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TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language, and it’s a certificate you need if you want to teach non-native speakers English. With a TEFL certificate, you can teach students of all ages – from young learners to adult business language learners – anywhere in the world. It’s recognised globally and is the key to kick-starting your English teaching career abroad, home or online.
Best Podcasts for TEFL Teachers
Teaching English as a foreign language can sometimes seem relatively isolated, and it’s good to keep in touch with other teachers and learn as you go. Continued professional development is a vital skill that you need to develop. This used to mean going on extra courses or reading professional journals, but with technological advances, you can now access podcasts on almost any topic. So there are some excellent podcasts for TEFL teachers where you can keep your skills up-to-date, learn new ideas and listen to what other people are doing in the profession. We have compiled a list of the perfect TEFL podcasts for you, so why not look through them and see what appeals to you?
The Beauty of a TEFL Podcast
We love podcasts because learning through listening is one of the top ways we all digest and retain new information. Podcasts allow you to feel like you are in a room with friends listening to a conversation. Instead of being flat text on the page of a book, you are listening to real people interact, laugh and joke, but have a powerful and profound message that will aid your learning as an English teacher abroad. They are also available on demand, and you can listen from anywhere you like. You can download them to your mobile device, or you can listen directly on the Internet, depending on your country and the Internet provision. So let’s get started!
TEFL Training Institute Podcast
Hosted by Ross Thorburn, you will find two new episodes released each month, averaging about 16 minutes of chat each. This is a popular blog with thousands of followers on both Facebook and Twitter. The podcast aims for short 15-minute bite-sized informative pieces that have practical tips and plenty of other helpful information on topics like working with teens, how to assess students and advice on staying motivated.
BabelTEQ Podcast
If you are looking for something slightly longer with a more in-depth conversation, this podcast airs every other week and lasts for around 45 minutes. They cover various topics, offering plenty of advice for creating the perfect classroom. Guests often join them with extensive knowledge and skill in teaching English abroad and online. Some of their recent podcast have included secrets to customer service success, choosing virtual classroom tools, scaling your English as a foreign language business, and how to write good content and copy.
The TEFLogogy Podcast
You’ve heard of biologists, archaeologists, radiologists and even neurologists, but have you heard of TEFLologists? This blog has been online since 2014 and has three presenters who are all experts in the field. They have guessed interviews and offer plenty of information about methods and teaching approaches, current events and history. Matthew Turner teaches English at Tokyo University, Matthew Shaffer teaches at Sophia University Tokyo, and Robert Lowe is an associate professor in the Department of English Communication at Tokyo Kasei University. They release their podcasts biweekly; the sessions last about an hour and offer plenty of fun and education.
TEFL Waffle
This podcast is hosted by Troy and Steve, who enjoyed waffling about TEFL. The average length of each episode is 30 minutes, and they release two episodes each month. Again they discuss a wide range of topics, including graduation day, the semantics of the English language, creating a positive atmosphere in your classroom, and motivating new students to complete their homework. It is a fun and informative podcast with very personable presenters and will give you plenty of hints and tips for bettering your classroom technique.
TEFL Commute
Shuffle Commute features five regular presenters; Ceri Jones is a very experienced manager, trainer, teacher and consultant who has written many different materials for teaching English. Sandie Millin is the director of studies at International House Bydgoszcz, Poland and is also a CELTA trainer who writes materials on the subject. James Taylor is a teacher trainer who started as a foreign language teacher and has taught in many countries, including Brazil, Belgium, Costa Rica and South Korea, in his career, which started in 2007. Sean Wilden is a freelance English teacher trainer and writes materials for many organisations. He has a particular interest in using tablets and mobile phones for learning. Finally, Lindsay Clandfield is an English teacher, conference speaker, trainer, and prolific author. Alongside James and Sean, he founded this blog in 2014.
TESOL POP Podcast for TEFL Teachers
This down-to-earth podcast focuses on questions and answers to provide English teachers abroad all over the Internet with practical advice on how to run a better classroom. They also give you teaching ideas and plenty of resources. Previous topics include using technology to support learning, creating a work-life balance, engaging the parents, and differentiating your lesson plans to create a community within your classroom. These bite-sized podcasts are perfect for when you are busy, as they only last around 10 minutes.
Teacher Mike’s International TEFL Forum
No prize for guessing that the podcast host is called Mike, Mike Dishnow, an experienced teacher. He creates a series of short podcasts lasting no longer than 10 minutes which he has curated to exchange ideas and experiences about teaching English as a foreign language. Mike desires to appeal to everyone, so whether you are a teacher, student or interested parent, he will find plenty of information on his podcast. He covers topics such as recording a Skype session as a learning tool later, the value of using children’s story books when teaching English, and many other fascinating topics. Another great bite-size podcast when you’re short of time.
Expand Your Horizons Podcast
Whether you are already a qualified TEFL teacher or starting to think about moving into the area, you can learn much from the Expand Your Horizons podcast. Hosted by Lauren Harrington and Shannon Felt, both teacher trainers, these podcasts last around 45 minutes and offer a wealth of information. Covering the subjects in-depth, this once-a-month podcast covers many different topics. This will help with continued development in your role as an English teacher abroad. With issues like five ways to present new vocabulary, Guest interviews on specialist subjects such as the colour vowel chart and what makes a TEFLpreneur. you are guaranteed to learn plenty from these lovely ladies.
