Guides for teachers and parents
Practical ideas for English lessons and learning at home: games, planning, phonics, vocabulary and more.
10 no-prep classroom games for English lessons
Ten English classroom games that need no preparation: how to run each one, what it practises, and how to keep the whole class involved.
Read the guide → For parentsHow to teach phonics at home: a simple 10-minute routine
A short daily phonics routine parents can run at home: letter sounds, blending, games and reading, with no special training needed.
Read the guide → For teachersHow to plan an elementary English lesson, from warm-up to wrap-up
A practical structure for a 45-minute elementary English lesson: timings, what each stage is for, and how to adapt it to your class.
Read the guide → For teachersTeam-teaching with an ALT: who does what in each part of the lesson
How homeroom teachers, JTEs and ALTs can share an English lesson: clear roles for each stage, planning tips and common pitfalls.
Read the guide → For teachers and parentsMaking vocabulary stick: flashcard games that really work
Why children forget new words, and eight flashcard games that build lasting vocabulary through repetition, retrieval and fun.
Read the guide → For teachersUsing a classroom timer to keep lessons moving
How a visible timer improves transitions, pair work and focus, with practical ways to use one in every stage of a lesson.
Read the guide → For teachersGetting quiet students to speak English
Why students stay silent in English class, and practical techniques that build confidence step by step until speaking feels safe.
Read the guide → For parentsMaking English practice fun at home: ideas for parents
Easy, low-pressure ways for parents to bring English into everyday family life, even if your own English is not perfect.
Read the guide → For teachersClassroom English: 50 phrases for running a lesson in English
Short, natural English phrases for every part of a lesson, from greetings and instructions to praise and wrap-up, with tips for introducing them so students understand without translation.
Read the guide → For teachers12 five-minute warm-ups for English class
Quick English warm-up activities that wake students up, review last lesson's language and set a positive tone, with variations for elementary and junior high.
Read the guide → For teachersTeaching English to a class of 35: practical strategies that work
How to keep a large English class speaking, focused and fair, with ideas for pair work, group roles, signals, seating and checking understanding at scale.
Read the guide → For teachersTeaching mixed-level English classes: keep everyone challenged
Practical ways to support beginners and stretch confident students in the same English lesson, without planning three separate lessons.
Read the guide → For teachers and parentsUsing songs and chants to teach English
Why rhythm helps children learn English, how to choose and teach a song in steps, and simple ways to turn any target sentence into a chant.
Read the guide → For teachersChecking understanding in English class without a test
Quick, low-stress ways to find out what students have really learned during a lesson, and how to use what you find to adjust your teaching.
Read the guide → For teachersPlanning the first English lesson of the school year
A plan for the first English lesson with a new class: introductions, routines, expectations and a game that leaves students wanting more.
Read the guide → For teachersPoints, stamps and rewards: motivating an English class fairly
How to use team points, stamp cards and rewards so they motivate the whole class, not just the fastest students, and how to avoid the common pitfalls.
Read the guide → For teachers and parentsTeaching the English alphabet to young learners
A step-by-step approach to teaching letter names, letter sounds, capitals and lowercase, with games and common confusions to watch for.
Read the guide → For teachers and parentsHow to design a worksheet children actually finish
Layout, instructions, difficulty and pictures: practical rules for English worksheets that students understand, enjoy and complete on their own.
Read the guide → For parentsReading English picture books with your child
How to choose English picture books, read them aloud even if your English is not confident, and turn story time into speaking practice.
Read the guide → For parentsEveryday English at home: phrases for daily routines
Simple English phrases for mornings, mealtimes, bath time and bedtime, and how to introduce them so they become a natural part of family life.
Read the guide → For parentsChoosing English videos and apps for your child
What to look for in English videos, apps and games for children, how to make screen time active rather than passive, and how much is enough.
Read the guide → For parentsKeeping English going over the school holidays
Low-pressure ways to keep your child's English alive during summer, winter and spring breaks, with ideas for trips, games, projects and routines.
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