NoLessonPlan: English Language Teaching, Learning, and Research

In this episode, Sandra shares her experiences as an undergrad ELT student, her MA, being motivated to continue her studies, her teaching beliefs, doing what you have to do with what you have, finding new and more profitable teaching opportunities after burn out due to a bad work environment, toxic colleagues, building an online school, teaching during the pandemic, the importance of building and having a community of supportinve, kind, open, good teachers, feeling like "El Pipila" (check this Mexican historical character out), never underestimating yourself, going beyond grammar teaching, giving foundation to your teaching through theory,  witnessing horrible teaching through her children's Zoom classes, creating her own teaching material, teaching conversation classes, Shark Tank in the classroom, being goal oriented, going beyond your comfort zone, and having control of your life.

If you want to take classes with one of the best English teachers, you can reach her at her Facebook page, Teacher Sandra Velasco.

Also, I'm always looking for ELT teachers, students, and researchers to interview so please reach out if you would like to be featured in an episode: www.nolessonplanpodcast.com

In this episode Alonso talks to us about his beautiful teaching philosophy, what it takes to learn a language, his own experience as a language learner of both English and German, and tips and tricks for teachers.

In this episode, Caterina talks to us about: 1. Her love for languages, 2. being self-directed and autonomous at 12, 3. learning through Youtube, The Simpsons, and books, 4. learning an L3 and L4, 5.developing speaking on her own, 6. approaching foreginers in her hometown for speaking opportunities, 7. having a concern for her accent, 8. the culture, idioms, and pragmatics within a language 9. her love for Germanic languages, 10. starting with basic grammar and random things to learn vocabulary, 11. looking for websites and buying grammar books, 12.  grammar as the skeleton for language learning, 13. using translators, 14. vocabulary learning strategies, 15. keeping a journal, 16. using apps to learn vocabulary, 17. spotify podcasts to develop listening comprehension, 18. selective listening, 19. online learning, 20. being perseverent, 21.

In this episode, we talk to us about: 1. His experience learning English and German, 2. seeing culture through language, 3. keeping focused, 4. using resources such as videos, series, chess books, dictionaries, 5. teachers with lesson plans, 6. Stephen King, 7. being an engaged langauge learner, 8. watching series without subtitles, 9. immersing yourself in consuming media you really enjoy, 10. how language learners should keep trying, 11. striving, 12. having a repertoire of inout to consume, 13. bringing what students like into the classroom, 14.

In this episode Alex talks to us about: 1. Falling into the job, 2. serving others, 3. the affective filter, 4. becoming a program coordinator, 5. supervising 35 teachers and approximately 1,200 students, 6. initial challenges when he became a coordinator, 7. discipline and punctuality, 8. being a back up teacher, 9. being supportive, 10. being knowledgeable, 11. offering tips and tricks, 12. being in between bosses and teachers, 13. being between bosses and teachers, 14. not seeking power but rather being supportive, 15. helping teachers become better people, 16. personal phases of teachers, 17. being non-judgmental, 18. positive psychology, 19. encouraging teachers to find themselves, 20. going beyond the academic to help people, 21. institutional support, 22. finding a balance between business and teaching, 23. ensuring future generations through quality teaching, 24. services provided, 25. hiring teachers, 26. taking care of team members, 27. dealing with problematic teachers.

Batol talks to us about:

Alonso talks to us about:

Annie talks to us about: