Blog for ESL teachers
Practical tips, methods, and materials for successful teaching
Practical tips, methods, and materials for successful teaching
How to teach English—this is the question I hear most often. In short, it’s a blend of sound methodology, empathy, disciplined routines, and honest lesson analysis. Below is my practical pathway from first classes to a confident system where how to teach English becomes a craft—and a joy. 😊
Use this working checklist to plan a course, a lesson series, or even polish an article before publishing.
Ready to turn this into high-talk-time lessons where students speak more than the teacher?
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I’m York Fern. I’ve spent 12+ years in the ESL/EFL profession teaching everyone from children to senior managers. My learners have moved abroad for work, passed IELTS, and entered graduate programs. I began with a shaky voice and a notebook lesson plan, but systematic methodology brought freedom and confidence. A solid TEFL/TESOL foundation underpins everything I do.
“I want to understand TV shows” is not a goal. “In 8 weeks, watch YouTube interviews without subtitles and deliver a timed summary” is. Precision makes materials and success criteria obvious.
Do a short needs analysis (goals, themes, blockers) and a 10–15 minute placement for speaking, vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. Capture 2–3 strengths and 2–3 risks—build your first module around them.
Think in 4–6-lesson cycles: one topic, one “big” task (e.g., “prepare a pitch-presentation”). Each lesson becomes a step toward a visible outcome.
I mostly use ESA: Engage to spark interest; Study to clarify form/meaning; Activate to drive lots of practice. Here’s the skeleton:
| Stage | Purpose | Sample actions |
| Engage (5–8 min) | Warm emotion & context | Prompt image/clip, quick “Has this happened to you?” question; 3–5 target words |
| Study (15–20 min) | Clarify form/meaning | Pattern discovery, error highlighting, short pair drills |
| Activate (20–25 min) | Launch tasks & speaking | Role-play, discussion, project, audio recording |
Aim for learners to speak 60–70% of the time. Keep instructions tight, examples clear, and feedback targeted. “Less lecturing, more life.”
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PPP (Presentation–Practice–Production) fits structural grammar. ESA is a flexible daily frame. TBL (Task-Based Learning) shines with adults and business needs where communication is king.
Skip heavy terminology. Lead with meaning and context, then give a crisp form. Instead of “Present Perfect is…”, say: “You’re reporting a result relevant now: I’ve finished.” Follow with three learner-relevant examples.
Teach collocations and lexical sets so speech flows: not just make/do, but make a decision, do research. Reinforce with spaced repetition and short “in-the-wild” tasks between lessons.
Prioritize sentence stress and connected speech over “perfect sounds.” Start with contrasts (thought vs though, ship vs sheep, can vs can’t) and quickly move to rhythm: record → listen → note → repeat. The goal is clarity, not native-like imitation.
Online isn’t slides + silence. It’s a tight script, activity shifts every 7–10 minutes, and lots of pair work. Keep the stack lean: video call, shared doc, homework tracker. Less friction, more language.
Secret: one objective, one key pattern, one definitive outcome. The lesson clicks like Tetris.
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Ask: Does this error block understanding? If yes, address immediately but gently—recast on the board, highlight the pattern, reuse learner’s words. If no, bank it for Delayed Feedback grouped by grammar, lexis, pronunciation.
Use a light dashboard: cycle objective, checkpoints, and short performance tasks (email, call, presentation). Track growth along accuracy, fluency, and confidence. Confidence is measurable: time-to-first-word, pause count, willingness to clarify.
The best material serves the learner’s real-world task: news, podcasts, slide decks, client emails—anything goes once you adapt it: cut noise, highlight lexis, and bolt on practice. Rotate life/work/culture/travel/soft-skills themes.
Prioritize pace and game flow. Rotate stations: reading → game → creative task → movement. Rule: “one task—one page/screen” to contain attention. Shorter lessons, higher intensity.
Focus on tasks: emails, calls, presentations, negotiations. Task-Based Learning fits perfectly: start with a goal, model useful language briefly, then drill in “work-realistic” scenarios.
My first TEFL made everything easier: ready templates, clear criteria, and community. Whether formalizing experience or starting from scratch, pick a program aligned to your goals—120 hours for baseline; extend with online teaching or business English tracks as you specialize.
After three months, prep gets lighter, referrals appear, and “how to teach English” feels calm and confident.
Group management is about clear signals and rhythm. Four simple rules:
And yes, that “noise”: it isn’t the enemy if it’s in English. Keep it on-task, not on weather updates.
| Level | Task Type | Aim |
| A2 | Card-prompt interviews, picture descriptions | Stabilize simple tenses and core collocations |
| B1 | Case discussion, inquiry email | Structure ideas and add linking words |
| B2 | Debate, solution presentation | Argumentation, grammar nuance, register choice |
Set a realistic bar. A2 is patient brick-laying; B2 is clarity and appropriacy.
Design minimum and challenge tracks for each task. Weaker students do the core; stronger students take a bonus step or facilitate.
I once had a B1 group with three near-silent learners. We started with 90-second pair micro-tasks and practiced sentence-stress “in waves.” By week 4 they led a debate on hybrid work—and the quiet students moderated. “I spoke and people listened,” one said. That’s when you know you’re learning how to teach English so people grow.
Teaching is a craft built from small, precise decisions. Define objectives, lean on ESA, maximize practice, collect feedback, and support yourself: keep learning, experiment, connect with colleagues. If you want a proven framework, start with a recognized TEFL & TESOL course at 120 hours and add specializations as you grow. Now, onto your next lesson—what will be the main action? 💡
EFL, ESL, IELTS, TEFL, TESOL

An English instructor with 12+ years of experience. I work for an online school and travel the world, teaching students from various countries, leveraging my TEFL/TESOL certification. Seeing the world's oceans, mountains, and cities with my own eyes has given me a profound appreciation for the importance of quality education and international communication.
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💡 Unlock the secrets to doubling your teaching income with our exclusive checklist! 🎯 This checklist is designed for English teachers who want to 📈 attract more students and 🔥 keep them engaged for the long term.
🚀 More students, 💰 higher income, 🌍 complete freedom! ✅ 112 verified platforms with top rates ⏳ Flexible schedule – work whenever and as much as you want 🎯 Simple requirements – start earning right away 💎 Boost your career and income by teaching students worldwide!