EVERYTHING EFL

Working memory. What is it? Why do we need to know about it?

The absolutely lovely Veronika Rogochaia guides us through the basics. She talks about why this is important and how we can free up space in our learners' working memory.

This is especially useful if you have low-level learners.

Enjoy.

Veronika is an ESL teacher with 12 years of experience. She's a certified SNA with hands-on experience of working with students with intellectual disabilities. Veronika worked as a module instructor at Trinity College Dublin, giving tutorials on Universal Design for Learning for undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Her current interests lie in the field of psychology of education and educating students with literacy difficulties.

Contact me if you want me to do a CPD session in your school: erin@refreshyourteaching.com

Getting students to speak can build confidence but is it the only way for them to learn the language?

Our sweet beginners need input. Lots of it.

There are a million things you can do but in this juicy episode, I talk about 3 ways you can introduce input that are engaging, simple to tailor to your class and low-to-no prep.

And if you make it to the end of the episode, there's a little bonus for you too.

Contact me if you are interested in me doing a CPD session in your school: erin@refreshyourteaching.com

In this episode, we delve into the power of stepping outside your comfort zone.

Explore the reasons  and discover the benefits of resisting change, moving past the  fear and overwhelm, and learn to navigate these toxic feelings.

It's all a learning experience, never as bad as you think, and essential for growth.

Plus, the weekly challenge: start with small changes, small steps, and small wins.

Remember, what have you got to lose?

References:

https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/comfort-zones/

Does the mere mention of AI strike fear into your heart?

Totally understandable - it's all so overwhelming but don't worry, Teacher: I got you.

For this week's episode, I enlisted the expertise of Legend-in-the-Modern-Foreign Languages-World Joe Dale to give you a starting point.

We also briefly talk about the pitfalls and things you need to consider, especially if teaching younger learners.

If you are still a little trepidatious about using AI to aid your teaching, this episode is for you.

Joe Dale is an independent languages consultant from the UK who works with a range of organisations such as Network for Languages, ALL, The British Council, the BBC, Skype, Microsoft and The Guardian. He was recently described in a Guardian article as an 'MFL guru' and 'the man behind the #mfltwitterati.'.

Connect with Joe in his new Facebook group ‘Language Teaching with AI: https://www.facebook.com/groups/languageteachingwithai Links mentioned: Generating quizzes and questions from videos and texts:

Dive into the new year with a little humour and a lot of empathy as I reflect on the chaos of teaching.

I talk about the importance of mindset, tackling common teacher stressors, and the revelation that you won't reach every student immediately.

But of course I'll give you a few practical strategies so that we can try our damndest!!

The end of Cornerstones of Learning is upon us.  Let's go out with a bang. Or maybe just a slow, deep breath out.... Mindfulness is becoming a bit of a buzz word, but for good reason. In this episode, I give you a few mindful activities you can try out in class and also I'll give you 3 mediation techniques you can do yourself to combat the stress and overwhelm of the job. And if it all sounds a bit 'woo woo', it isn't, I promise you.  These little things can help you and your students enormously.
Youtube video Bite-Sized Mindfulness: An Easy Way for Kids to be Happy and Healthy | KIRA WILLEY | TEDxLehighRiver

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOlIdmMK_zM

Do you leave a little time and space for your students reflect How about you?  Do you reflect on your teaching practice? Why is is so important and how can you implement it into your classroom practice? Fear not - I have a few ideas - no prep, not fuss and totally doable. References

Student autonomy is ESSENTIAL. You can't be there for the other 23 hours of the day. How can we teach or encourage our students to be autonomous, especially if they're not that motivated. 

Some of your students may work or have families.  What then? In this installment of my Cornerstones of Learning series, I talk about why student autonomy is so important, and of course, give your some ideas.  The rest is up to you and your students.
References

Why reuse your materials?
Why on earth wouldn't you?
- you can cut down your prep time
- you will be less overwhelmed
Need more reasons?  Need some ideas on how to do this?  I got you.
Listen to this week's Cornerstones of Learning episode of Everything EFL Podcast and find an easier way to get through the week.

Where do we even start?

With your students, that's where?

How can we encourage a little more natural, meaningful communication between them?

How can we get past 'can I borrow your eraser?,

Listen and find out!

Did you ever wonder why you were learning a certain language point in school? How is this going to help me?

Exactly.

Making your students see the connection between the language you teach and their immediate lives and environment is a game-changer. And it might not be as difficult as you think.

In this episode, inspired by James Seymour's fabulous presentation at TESOL Spain 2023, I explain some simple but powerful ways to get your students' attention by using their lives and environment to teach them.

How well do you know your students? Stay tuned til the end of this episode so you can ask yourself the questions to find this out.

Find James Seymour at: https://highimpactenglish.wixsite.com/lessons

Find more information about relevance here: https://highimpactenglish.wixsite.com/lessons/post/linking-lessons-to-your-students-world

Confidence is one of the keys to successful learning. It's all about that 'can do' attitude.

That goes for you too, teacher!

In this episode, here are a few of my favourite ways to build your students' confidence, creating a happier, more positive learning environment.

Trust the process.

What makes a good leader?

Do you give students leadership roles and tasks?

Why on earth not?

In the fifth installment of my Cornerstones of Learning series, I challenge you to make leaders of (some) of your students.

Why?

Because why should you have to do everything?

There are also a huge amount of benefits for your students too, leaders or not.

Listen and find out.

Don't forget to take the challenge at the end and let me know how it goes.

Sign up to Level Up Your Lessons: The Lexical Approach Webinar here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/675411272297

But I’M the teacher!  I choose what to do in class!  The curriculum leaves no room for choice!

Okay, but there are small ways you can give your students choice, which can be incredibly empowering.

Learn how you can give your students choice and why it’s so important in the fourth installment of  my Cornerstones of Learning series. 

Don’t forget to stay tuned until the end of the episode for your weekly challenge.  

Sign up to my Level Up Your Lessons: The Lexical Approach Webinar on August the 16th, 7pm UK time here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/675411272297

What is this buzzword ‘community?’.  Why is it so important for students to have a space to share stuff, have their opinions heard, feel valued, feel slsafe enough to give you feedback (oh yes, that’s part of it!)?

In the third installment of Cornerstones of Learning, I share the benefits of building a community in your classes and I share a bonus activity to get the ball rolling.  Remember, it’s a process and needs to be worked on constantly.  Ice breakers at the start of term isn’t enough!

Don’t forget to stay tuned until the end of the episode for your weekly challenge. 

How important are trust and vulnerability?

How important are trust and vulnerability and sharing in class?

How vulnerable are you willing to be with your students?

How does this help the learning process?

In this second installment of my Cornerstones of Learning series, I explore the reasons why we should all be thinking about these concepts before we even THINK about teaching our students anything.

Trust makes learning happen!

Don’t forget to stay tuned until the end of the episode for your weekly challenge.  

Welcome to the first installment of my new series, Cornerstones of Learning. Everything is a process. And I mean everything.

That applies to you and your students. Want to know more and start a mindset-shifting journey with me?

In each of these episodes, I will give you a small, achievable challenge to complete before the next episode. That means you have two whole weeks to do it and reflect upon it. This is the beginning of YOUR process.

I'd love to know what you think about this episode.

If you'd like even more teachy tips and inspo, sign up to my weekly newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/betterteachingnewsletter

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What on earth is noticing? Well, you'll have to listen and find out but let me tell you this: it has the potential to make you really think about your approach to teaching grammar and ALSO how students learn and remember it. In this juicy-as-hell episode, I tell you: - what noticing is - how it benefits both your students AND you (because you're just as important, gorgeous teacher) - 5 easy ways to try it out in class Enjoy!

Remember those intense, panic-filled, overwhelming days of your ESL teaching qualification? Those bloody assignments (I don't have time for this!), that nerve-wracking first teaching practice (I'm so nervous!) and spending 7 hours creating a one-hour lesson (where are my scissors?).

