Discover what's new or coming soon, including upcoming lessons and resources and product feature updates. 

Announcements

<h1>Introducing Individual Student Assignments</h1>

Great news, teachers!

As of today, you can now select which individual students receive specific assignments within any class.&nbsp;

<h3>Here&#39;s how it works:</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Click on a lesson, video, or flashcard set in your Prepping or Teaching lane within any of your classes</li>
	<li>A modal will open with your assignment preferences for that lesson&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Click the &quot;Students&quot; tab in the top navigation of the modal</li>
	<li>Switch the setting from &quot;All students&quot; to &quot;Some students&quot;</li>
	<li>Select the students you want to assign the lesson to&nbsp;and remember to hit &quot;Save&quot; inside the modal before closing it</li>
</ul>

Only the selected students will see the assignment inside their class dashboard.

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C5BgjG7wtaI?si=I4waw7z14JkLaeer" width="640"></iframe></div>

We know that a lot of you have been asking for this feature for a while now. So thanks for your patience, and we hope it&#39;s a big help!

All the best, 
Ben :)

Founder, CEO at Ellii

Introducing Individual Student Assignments

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Stay up-to-date with ELT trends and ideas with articles from experts and teachers in the field.

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Teaching with Ellii

Once upon a time, literacy skills referred to reading and writing. However,&nbsp;we now access and process information in multiple ways, not simply through interpreting texts. Therefore, we need to support learners to develop multiple literacy skills to help them navigate the world successfully.&nbsp;

In this post, I&#39;ll explore the more complex and intertwined nature of the various literacies learners need, and how to integrate them into the English language classroom.&nbsp;

<h2>Multiliteracies</h2>

There are various interpretations and classifications of multiple literacies. These depend on the organization and their&nbsp;goals. These&nbsp;often include literacies such as: &nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Textual Literacy (also referred to as Reading and Writing Literacy)</li>
	<li>Critical Literacy (the abilility to think critically and&nbsp;question sources of&nbsp;information)</li>
	<li>Information Literacy (aka Media Literacy)</li>
	<li>Visual Literacy&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Digital Literacy, which could also include Social Media and AI Literacy</li>
	<li>Financial Literacy</li>
	<li>Mathematical or Numerical Literacy (aka Numeracy)</li>
	<li>Global Literacy (aka Intercultural, Cultural, or Social Literacy)</li>
</ul>

In some ways, there is crossover between life skills development and multiliteracy development. For example, mathematical literacy could also be referred to as math or numeracy skills. Likewise, visual literacy requires other skills such as critical thinking, interpretation, and creativity.&nbsp;

You can read more about life skills development here:&nbsp;

<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/top-tips-for-incorporating-life-skills-into-your-classroom">6 Tips for Incorporating Life Skills into Your English Language Lessons</a>

<h2>Multimodal&nbsp;</h2>

The information we interact with today is multimodal. Therefore, in order to prepare learners for the real world, we need to equip them with a variety of literacy skills to interpret&nbsp;and use it successfully and responsibly.&nbsp;

Here are some examples of the different modes of information sources:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Photos</li>
	<li>Videos</li>
	<li>Infographics</li>
	<li>Diagrams &amp; Graphs</li>
	<li>Illustrations &amp; Artwork</li>
</ul>

Students can be guided to develop their skills in understanding,&nbsp;interpreting, and creating the content within these information sources. In order to do so, they will need to use multiple literacies.&nbsp;

Luckily for teachers, many resources are already full of multimodal texts. For example, let&#39;s use some of Ellii&#39;s money-themed lessons.&nbsp;

<h2>Word Bank Readers: At the Bank&nbsp;</h2>

At first, learners watch the video. They use their textual literacy skills to read the subtitles and write down notes. As they watch, they use their visual literacy skills to follow the story of Sheila going to the bank. After watching, they might discuss what problems Sheila had and how she solved them, utilizing their financial, digital, critical, and social&nbsp;literacy skills. They could personalize this further by comparing alternative ways to do this, such as using their digital skills to bank online. To incorporate global skills, they could investigate currencies or banking differences around the world.&nbsp;

You can access this lesson here:&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/video/a-trip-to-the-bank">https://ellii.com/video/a-trip-to-the-bank</a>

As extension tasks, learners could use their digital literacy&nbsp;to work through the tasks in their Ellii Classroom.&nbsp;

They could also:

<ul>
	<li>activate their global and visual literacy by discussing this intriguing photo prompt: <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3956-money-money-money">Money, Money, Money</a></li>
</ul>

<img alt="Ellii Money Money Money Photo Prompt" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4690/content_photo-prompt-money-money-money-Ellii.jpg" />

<ul>
	<li>use textual and visual&nbsp;literacy to watch and take notes of this self-study video:&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/video/at-the-bank">At the Bank</a></li>
	<li>Explore their financial literacy more with this lesson on <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1210-retirement-savings">Retirement Savings</a></li>
	<li>Have them use their digital and media literacy skills to create a vlog, podcast, or blog on the topic</li>
</ul>

<h2>Multisensory</h2>

The multimodal nature of information consumption is a multisensory process. Learners will interact with the content using a range of senses. This can help them to learn through doing as well as keeping them motivated by adding variety and movement&nbsp;to classroom activities. For example:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>listening to a story</li>
	<li>reading a text</li>
	<li>talking to a partner about the topic</li>
	<li>writing notes or an article</li>
	<li>performing a role-play</li>
	<li>smelling or tasting food from a recipe they followed</li>
	<li>creating a poster or information board</li>
</ul>

<h2>Multicultural</h2>

English language classes are often multicultural. Our learners bring a wonderfully unique blend of beliefs, experiences, cultures, and backgrounds to class. Helping them to develop their social, emotional, and global literacies aid intercultural understanding and can facilitate some interesting real-world discussions.&nbsp;

Here are some Ellii materials&nbsp;you might want to use to incorporate global literacies:&nbsp;

<a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/easy-news-stories">Easy News Stories:</a> These simple news articles cover a range of real-world topics. They are perfect for having students consider unfamiliar cultures, learn about global challenges. and consider ways that they can make the world a better place.&nbsp;

<a href="https://ellii.com/media/videos/current-events">Associated Press Videos:</a> These short video clips cover diverse topics such as <a href="https://ellii.com/video/k-pop-exhibition-in-london-museum">K-pop culture</a>, <a href="https://ellii.com/video/stranger-things-stars-open-up-about-mental-health">mental health</a>, and <a href="https://ellii.com/video/india-s-hindus-celebrate-colorful-holi-festival">religious festivals</a>. Students will enjoy using their visual and media literacy skills to explore authentic topics of social, emotional, and global importance.&nbsp;

You may also be interested in this blog post on <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/social-emotional-learning">social-emotional learning</a>, which shares some ways to develop learners&#39; social and emotional literacies.&nbsp;

We also highly recommend watching this video of Nik Peachey&#39;s session on Multimodality in the English Language Teaching and Learning&nbsp;at the APPI Conference in Portugal.

