Moving Beyond the Coursebook with Young Learners — with Fiona Hunter

Moving Beyond the Coursebook with Young Learners — with Fiona Hunter

Author: TESOL Pop June 2, 2026 Duration: 13:18
TESOL Pop
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From textbook dependency to a "Starter, Main Course, and Dessert" approach. Fiona Hunter, founder of Kids Club English shares how to confidently step away from set materials to create authentic, play-based language experiences for young learners. From managing the psychological hurdles of letting go of the coursebook to structuring lessons around picture books, Fiona explains how stepping back allows young learners to take true ownership of their language.


Watch with captions here.


TALKING POINTS

1. The textbook tension: engagement, syllabus pressure, and the progress gap

2. Why moving away from a coursebook requires us to rethink our teaching

3. The "Starter, Main Course, and Dessert" framework for structuring lessons

4. How giving young learners ownership over their activities sky-rockets motivation



ABOUT


Fiona Hunter is a teacher, teacher trainer and the founder of Kids Club English. Originally from Scotland and now based in the south of Spain, she has worked in ELT for over twenty years, teaching in Spain, the UK, Argentina and South Korea, including at the British Council. She holds a DELTA with Merit and specialises in teaching preschool and primary learners.


Now working independently, Fiona creates her own flexible, play-based courses built around stories, songs, games, crafts and drama - without relying on coursebooks. Through Kids Club English, she shares classroom-tested resources and runs an online Teacher Membership supporting freelance teachers and small language school owners who want to feel more confident, less overwhelmed and better equipped to build engaging, language-rich lessons for young learners.



RESOURCES & REFERENCES

🔗 Kids Club English Website: https://kidsclubenglish.com/

🔗 Download Fiona’s Quick Start Guide to Flexible Units (available in the teaching tips section)

🔗 Watch Fiona’s 4-part video series on teaching without coursebooks on her website

🔗 Kids Club English  @kidsclubenglish582 


Fab Videos on Kids Club English YouTube:

  1. Getting Personal with Puppets - Teaching Tips
  2. How to Prepare for Reading a Story -Teaching Tips
  3. Sports Spinner Game Craft


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THE PRODUCER'S EDIT

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👉 Subscribe here: https://communicating-for-impact.myflodesk.com/the-producers-edit


CREDITS

Producer: Laura Wilkes

Editor: Haven Tsang

Special thanks to our guest, Fiona Hunter

Production by Communicating for Impact @laurawilkes


TIME STAMPS

00:00 - Introduction to Fiona Hunter and the episode overview

01:12 - The three biggest engagement and pressure challenges of coursebooks

04:36 - The mindset shift: Rethinking your underlying teaching philosophy

06:39 - Moving from "off-piste" projects to a semi-structured storybook approach

11:08 - The "Starter, Main Course, and Dessert" lesson staging framework

11:36 - Fostering learner identity and confidence through classroom roleplay

12:00 - Where to find bite-sized teaching resources and closing thoughts

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


Ever feel like the best teaching ideas come from a quick chat in the staffroom, but your schedule never allows for it? TESOL Pop captures that spark. Designed for the busy English language teacher, this mini podcast delivers compact, meaningful conversations with TESOL, TEFL, and ESL educators globally. Each episode is a focused interview, kept under fifteen minutes, packed with practical ideas and personal insights that can genuinely shift your approach in the classroom. You’ll hear stories about career pivots, reflections on what actually works with students, and clever uses of technology, all shared in a casual, accessible tone. It’s the audio equivalent of a refreshing coffee break with a colleague who gets it. The podcast understands that profound professional development doesn’t always require a lengthy seminar; sometimes, a single, well-timed insight is enough to reinvigorate your teaching. By tuning in, you join a global conversation that feels both personal and immediately useful, making it easy to integrate new perspectives into your daily routine without overwhelming your calendar.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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