Grow: A podcast from Cambridge

Watch this episode on YouTube.

Welcome back to another episode of Grow: A podcast from Cambridge.

Today, host Luísa Geão travels to the Netherlands to chat with Elmira Shirinsokhan, an English teacher, trainer and examiner with nearly 16 years experience across Turkey, Poland and the Netherlands.

In this episode, Elmira shares how teaching across diverse international contexts has shaped her approach to language, identity and classroom culture.

From turning multilingual differences into valuable resources to making adult learners feel safe to take risks, this conversation is packaged with practical tips on how to shift your focus from simply delivering lessons to creating true opportunities for learning.

In this episode of Grow you will discover:

• How to put reflection into practice.
• Top tips for navigating multilingual classrooms.
• Ways to create safe learning spaces for adults.
• How to encourage students to take charge of their own progress.
• Advice for finding your spark during tough moments.

If you’ve got a question about your own classroom we’d love to hear from you. Send your questions to [email protected] and they might feature in a future episode of Grow.

Discover thousands of experiences, insights, ideas and resources on the World of Better Learning blog.

Explore our extensive range of learning resources and the world’s most recognised exams and tests for English - all ready for you and your institution.

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Watch this episode on YouTube.

Hello and welcome back to Grow: A podcast from Cambridge.

We’re back at the beautiful and sunny King’s College in Cambridge to bring you another very special Q&A episode.

Host Luísa Geão is joined by Helen Kenyon, Product Manager at Cambridge and Dr Kate Brierton, a Chartered Clinical Psychologist. Together they explore how you can care for your learners and protect your own well-being.

Our experts answer real questions submitted by English language teachers around the world from Azerbaijan, Mexico, and Germany - collected at the IATEFL conference in Brighton.

In this episode of Grow, you will discover:

• How to notice when a learner is struggling.
• Simple weekly check-ins to spot burnout before it takes over.
• Easy emotional language you can teach to young learners.
• Using English as a space for students to talk about stress and emotions.
• Practical tips on body language to calm anxious learners.

If you’ve got a question about your own classroom we’d love to hear from you. Send your questions to [email protected] and they might feature in a future episode of Grow.

Discover thousands of experiences, insights, ideas and resources on the World of Better Learning blog.

Find out how you can start your own CELTA journey.

The world’s best-selling grammar book, English Grammar in Use Fifth edition

Explore our extensive range of learning resources and the world’s most recognised exams and tests for English - all ready for you and your institution.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Watch this episode on YouTube.

Hello and welcome back to Grow: A podcast from Cambridge.

Today we’re bringing you a very special Q&A episode of Grow directly from the beautiful and sunny King’s College in Cambridge.

Host Luísa Geão is joined by English Language Teaching specialists Cecília Lemos Harmer and Olha Madylus, along with co-host Rebecca Rios from Brazil.

Our experts answer real questions submitted by English Language Teachers around the world from Austria, Poland and Georgia - collected at the IATEFL conference in Brighton.

In this episode of Grow, you will discover:

• How to manage large mixed ability classes.
• Ways to use multilingual classrooms as an advantage.
• What to do when tech - or AI - goes wrong.
• How to talk about AI, ethics and plagiarism with your students.
• How to give actionable, encouraging feedback that highlights progress.

If you’ve got a question about your own classroom we’d love to hear from you. Send your questions to [email protected] and they might feature in a future episode of Grow.

Discover our Cambridge Life Competencies Framework at cambridge.org/clcf.

Discover thousands of experiences, insights, ideas and resources on the World of Better Learning blog.

Find out how you can start your own CELTA journey.

The world’s best-selling grammar book, English Grammar in Use Fifth edition

Explore our extensive range of learning resources and the world’s most recognised exams and tests for English - all ready for you and your institution.

Join our social community:

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

X

TikTok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Grow: A podcast from Cambridge. Today we’re bringing you another episode from the city of Vũng Tàu in Vietnam. 

Host, Uyen Pham sits down with Sarah-Ann Elizabeth Brown, to explore what it really takes to help every child feel seen, valued and confident in the English classroom.  

After moving from South Africa to Vietnam, Sarah-Ann shares how teaching abroad has reshaped her career, her classroom and even how she sees the world. She explains how resilience, patience and compassion guides her work with young learners. 

 In this episode of Grow, you will learn:

• Practical ways to build confidence in shy learners.
• How to make every child feel included and valued.
• Tips for designing lessons that fit different ages and learning styles. 
• Teacher wellbeing and sustainable work habits.
• How to bring joy, laughter and your own story into the classroom. 

You’ll also hear from Cecília Lemos Harmer & Matt Ellman from the Professional Learning and Development team at Cambridge with a top tip on how to bring the Cambridge Life Competencies Framework into the language classroom. Discover further, free, practical support for teachers at cambridge.org/clcf.

Find out how you can start your own CELTA or DELTA journey. 

Discover thousands of experiences, insights, ideas and resources on the World of Better Learning blog. 

Explore our extensive range of learning resources and the world’s most recognised exams and tests for English - all ready for you and your institution.

Join the conversation in your teacher community: Explore fresh ideas, share your insights and connect with educators around the world.

Send your audio questions to be answered in future episodes:

[email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to another episode of Grow: A podcast from Cambridge where today Joel Cutting sits down with Douglas Deer, a newly qualified teacher in London.

Douglas shares the tools and techniques that are already making a difference in his practice - from pre-teaching vocabulary and effective Concept Checking Questions, to managing work-life balance and drawing on colleague support.

If you’re at the start of your English Language teaching journey, or supporting teachers who are, this episode is for you! 

In this episode, Douglas and Joel explore… 

• What those first few weeks in the classroom really feel like.
• Reflections on his CELTA journey
• How he’s learning to balance planning and flexibility.
• The shift from observed lessons to independent teaching.
• How he is building confidence and developing his classroom presence. 

You’ll also hear from Cecília Lemos Harmer & Matt Ellman from the Professional Learning and Development team at Cambridge with a top tip on how to bring the Cambridge Life Competencies Framework into the language classroom. Discover further, free, practical support for teachers at cambridge.org/clcf.

Discover thousands of experiences, insights, ideas and resources on the World of Better Learning blog. 

Find out how you can start your own CELTA journey.

The world’s best-selling grammar book, English Grammar in Use Fifth edition

Explore our extensive range of learning resources and the world’s most recognised exams and tests for English - all ready for you and your institution.

Join our social community:

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

X

TikTok

YouTube

Send your audio questions to be answered in future episodes:

[email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Grow: A podcast from Cambridge. Today we’re bringing you our very first episode from the city of Vũng Tàu in Vietnam. 

Our host Uyen Pham sits down with Lê Thị Lan Anh to explore what it takes to grow confident English learners step-by-step, lesson-by-lesson. 

Lan Anh shares her top tips for motivating large mixed-ability classes by slowing down, designing engaging tasks and celebrating every small step. 

She also offers honest advice for new teachers, including always being kind to yourself, valuing small wins and remembering that teaching is all about connection. 

 In this episode of Grow, you’ll learn:

• How to create a safe classroom where even the shyest students feel brave enough to speak. 
• The importance of showing teenagers how English connects to their future. 
• How Lan Anh balances her role between teaching and leading. 
• How she curates personalised learning paths that honour each student’s starting point, personality and goals. 

You’ll also hear from Cecília Lemos Harmer & Matt Ellman from the Professional Learning and Development team at Cambridge with a top tip on how to bring the Cambridge Life Competencies Framework into the language classroom. Discover further, free, practical support for teachers at cambridge.org/clcf.

Find out how you can start your own CELTA or DELTA journey. 

Discover thousands of experiences, insights, ideas and resources on the World of Better Learning blog. 

Explore our extensive range of learning resources and the world’s most recognised exams and tests for English - all ready for you and your institution.

Join the conversation in your teacher community: Explore fresh ideas, share your insights and connect with educators around the world.

Send your audio questions to be answered in future episodes:

[email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us for another inspiring episode of Grow: A podcast from Cambridge. This week we join Lilian Velázquez Salinas, a passionate English teacher in Mexico City.

Host Ricardo Morales discovers how Lilian focuses on truly knowing her learners and their interests. Utilising TV programmes, games and music to design lessons that feel relevant, joyful and meaningful in her classroom. 

In this episode you will hear all about:

• Practical ways Lilian encourages shy students to speak up.
• How she balances different personalities and needs. 
• How she is adapting to changes in students' attention and behaviour. 
• Why conferences, webinars and sharing experiences with other teachers keep her inspired. 