<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/Ky_tP7FM4fw?si=tqKDSL8hJ6kqvKjw" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

<blockquote>
What experience do you have of incorporating multiliteracies into the classroom? Which ones do you feel are particularly important to your learners? We&#39;d love to know your thoughts, ideas, and tips in the comments.&nbsp;
</blockquote>

The Multimodal, Multisensory, Multicultural Power of Multiliteracy Learning

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<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/new-content/new-in-2024" target="_blank">What&#39;s New in 2025?</a></h2>

Explore and filter through Ellii&#39;s most recently released content in these monthly <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/new-content" target="_blank">What&#39;s New?</a> collections.&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/new-content/may-2025-new-content" target="_blank">May</a></li>
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	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/new-content/january-2025-new-content" target="_blank">January</a></li>
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<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/new-content/new-in-2024" target="_blank">What Was New in 2024?</a></h2>

Check out 1,286 results!

<h2>Lesson Plan Calendar</h2>

Find monthly features on Ellii&#39;s <a href="https://ellii.com/calendar" target="_blank">Lesson Plan Calendar</a>.

Ellii's Weekly Newsletter

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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

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:

<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>

🔗&nbsp;Follow The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast on social media for more updates:

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/teacher-think-aloud/?" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/teacherthinkaloud" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Facebook</a></li>
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	<li><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/thinkaloudpod.bsky.social" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Bluesky</a></li>
</ul>

Building Rapport in the Digital Hallways: Insights from Bob Nguyen

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Putting&nbsp;learners at the center of their learning experience is absolutely critical for successful teaching. It helps us&nbsp;plan lessons on topics that interest them, which, in turn, helps them to stay motivated and achieve their goals. It also shows our learners that we care about them, have their best interests at heart, and have considered their needs.&nbsp;

In this blog post, I&#39;ll explore some ways to get to know your learners better, whether on the first day of class or throughout the term.&nbsp;

<h1>Learn their names</h1>

This sounds super basic, but it is one of the most important ways to show that you care about every individual learner. <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1211-your-name" target="_blank">Your name</a> is a core part of who you are, so hearing it said correctly makes you feel valued. On the flip side, when someone gets it wrong, it can be annoying or even make us feel unimportant. Therefore, we have to take time to learn every student&#39;s name.&nbsp;

As language teachers who teach learners from around the world, we may often have to learn new and unfamiliar names. It can be helpful to use name badges, write students&#39; names&nbsp;on the board, or have a seating plan to refer to until you have committed their names&nbsp;to memory.&nbsp;

It is especially important to get the spelling and pronunciation correct. Don&#39;t be afraid to ask for clarification on how to say someone&#39;s name. They&#39;ll appreciate that you are trying to get it right.&nbsp;

To help you remember names, you can use Ellii&#39;s printable <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2209-class-list%C2%A0">Class List</a>. This handy chart&nbsp;also&nbsp;has a column for &quot;preferred name&quot; in case students prefer to use a nickname or shortened version of their name. You may also want to try this popular Ellii Poll about <a href="https://app.ellii.com/gather/polls/names" target="_blank">Names</a>.

<img alt="Ellii Class List" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4681/content_Class-list-Ellii.png" />

<h1>Use introduction activities</h1>

The first days of class are critical for making a good impression and getting to know your learners. They are an opportunity to find out your learners&#39; language level, skills, interests, and goals. They are also a great excuse to have a bit of fun, <a href="https://ellii.com/collections/academic-subjects/communication-skills/getting-acquainted" target="_blank">help learners get to know each other</a>, and instantly start using their language skills to communicate.&nbsp;

One activity&nbsp;I love (which also&nbsp;helps the class learn each other&#39;s names)&nbsp;is a simple ball game. Have students stand in a circle. One student calls out a classmate&#39;s name, asks a question of their choice&nbsp;(e.g., What is your favorite sport?), and then throws the ball to the person whose name they called. That person then answers the question, calls another classmate&#39;s name, asks another question, and throws the ball. This continues until everyone has had a turn and has learned&nbsp;a few facts about each other.&nbsp;

You can find&nbsp;ideas for activities to do on the first day of class here:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/4-fun-ways-to-warm-up-a-new-class">4 Fun Activities to Warm Up a New Class</a></li>
</ul>

<h1>Build relationships</h1>

Getting to know your learners isn&#39;t just an&nbsp;activity for the first week of class. Developing strong rapport with them happens over time. Taking&nbsp;note of topics that interest them and then using these to choose future lessons will be appreciated by learners.&nbsp;

The language classroom has many opportunities for learners to share their interests. These will undoubtedly come up in conversation organically. However, you can also build in time at the beginning or end of lessons for relaxed &quot;small-talk&quot; conversations.&nbsp;

For example, you could set aside the first five minutes of a lesson for learners to share:

<ul>
	<li>something exciting&nbsp;they did recently</li>
	<li>something they are planning to do&nbsp;</li>
	<li>something interesting they read online</li>
</ul>

Relaxed discussions such as these are a great way for&nbsp;students to practice their conversation skills and for you to get to know them better.&nbsp;

You could also try these materials&nbsp;from&nbsp;Ellii:

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/1749-making-small-talk">Making Small Talk</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/mini-debates">Mini-Debates</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/resources/warm-ups-fillers">Warm-Ups &amp; Fillers</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3351-conversation-questions-group-digital" target="_blank">Conversation Questions</a></li>
</ul>

<img alt="Getting Acquainted screenshot" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4677/content_getting-aquainted-Ellii.png" />

<h1>Create individual learning plans&nbsp;</h1>

Individual learning plans (ILPs) are a great way to get to know learners. They allow students time to reflect on their current skills, prior learning,&nbsp;language level, goals, and ways to achieve those goals.

