154: Do You Give Your Students Brain Breaks?

Ever had a student say, “I’m not progressing” or “I feel stuck”? It’s disheartening for and for you too. But often, it isn’t true.In this episode, we’ll explore why learners feel this way, how to help them see the progress they’re actually making, and practical classroom strategies to boost their confidence and motivation.Because sometimes, progress is happening right under their noses — they just need help noticing it.Join my Breathe Easy, Teacher Newsletter community for teacher love and support: ⁠https://www.subscribepage.com/betterteachingnewsletter⁠Contact me if you would like me to help you or your school become better teachers: www.refreshyourteaching.comConnect with me:⁠www.instagram.com/everythingeflteacher⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-o-byrne-90b58a55/⁠Youtube @Everything EFL for teaching tip videos and full podcast episodes with Closed Captions.Be a dear and fill out this survey on student listening skills – it would help me so much! https://forms.gle/u4EXyrJqcFtXPnkS7Donate to the Kakuma Refugee Fund here: https://gofund.me/d77e9fe0Subscribe to Everything EFL on any platform.And don’t forget to tell your colleagues.  Share the love.

This week I talk about a bugbear of mine: crap online resources that bear no resemblance to real-world language. Once I get that out of my system, I talk about how we teachers can do better. And it takes the same amount of time it takes to scroll through the Internet and search for ready-made supplementary tasks and lessons.Join my Breathe Easy, Teacher Newsletter community for teacher love and support: ⁠https://www.subscribepage.com/betterteachingnewsletter⁠Contact me if you would like me to help you or your school become better teachers: www.refreshyourteaching.comConnect with me:⁠www.instagram.com/everythingeflteacher⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-o-byrne-90b58a55/⁠Youtube @Everything EFL for teaching tip videos and full podcast episodes with Closed Captions.Donate to the Kakuma Refugee Fund here: https://gofund.me/d77e9fe0Subscribe to Everything EFL on any platform.And don’t forget to tell your colleagues.  Share the love.

This week, I’m opening the cupboard doors — literally.I’ve been going through 10+ years of teaching materials: dusty files, endless flashcards, laminated tasks I’ll never use again… and asking myself: Why am I still holding onto this stuff?In this episode, I share what this whole process taught me about growth, change, and the way we teach. Spoiler: it’s not really about the materials at all. It’s about how we see ourselves as teachers, and how far we’ve come.Plus, to celebrate the launch of this new chapter, I’m giving away a free 45-minute mentor coffee chat with me. All you have to do is fill in a short survey (link below). It takes just a couple of minutes, and your answers will help shape the new community I’m building for teachers like you.Win a free Mentor Coffee chat: https://forms.gle/naRXLH1cKq6yXDSbAJoin my Breathe Easy, Teacher Newsletter community for teacher love and support: ⁠https://www.subscribepage.com/betterteachingnewsletter⁠Contact me if you would like me to help you or your school become better teachers: www.refreshyourteaching.comConnect with me:⁠www.instagram.com/everythingeflteacher⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-o-byrne-90b58a55/⁠Youtube @Everything EFL for teaching tip videos and full podcast episodes with Closed Captions.Donate to the Kakuma Refugee Fund here: https://gofund.me/d77e9fe0Subscribe to Everything EFL on any platform.And don’t forget to tell your colleagues.  Share the love.