In this meaty episode, I reminisce briefly about those days with Shannon Felt of TEFL Horizons. Then, we get to the good stuff: what should be included on the 21st Century CELTA course and maybe what needs to be chucked in the bin?

Times change, people. So should the CELTA . Teaching has changed so much in the 20 years I've been doing it: the CELTA hasn't......much. Good or bad? You decide.

Do you have beginners? Do you struggle with what to prep and how to fill the time?

I had a beginner class for 2 weeks. Yes, I know it's not a long time but I managed to do quite a lot with them. Here is my story.

Get ready for practical tips, reflections, digressions and lots of takeaways.

If you liked this episode, try this freebie:

Happy Birthday me!

Did you know that a few years ago, in an empty classroom, two friends decided to try their hand at podcasting?

They didn't have a flippin' clue what they were doing.  The sound was awful, the theme music was generic, the delivery a little, shall we say, spicy....

One of the two amateur podcasters decided they couldn't commit so the other one carried on solo.  There were no hard feelings. In fact, Shane is back to celebrate 100 episodes. We chat about the good old days and also some super useful teachy stuff.

Teachy stuff: around the 13 minute mark.

Graphic facilitation isn't a complex idea - you're probably already doing it in some measure but if you want to know more, total legend Emily Bryson will fill you in.  Also she will give you some freebies – see Emily’s contact details below.

Emily Bryson supports ELT professionals to harness the superpower of graphic facilitation. She is a guest blogger for Ellii.com and has written for a number of ELT publishers, including the Voices series for National Geographic Learning, the A-Z of ESOL and 50 Ways to Teach Life Skills. Her courses have been described as 'the nicest corner of the internet'.

Connect with Emily:

Teachers are hard on themselves.  We are often exhausted.  Know why? We're too bloody nice to others and not to ourselves.

In this episode, I give you a jolly good talking to.  I don't have all the answers but I can give you a little advice and ask you some serious questions about how you are treating yourself and how others are treating you.

So grab a cup of herbal tea, sit in the lotus position, take a deep breath and ........or just press play and get ready to challenge yourself to change one bad habit.

Love ya!!

It's everywhere.  What is it?  How can it benefit teachers and students?  What are the pitfalls? Will it replace us?

I discuss all the above questions concerning the ubiquitous (at the time of recording, anyway) Chat GPT with my wonderful guest, Gina Rodriguez.  We also throw in a few materials we've generated and how well Chat GPT did.  The jury's still out.....

I'd love to know what you think.  

Gina Rodriguez has over 25 years of experience in the language education industry, where she has held a variety of roles from teaching to sales and marketing of ELT publications. As an ELT marketing and educational consultant, she now specializes in social media marketing strategies that help language service providers increase brand awareness and attract more students.

Gina offers customized training, professional talks, and consultancy services to language education businesses, with a focus on helping her clients achieve their goals and provide high-quality education in ELT

Connect with Gina:

www.instagram.com/gina_eltconsultant

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gina-rodriguez-elt/

grschoolmarketing.com

My happy place is.......well, you'll have to listen and find out!  You will also discover a series of lovely no-prep activities you can do in class, which incorporates my two favourite things: mindfulness and creativity.

Where's your happy place? 

Love tech?  Hate it?  Somewhere in between?  This episode has something for everyone.  I'm joined by the very knowledgeable and lovely Laura Wilkes of TESOL Pop Podcast.  We discuss all the issues including tech overwhelm, the importance of a Plan B, what to consider when selecting technology for your classroom and the delights of Inner Mongolia.  Yes, you heard me right.

Enjoy!

Laura has been working in the TEFL industry as a teacher, trainer and manager since 2009.

She's passionate about using technology and media creatively to support learning and development.

When not working, Laura can be found interviewing guests on the TESOL Pop podcast: the mini podcast

for busy teachers.