You can use ILPs in class to have students think about their learning. Although ILPs are&nbsp;personal by nature, it can also be impactful for learners to share their ideas, goals, helpful resources, and learning strategies with each other. Use your discretion to decide if&nbsp;this could work with your particular learners.&nbsp;

Check out one of <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2127-my-language-goals">Ellii&#39;s ILPs</a>:

<img alt="My Language Goals screenshot" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4680/content_My-language-goals-2-Ellii.png" />

<img alt="My Information Continued screenshot" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4679/content_My-language-goals-1-Ellii.png" />

<h1>Use visual storytelling techniques</h1>

Using visual metaphors can be a fun way to help learners&nbsp;think about their learning. You can draw these, use Ellii&#39;s flashcards, or look for copyright-free icons online.

Here are some ideas for visual metaphors:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>use a road map, pathway, or river to have students think about the distance they have traveled and where they would like to be in their language-learning journey</li>
	<li>use a target with arrows to have students think about their goals and how to achieve them&nbsp;</li>
	<li>use a seed, a sapling, a small tree, and a fully grown tree to signify their current level of skills&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

You can find more ideas on how to implement these suggestions using Ellii&#39;s flashcards&nbsp;in this blog post:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/twelve-ellii-flashcards-for-reflection">12 Ellii Flashcards for Planning &amp; Reflection</a></li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
These are just a few ways to get to know your learners. What has worked for you? Share your ideas in the comments.&nbsp;
</blockquote>

Getting to Know Your Learners: Supercharging Learner-Centered Teaching

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<h2>You teach English, but how well do you know its history?&nbsp;</h2>

What does English have in common with French, Russian, and Sanskrit? They all&nbsp;evolved from the same parent language, which linguists call Proto-Indo-European (PIE). There isn&#39;t a written record of PIE, but we know it existed because of cognates that can be found in each of these languages.

Cognates are words in different languages that come from the same root. Unlike loan words, cognates do not move from one language to another through contact. The word form in a cognate set is native to several languages. Typically, these are basic vocabulary words that early humans used for the most essential communication. Compare English&nbsp;one,&nbsp;two, and&nbsp;three&nbsp;with French&nbsp;un, deux, and&nbsp;trois, or English&nbsp;mother&nbsp;and&nbsp;father&nbsp;with Spanish&nbsp;madre&nbsp;and&nbsp;padre.

<blockquote>
Fun Fact 
Not all languages in the Indo-European region belong to the PIE family. One example, Basque, is a language isolate&mdash;which means it isn&rsquo;t related to any known language.&nbsp;
</blockquote>

<h2>Old English</h2>

English comes from the Proto-Germanic branch of the PIE tree, which means that it evolved from the same PIE descendant that produced German, Dutch, and the Scandinavian languages. Old English developed out of the combined dialects of Germanic tribes called the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, who invaded Britain in the 5th century. These tribes originally used a runic alphabet called the&nbsp;futhorc.&nbsp;The Anglo-Saxons adopted the Latin alphabet after Roman missionaries arrived to spread Christianity to England.&nbsp;

Old English was an inflected language, like Latin. It didn&rsquo;t use many function words like pronouns, conjunctions, or prepositions. Instead, it used suffixes that communicated a word&rsquo;s role in a sentence. Most of these suffixes have fallen out of the language, but we still inflect the plural (-s), the past tense (-ed), and the possessive (&rsquo;s), along with a few other grammatical categories. One theory about the fate of our inflectional suffixes is that we lost them to simplify communication with Scandinavian settlers, who invaded England in the 9th century. The settlers spoke Old Norse, which paired familiar Germanic roots with an entirely different set of inflections. By the Middle English period, English speakers had replaced most inflections with function words. Word order had also become more important for clarity.&nbsp;

<h2>What&rsquo;s with all the Latin words?</h2>

Even though English is a Germanic language, it also shows influence from the Romance languages&mdash;the PIE branches that evolved from Latin. English has always borrowed religious and scholarly words from Latin, but another source of Romance roots in our vocabulary is the Norman Conquest of 1066, which established a French-speaking ruling class in England for more than 100 years.

During this time, English was rarely written down, and when it was, it was done by French scribes, who changed the largely phonetic English spellings to align with French conventions. We can thank these scribes for letter combinations like&nbsp;qu&nbsp;and&nbsp;th&nbsp;for the /kw/ and /&theta;/ sounds.

During the Renaissance, English scholars also respelled words that had Greek or Latin roots, resulting in even more spelling eccentricities&mdash;ph&nbsp;for /f/, for example. 17th-century British colonialism also caused English to absorb some non-PIE vocabulary, especially from indigenous North American, Oceanic, and African languages.&nbsp;

<h2>Standard spelling &amp; grammar</h2>

Spelling only began to standardize during the 15th and 16th centuries&nbsp;in response to mass printing and rising literacy rates. In the 18th century, English scholars set out to standardize grammar,&nbsp;too&mdash;often inventing rules that they hoped would make English more like Latin. We still teach and follow many of these rules, but others, like those that dictate proper use of the subjunctive mood and the modal verb&nbsp;shall, are now almost obsolete.

<blockquote>
Languages often lose features when they&rsquo;re no longer effective or necessary for common understanding.
</blockquote>

Today&rsquo;s linguists usually take a descriptive approach, documenting how people use the language rather than promoting a standard. Many colloquial constructions in modern English actually follow complex rules and contain subtle distinctions of meaning. And because English has become the most widely spoken second language in the world, groups of speakers from all over bring their own innovations to the table.&nbsp;

<h2>Related Ellii lesson</h2>

<a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3591-the-english-language">The English Language</a>

<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/daPOris7VH8?si=8-zRC_RZUhtkw7bg" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

<h3>Sources</h3>

<ul>
	<li>The English Language: A Linguistic History&nbsp;by Laurel J. Brinton and Leslie K. Arnovick (Oxford University Press, 2006)</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology-south-east/news/2021/may/riddles-old-english-runes" target="_blank">The Riddles in Old English Runes&nbsp;</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.ruf.rice.edu/~kemmer/Histengl/spelling.html" target="_blank">The History of English</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.oxfordinternationalenglish.com/a-brief-history-of-the-english-language/" target="_blank">A Brief History of the English Language</a>&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/England/People" target="_blank">People of England</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

The History of English

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There are many reasons why teaching teens may be considered&nbsp;a daunting task. Teenage learners face many social, academic, family, hormonal, and life pressures that can impact&nbsp;their classroom behaviors. However, teaching this age group is also a lot of fun, as they can be super energetic, entertaining, and inquisitive.&nbsp;