Want to add a natural, fun and engaging twist to your lessons?Let Jamie Keddie show you how with videotelling. Stories are a fundamental part of human connection and communication so why not use them more in class?Connect with Jamie here: https://share.google/2wjYdedXtCTwvncwlhttps://www.lessonstream.com/newsletters/lessonstream-blogSneezing Panda video; https://youtube.com/shorts/bkIkKTxBci4?si=fX2O0RarKTa8kCTzJoin my Breathe Easy, Teacher Newsletter community for teacher love and support: ⁠https://www.subscribepage.com/betterteachingnewsletter⁠Contact me if you would like me to help you or your school become better teachers: www.refreshyourteaching.comConnect with me:⁠www.instagram.com/everythingeflteacher⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-o-byrne-90b58a55/⁠Youtube @Everything EFL for teaching tip videos and full podcast episodes with Closed Captions.Be a dear and fill out this survey on student listening skills – it would help me so much! https://forms.gle/u4EXyrJqcFtXPnkS7Donate to the Kakuma Refugee Fund here: https://gofund.me/d77e9fe0Subscribe to Everything EFL on any platform.And don’t forget to tell your colleagues.  Share the love.

Why are brain breaks important?Find out why in this short and sweet episode, I also bring reflection into the mix, because who doesn't love a bit of that?Follow Andre Hedlund here: www.instagram/thelearningcosmosJoin my Breathe Easy, Teacher Newsletter community for teacher love and support: ⁠https://www.subscribepage.com/betterteachingnewsletter⁠Contact me if you would like me to help you or your school become better teachers: www.refreshyourteaching.comConnect with me:⁠www.instagram.com/everythingeflteacher⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-o-byrne-90b58a55/⁠Youtube @Everything EFL for teaching tip videos and full podcast episodes with Closed Captions.Be a dear and fill out this survey on student listening skills – it would help me so much! https://forms.gle/u4EXyrJqcFtXPnkS7Donate to the Kakuma Refugee Fund here: https://gofund.me/d77e9fe0Subscribe to Everything EFL on any platform.And don’t forget to tell your colleagues.  Share the love.

Hello again!After a summer break, I'm back with a fabulous guest, Nicola Harwood, who breaks down TBL (Task-Based Learning).Have you thought about using it but not sure where to start?This episode is perfect.  She talks about deep and shallow-end TBL. Yes, there are two types: one for the brave and one for the teacher who needs a little more structure.Don't teach in her context?  Take that mantra of mine and Steal and Adapt!Connect with Nicola:www.lexicalship.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-w-harwood-%F0%9F%97%A3%EF%B8%8F-63b8b42/Mentions:https://www.animaker.com/Camtasia (app)Activities for TBL, Anderson and McCutcheon, DELTA PublishingJoin my Breathe Easy, Teacher Newsletter community for teacher love and support: ⁠https://www.subscribepage.com/betterteachingnewsletter⁠Contact me if you would like me to help you or your school become better teachers: www.refreshyourteaching.comConnect with me:⁠www.instagram.com/everythingeflteacher⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-o-byrne-90b58a55/⁠Youtube @Everything EFL for teaching tip videos and full podcast episodes with Closed Captions.Be a dear and fill out this survey on student listening skills – it would help me so much! https://forms.gle/u4EXyrJqcFtXPnkS7Donate to the Kakuma Refugee Fund here: https://gofund.me/d77e9fe0Subscribe to Everything EFL on any platform.And don’t forget to tell your colleagues.  Share the love. 

Just a quick one to tell you where I'm at.I'll see you in September, when I'm back with some brilliant guest.In the meantime, if there's something you'd like me to cover on the pod, let me know! Deets below. Wishing you a safe and peaceful summer.Join my Breathe Easy, Teacher Newsletter community for teacher love and support: ⁠https://www.subscribepage.com/betterteachingnewsletter⁠Contact me if you would like me tohelp you or your school become better teachers: www.refreshyourteaching.comConnect with me:⁠www.instagram.com/everythingeflteacher⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-o-byrne-90b58a55/⁠Youtube @Everything EFL for teaching tip videos and full podcast episodes with Closed Captions.Be a dear and fill out this survey on student listening skills – it would help me so much! https://forms.gle/u4EXyrJqcFtXPnkS7Donate to the Kakuma Refugee Fund here: https://gofund.me/d77e9fe0Subscribe to Everything EFL on any platform.And don’t forget to tell your colleagues.  Share the love. 

