink goes cold. A speaking success? Possibly. A waste of good coffee? Definitely worth discussing.We also chat about:• Whether English teachers ever switch off from noticing grammar and vocabulary.• How hours of online teaching might affect eye contact, interruptions and everyday conversation.• The mixed feelings behind cancelled lessons, from unexpected free time to guilt and worries about lost income.• Whether jokes about clauses, claws and grammatical tenses work with learners, or mainly entertain their teachers.There’s also a little unfinished business from our previous episode involving the word discover and a helping of humble pie.Whether you teach online, abroad or in a classroom, come and compare notes with us on the everyday realities of teaching and learning English.What about you? Do timed games bring out your competitive side or make you freeze? And how do you really feel when a student cancels?📖 Read the related articles from S07E02:When Classroom Fun Becomes Stress: How to Adapt Fast-Paced TEFL Gameshttps://howtoenglishpod.com/when-classroom-fun-becomes-stress-how-to-adapt-fast-paced-tefl-games-s07e02/How to Run a Conversation Lesson in a Coffee Shop Without Exhausting the Learnerhttps://howtoenglishpod.com/how-to-run-a-conversation-lesson-in-a-coffee-shop-without-exhausting-the-learner-s07e02/How to Use Real-Life English Materials Without Losing Student Interesthttps://howtoenglishpod.com/how-to-use-real-life-english-materials-without-losing-student-interest-s07e02/Online TEFL Communication: Managing Turn-Taking, Eye Contact and Pair Workhttps://howtoenglishpod.com/online-tefl-communication-managing-turn-taking-eye-contact-and-pair-work-s07e02/What Should Freelance English Teachers Do About Cancelled Lessons?https://howtoenglishpod.com/what-should-freelance-english-teachers-do-about-cancelled-lessons-s07e02/Should English Teachers Use Grammar and Vocabulary Jokes in Class?https://howtoenglishpod.com/should-english-teachers-use-grammar-and-vocabulary-jokes-in-class-s07e02/🎧 Explore the episode guide:https://howtoenglishpod.com/episode-guide-s07e02/🌐 Find free teaching resources, lesson downloads and more podcast discussions:https://howtoenglishpod.com/☕ Support the podcast and buy us a hot drink, which we’ll try to finish before it goes cold:https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpodMusic: “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Internationalhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#TEFL #TeachingEnglish #HowToEnglish

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, whether teachers should learn their students’ language and culture before working abroad, how to say goodbye at the end of a course, whether an English teacher needs to be a walking dictionary, and how AI can help teachers and learners without replacing the learning.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 What’s coming up
01:57 Why students stop wanting the coursebook
05:20 Why coursebooks can feel repetitive
07:43 Coursebook or conversation?
08:26 Test-teach-test
09:20 Mid-course reflection
10:43 Where teachers learn their best lessons
13:50 Learning from negative feedback
15:27 A difficult first lesson abroad
18:24 Should teachers learn students’ language and culture?
20:19 How should teachers say goodbye?
21:27 Does a teacher need to be a dictionary?
23:18 Pros and cons of AI
25:45 How Gav uses AI in lessons
26:52 AI for tailor-made materials
27:47 AI-written emails and learner confidence
28:44 What can’t AI replace?
30:12 Practical AI ideas
31:48 Final questions
READ THE S07E18 ARTICLES
Why Do Students Ask for a Coursebook Then Stop Using It?
https://howtoenglishpod.com/why-do-students-ask-for-a-coursebook-then-stop-using-it-s07e18/
Where Do English Teachers Learn Their Best Teaching Lessons?
https://howtoenglishpod.com/where-do-english-teachers-learn-their-best-teaching-lessons-s07e18/
Should English Teachers Learn Their Students’ Language Before Teaching Abroad?
https://howtoenglishpod.com/should-english-teachers-learn-their-students-language-before-teaching-abroad-s07e18/
How Should an English Teacher Say Goodbye to Students?
https://howtoenglishpod.com/how-should-an-english-teacher-say-goodbye-to-students-s07e18/
Does an English Teacher Need to Be a Walking Dictionary?
https://howtoenglishpod.com/does-an-english-teacher-need-to-be-a-walking-dictionary-s07e18/
How Should English Teachers and Learners Use AI?
https://howtoenglishpod.com/how-should-english-teachers-and-learners-use-ai-s07e18/
EPISODE GUIDE
https://howtoenglishpod.com/episode-guide-why-do-students-stop-using-coursebooks-teaching-lessons-ai-goodbyes-s07e18/
More practical teaching articles, mini-lessons, checklists and free resources:
howtoenglishpod.com