In this blog post, I&#39;ll share some of the tips I&#39;ve learned about teaching teenagers over the years.&nbsp;

<h2>1. Get to know your learner</h2>

I guess this is my number one tip for any age group really. Knowing your learner helps you put them at the center of their learning experience and tailor your lessons to their needs and interests.&nbsp;

In the very first class, have learners introduce each other and share their learning goals as well as hobbies, likes, and dislikes. Finding out what makes them tick can help you choose topics that will engage and motivate them. If many of your learners love computer games, consider delivering the next lesson on that topic.&nbsp;

These Ellii tools&nbsp;can help you get to know your learners better:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2123-autobiography-beg">Autobiography - Beginner</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2124-autobiography-int">Autobiography - Intermediate</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2125-autobiography-adv">Autobiography - Advanced</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/2127-my-language-goals">My Language Goals</a></li>
</ul>

<h2>2.&nbsp;Create a welcoming atmosphere</h2>

All learners want to feel included, welcomed, and important. This may be particularly crucial for&nbsp;teenage learners, who might lack confidence, feel socially anxious, or want their English class to be an escape from reality more than just a learning opportunity.&nbsp;

Welcome learners into the classroom with a smile, learn their names, and get to know each one as individuals. Building rapport in this way can help strengthen relationships and build mutual respect for each other.

You can also facilitate&nbsp;discussions where students can share their opinions, thoughts, and ideas in a safe space. Encourage learners to listen and respond to each other with respect for differing viewpoints and cultivate an inclusive atmosphere.&nbsp;

<h2>3. Foster social-emotional awareness</h2>

The teenage years can be an emotional roller coaster. Try to include class activities that help learners to become aware of their feelings and manage their responses&nbsp;in practical ways.

For instance, at the beginning of class, have learners select an emoji that represents how they are feeling. They can choose one on their phone or computer, or draw one in their notebook. Discuss the reasons for their emotions&nbsp;and things they could do to turn negative emotions into more positive ones.&nbsp;

<blockquote>
🥳 I am excited because it is my birthday today.&nbsp;

😕 I am worried about an exam. I will feel better once I study more&nbsp;and relax in front of the TV later.&nbsp;

😡 I am annoyed because my football team lost, but I think I will feel better when I see my friends&nbsp;after class.&nbsp;
</blockquote>

This blog post has more information and ideas about social-emotional learning:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/social-emotional-learning">A Quick Guide to Social-Emotional Learning</a></li>
</ul>

<h2>4. Up the pace</h2>

Teenagers get bored quickly. A fast-paced lesson with varied activities will keep them interested.&nbsp;

Here are some ideas to try:&nbsp;

<h3>Ellii Polls</h3>

These interactive group activities allow learners to connect via their device using a QR code. There is an ever-growing selection&nbsp;of polls, so there is bound to be one related to the content you&#39;re planning to cover.&nbsp;

Learners discuss questions and then share their opinions by voting anonymously.

<img alt="Ellii Poll &quot;What is your superpower?&quot;" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4634/content_Ellii-Poll.png" />

They can then pause and discuss the answers in more detail:&nbsp;

<img alt="Ellii Poll Question" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4633/content_Ellii-Poll-Question.png" />

<h3>Ellii Flashcards&nbsp;</h3>

There are over 6,000 Ellii flashcards, and the activity opportunities are infinite. They are perfect for teaching vocabulary and&nbsp;practicing storytelling, and they serve as excellent visual thinking tools.

These blog posts are full of&nbsp;suggestions for teaching with flashcards:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/twelve-ellii-flashcards-for-reflection">12 Ellii Flashcards Perfect for Planning &amp; Reflection</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/3-tips-for-using-flashcards-no-prep-required">3 Tips for Using Flashcards&mdash;No Prep Required</a></li>
</ul>

<h3>(Silent) Videos</h3>

Ellii&#39;s Media Gallery&nbsp;currently has over 600 videos to choose from. These videos are perfect as the starting point of a lesson or as a complement to the topic you are teaching. They could also be used as warmers or as a way to switch the pacing and engagement in a lesson.&nbsp;

Here are some ideas for your class:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-use-videos-in-class">4 Ways to Use Videos Effectively in Class</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/4-ways-to-use-silent-video-clips">4 Creative Ways to Use Silent Video Clips in Class</a></li>
</ul>

<h2>5. Get creative</h2>

Teenagers love the opportunity to express themselves in creative ways. Give them a chance to draw, do origami, create posters, cut up magazines, and make things from craft materials. This is the perfect opportunity to develop critical thinking and team-building&nbsp;skills too.&nbsp;

However, creativity in the classroom isn&#39;t just about playing with felt-tip pens and glue. You can also get creative with projects, inquiry-based learning, and activity choices.&nbsp;

Check out these blog posts for more ideas:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/not-your-ordinary-english-9-creative-ideas-for-teaching-language-learners">Not Your Ordinary English! 8 Creative Ideas for Teaching Language Learners</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/inquiry-based-learning-a-quick-guide-of-elt-professionals">Inquiry-Based Learning: A Quick Guide for ELT Professionals</a></li>
</ul>

<h2>6. Introduce competition</h2>

I haven&#39;t taught a single teenage class that hasn&#39;t got excited at the idea of a bit of competition. This could come in the form of a quick game&nbsp;where a student is nominated to keep score. It could also be a longer-term group effort&nbsp;where scores are totaled up monthly. For example, you could give prizes to the group who completed the most tasks on&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/teachers/management/classes">Ellii Classroom</a>.