This short, passionate episode is a bit of a rant — but it comes from a place of deep care for students and the craft of teaching. If you're a teacher and you recognize yourself in any of the points raised, this isn't meant to offend — it's a call to reflect and rethink some habits that might be holding your learners back.If you're short on time, under pressure, or stuck in a routine — you're not alone. But that’s exactly why it's worth taking a moment to question, adjust, and improve. Teaching isn't about perfection; it's about intention.Join the waiting list for the No-Nonsense Lexical Toolkit Course, coming in June: http://subscribepage.io/qANdpXJoin my Breathe Easy, Teacher Newsletter community for teacher love and support: ⁠⁠https://www.subscribepage.com/betterteachingnewsletter⁠⁠Contact me if you would like me to help you or your school become better teachers: www.refreshyourteaching.comConnect with me:⁠⁠www.instagram.com/everythingeflteacher⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-o-byrne-90b58a55/⁠⁠Youtube @Everything EFL for teaching tip videos and full podcast episodes with Closed Captions.Be a dear and fill out this survey on student listening skills – it would help me so much! https://forms.gle/u4EXyrJqcFtXPnkS7Donate to the Kakuma Refugee Fund here: https://gofund.me/d77e9fe0Subscribe to Everything EFL on any platform.And don’t forget to tell your colleagues.  Share the love. 

Sometimes you don't have a lot of time or energy. Or maybe you've just returned from holiday and haven't got into planning mode. This week I'm sharing with you my lesson plan for two 90-minute lessons using the Lexical Approach.And yes, it took me 5 minutes. Why was I so confident that it would work? Because I used my students' output, plus a bit of decoding for good measure.Steve Cutts Mobile World Video: https://youtu.be/wUW1wjlKvmY?si=Qm4Zp56lxS2n8lqKJoin the waiting list for the No-Nonsense Lexical Toolkit Course, coming in June: http://subscribepage.io/qANdpXJoin my Breathe Easy, Teacher Newsletter community for teacher love and support: ⁠https://www.subscribepage.com/betterteachingnewsletter⁠Contact me if you would like me to help you or your school become better teachers: www.refreshyourteaching.comConnect with me:⁠www.instagram.com/everythingeflteacher⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-o-byrne-90b58a55/⁠Youtube @Everything EFL for teaching tip videos and full podcast episodes with Closed Captions.Be a dear and fill out this survey on student listening skills – it would help me so much! https://forms.gle/u4EXyrJqcFtXPnkS7Donate to the Kakuma Refugee Fund here: https://gofund.me/d77e9fe0Subscribe to Everything EFL on any platform.And don’t forget to tell your colleagues.  Share the love. 

If you’re feeling burnt out, stuck in overplanning mode, or just plain exhausted—you’re not alone. In this episode, I’m sharing a bit of a pep talk from the heart about the mindset traps so many of us fall into: fear of not doing enough, decision fatigue, and the struggle to let go in the classroom. I’ll walk you through how teaching can actually feel lighter—with more creativity, more impact, and less stress.Join the waiting list for the No-Nonsense Lexical Toolkit Course, coming in June: http://subscribepage.io/qANdpXJoin my Breathe Easy, Teacher Newsletter community for teacher love and support: ⁠https://www.subscribepage.com/betterteachingnewsletter⁠Contact me if you would like me to help you or your school become better teachers: www.refreshyourteaching.comConnect with me:⁠www.instagram.com/everythingeflteacher⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-o-byrne-90b58a55/⁠Youtube @Everything EFL for teaching tip videos and full podcast episodes with Closed Captions.Be a dear and fill out this survey on student listening skills – it would help me so much! https://forms.gle/u4EXyrJqcFtXPnkS7Donate to the Kakuma Refugee Fund here: https://gofund.me/d77e9fe0Subscribe to Everything EFL on any platform.And don’t forget to tell your colleagues.  Share the love.