Connect with Laura:

www.tesolpop.com

www.instagram.com/tesolpop

Do you get your students to reflect in class?  How about those students who tend to dominate the conversation?  Are they even aware of it?  I show you a simple way to starting a reflective conversation, where students consider the amount they (feel they can) participate in a conversation in class.  This can lead to a thoughtful discussion on future interaction and turn-taking.  Remember:  this won't change habits immediately - it's a process, but one that can be started if you try this simple, no-prep activity in class.  

Way back in Episodes 42A and 42B, I took you through the dreaded future forms.  It was, however, a little bit on the grammary (yes, that's a word) side.  In this episode, I reboot the future in a more lexical way.  So if you're still toying with idea of approaching grammar more lexically but you're not sure how, grab a pen and paper and I'll give you a lesson plan so you can dip your toe in the water..........and hopefully never look back.  You're welcome.

This is my final episode of the year and I'd like to thank each and every one of you gorgeous teachers for listening.  As it's the season of goodwill, how about recommending Everything EFL to a colleague and giving me a 5* review on Spotify or Apple.

Merry Christmas!  See you in the new year!

What do you know about ADHD and Dyslexia?  How can you identify it?  How can you deal with neurodivergent students in your class?

This week I am joined by the fantastic Ania Karwowska of Polca Languages.  She gives us some ideas on how to start supporting our neurodivergent students in an ESL setting.   I can't promise to solve all your issues but I can promise that by the end of this episode, you will have a wealth of little tips and tricks to start implementing straightaway, as well as some other topicslike sequencing and structured word enquiry that you can dig a little deeper into.  

Ania is a self-described Anna, vegan jogger, bicycle lover. ESL teacher, literacy researcher & an OG tutor.

Connect with Ania:

Ah yes, the old Running Dictations. When was the last time you did it in class? How many different ways can you do it? Listen and find out!

In this episode, I give you variants of the this classic EFL game but also give you some solid advice to avoid some surprisingly easy pitfalls. Did I miss anything? Let me know!

Download my latest freebie:

This week I'm joined by the amazing Jessica Guarnieri from Dedicated Design Consulting.  She lends us her expertise as to what trauma is and how it may present itself.  This episode is also useful for any teacher experiencing negative, worrying or disruptive behaviours in class.  Enjoy.

Sign up to English Teaching Unlimited Online Conference: https://englishteachingunlimited.com/

Jessica Guarnieri is a Senior Consultant for Dedicated Designs and Consulting and her focus is supporting new special education teachers as they transition from the campus to the classroom as well as special education teams needing support with challenging behaviours. Jessica has had 15+ years experience teaching in special education, training staff, as well as mentoring and coaching new teachers. She is certified by Cornell College to train Therapeutic Crisis Intervention, has been a lead teacher for her district and has been recognized as an Excellent Educator of Western New York.

Connect with Jessica:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/dedicated-designs-consulting/

https://www.facebook.com/dedicateddesignsconsulting

https://www.instagram.com/dedicateddesignsconsulting/

Email her at: jessica@dedicateddesignsconsulting

Do me a solid and fill out my survey – it only takes 2 minutes, I promise!:

Okay, here it is: there are some harsh truths and realities we all have to face as teachers.  I think a lot of us have this idealized version of ourselves, where we provide inspiration in engaging, perfectly-executed, differentiated, multi-faceted lessons which .......okay, I'm gonna stop there. 

Let's be real - we have a lot to live up to but I think that pressure comes mostly from ourselves.  In this episode, I talk about some things we just have to accept but I try to give a few tips and questions to alleviate the pressure of our jobs. 

Watch my ELTed presentation on lexicalizing grammar here: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CjcuK0FpYUT/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 

Do me a solid and fill out my survey – it only takes 2 minutes, I promise!: https://forms.gle/rcJXj7k5rTZG848x7 

Are you a freelance teacher or thinking about freelancing? This week I'm  joined by the delightful Miranda Crowhurst of Twinkl, who is an expert on how to grow your online audience on social media.  Are you a freelancer or thinking about freelancing?   

This episode will give you food for though if you're not happy working for someone else or if you're yearning to be your own boss.  You may be surprised at what she says.... 

