Remembering students’ names early on is more than just a memory exercise! It’s the foundation for building trust, motivation, and a sense of belonging in the classroom. For language teachers, it’s also a great chance to weave in communication and interaction right from the start. Here are some practical strategies you can try.

Concept Checking Questions (often called CCQs) are one of the most powerful ways to check whether learners truly grasp the meaning of new language items. Instead of testing memory or asking students to repeat back information, CCQs check their “understanding of function and meaning”.

[ Plus, there's a whole Example Bank ready to use 🎁 ].

As language teachers, one of the most powerful things we can do is help our students become aware learners. That means not just learning English, but understanding how they learn best. This kind of awareness builds motivation, autonomy, and long-term success.

In this post, I’ll share practical strategies to help your students (especially teens aged 14–19) reflect on their learning, take more responsibility, and find what truly works for them.

In any classroom, whether it's filled with elementary students or older ones, one of the most critical skills a teacher can possess is 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲. We often feel the pressure to keep the classroom moving quickly and we are impatient to have right answers… in just ONE second! But, how stressful it could be for students? Research suggests that giving students a short pause after a question, the so-called 𝗪𝗔𝗜𝗧 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘, allows them [...]

Encouraging students to use English consistently in the classroom is essential for language acquisition and fluency. Here are 12 effective strategies to create an English-rich learning environment and help students feel confident using the language.