Find quick links to each episode of the Teacher Think-Aloud podcast, hosted by Shélynn Riel and Anna Ciriani-Dean and sponsored by Ellii.  

Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast

<section>
In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/episodes" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Episode 76</a>&nbsp;of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, co-hosts Sh&eacute; and Anna sit down with teacher trainer and host of&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-efl/id1494494153" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Everything EFL</a>,&nbsp;Erin O&rsquo;Byrne, to explore how the&nbsp;Lexical Approach&nbsp;can transform both teaching and learning in the English language classroom.

Erin shares how her journey&mdash;from pandemic boredom to professional epiphany&mdash;led her to embrace the Lexical Approach as a practical, empowering methodology that just&nbsp;makes sense.&nbsp;She explains how shifting from teaching individual words to teaching&nbsp;chunks of language&nbsp;helps students process meaning faster, use real-world English, and become more confident, autonomous speakers.

<blockquote>&ldquo; You are giving them real-world language. The lexical approach is very much conversation driven. They recognize things. They notice things faster.&rdquo;&nbsp; &mdash; Erin O&rsquo;Byrn</blockquote>

From corpus linguistics to classroom spontaneity, this episode explores how teachers can &ldquo;learn it loose,&rdquo; noticing and recycling meaningful phrases that actually appear in authentic communication. Erin also unpacks&nbsp;emergent language&nbsp;and how creating space for student-led noticing can reduce prep time, prevent burnout, and spark creativity for both learners and teachers.

Whether you&rsquo;re new to the Lexical Approach or looking to refresh your teaching, this conversation is packed with ready-to-use ideas and reflective insights on how to move from&nbsp;rules to real language.
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mw2DSqH6-fI?si=FBuk8_xdjCXI2c1N" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/episodes" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@thinkaloud_pod" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">YouTube</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2zv5mVNpSqkDNiNbQlnm7B" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Spotify</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-teacher-think-aloud-podcast/id1629819608" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

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</section>

Empowering Learners & Teachers with the Lexical Approach

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In Episode 75 of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, co-hosts Anna and Sh&eacute; explore the transformative potential of AI in the classroom with guest Sara Davila, a self-described &ldquo;learning alchemist&rdquo; who excels in transforming theoretical research into actionable strategies for educators. Sara provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of large language models (LLMs), tracing back to early AI research, and highlights their contemporary applications in education. The discussion emphasizes frameworks for teachers&rsquo; AI use and AI&#39;s potential to enhance teaching while preserving an essential human touch.

<blockquote>&ldquo;AI is a tool created by human beings to be used by human beings for the improvement of human beings. It&#39;s not about replacing humans.&rdquo;&nbsp; &mdash;Sara Davila</blockquote>

Sara encourages educators to experiment with AI, suggesting that beginning with familiar, low-stakes activities can boost confidence and illuminate AI&rsquo;s educational benefits. This episode serves as both a guide and an inspiration for teachers looking to embrace AI&#39;s educational potential.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nZAkl6A-QZg?si=u4elGdSwNcnvzVAj" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/episodes" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@thinkaloud_pod" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">YouTube</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2zv5mVNpSqkDNiNbQlnm7B" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Spotify</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-teacher-think-aloud-podcast/id1629819608" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

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A Teacher’s Guide to Large Language Models

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Reflection is a powerful tool for English language teachers. In Part 2 of their collaboration with the&nbsp;<a href="https://diesol.org/welcome-to-the-diesol-podcast/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">DIESOL Podcast</a>&nbsp;team, Sh&eacute; and Anna of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>&nbsp;pick up their conversation with Brent Warner and Ixchell Reyes and explore the nuances of reflective practice, moving beyond foundational theories to actionable steps. From unexpected &quot;golden moments&quot; of inspiration during a dream or a walk&nbsp;to the more structured approaches of journaling and goal-setting, the hosts and guests share personal experiences and insights on making reflection a meaningful part of a teacher&#39;s professional life.

<blockquote>&quot;Reflection doesn&rsquo;t have to be polished. It just has to be honest&mdash;that&rsquo;s how you&rsquo;re going to get the most out of it!&quot; &mdash;Sh&eacute;lynn Riel</blockquote>

The episode emphasizes that reflection doesn&#39;t have to be a daunting task. It can be iterative, allowing teachers to discover what works best for them without the pressure of perfection. The discussion highlights the importance of carving out dedicated time for reflection, even if it&#39;s just a few minutes, to foster professional growth and prevent burnout. They introduce the concept of &quot;Reflection for Action,&quot; where insights from past experiences guide future planning and long-term professional development goals.

The team also dives into innovative tech tools that can enhance reflective practice, such as &quot;Future Me&quot; for sending future self-emails, Marco Polo for asynchronous video conversations, video recordings for self-observation, and&nbsp;AI chatbots as reflective partners. The episode also underscores the invaluable role of accountability partners and professional learning networks. If you&#39;re looking to transform your teaching practice and discover new ways to reflect, tune into the full episode for a rich and inspiring discussion!

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FhXN052zZJg?si=rmttQhbKpVECJA74" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> 
🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

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	<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-teacher-think-aloud-podcast/id1629819608" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
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Reflection for Action: Unlocking Professional Growth in English Language Teaching

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<section>
In this special crossover episode of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, Sh&eacute; and Anna team up with Brent Warner and Ixchell Reyes of the&nbsp;<a href="https://diesol.org/welcome-to-the-diesol-podcast/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">DIESOL Podcast</a>&nbsp;(Developing Innovation in English as a Second or Other Language) for a lively conversation about reflective practice&mdash;the foundation of our podcast and a shared passion between both shows.

<blockquote>Being a reflective educator is really a commitment to a growth mindset and to this idea of continual growth and transformation. &mdash;Anna Ciriani-Dean</blockquote>

Instead of Sh&eacute; and Anna&rsquo;s usual narrative format, you&rsquo;ll hear the DIESOL style: less commentary, more conversation, and plenty of banter among all four hosts.

In Part 1, the group explores the why of reflective pedagogy and its core principles, beginning with a shared understanding of what reflective practice really means in the context of English language teaching. Reflection, as discussed, is not just about looking back on a lesson, but it also includes intentionally engaging with our teaching to uncover insights, strengthen our practice, and align our work with our values. The group examines why reflection matters&mdash;not only for teachers&rsquo; professional growth but also for students&rsquo; learning and classroom equity&mdash;emphasizing that intentional reflection can transform teaching from a routine into a meaningful practice. Finally, the conversation moves toward how teachers can move from superficial reflection, such as simply noting what went well or poorly, to deeper engagement through descriptive, conceptual, and even critical reflection that challenges assumptions and considers broader systemic and cultural dynamics.

This episode offers both philosophical grounding and practical inspiration, setting the stage for Part 2, where the conversation will dig more into actionable strategies for bringing reflection into the classroom.

🎧 Tune in to hear how reflective practice can empower teachers, shape learning experiences, and sustain professional joy&mdash;while enjoying the energy of four educators learning from each other.

Make sure to subscribe to The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast so you don&rsquo;t miss out on the Part 2 drop!
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🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

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	<li><a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/episodes" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a></li>
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	<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-teacher-think-aloud-podcast/id1629819608" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

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</section>

The Reflective Educator: A Conversation on Growth & Transformation

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<section>
In the latest episode of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, hosts Sh&eacute; and Anna are joined by Harry Waters, a global ELT educator, teacher trainer, and climate activist behind&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/harry-waters/?originalSubdomain=es">Renewable English</a>. Together, they explore how sustainability can become a consistent, student-driven context in the English language classroom&mdash;not just a one-off Earth Day activity. 
&nbsp;

<blockquote>We&rsquo;re not just teaching nouns and verbs. We&rsquo;re helping students find their voice in a noisy world.</blockquote>

From student-led recycling campaigns to eco-themed grammar activities, Harry shares practical ways to embed environmental awareness into your teaching&mdash;without overhauling your curriculum. His strategies include small but powerful shifts, like ending a lesson with &ldquo;How does today&rsquo;s topic connect to the planet?&rdquo; or reframing the second conditional to ask, &ldquo;If our school planted 1,000 trees&hellip;&rdquo;.

But this episode goes deeper. Harry also tackles the tough questions&mdash;what happens when student projects fail? How do we keep going when change feels slow? And how can we empower students to lead, even when systems resist?

🎧 Tune in for honest insights, tangible ideas, and the reminder that every lesson is a chance to model agency, connection, and care for the world we share.
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_CwkBAl6tEk?si=e015Uo2loTQO9-Os" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

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	<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-teacher-think-aloud-podcast/id1629819608" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
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</section>

Greening ELT: Addressing Sustainability in the English Language Classroom

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In the latest episode of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, hosts Sh&eacute; and Anna are joined by Sharon Tjaden-Burkes, a former English language educator who successfully transitioned into instructional design (ID). Sharon shares her deeply personal and practical story of leaving adjunct teaching behind to pursue a more sustainable, fulfilling path in learning and development.