Digressions include: are you being supported at work?, creativity, what it's like to get a million views on social media, the 'perfect teacher' (spoiler: doesn't exist!). 

Apologies for the sound quality at the end of the episode- Zoom is a fickle mistress... 

Connect with Miranda: 

Actively improve work-life balance and results with Twinkl Membership for Schools Join our support communities @ twinkl.co.uk/support-communities 

Create your own resources @ twinkl.co.uk/create Made by teachers, perfect for parents. 

Visit our Parents' Hub 

Do me a solid and fill out my survey – it only takes 2 minutes, I promise!:   

https://forms.gle/rcJXj7k5rTZG848x7 

Lesson planning? So much to think about!!  There are so many resources out there, so many in-class variables and methodologies to consider, it can be overwhelming.  So let's cut through all the noise and talk about what you REALLY need to think about when you're planning.   I also give you a little pep talk at the end, just to remind you how talented and creative you are.  Trust your skills, my lovely teacher, cos you got'em! Sign up to my masterclass on Thursday of the 29th September 2022 at 6pm UK time: Less Prep, Less Stress: How to Exploit Materials in Multiple Ways here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/less-prep-less-stress-how-to-exploit-materials-in-multiple-ways-tickets-404168136777 Download my latest freebie: https://app.mailerlite.com/sites/preview/5551823 Do me a solid and fill out my survey – it only takes 2 minutes, I promise!: https://forms.gle/rcJXj7k5rTZG848x7

A very good question! I give you 9 good reasons to use more dialogues in your lessons and give you a bonus activity too, of course.  This episode is short 'n' sweet. Do me a solid and fill out my survey – it only takes 2 minutes, I promise!: https://forms.gle/rcJXj7k5rTZG848x7

Less time prepping?  Is that a thing?  Oh yes.  I list 8 reasons why I've stopped spending hours upon hours prepping my lessons.  I really hope some, if not all of these points resonate with you and change the way you think about spending your free, often unpaid time planning and preparing lessons for our students.  Work smart, not hard my gorgeous teacher!

Do me a solid and fill out my survey – it only takes 2 minutes, I promise!:

Yep, we're going lexical again in a very practical episode with the lovely fellow Brit and Friend of the Podcast, Harry Waters, of Renewable English fame.  We play lexical ping-pong with chunks of grammar that we think your students will find very useful to build natural spoken English. The inevitable digressions include Chris Hemsworth, football T-shirts and which TV series is the best of all time (no prizes for guessing my choice!). Listen to episode 58 for some great ideas on how to incorporate the topic of sustainability in class in interesting ways.

Connect with Harry at www.renewableenglish.com, @renewableenglish on Insta, @Renewable English on Facebook or @renewableenglish on Twitter Do me a solid and fill out my survey – it only takes 2 minutes, I promise!: https://forms.gle/rcJXj7k5rTZG848x7

How do you see reading as part of your students' language acquisition? Stephen Krashen certainly knows more than I do about this, so who better to turn to than the world-renowned linguist, educational researcher and activist?  In this episode, I delve into his ideas on the power of self-selected reading.  I'm not saying he's right or wrong: I'm just throwing it out there in a bite-sized, digestible chunk of podcasty goodness so you can decide for yourself.  I'd love to know what you think!

Writing: a word that often strikes fear into the heart of the student. How do your students feel about writing?  How do YOU feel about teaching it? In this episode, not only do I offer 4 things to consider when doing a writing task with your students, but I also throw in a bonus writing activity at the end. Enjoy!

Do me a solid and fill out my survey – it only takes 2 minutes, I promise!:

Fluency MC, AKA Jason Levine, is one of a kind: he’s a teacher, trainer and knowledge entertainer.

Firstly, he tells me about his unique use of hip-hop in French schools to promote repetition and rhythm in an engaging way and then we discuss the importance of learner autonomy and how to get your students hooked on English without forcing it on them.

Listen to the end to get a little taste of Jason’s irregular verbs rap!

