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Best of The TEFL Blogs

For every path we walk down, someone else has trodden the same route. As teachers we rely on the wisdom of others to guide us and help us develop. In this vein there is an abundance of great blogs out there on teaching English. They range from the academic to the practical, they include lesson plans, tips, insights, cautionary tales, and pearls of wisdom. Here is our list of some of the best ELT blogs out there! Chia Suan Chong Chia is well-known on the conference circuit and she blogs about many different aspects of TEFL. Her blog posts are layered with theory and practical advice, as well a wonderfully personal touch! Scott Thornbury: An A-Z of ELT Scott is one of the most dominant authorities in contemporary English-language teaching and his blog charts the world of ELT through the vehicle of the alphabet. A is for accent among other things, and Z for ZPD.. Scott speaks with the the confidence he has earned from his position in the TEFL world. Great go-
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Using Technology with Your Private English Students: 5 Ideas!

How can technology help each of us be better English teachers for our private students? Here are 5 ideas!  1. Laptops for Lessons As teachers we are used to using paper and pens, and that's in part because as teaching and learning resources, they work. Obviously nowadays people are often more used to reading, writing, and learning via a screen. It's quite remarkable that with technology helping us in every other aspect of life, education is still off the pace. Laptops in particular lend themselves to in-person lessons, and they can useful for searching for interesting topics and vocabulary together, using online study resources, accessing videos and images, or creating documents together. 2. Set Watching Videos and Listening to Podcasts as Homework In the age of the flipped classroom , it is perfectly normal to set homework which is fun, stimulating, and engaging. If you spend some time looking for good quality podcasts, such as from the BBC , or potentially inter
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3 Tips For Livening Up Your Private Lessons (Part 1)

From the first lesson you give to the thousandth the same question is always: What can I bring to the lesson for it to be effective and engaging? Here are 3 simple tips to liven up your lessons. 1. Use Images! Using images is a great way to reduce your talk time, change the dynamics,and to encourage creativity and fluency. Using photos and image can support learning for all levels of students. Example activities 1. Descriptive Writing: Set a set time limit and get your student to freely write a story based on the image you have provided. Sure to get creative juices going! 2. Comparatives: Provide two photos of  people, places, or events and get student to verbally compare the content. 2. Get up! A new teacher might be shy about doing this and a more experienced teacher reluctant to. Get your students to move around! It provides variety, gets the blood moving, and is energising! Example activities 1. Role play: Act out an authentic interaction such as bu
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Keeping Your Private Students Happy!

Once you have arranged a lesson with a student, it's time to consider how to build trust and a sense of loyalty with her or him. Creating a strong working relationship with your students will make it more likely that the student will want to continue having lessons with you, as well as putting them in a better mindset to learn with you; which is after all the overall objective! 1. Give Discounts Offering a discount if a student wants to buy multiple lessons, for example 'pay for 9, get 10 lessons' instantly helps both of you start on the right foot. It means you both have greater security of knowing the lessons are going to continue and you will equally benefit from the continuity and consistency. Discounts needn't be limited to advanced bookings, you can offer a 50% discount at Christmas, the student's birthday, or simply for the sake of it to help establish a bond with your student! 2. Plan Future Lessons Once you have received payment for several l
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Being a Professional Private English Teacher

We all know that teachers come in all shapes and sizes, but as an independent English teacher you are responsible for your own success. Here are 5 tips on how you can make the best impression and maximize your potential. Sell yourself This may, as an English teacher, go against every fibre of your being but ultimately if you want to attract more students and to have an abundance of work, you will need to promote yourself and to be easily found by students. There are are few sites out there, depending on which country you are in, and of course this is what we at learneng.eu are doing for you, but you can also advertise on the local ads pages, Facebook groups, or you can even create your own website. Creating your own website has never been easier, and you can create a good-looking and relatively cheap (even free) website with the likes of Wix or Weebly .  Charge What You Are Worth Like promoting yourself, many English teachers are reluctant to ask for a reasona
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Listing a Lesson in 10 Simple Steps!

1. Click on the Create a Lesson Listing button in the top right of the website 2. Choose if your Lesson will be ' in-person ' or ' online' 3. Give a suitable Listing Title 4. Price your Lesson 5. Give a Detailed Description of your Lesson 6. Tick the boxes which correspond to the type of Lesson you are offering 7. Add your Location 8. Upload an image to indicate to students the type of Lesson 9. Save the Lesson Listing 10. Read our Listing Lessons Tips to make your Lesson Listing as good as it can be!                                                                    Visit learneng.eu
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Creating Your Profile: Top 5 Tips

To make your profile stand out and represent you, we offer these 5 top tips: Write in the Language of Your Students  'Bubbly and articulate newly qualified English facilitator looking to take on board some new English-speaking wannabes, specifically interested in teaching starters and beginners! If you understand a word of this -- get in touch!' Writing in the language of the students is not essential and might not be possible for you. But, if you write in the language of your students, you will be able to attract lower-level students, and you will be able to create a connection with the student faster. Be Precise with Your Location 'Italy. Top half.'  Being more precise about where you can teach will enable students to know whether having lessons with you is feasible or not. You will get more appropriate inquiries. Don't give your full address (and it is not necessary to write or give out your phone number), simply give an indication o
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