<blockquote>We all have one life. Choose something you&#39;d want to do during the day. &nbsp;&mdash;Sharon&nbsp;Tjaden-Burkes</blockquote>

From battling burnout while raising two young kids to upskilling through a graduate certificate and hobby projects, Sharon offers both encouragement and concrete advice for educators who are ready for change&mdash;but unsure where to begin. Her journey speaks to the realities many teachers face: invisible labor, limited growth opportunities, and the pressure to do it all alone. Through candid storytelling, Sharon helps listeners see how their classroom experience is not just transferable&mdash;it&rsquo;s transformational.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FNNR9ImkRMo?si=vALU92iAfUXehv2j" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

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From the Classroom to the Design Desk: Transitioning from ELT to Instructional Design

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In the latest episode of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, hosts Anna and Sh&eacute; share a curated list of&nbsp;13 impactful reads&nbsp;perfect for educators navigating language, identity, and culture in the English language classroom. They warn that these are not light summer reads&mdash;they are powerful stories that explore migration, memory, and belonging, offering teachers new ways to connect with students across borders.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PUaTsFhfWhk?si=VmYpuQPphFWx6mhU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

The episode features titles like&nbsp;Solito&nbsp;by Javier Zamora,&nbsp;Beautiful Country&nbsp;by Qian Julie Wang,&nbsp;Homegoing&nbsp;by Yaa Gyasi, and&nbsp;Airplane Mode&nbsp;by Shahnaz Habib&mdash;books that dive deep into lived experiences of displacement, resistance, and the search for home. Some titles, like&nbsp;The Covenant of Water&nbsp;and&nbsp;The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, offer immersive, intergenerational narratives rooted in specific places, while others like&nbsp;The Penguin Book of Migration Literature&nbsp;present a range of voices and journeys from around the globe.

Anna and Sh&eacute; reflect on how these stories inform their teaching and inspire classroom activities. Some of the&nbsp;literature-based strategies&nbsp;they discuss for bringing these stories into ELT contexts, from leveraging memoirs for&nbsp;personal storytelling&nbsp;to&nbsp;practicing perspective-taking&nbsp;and rewriting stories through a different lens.&nbsp;

<blockquote>&ldquo;Wherever you are right now&mdash;in a hammock, on a long train ride, or just taking a few minutes between lesson prep for the upcoming school year&mdash;we hope these stories find you well. And we hope they leave you changed, just a little. Because the best stories do.&rdquo; - Sh&eacute; and Anna</blockquote>

🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

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Stories That Cross Borders: A Summer Reading Special for ELT Educators

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In the latest episode of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, hosts Anna and Sh&eacute; explore how educators can build rapport in virtual classrooms, drawing lessons from the transition to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are joined by Bob Nguyen, an ESL instructor at Saddleback Community College, who spent the previous five years working in person and virtually in T&uuml;rkiye. Bob shares how he used technology to bridge the gap between teacher and student. By sharing his &quot;COVID space&quot; online, Bob modeled authenticity and used tools like Padlet and Loom to ensure inclusive student participation.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/episodes/episode/20c5ccbf/e69-digital-hallways-creating-connection-in-the-online-classroom-with-bob-nguyen" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Episode 69 - Digital Hallways: Creating Connection in the Online Classroom</a>, Bob discusses leveraging platforms such as Gather Town, which mimics the dynamics of real-life spaces in a virtual environment, allowing students to engage informally. This gamified setup encourages interaction, crucial for building community and making sure&nbsp;no student voice is left unheard. In digital classrooms, it is important to make intentional efforts to create connections.&nbsp;

<blockquote>&ldquo;Creating digital spaces where students feel comfortable sharing and building connections is essential.&rdquo; &mdash;Bob Nguyen</blockquote>

The episode concludes with a reflection on how these virtual innovations can enhance traditional teaching methods. By integrating digital tools, teachers can create dynamic learning environments that foster genuine connections. Anna and Sh&eacute; encourage listeners to consider how their online teaching experiences have enriched their practices, emphasizing the ongoing value of community building in both digital and analog spaces.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/q8wl6ZGyV3Y?si=IFuYE1VCMFK-qp6V" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

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Building Rapport in the Digital Hallways: Insights from Bob Nguyen

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<article data-creator-id="47358920" data-readable-identifier="Z2lkOi8vYmMzL1JlY29yZGluZy84NjM2NzM2ODkw" data-recording-id="8636736890" data-url="/5519100/buckets/40516350/documents/8636736890" id="recording_8636736890">
<section>
What does it&nbsp;really&nbsp;take to be a digital nomad as an English teacher? Beyond the beachside laptops and inspirational quotes, there&rsquo;s a whole world of planning, pivoting, and problem-solving that often gets left out of the Instagram feed.&nbsp;