The prizes themselves don&#39;t have to be costly or sought-after. They could be as simple as a check mark&nbsp;on a poster on the wall or coupons to save up to get&nbsp;sweets, stationery, or stickers.&nbsp;

Likewise, the games don&#39;t need to be intricate or time-consuming, either. Here are some I have found to be low-prep and highly&nbsp;effective:&nbsp;

<h3>Spelling Race</h3>

Put students in groups. One representative from each group stands at the back of the classroom. The teacher (or a nominated student) shouts out a word. Students then race to write the word on the board with the correct spelling. For an added challenge&nbsp;or to balance a clear difference in abilities, you could have learners draw the word or write a sentence using the word too.&nbsp;

<h3>Dice&nbsp;Game&nbsp;</h3>

Put students in groups. Each group takes turns to nominate a representative to answer a question, spell a word, create a sentence (using the target language), etc. Once their chosen group member completes their task, they can roll the dice. The group gets the number of points on the dice roll.&nbsp;

Alternatively, you could assign each number on the dice with a different outcome.&nbsp;

<img alt="Ellii dice flashcard image" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4635/content_Ellii-Dice.png" />

For example:&nbsp;

<blockquote>
1 = 10 points

2 = multiply current score by 10

3 = lose all your points

4 = miss a turn&nbsp;

5 = -10 points

6 = pass the dice to a team of their choice
</blockquote>

<h2>7. Use technology (or don&#39;t)</h2>

The question of whether to use technology in class is becoming more polarized. Some believe the classroom is a space for learners to develop the digital skills they need for further study and employment. Others feel the classroom should be a device-free zone and&nbsp;an opportunity to get away from screens and deepen&nbsp;social connections.&nbsp;

If you want to enhance students&#39;&nbsp;digital skills, consider activities such as <a href="https://app.ellii.com/gather/ellii-polls">Ellii Polls</a>, set tasks via the <a href="https://ellii.com/teachers/management/classes">Ellii Classroom</a> portal, or have them use digital tools to create blog posts, websites, or presentations.&nbsp;

If you would prefer the classroom to be device-free, consider printing <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons">Ellii&#39;s PDF lessons</a>&nbsp;for use in class and doing activities such as <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/role-plays">role-plays</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/simply-storytelling-inspiring-english-learners-with-story-prompts">storytelling</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/improv-in-the-classroom">improv</a>.&nbsp;

<h2>8. Give them&nbsp;independence</h2>

While most adults want to feel younger than they are, many teenagers want to feel older. In some ways, adolescents are in&nbsp;limbo between childhood and adulthood. Teens can&#39;t wait to be independent, make their own decisions, and choose their own path.&nbsp;

An easy way to do this is to give them options&nbsp;in class. For example, let them choose whether they want to&nbsp;deliver a presentation, write a blog post, or record a podcast. Or have them decide whether to work alone, in pairs, or in groups. You could even let them choose the topic of the next lesson or which game to play next.&nbsp;

<h2>9. Let them be the teacher</h2>

This is another great way to give them independence. It is also fun and a huge boost to their confidence. Plus, teaching knowledge or skills to others is one of the best ways to learn.&nbsp;

My learners have always responded well to taking the whiteboard marker from my hand. It is often followed by a giggle, a smile, and then lots of examples and ideas I would never have thought of myself being added to the board. Students can use their own language to explain language points, tell a story, spell words, correct errors, or draw a diagram.

To make this more collaborative and supportive, have students work together to help each other. And, of course, you can always take the marker back whenever they need your input.&nbsp;

<h2>10. Relax &amp; enjoy!</h2>

English class is an opportunity to develop&nbsp;communication skills. The main objectives&nbsp;of any lesson is to learn the language, practice, and gain confidence. Teens appreciate it when the teacher relaxes and goes with the flow&mdash;and perhaps even throws the lesson plan out the window when the discussion is juicy!

If the lesson has gone off on a tangent and students are animatedly using their English skills to discuss Pok&eacute;mon cards (or whatever), roll with it. You&#39;ve found what makes the students tick! You are winning and they are using their language. If there is no imminent examination on the horizon, use the opportunity to teach the language&nbsp;that emerges from this conversation.&nbsp;

<blockquote>
These are my top tips for teaching teenagers. Which ones do you relate to most? What are your top tips or activities?&nbsp;
</blockquote>

10 Tips for Teaching Teens

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<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:

<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/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:

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/teacherthinkaloud" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Facebook</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/thinkaloud_pod/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Instagram</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://twitter.com/thinkaloud_pod" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">X</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/thinkaloudpod.bsky.social" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Bluesky</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thinkaloud_pod" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">TikTok</a></li>
</ul>

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>
</article>

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</section>

Nomadic Teaching, Real Talk: Lessons from the Road with Emily Bryson

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When we think about reading, our mind can often go straight to&nbsp;relaxing with a good book. The reality is somewhat different. On a daily basis, we are more likely to use literacy skills in shorter, more purposeful ways.

We might go out for breakfast to a coffee shop, taking time to peruse&nbsp;the menu before ordering. Perhaps we skim reviews first and then use&nbsp;an online map or follow signs to find the right place. On the way, we may stop&nbsp;to withdraw&nbsp;some cash&nbsp;at the ATM and then check&nbsp;our bank statement just to make sure we have enough for&nbsp;an extra croissant!

Each of these reading skills is uniquely different:

<ul>
	<li>Reading a book requires concentration for longer periods of time as well as imagination and the ability to consider the <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3125-identifying-the-author-s-purpose" target="_blank">author&#39;s purpose</a> or <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3136-understanding-implied-meaning" target="_blank">implied meaning</a>.</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3369-menus" target="_blank">Reading a menu</a>&nbsp;may involve <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3179-skimming-scanning" target="_blank">scanning</a> for a specific item and then checking prices or information about ingredients, allergies, or nutrition.</li>
	<li>Reading reviews involves <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3179-skimming-scanning" target="_blank">skimming</a> to get an overall idea of what to expect, scanning the ratings, and <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3393-distinguishing-fact-from-opinion">identifying facts or opinions</a>.&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3781-maps" target="_blank">Reading maps</a> will have us&nbsp;scanning for locations and matching street names and landmarks.&nbsp;</li>
	<li><a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3231-atm-receipts" target="_blank">Reading ATM receipts</a>&nbsp;or <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3232-bank-statements" target="_blank">bank statements</a> will make us scan&nbsp;for important information such as&nbsp;previous withdrawals and our current balance.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Just as each of the reading skills required are different, so too are the layouts of each of these texts:

<ul>
	<li>A book uses continuous prose.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
	<li>A menu will use food names, descriptions, ingredients, prices, and perhaps even images.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>A review will use images, star ratings, and a short summary text.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>A map will show distance, grids, suggested routes, and bird&#39;s-eye views of streets or geographic data.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>ATM receipts use summary texts, headings, and numbers.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

When reading, we not only read the text, but also the visual clues surrounding it. I recently switched my phone to Spanish to help surround myself with the language, and I found myself using visual cues such as app icons and structure to help me understand new words.&nbsp;

In this post, I will explore the importance of&nbsp;visual literacy to support reading skills development, taking examples from Ellii&#39;s <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/real-world-reading">Real-World Reading</a> series. This series provides learners with the opportunity to read&nbsp;texts as they would experience&nbsp;them in real life.&nbsp;

<h2>Health Labels &amp; Warnings</h2>

Food packaging contains a lot of important information, especially if learners have dietary requirements or allergies. Food manufacturers use visuals to make this information more accessible. In Ellii&#39;s <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/3398-health-labels-warnings">Health Labels &amp; Warnings</a> lesson, students read various food labels and icons and consider their meaning. Visual literacy plays a key part in interpreting the message.&nbsp;

For example, this black circle with a cross through it makes it very clear that consuming alcohol while taking this specific medication is not advised. The visual alone can convey this message in an impactful way&nbsp;without the need to read and understand the text.&nbsp;

<img alt="Alcohol warning label" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4509/content_Ellii-Reading-Literacy-Visuals-Alcohol-Warning.png" />

Another example is the black octagonal food warning icon that is used in many countries to express that food is high in calories, salt, sugars, or saturated fats, or that it isn&#39;t suitable for children. <a href="http://www.paho.org/en/news/9-3-2021-octagonal-warning-labels-perform-best-helping-consumers-choose-healthier-food-major">A research study</a> by the Ministry of Health and Wellness of Jamaica found that these black octagons had a bigger impact on healthy food choices than the nutritional traffic light system.&nbsp;From a visual literacy perspective, perhaps the black color choice and octagonal shape convey&nbsp;more of a warning message than the bright, cheerful colors of the green, amber, and red traffic light system.&nbsp;

<img alt="Black octagonal warning" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4510/content_Ellii-Reading-Literacy-Visuals-Dept-of-Health.png" />

Of course, some food labels can be misleading and require&nbsp;critical thinking skills to decode.&nbsp;For example, the color green in these circles suggests natural and healthy. However, not all gluten-free, vegan, and organic products are good for your health. Some may be high in fats, salts, or sugars, or they may use processed ingredients.&nbsp;

<img alt="Three green circles with gluten/vegan/organic" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4513/content_Ellii-Reading-Visual-Literacy-Gluten.png" />

<h2>Parking</h2>

The ability to read and understand information about parking is a key skill. Without it, students run the risk of fines or their car being impounded. To help everyone avoid that, visual support is often provided in the form of signs, colors, and icons. In this lesson on <a href="https://app.ellii.com/lesson/4660-parking">Parking</a>, students explore the meaning of different signs and interpret an infographic on how to pay for parking.&nbsp;

<img alt="Parking signs" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4511/content_Ellii-parking-signs.png" />

Once again, we see the circle with a cross through it. This time, it&#39;s&nbsp;red&nbsp;to express that parking is prohibited. As a comparison, the green circle shows that parking is allowed. This circle does not have a cross through it, so it uses both color and shape to convey meaning.&nbsp;

The other signs show:

<ul>
	<li>a wheelchair on a blue background to express&nbsp;that parking is reserved for people with mobility needs</li>
	<li>a red sign warning that your car could be towed if you are not a tenant at the property</li>
	<li>a mobile phone to convey&nbsp;that you can pay for parking via their website</li>
	<li>a red sign with a fork and knife to show that only restaurant customers can use the parking lot</li>
</ul>

The lesson starts with key vocabulary and then has students interpret&nbsp;these signs. It then continues with an infographic on how to pay for parking. The infographic mirrors the type of signage you may encounter in a parking lot. The visuals make the information more understandable for everyone and could easily be understood without knowing the language.&nbsp;

<img alt="Parking infographic" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4512/content_Ellii-Parking-Infographic.png" />

The infographic uses dotted lines to connect the larger image to the logical order in which people will pay for parking. The circular pop-up images highlight key stages. The text has headings that&nbsp;can be used as a summary&nbsp;as well as more detailed information.&nbsp;

<h2>Other Real Reading Examples</h2>

The <a href="https://ellii.com/lessons/real-world-reading" target="_blank">Real-World Reading</a> section covers essential&nbsp;topics such as banking, house &amp; home, employment &amp; school, transportation &amp; food, and health &amp; hospitality. Each lesson uses authentic features of layout, color, icons, and headings&nbsp;to provide students with experience of reading real-world texts.&nbsp;

For more ideas on teaching reading or visual literacy skills, check out these posts:&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/ten-ways-to-develop-visual-literacy-in-the-elt-classroom">Ten Ways to Develop Visual Literacy in the ELT Classroom</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/pre-reading-activities-to-boost-comprehension">Pre-Reading Activities to Boost Comprehension</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/9-post-reading-activities-to-help-students-reflect-on-a-text">Nine Post-Reading Activities to Help Students Get the Most Out of a&nbsp;Text</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-one-image-can-develop-visual-literacy-and-critical-thinking">What&#39;s the Story? How One Image Can Develop Visual Literacy &amp; Critical Thinking Skills</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/blog/the-power-of-visuals-and-how-to-use-them-in-class">The Power of Visuals in the Classroom</a></li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
How do you incorporate visual literacy to support learners developing their reading skills? Have you explored any of the concepts in this post? We&#39;d love to know!&nbsp;
</blockquote>

Reading in the Real World: The Importance of Visual Literacy for Reading Literacy

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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.
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🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

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	<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>

🔗&nbsp;Follow&nbsp;The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast&nbsp;on social media for more updates:

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/teacherthinkaloud" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Facebook</a></li>
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</ul>
</section>

Finding Connection & Community at the 2025 TESOL International Convention

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The annual meeting of the ELT clans took place in Edinburgh last week. The IATEFL conference brought English Language Teaching professionals from all over the world together to share&nbsp;best practices in learning and teaching.&nbsp;

As ever, it passed in a whirlwind of talks, fleeting conversations, hugs, and coffees. In this post, I will attempt to share some of my highlights, though I think I could probably write an entire book on it!

<h2>People</h2>

In Scotland, they say that &quot;people make Glasgow,&quot; but last week in Edinburgh, &quot;people made IATEFL.&quot;&nbsp;It is always a joy to catch up with familiar faces, make new connections, and meet online friends in real life. I&#39;ve been attending IATEFL since 2009, so walking between sessions and spending time in the exhibition hall tends to lead to multiple fleeting hugs and conversations, reminiscent of a family wedding! There is never enough time!