You’ll also hear from Cecília Lemos Harmer & Matt Ellman from the Professional Learning and Development team at Cambridge with a top tip on how to bring the Cambridge Life Competencies Framework into the language classroom. Discover further, free, practical support for teachers at cambridge.org/clcf.

Join our free webinars and get practical, up‑to‑date insights from leading Cambridge specialists.

Discover thousands of experiences, insights, ideas and resources on the World of Better Learning blog. 

Explore our extensive range of learning resources and the world’s most recognised exams and tests for English - all ready for you and your institution.

Join our social community:

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

X

TikTok

YouTube

Send your audio questions to be answered in future episodes:

[email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to a special episode of Grow: A podcast from Cambridge where today we welcome Cindy Hoang, EFL teacher at Stafford House, London. 

In this episode, Cindy and host Joel Cutting explore the first few years of being a new teacher, discussing the realities between academic study and then taking those first steps leading the classroom. 

Cindy has a unique journey, moving from being a teaching assistant for young learners in Vietnam to leading multilingual adult classes in the UK. She talks honestly about the pressure of studying and teaching in a new country, as well as the small moments that remind her why the job is worth it. 

In this episode of Grow, you will hear all about:

• How Cindy navigated the shift from supporting roles into leading her own classes.
• Practical ways she adapts lessons for different age groups and cultures.
• How self-reflection, mentorship and a willingness to keep learning have built her confidence. 
• How to create a positive, engaging classroom environment where students feel safe to make mistakes. 

You’ll also hear from Helen Allen & Cecília Lemos Harmer from the Professional Learning and Development team at Cambridge with a top tip on how to bring sustainability into the language classroom. Discover further, free, practical support for teachers at cambridge.org/sustainability.

Discover thousands of experiences, insights, ideas and resources on the World of Better Learning blog. 

Explore our extensive range of learning resources and the world’s most recognised exams and tests for English - all ready for you and your institution.

Join our social community:

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

X

TikTok

YouTube

Send your audio questions to be answered in future episodes:

[email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Grow: A podcast from Cambridge, host Diana Romero Saucedo speaks with Victor David Salas Chavolla at the Universidad del Valle de México. 

Victor shares how a simple love of English - long before he ever imagined becoming a teacher - shaped his journey into the classroom. 

Together they explore what it really means to grow as a teacher over a decade in the classroom.

In this episode of Grow you will learn:

• How to balance traditional teaching techniques with digital tools.
• How projects and cultural events can make language learning meaningful and memorable. 
• How to support mixed-ability groups with inclusive, student-centered tasks.
• How to build confidence and connection as a new English language teacher.

You’ll also hear from Helen Allen & Cecília Lemos Harmer from the Professional Learning and Development team at Cambridge with a top tip on how to bring sustainability into the language classroom. Discover further, free, practical support for teachers at cambridge.org/sustainability.

Discover thousands of experiences, insights, ideas and resources on the World of Better Learning blog. 

Explore our extensive range of learning resources and the world’s most recognised exams and tests for English - all ready for you and your institution.

Join our social community:

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

X

TikTok

YouTube

Send your audio questions to be answered in future episodes:

[email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Grow: A podcast from Cambridge. Today we’re bringing you another episode from Turkey, where we are meeting Seda Kesici in Istanbul. 

Seda and host Natasha Arain talk honestly about reducing “teacher talking time”, how CELTA and DELTA courses can transform your classroom practice and why it’s important to take time to carefully design your lessons. 

Hear how one inspiring English teacher changed the course of Seda’s life and how that experience now shapes the way she supports her own students and colleagues.

In this episode of Grow, you will learn:

• Practical advice on managing exam stress with your learners.
• How to find balance when things feel overwhelming.
• Honest insights into leadership as an early career teacher.
• Top tips on leading with empathy and communication.

You’ll also hear from Helen Allen & Cecília Lemos Harmer from the Professional Learning and Development team at Cambridge with a top tip on how to bring sustainability into the language classroom. Discover further, free, practical support for teachers at cambridge.org/sustainability.

Find out how you can start your own CELTA or DELTA journey. 

Discover thousands of experiences, insights, ideas and resources on the World of Better Learning blog. 

Explore our extensive range of learning resources and the world’s most recognised exams and tests for English - all ready for you and your institution.

Join the conversation in your teacher community: Explore fresh ideas, share your insights and connect with educators around the world.

Send your audio questions to be answered in future episodes:

[email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.