In a new episode of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, Ellii contributor and visual thinking trainer&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/authors/emily-bryson" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Emily Bryson</a>&nbsp;joins hosts Sh&eacute;lynn Riel and Anna Ciriani-Dean to dig into the full story&mdash;logistics, lessons, and all. Whether you&#39;re considering taking your ELT career on the road or you&#39;re simply curious about how teachers are adapting to hybrid and remote work, this episode delivers honest insight and practical tips from someone who&rsquo;s been there, packed that.&nbsp;

Emily shares what her daily routine really looks like while working remotely&mdash;hint: it involves upturned coffee tables and early morning webinars. She talks about building a freelance income through materials writing, teacher training, and sketchnoting <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/authors/emily-bryson">(some of which she&rsquo;s done for Ellii!)</a>, and gives a refreshingly candid take on the myth of passive income.

The conversation also highlights the&nbsp;hidden labor&nbsp;of travel: from juggling deadlines with poor Wi-Fi to planning your next destination while maintaining a full workload. Emily and the hosts reflect on the importance of digital connections, maintaining community on the move, and the ethical considerations of being able to work and travel freely when many others cannot. 
 
This isn&rsquo;t a dreamy travel episode. It&rsquo;s a grounded, practical, and thoughtful look at what it means to design a teaching life with intention&mdash;whether you&rsquo;re traveling the world or working from your kitchen table. Emily&rsquo;s reflections will resonate with anyone navigating freelance life, exploring online teaching, or rethinking what flexibility and purpose look like in education.
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cl_gQESADKE?si=53zByOrgxChlDc30" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

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	<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl_gQESADKE" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">YouTube</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/e68-backpacks-bandwidth-burnout-the-realities-of/id1629819608?i=1000706979013" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Spotify</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/e68-backpacks-bandwidth-burnout-the-realities-of/id1629819608?i=1000706979013https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/e68-backpacks-bandwidth-burnout-the-realities-of/id1629819608?i=1000706979013https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/e68-backpacks-bandwidth-burnout-the-realities-of/id1629819608?i=1000706979013https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/e68-backpacks-bandwidth-burnout-the-realities-of/id1629819608?i=1000706979013" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a></li>
</ul>

🔗&nbsp;Follow The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast on social media for more updates:

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Check out Emily&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-be-an-elt-nomad" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">blog post</a>&nbsp;for more on life as an ELT nomad.
</section>
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Nomadic Teaching, Real Talk: Lessons from the Road with Emily Bryson

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Tour around the ELT conference circuit as our team shares conference highlights and session reviews.

Conferences

<section>
In the latest episode of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, hosts Anna and Sh&eacute; dive deep into the heart of the 2025 TESOL International Convention. Through interviews with conference attendees, including with Ellii&#39;s CEO and founder Ben Buckwold, they capture the vibrant energy and diverse perspectives of educators from around the globe, and harness the main themes of the convention: connection, community, and support for teachers.&nbsp;

The <a href="https://youtu.be/8CxCEIBPWyA?si=N_ak7frW02bD2CcE" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">2025 TESOL Special</a>&nbsp;isn&#39;t just a recap; it&#39;s an immersive experience. Listeners will feel like they&#39;re walking the convention hallways and hearing firsthand about the latest trends and challenges in the field. From discussions on AI in the classroom to reflections on the emotional labor of teachers and advocacy for students, the episode covers a wide range of topics with depth and sensitivity.

<blockquote>&quot;Teaching can be really isolating and teaching can be difficult. And so when we can step away from our classrooms and join together and encourage one another and support one another, and keep building these professional and personal relationships, we come back stronger and better for our own students as well.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&mdash; Janine Darragh, University of Idaho</blockquote>

Whether you attended TESOL 2025 or not, this episode offers valuable insights and a sense of belonging. The guests interviewed reveal the convention&#39;s true essence: a gathering place for kindred spirits, a space for growth and renewal, and a reminder of the power of educators to make a difference. Tune in to hear stories of resilience, innovation, and the unwavering dedication of teachers worldwide, and perhaps find your own sense of connection and inspiration.
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8CxCEIBPWyA?si=Si2iAehIUiHOCA3m" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

 
🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

<ul>
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	<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/e-64-soft-skills-strong-impact-supporting-multilingual/id1629819608?i=1000685309083" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a> 
	&nbsp;</li>
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</section>

Finding Connection & Community at the 2025 TESOL International Convention

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In the latest episode of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, hosts Sh&eacute;lynn Riel and Anna Ciriani-Dean discuss&nbsp;the issue of native-speakerism within the English Language Teaching (ELT) industry alongside guest&nbsp;Meri Maroutian, who brands herself as&nbsp;<a href="https://thenonnativespeaker.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Non-Native Speaker</a>. Together, they unpack the systemic bias that prioritizes &quot;native&quot; English speakers over qualified teachers from other backgrounds. They explore how this bias manifests in hiring practices, course materials, pronunciation models, and overall perceptions of &quot;good&quot; English. Meri shares her personal journey and insights as a non-native English speaker who entered the profession and later pursued extensive qualifications, highlighting the systemic issues that marginalize skilled educators.

<a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6eH51MwhZ4RaMDW5ei16Yg?si=NazqeMY1Tcq5N9U6qupNEA" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Episode 66</a>&nbsp;addresses the&nbsp;historical roots of this bias, tracing it back to colonialism and imperialism, and examines its&nbsp;ongoing impact on both professionals and learners. Meri emphasizes that being a native speaker is not a qualification and advocates for prioritizing credentials, pedagogical knowledge, and the effort teachers invest in their development. Listener contributions further illustrate the real-life experiences of teachers facing discrimination due to their linguistic backgrounds.

<blockquote>
&ldquo;[T]eaching English is an occupation. It&#39;s a job just like anything else, just like you wouldn&#39;t say you&#39;re a yoga instructor just because you&#39;ve taken some yoga lessons or you&#39;re a pilot because you&#39;ve flown in a plane a couple of times. I wish for people to see it as a serious job.&rdquo;&nbsp;

&ndash; Meri Maroutian, The Non-Native Speaker
</blockquote>

Ultimately, Meri calls for a shift in mindset within the ELT field, urging those in hiring positions, teacher training, and classroom teaching to challenge their biases and promote equity. Meri advocates for a future where teaching English is seen as a serious profession requiring qualifications and dedication&nbsp;rather than a skill inherently possessed by those born in certain countries.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aoEKjIVkh1Y?si=-lXJP2L-J1UTxD_J" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

 
🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

<ul>
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</ul>

Would you like your thoughts and experiences to be included in an episode of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>?&nbsp;Follow them on social media&nbsp;and respond to their monthly audience question.&nbsp;

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"Being a Native Speaker Isn't a Qualification" — A Conversation about Native Speaker Bias in ELT

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In the latest episode of&nbsp;The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast, hosts Sh&eacute;lynn Riel and Anna Ciriani-Dean sit down with&nbsp;Dr. Debra Suarez, President of TESOL International Association, to discuss what&rsquo;s in store for&nbsp;TESOL 2025&nbsp;and the evolving landscape of English language teaching (ELT).

Dr. Suarez shares insights into&nbsp;key conference themes, including the rise of AI in ELT, translanguaging, project-based learning, and the growing emphasis on teacher advocacy and well-being. She also reflects on her inspiring career journey&mdash;from classroom teaching to leadership roles in the US&nbsp;Department of Education and the White House Initiative for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders&mdash;offering invaluable wisdom for educators at all stages of their careers. 
&nbsp;

<blockquote>&quot;TESOL is like a buffet. There&rsquo;s something for everyone because we all contribute to the table.&quot; 
&mdash;Dr. Debra Suarez,&nbsp;President of TESOL International Association</blockquote>

 
But what truly sets this conversation apart is her deeply personal take on&nbsp;&ldquo;The Joy of TESOL,&rdquo;&nbsp;the theme of her upcoming keynote. Dr. Suarez explores how joy sustains educators through the challenges of the profession, beyond passion and mission alone. 
&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XNfDw-YJ19A?si=gYSe7e7AIc5fkZ_p" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

<h2> 
Listen to Episode 65: The World Comes to TESOL!</h2>

Don&rsquo;t miss this dynamic and inspiring conversation that will&nbsp;get you excited for TESOL 2025&nbsp;and provide&nbsp;practical guidance on making the most of the event.

<h2>Listen now on your favorite platform:</h2>

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/episodes" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@thinkaloud_pod" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">YouTube</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1OdOXKen4987GDL9Gb8fw8" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Spotify</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/e-64-soft-skills-strong-impact-supporting-multilingual/id1629819608?i=1000685309083" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a> 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

<h2>Follow&nbsp;The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast&nbsp;on social media for more updates:</h2>

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	<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/teacherthinkaloud" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Facebook</a></li>
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Planning to attend&nbsp;TESOL 2025? Join the conversation in the comments!

<blockquote>
What are you most looking forward to at the conference?
</blockquote>

The World Comes to TESOL! An Inside Look at the 2025 Convention with Dr. Debra Suarez

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