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 teachers and learners.
Aleksandra shares phrases for cheering someone on. Mahi suggests ways to practise when speaking English feels embarrassing. Veronica explores gonna, wanna and other reductions in American English. Tanguy untangles beside and besides, while Dr Anne challenges the idea that learning more than one language causes confusion.
We also discuss active listening, revisit your lovely feedback and remember that first lessons can feel daunting for students too. And yes, Em even treats us to a little singing!
READ THE ARTICLES
How Can English Speakers Encourage Someone Without Choosing the Wrong Tone? With Aleksandra
https://howtoenglishpod.com/how-can-english-speakers-encourage-someone-without-choosing-the-wrong-tone-with-aleksandra-s03e25/
How Can English Learners Take a First Speaking Step When They Feel Embarrassed? With Mahi
https://howtoenglishpod.com/how-can-english-learners-take-a-first-speaking-step-when-they-feel-embarrassed-with-mahi-s03e25/
How Can Learners Recognise Gonna, Wanna and Other Reduced Forms in Spoken English? With Veronica
https://howtoenglishpod.com/how-can-learners-recognise-gonna-wanna-and-other-reduced-forms-in-spoken-english-with-veronica-s03e25/
What Is the Difference Between Beside and Besides? With Tanguy
https://howtoenglishpod.com/what-is-the-difference-between-beside-and-besides-with-tanguy-s03e25/
Does Using a Home Language Have to Conflict with Learning English? With Dr Anne
https://howtoenglishpod.com/does-using-a-home-language-have-to-conflict-with-learning-english-with-dr-anne-s03e25/
Episode guide:
https://howtoenglishpod.com/episode-guide-december-special-s03e25/
GUESTS
Aleksandra:
https://www.instagram.com/distant_eng/
http://distanteng.tilda.ws/
Mahi:
https://www.instagram.com/english.withmahi/
Veronica:
https://www.instagram.com/wannaspeakbyveroniq/
https://www.youtube.com/@wannaspeakbyveroniq
Tanguy:
https://www.instagram.com/nextlevelearning_/
https://www.nextlevelearning.fr/
Dr Anne:
https://www.instagram.com/laenglishtutor/
https://linktr.ee/laenglishtutor
Enjoy the show? Buy us a coffee or tea:
https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod
Thank you to everyone who listened, shared an activity, contributed a lesson or sent us a kind word. Your encouragement keeps us going!
CHAPTERS
00:00 Welcome and supporting the show
00:58 Celebrating teachers and learners
02:06 Listener feedback and welcoming first lessons
08:08 Why active listening matters
10:48 Introducing our five guest teachers
12:17 Aleksandra: phrases to encourage learners
14:39 Mahi: overcoming embarrassment when speaking English
16:48 Veronica: reductions in American English
18:11 Reductions versus contractions
26:25 Tanguy: beside or besides?
29:56 Dr Anne: learning more than one language
33:49 More listener feedback and thank-yous
37:14 Looking ahead to the next year
38:04 Final goodbyes

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 different locations and an activity that gradually drifts away from the original plan. This raises a bigger TEFL question: when should teachers stick to their lesson plan, and when is it better to go with the flow?
They explore emergent language after a student unexpectedly moves the lesson towards the past continuous, how teachers can “park” a useful question without ignoring it, and whether one student’s curiosity should change the direction of the whole class.
Gav and Em also compare their teaching energy across the week. Is Monday teaching different from Friday teaching? Do teachers correct more when they are fresh? Can being tired sometimes produce a more relaxed, natural classroom?
Finally, they remember teachers who influenced them years ago. What made those teachers special, and what can reflecting on your own favourite teacher reveal about the teacher you want to become?
Plus, Gav explains how howtoenglishpod.com is developing into a practical resource bank of TEFL articles, episode guides, teaching ideas and podcast discussions.
📚 RELATED S07E17 TEACHING ARTICLES
How Should TEFL Teachers Recover When a Grammar Lesson Goes Wrong?
https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/how-should-tefl-teachers-recover-when-a-grammar-lesson-goes-wrong-s07e17/
Should You Stick to the Plan or Go with the Flow in a TEFL Lesson?
https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/should-you-stick-to-the-plan-or-go-with-the-flow-in-a-tefl-lesson-s07e17/
Does Your Teaching Style Change From Monday to Friday?
https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/does-your-teaching-style-change-from-monday-to-friday-s07e17/
What Makes a Teacher Memorable?
https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/what-makes-a-teacher-memorable-s07e17/
How Can Thinking About Your Favourite Teacher Improve Your Own Teaching?
https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/how-can-thinking-about-your-favourite-teacher-improve-your-own-teaching-s07e17/
Where Can TEFL Teachers Find Practical Teaching Resources and Podcast Articles Online?
https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/where-can-tefl-teachers-find-practical-teaching-resources-and-podcast-articles-online-s07e17/
🌐 More practical TEFL ideas, episode guides and teaching resources:
https://howtoenglishpod.com
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – What happens when a grammar lesson falls apart?
01:29 – Teaching the present continuous
03:06 – When students understand the grammar but not the task
05:06 – Stick to the plan or go with the flow?
07:01 – Present continuous naturally becomes past continuous
09:34 – How to “park” a useful student question
11:59 – Thinking fast and adapting TEFL lessons
12:16 – Does teaching style change from Monday to Friday?
16:43 – Friday teaching, natural speech and correction
19:47 – What makes a teacher memorable?
21:36 – How favourite teachers influence our teaching
23:07 – Qualities of a good teacher
25:04 – Turning a TEFL podcast into a teacher resource bank
❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED
What should teachers do when a grammar lesson goes wrong? When should you stick to a lesson plan or follow emergent language? How can you handle a useful student question without losing the lesson? Does teaching style change during the week? What makes a teacher memorable? How can your favourite teacher influence your own teaching?
#TEFL #EnglishTeaching #LessonPlanning #TEFLTeachers #ESLTeaching #GrammarTeaching #TeacherDevelopment #ClassroomIdeas #EmergentLanguage #TeachingTips #ELT #EnglishTeachers