ELT Today
If you still haven’t found the best podcast, what about ELT Today? In their words, this podcast explores the world of English language teaching: language teaching approaches and language learning, teacher training and ongoing teacher development, searching for jobs to entrepreneurism, and everything TEFL-related in between. These are short podcasts lasting no more than 10 minutes and have a wide range of topics. More complex issues are broken down into more than one part, for example, teaching online for the complete beginner. They also have guest speakers, including Rob Howard, a coach and Neurolanguage in English Language teacher.
New Teachers of English as a Foreign Language Podcast
As the name suggests, this podcast mainly aims at new teachers taking their first adventure abroad in English as a foreign language. It is designed to give you confidence and break down any fears about taking your first steps in work. The host is called Andrea, and she has written a book on teaching English called the TEFL Teachers Guidebook. In the podcast, she chats with other experts and some teachers who have gained their first year of experience, making it easy for new teachers to relate to them. With subjects such as engaging your students, understanding student levels and learning what it’s like to teach English in specific countries, this is a great start a podcast for anyone just setting out. However, experienced English teachers could learn a lot here as it never hurts to go back to the basics.
Luke’s English Podcast
Having enjoyed a successful stint as a stand-up comedian, Luke is also a qualified teacher and has been offering his words of wisdom via his podcast for about ten years. His podcasts vary dramatically, from just a few minutes to an hour. He aims to bring lofts to his profound teaching. He currently has 800 podcasts available for you to listen to. Again he covers a range of topics from his experience as an English teacher, including pronunciation, vocabulary, adjectives and prepositions. It is straightforward to listen to the podcast. You can pick and choose episodes by length to suit your available time.
The English We Speak
Hosted by the BBC, this podcast is a series of short three-minute lessons. You could either use them precisely as they are and stream them in your classes or listen to them yourself and learn how to teach short everyday English phrases to your students. They cover a range of terms, including slang which is often hard to teach, especially if your students catch you off guard with something they have heard. So this is a good learning opportunity for you as a teacher and an excellent resource for the classroom.
TEFL Boot Camp
TEFL Educator hosts TEFL Boot Camp. It is designed to complement their training courses. But is valuable for teachers of English regardless of whether you are new or experienced. They tend to be under 10 minutes long and include teaching methods, lesson planning, reading and more. You can listen online or download it later. It’s an excellent resource for anyone teaching English as a foreign language abroad.
Masters of TESOL
Currently, they are not producing any new podcasts for this site. However, there are plenty of existing resources for you to scroll back through and catch up with. They decided to focus on their YouTube channel, which is also available on the same site. In the podcast, you will find lesson plans, proficiency levels, icebreakers and more. The hosts also tell funny stories about things that have happened to them while teaching English as a foreign language abroad.
Conclusion
So, there you have 15 different podcasts. Each with its unique style, meaning you should easily be able to find one that appeals to you. Don’t forget to save this page so you can come back and work through them all. Continued professional development is one of the most important things you can do as a teacher, and podcasting makes it easy to learn on the go. You can also listen to podcasts on the plane when flying to your next destination.
To get a TEFL certificate you must take an accredited TEFL course. The minimum training required by employers worldwide is 120 hours. You can choose between accredited, government regulated Level 5 or combined TEFL courses. You’ll find TEFL courses are either online or combined in-class and online experiences.
Getting a TEFL certification from a recognised, trusted provider is essential when it comes to receiving high-quality training and finding a job. Always go for a globally recognised accredited certification. It’s also worth double checking company reviews to make sure customers are satisfied with their training.
What’s the difference between accredited and government regulated Level 5 TEFL courses?
The Accredited 120 Hour Premier TEFL Course is what we call one of our fast-track courses. This is the minimum recognised worldwide.
- You have 10 modules to complete usually taking 4-6 weeks.
- Each module has a multiple-choice test at the end, and you need 80% to pass.
- You’ll get your digital certificate on completion and can buy a hard copy from us if you’d like one with an embossed logo.
Level 5 Ofqual-regulated courses offer more in-depth training. If we look at the 180 Hour Level 5 TEFL Diploma in comparison:
- Learners typically spend 12 – 14 weeks to complete 11 modules.
- The pass mark is 100% and assessments are multiple-choice plus open-ended answers. Don’t worry, you can redo quizzes to get 100%. Our academic team will review your answers at the end of your 11 modules and may ask for some questions to be reattempted. Some questions may require you to provide academic references.
- You’ll get your digital coursework completion certificate from us after module 11. Following successful assessment from our academic team, we’ll be able to claim the licence for your Ofqual (government) certificate from our accreditation body Highfield.
The Ofqual-regulated Level 5 course range is for those who want to gain a higher-level, more recognised qualification.
TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) teachers teach English in non-native English speaking countries. TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) teachers teach English in native English speaking countries. CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) is a separate qualification you can get to teach English.
TEFL: One of the most accepted certificates worldwide, this allows you to teach English to non-native speakers across the globe.
TESL: As a TESL teacher, you would likely be teaching English in your home country to students who have moved or live in an English speaking country. In other words, they are continuously surrounded by the language and will be using it every day outside of the classroom, unlike TEFL students who are likely learning in their home country.
CELTA: A very prestigious certification that follows a strict regulation created by Cambridge University. You must complete a 120-hour TEFL course and six hours of teaching real ESL students. Most of the programmes are held over a month and are full time. However, you may be able to find some courses that are part-time and are spread over three months. Due to its intense nature and requirements, the cost tends to be much higher and can be up to €1700!
Yes! Teaching English as a foreign language – online or in-class – will give you an abundance of transferable skills. From time management to problem-solving and communication, you’ll have plenty of experience to impress future employers. As your TEFL certification never expires, you can get back into TEFL whenever you wish, too.