This year, I was particularly delighted to catch up with people I&#39;ve worked with on recent projects&nbsp;from National Geographic Learning, Nile, and The Hands Up Project. I also had the pleasure of meeting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/about">Sh&eacute;lynn Riel from The Teacher Think-Aloud podcast </a>(sponsored by Ellii) in real life for the first time. This was particularly exciting as I have only met her online while recording a podcast episode about being an<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-be-an-elt-nomad"> ELT nomad</a>!&nbsp;

<img alt="Image of Emily Bryson and Shelynn Riel at IATEFL conference in Edunburgh in 2025." src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4503/content_Emily-_-Shey.jpg" />

<h2>Talks &amp; workshops</h2>

As always, the quantity and quality of teacher development sessions&nbsp;was overwhelmingly high. It was difficult to choose which sessions to attend. Topics included AI, critical media literacy, visual literacy, mediation, inclusion, diversity, and&nbsp;sustainability&nbsp;as well as all the usual methodology, pronunciation, and grammar geekery.&nbsp;

Here is a sketchnote from Jade Blue&#39;s fantastic session on Visual Literacy.

<img alt="Sketchnote by Emily Bryson of Jade Blue's IATEFL 2025 session on Visual Literacy" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4504/content_Emily-Bryson-Visual-Literacy-Jade-Blue-sketchnote.jpg" />

For more visual notes, check out my blog post where I share all my sketchnotes:&nbsp;<a data-behavior="truncate" href="https://www.emilybrysonelt.com/posts" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.emilybrysonelt.com/posts</a>

<h2>Speaking at IATEFL</h2>

One of the things that I love most about IATEFL is the community spirit in sharing expertise. It feels just as good to attend a talk or workshop as it does to deliver one. This year, my session was entitled Real Role Models: Authentic Voices That Make an Impact. It was sponsored by National Geographic Learning to promote books and resources I have created for them: Voices, Impact, and <a href="https://www.ngl-emea.com/teaching-through-crisis">Teaching through Crisis</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The session explored the importance of authentic role models in language learning. Inspiring humans can give us the confidence to know that we can achieve what may at times feel impossible. And supportive teachers can help learners to believe in themselves and reach their true potential.&nbsp;

I shared some of my own role models (my parents,&nbsp;<a href="https://jenny-graham.com/">Jenny Graham</a>, various National Geographic explorers,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ngl-emea.com/teaching-through-crisis-professional-development">Roza Salih</a>, etc.) and was particularly fortunate and honored to have one particularly epic human in the audience: Ali Waters.&nbsp;

Ali has inspired people all over the world to pick up over one&nbsp;million pieces of litter! I consider her to be my youngest role model,&nbsp;as she has achieved all this by just&nbsp;eleven years old! Supported by her own role models at Kids Against Plastic and her fabulous&nbsp;parents, Harry Waters and Gema Gal&aacute;n Est&eacute;vez, Ali delighted my audience with her changemaking tales.&nbsp;

<img alt="Ali Waters on stage with Emily Bryson at IATEFL 2025. Ali is the perfect example of a young changemaker who has used her voice to make an impact." src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4505/content_Emily-Bryson-Story-with-Ali-Waters.jpg" />

You can find out more about Ali&#39;s #1MillionLitterPick challenge on the <a href="https://kidsagainstplastic.co.uk/1millionlitterpick/">Kids Against Plastic</a> website or by following her dad:&nbsp;Harry Waters <a href="https://www.instagram.com/renewableenglish/">@RenewableEnglish</a>. Ali&#39;s&nbsp;new target is two million and you can help her by logging any litter picks on the app.&nbsp;

<h2>A closing plenary to change the world</h2>

Not only did Ali steal the show during my session, but she also blew us all away with her powerful questions at the closing plenary with her father. IATEFL wanted to recognize the importance of learner voices, so they invited her to speak and reflect on her own learning experiences to pose 5 Burning Questions.&nbsp;

Here is my sketchnote from the session. Please excuse the &quot;burnining&quot;&nbsp;spelling mistake! I guess it shows that I am not a robot! 😉

<img alt="Emily Bryson's sketchnote of Harry Waters and Ali Waters closing plenary at IATEFL 2025. 5 Burning Questions about Education." src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/4506/content_Emily-Bryson-Sketchnote_Burning-Questions.jpg" />

<h2>More info &amp; further reading</h2>

If&nbsp;you would like more about the IATEFL conference this year, I recommend checking out Sandy Millin&#39;s blog, where she posts detailed notes from&nbsp;sessions she attends:&nbsp;

<a href="https://sandymillin.wordpress.com/category/iatefl/iatefl-edinburgh-2025/">https://sandymillin.wordpress.com/category/iatefl/iatefl-edinburgh-2025/</a>

You can also scroll through the <a href="https://www.iateflconference.org/">IATEFL</a> social media pages or search for #IATEFL2025 on various social media platforms. If you would like to attend, become a member or follow them on socials. Speaker proposals are usually accepted from July to September. The conference will be in Brighton, UK, next year.&nbsp;

<blockquote>
What are your favorite conferences? Did you attend IATEFL this year? What were your key takeaways and highlights?&nbsp;
</blockquote>

&nbsp;

Reflections from IATEFL 2025

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Having authored various English language teaching books and resources, one of the questions I get asked most frequently is how to get into ELT materials writing. In this post, I would like to share some of my thoughts, experiences, and advice for anyone interested in a career in educational content creation.&nbsp;

But firstly, I would like to manage expectations... 😉

ELT materials writing is NOT lucrative!

If you want to get into ELT materials writing for the money, I am taking the time now to burst your bubble gently. English language teaching materials writers are not paid vast sums of cash. In fact, they probably earn about the same as&nbsp;teachers&mdash;some less, some more. It depends on the publisher and the workload,&nbsp;but largely royalties are falling, fees are decreasing, and then there are the new concerns brought by AI.&nbsp;

If you want to get into ELT materials writing because you are creative and LOVE creating resources, fantastic. It is a wonderful career with lots of potential. You can wear a variety of different hats and work with loads of diverse professionals from all over the world. You can&nbsp;also choose to specialize in&nbsp;all sorts of different areas, such as&nbsp;business, young learners,&nbsp;specific purposes, sustainability, advanced, and literacy.&nbsp;

So here are my top tips for getting started:&nbsp;

1. Practice&nbsp;

I started my ELT materials development journey while teaching ESOL at a further education college in Glasgow. I created classroom resources tailored specifically to my learners&#39; needs and to the local area. Then my boss asked me to develop courses in workplace English and for literacy-level learners.&nbsp;

