Episode 145 - It’s Not Just About Language! The 2 Soft Skills Every EL Teacher Should Have
In education, we often focus on the hard skills, the academic knowledge of our subject, the instructional strategies, the assessment methods, and the pedagogy that shape effective teaching. These are the measurable, tangible aspects of our profession, and they are absolutely essential. But today, I want to shift the focus to something just as important yet often overlooked, soft skills. So in today’s episode, I will explore two key aspects of these soft skills, communications and cultural awa...
11 Mar 13min
Episode 144 - 3 Myths About Teaching Newcomers - And What Actually Works
Let’s talk about three common myths about teaching newcomers. Teaching English learners is really not as complicated as many think, yet I hear from so many overwhelmed teachers who have lost sight of the forest for the trees. Schools are notorious for grasping onto the newest programs and ideas for teaching English learners, which sometimes work out but frequently puts a lot of unnecessary pressure on all teachers. There are so many misconceptions about teaching ELs, and I'm going to address ...
4 Mar 13min
Episode 143 - How to Beat the Mid-Year Slump in the EL Classroom for Both Students and Teachers
Welcome to the mid-year slump. Whether you live in a colder climate like I do or anywhere else, the middle of the school year can get hard for so many reasons. February and March in particular can be especially tough months in the school year. Students and teachers are tired, motivation is dipping, and standardized testing is looming. If you are feeling dragged down and your ELs seem disengaged, you're not alone. In today's episode, I will share fun interactive engagement strategies along wit...
25 Feb 21min
Episode 142 - The Secret to Effective EL Lessons? Start at the End!
I am very excited about today's episode because I know it will bring so much value to you. I've talked about lesson planning before, but today, I wanted to share a process that has been very helpful and, honestly, is truly a great way to plan for our EL students. So in today's episode, I will be sharing all about backward design and lesson planning, how it is different from traditional lesson planning, what are the pros and cons of each type of planning, as well as provide real life example o...
18 Feb 17min
Episode 141 - A Look Behind the Scenes of The ESL Teaching Podcast
I don't know about you, but I love a good behind the scenes moment. In the world where we always see the final product, whether it's a great lesson plan, an engaging activity, or heck, someone simply looking amazing and put together, it is good to remind ourselves that the road to that result is not always very linear. Have you ever wondered what it takes to create a podcast episode? Well, today, I am taking you behind the microphone. From brainstorming topics to publishing the final product,...
11 Feb 22min
Episode 140 - The Less is More Philosophy When Teaching EL Newcomers
One of the themes that keeps coming up in my teaching and that of many other teachers who work with English learners is this: How much work should we give EL newcomers and any EL student? What can we expect from them? Today, I wanted to revisit the topic of classwork and homework our ELs have to do and about how we can make it more manageable and effective. The amount of academic work is highly dependent on the student grade level and school, but I wanted to offer a few insights about what ca...
4 Feb 14min
Episode 139 - How to Prepare for State and Proficiency Tests Part 2: Reading and Writing Practice
Midwinter and early spring is the season for state and language proficiency testing, and I am dedicating a couple of episodes to help you prepare your students for them so that they can show off all of the great things they've learned so far. Last week, I talked about peculiarities of listening and speaking tests and what activities you can incorporate in your classroom to practice for them. Today, I am sharing practical tips and ideas on how to prepare for reading and writing portions of the...
28 Jan 19min
Episode 138: Preparing Your English Learners for State and Language Proficiency Tests. Part 1 - Listening and Speaking Practice
The testing season is upon us. I wanted to talk about a topic that every teacher working with English learners faces each year, preparing your English learners for state testing and language proficiency tests like ACCESS, TELPAS, and others. These tests play a crucial role in measuring student progress and shaping future instruction. However, preparing for them doesn't have to be overwhelming or tedious. Many students dislike taking the tests and sometimes even dread them. So in the next two ...
21 Jan 14min