One thing I've noticed that teachers do a lot is talk.  Newsflash: that's NOT your job!  In this quickie episode, I offer a few ways to lower your TTT so your students can breathe, process and think.  Enjoy.

Do me a solid and fill out my survey – it only takes 2 minutes, I promise!:

I am once again joined by the thoroughly lovely Hugh Dellar.  In episode 60, we took a deep dive into what the lexical approach is and in this episode, we take it in turns suggesting some simple ways to actually implement it into your classroom practice.

This episode is full of easy-to-use, low-to-no-prep ideas that you can start on straightaway.  Dive in!

Connect with Hugh via his website: https://www.lexicallab.com/

I'm so happy to have Csabi Berger join me.  He's a language coach.  A what, I hear you cry?  Don't worry - he'll explain the differences between teaching and coaching and how you can implement some simple strategies to promote learner autonomy. Because that's what we want, right?  We want our students to develop an interest in language outside the classroom and become better learners.  This episode has so much value.  Check it out and share with a colleague. Csabi Berger has been a fluency and learning coach for 10+ years and has recently become an English coach mentor, supporting English teachers with their transition into language coaching, creating a coaching business and effectively promoting it on social media. Connect with Csabi: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morethanjustteacher/?hl=en Theme music by @sean.cass (Instagram).

I know, we don't have much time to cram everything in our lessons but some things are worth taking time over: checking your students' understanding of vocabulary and instructions.  I mean, how hard is it?

Not that hard, actually but I'm sure I'm not the only one who's guilty of neglecting a few concept-checking and instruction-checking questions from time to time......not sure what I'm on about?  This episode is for you.  Been teaching a long time?  Sure, dive in and refresh your memory.  I guarantee the last time you really looked at CCQs and ICQs in detail was your teaching course, was it not...?

Useful links:

Recorded in lockdown last year, I've been saving this one - Olly Richards is a linguistic powerhouse.  What better person to ask about language learning?  

Do your students read?  Do they dislike reading?  Why?  Olly gives you real food for thought on this fascinating episode.  We covered so much ground.  This episode may well change your approach to reading and you may want to give it more priority.  But Erin, isn't speaking and listening the best thing to do?  Possibly, but this episode will give you a valuable insight into learning through reading, what extensive reading is, and its benefits.

We also discuss the age-old question: do students really need teachers?

This episode is gold.  Dive in and be inspired!

Olly Richards is a teacher, author, speaker and language learner.  He promotes the use of reading to learn languages and has a podcast and regular blog on his website.  Check him out on his website:

https://storylearning.com/ (the name has changed since this episode was recorded)

https://www.youtube.com/c/OllyRichards for a literal donkeyload of useful content

Theme music by @sean.cass (Instagram).

Reflection.  It cannot be underestimated as part of your students' (and your) learning process.  In this lesson, I talk about the benefits of reflection and then dive into a lesson plan that you can copy, adapt and do with your students.  Best of all, click on the link below and you can have the lesson Powerpoint for your very own! Change it, add to it, do what you like with it: you know your students best.  Let me know how it goes! 

Get your reflection lesson plan here:

https://www.subscribepage.com/k7g8u5

Links on reflection:

We all have them: those students who finish a task before everyone else.  How can you keep them engaged and occupied?  If you think the answer is doing an extra worksheet, you've come to the right place because that is DEFINITELY NOT on this list!  We can do better than that: give your students challenges; make them think; get them moving; give them room to breathe; all of the above. My challenge to you this week is to choose a couple of things from this list and try them out in your class.  Let me know how it goes. If you're wondering what happened to my next episode on reflection, it's coming soon, I promise! 

Theme music by @sean.cass (Instagram). 

In an ideal world, our students would spend all their spare time working on their English skills and be highly motivated to do so.  But in reality buuuuut................we all know that for some students, learning English is a mountain.  How do you help your students take those first steps?

In this episode, I give you tips on how to approach learning goals with your class and also how to keep on top of them with regular check-ups, cunningly disguised as reflection.  Remember, it's about those small victories.......

Theme music by @sean.cass (Instagram).