This experience gave me the chance to develop my skills, trial resources with my classes, and get confident enough to share my work. It also meant that I had sample units available for applying for work when the opportunity arose.&nbsp;

2. Share your work

Visibility is crucial for becoming an ELT materials writer. Publishers and learning design organizations like to hire people who have an online presence. This can help them raise the profile of the resources they create and&nbsp;generate more&nbsp;sales.&nbsp;

Sharing your work is a good way to tell the world you exist and to show the style, personality, and quality of your work. It has never been easier&nbsp;to create a website or share your lesson ideas on social media. The more you share, the more you are seen and&nbsp;the more likely people will ask you to work for them.&nbsp;

3. Design visually appealing resources

It is often said that &quot;you eat with your eyes first.&quot;&nbsp;This is also true of English language teaching resources. When designing materials, it is important that they will pass the &quot;flick test.&quot;&nbsp;Most teachers will only pick up a book for a minute or so (possibly less). First impressions are everything. If the layout isn&#39;t captivating or clear, the book will go back on the shelf. Using images, thoughtful layout, and design tools such as Canva can make educational content more visually edible!

4. Consider accessibility

There is more to layout than simply making a worksheet look pretty. It also has to be easy to read, have clear instructions, and use accessible fonts, font sizes, and colors.&nbsp;

Sans serif fonts tend to be considered easier to read than serif fonts. A &quot;serif&quot;&nbsp;is the little flick or tail on the end of some letters as in Times New Roman. This blog post and other Ellii resources use&nbsp;a sans serif font.&nbsp;

In regard&nbsp;to font size, 12 point is the minimum size for readability, though larger and with greater line spacing is recommended. For PowerPoints, 24 is the minimum, but 36 or 44 are best practice.&nbsp;

For more on this, you can watch this YouTube video of me walking through creating accessible learning materials with John Hughes:&nbsp;

<a href="https://youtu.be/kHD35CNY-mA?si=pHY_uTQXIYbm7z6Q">The A&ndash;Z of Writing Language Learning Materials: A Is for Accessible</a>

And this blog post I wrote a few years ago, which is still relevant:&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.emilybrysonelt.com/creating-accessible-learning-materials/">Creating Accessible Learning Materials</a>

5. Use vocabulary &amp; grammar profiling tools

Making learning accessible to language learners relies on using plain English and getting the level right. If a text or listening activity&nbsp;is above level, it could be too challenging and de-motivate learners. If the activity uses language that is below level, learners may get bored or not receive enough of a challenge to learn.&nbsp;

Vocabulary and grammar profiling tools allow you to check the level of a word or grammar item. One of the most popular versions is <a href="https://textinspector.com/help/lexis-evp/">Cambridge English Vocabulary Profiler</a>&nbsp;&amp; <a href="https://englishprofile.org/">Grammar Profiler</a>. It profiles language items based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) from A1 level to C2.&nbsp;

6. Join social networks

The English language teaching industry is global, so getting online and making connections is a crucial way to get ahead in materials development. Having a strong network means that you can reach out to people for advice, share your work, learn about opportunities, and let people know your skills and availability.&nbsp;

Here are some groups that I have found particularly helpful:&nbsp;

Freelance Publishing Professionals

FPP has a paid membership portal where publishers can post opportunities&nbsp;and freelancers can apply for projects&nbsp;and post&nbsp;their availability. It also has a Members Only Facebook group for people to share experiences, training opportunities, and other useful information. Once a year, they host&nbsp;a meetup in Oxford.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.publishingprofessionals.co.uk/">www.publishingprofessionals.co.uk</a>

IATEFL MaWSIG

IATEFL has many special interest groups. One focuses on&nbsp;MaW: Materials Writing. They host&nbsp;events, workshops, webinars, and an annual pre-conference event at IATEFL. They also have&nbsp;a Facebook group and helpful resources on their blog.&nbsp;

<a href="https://mawsig.iatefl.org/">www.mawsig.iatefl.org</a>

Reflecting realities: Diversity, equity, inclusion &amp; belonging in ELT

This group now focuses on DEIB&nbsp;for all ELT professionals, but was initially established with materials writers and editors in mind. Many of the people within the group are from the ELT content development community and, therefore, it often shares resources and ideas about materials creation. It is also a great place to connect with like-minded ELT professionals and learn more about creating inclusive and accessible lessons.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/reflectingreality">www.facebook.com/groups/reflectingreality</a>

7. Professional development

As with any career in ELT, participating in teacher development courses is one of the best ways to hone your skills. Not only will you learn to create the best possible resources, you will also meet other&nbsp;writers and editors who can help you stay in the loop about opportunities&nbsp;or recommend you for upcoming work.&nbsp;

Here are some courses to check out:&nbsp;

Nile:&nbsp;Materials Development for Language Education:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nile-elt.com/products/MatDevOnline">www.nile-elt.com/products/MatDevOnline</a>

Oxford TESOL:&nbsp;CertTESOL Materials Development: <a href="http://www.oxford-tesol.org.uk/oxford-certificate-in-tesol-materials-development/">www.oxford-tesol.org.uk/oxford-certificate-in-tesol-materials-development/</a>

John Hughes &amp; Katherine Bilsborough: Writing ELT Materials:<a href="https://writingeltmaterials.com/"> www.writingeltmaterials.com</a>

Bridge:&nbsp;Materials Development for the EFL Classroom:<a href="https://bridge.edu/tefl/courses/micro/materials-development-efl"> www.bridge.edu/tefl/courses/micro/materials-development-efl</a>

International House: Materials Development:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ihlondon.com/course/materials-development">www.ihlondon.com/course/materials-development</a>

&nbsp;

<blockquote>
These are just a few of my top tips for getting into materials writing. Which ones would you like to try first? Is there anything missing that you would add?&nbsp;
</blockquote>

&nbsp;

Here are some other blog posts that might be of interest to you:&nbsp;

<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/beyond-teaching-elt-careers-to-keep-you-motivated">Beyond Teaching: ELT Careers to Keep You Motivated</a>

<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/authentic-materials-grade-the-task">Authentic Materials: Grading the Task</a>

<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/ellii-talks-materials-writing-teacher-think-aloud-podcast">Ellii Talks about Materials Writing with The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

How to Be an ELT Materials Writer

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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>
	<li><a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/episodes" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a></li>
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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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</ul>

"Being a Native Speaker Isn't a Qualification" — A Conversation about Native Speaker Bias in ELT

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