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Ep. 180 My First Experience with a Newcomer Class—What I Learned
Welcome, educators! Before we get started, I want to share some amazing resources created to support you in your ESL classroom. 👉 To learn more and download engaging, scaffolded resources, visit myadventuresinesl.com/store. Now, let’s talk about something incredibly important: teaching newcomers. Stepping Into a Newcomer Classroom Before we get into today’s topic, I want to speak directly to anyone stepping into the world of newcomer teaching—whether it’s your first year, your tenth year, or you were told at the last minute, “You’re getting a newcomer group.” If you’re feeling pressure, uncertainty, or worry about where to start, take a breath. Those feelings are real, and they make sense. Working with…
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EP 179 I Don’t Have Time to Plan—What Do I Do?
Welcome, educators! đź’› Before we get started, I want to share some amazing resources I’ve created to support you in the classroom. 👉 To learn more and download engaging, scaffolded lessons, visit: myadventuresinesl.com/store Now let’s talk about something every ESL teacher feels at some point… planning overwhelms. You Are Not Alone — And You Are Not Failing If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, stretched thin, or like there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to plan the way you want to, I need you to hear this first: You are not alone.And you are not failing. Every ESL teacher I know goes through seasons where planning feels impossible — not…
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Ep 178 Powerful Strategies to Boost Student Engagement in Your ESL Classroom
Welcome, Educators đź’› Before we dive in, I want to take a moment to honor you. You show up every single day for students who are navigating a new language, a new culture, and often an entirely new world. Whether you realize it or not, you are the person helping make that world feel safer, brighter, and more achievable. That work matters more than you know. If you’re looking for ready-to-use, engaging ESL resources designed to save you time and boost student participation, be sure to visit myadventuresinesl.com/store. When Engagement Feels “Off,” You’re Not Alone If this time of year feels heavier in your classroom, you’re not imagining it. If…
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EP 177 3 Time-Management Mistakes ESL Teachers Make (and How to Stop Them)
Welcome, educators. Before we dive in, I want to take a moment to acknowledge you. If you’re reading this during your planning period, late in the evening, or while mentally reviewing tomorrow’s lessons—you’re not alone. This time of year can feel especially heavy. Lesson plans, grading, assessments, data tracking, compliance folders, meetings, emails, and the constant pressure to keep instruction engaging often collide all at once. And if you’ve found yourself staying late after school or bringing work home—again—just to feel caught up, I see you. I’ve been there too. Before we go any further, here’s what you need to hear: you are doing an incredible job. You’re showing up…
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EP 176  But My Class Is Too Big / I Don’t Have Time — Can I Still Build Real Relationships?
Hey teacher friend — before we go any further, I want to acknowledge where you are right now. You’re teaching.You’re planning.You’re grading.You’re attending meetings.You’re managing behavior, supporting language development, and keeping up with the endless flow of responsibilities that come with being an ESL teacher. And through all of that, you’re trying to build genuine relationships with your students — the kind that make them feel safe, valued, and confident in your classroom. But I know this isn’t easy.When class sizes are large and your schedule is packed, it’s natural to wonder: “How am I supposed to connect with every student when I barely have a moment to breathe?” If…
- Checklists and Processes, Classroom Strategies, Curriculum, Lesson Ideas, Planning Strategies, Reflections
EP175 From Planning as Chore to Thinking as Design: A Mindset Shift for ESL Teachers
One of the biggest challenges ESL teachers face isn’t teaching the content—it’s finding the right materials to teach it well. If you’ve ever spent an entire planning period sifting through websites, scrolling past mismatched activities, or downloading resources that looked good but didn’t actually support your lesson, you know exactly how draining the search can be. You want something aligned. Something clear. Something your multilingual learners can truly thrive with. And most importantly—you want something you can use today without spending hours tweaking and adjusting. The good news? There are practical ways to cut down your search time and dramatically improve the quality of the resources you choose. Below, I’m…
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EP 174 3 Smart Ways to Find High-Quality ESL Resources Fast
If you’ve ever spent hours scrolling through Pinterest, Teachers Pay Teachers, or random websites trying to find the “perfect” ESL resource — only to end up with too many tabs open and nothing that really fits your students — you’re not alone. Every ESL teacher has been there. You want something engaging, aligned to your goals, and easy to use… but instead, you find yourself questioning: Here’s the truth: finding the right ESL resources shouldn’t take hours — it just takes a strategy. In this post, we’ll walk through three smart ways to find high-quality ESL resources fast, so you can spend less time searching and more time teaching. Why…
- Classroom Strategies, Curriculum, Distance Learning, Lesson Ideas, Newcomers, Planning Strategies, Teaching Strategies
Ep. 173 Myth: You Can’t Teach Multiple Levels Effectively – Why That’s Not True
Teaching English learners across multiple language levels can feel like an impossible task. You have newcomers who are just learning to greet others, intermediate students ready for sentence building, and advanced learners eager to refine their writing — all sitting in the same classroom. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Every ESL teacher has faced that moment of wondering, “How do I meet everyone’s needs without creating five different lesson plans?” Here’s the good news: teaching multiple language levels is absolutely possible — and it doesn’t have to drain you. With the right mindset and systems, you can create an inclusive classroom where every student thrives, no matter their…
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Ep. 172 My Plan to increase student engagement this year!
Welcome to the My Adventures in ESL podcast, the show dedicated to helping ESL teachers like you feel confident, supported, and inspired in your classroom. I’m so excited you’re here! Each week, I share practical tips, strategies, and resources that you can take straight into your classroom. Whether it’s organizing your teaching space, planning lessons, or finding fresh ideas for your students, my goal is to make your teaching journey just a little bit easier and a whole lot more joyful. Before we dive into today’s episode, I want to let you know about my Teacher Pay Teachers store, My Adventures in ESL. It’s filled with ready-to-use lesson plans, organizational…
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Ep. 171 What do I teach next month? October Edition
Welcome to the My Adventures in ESL podcast, the show dedicated to helping ESL teachers like you feel confident, supported, and inspired in your classroom. I’m so excited you’re here! Each week, I share practical tips, strategies, and resources that you can take straight into your classroom. Whether it’s organizing your teaching space, planning lessons, or finding fresh ideas for your students, my goal is to make your teaching journey just a little bit easier and a whole lot more joyful. Before we dive into today’s episode, I want to let you know about my Teacher Pay Teachers store, My Adventures in ESL. It’s filled with ready-to-use lesson plans, organizational…
