Teaching Teens Beyond Traditional Test Scores with Gregory Diehl

Teaching Teens Beyond Traditional Test Scores with Gregory Diehl

Author: TESOL Pop December 20, 2023 Duration: 14:59

Author Gregory Diehl examines the challenges of teaching English for practical purposes versus test results. Gregory reflects on his experience and suggests how to engage and support teenage students in using English for authentic communication.

In this episode, Gregory talks about:

Realigning Teaching Goals: Gregory emphasizes connecting language learning to students' interests, not just test scores, for practical communication.

Engaging Students: He advises making English relevant to students' lives to combat disinterest in language studies due to test-centric teaching.

Navigating Word Usage: Discussion focuses on understanding emotional nuances in words, not just literal meanings.

Overcoming Fear of Mistakes: Embracing errors as part of the learning process is highlighted to encourage communication without perfection pressure.

Teaching Beyond Tests: Advocacy for personalised teaching methods within test-focused curricula to foster broader language appreciation.

Affiliate Link to Gregory's Book
Our Global Lingua Franca: An Educator’s Guide to Spreading English Where EFL Doesn’t Work by Gregory Diehl.

💡 Did you know that TESOL Pop has a YouTube channel where you can watch this episode with closed captions and many more? Click here to watch.

You can support the work we do at TESOL Pop by:

🟣 Hitting the like and subscribe button.

🟣 Sharing this episode with your community

🟣 Buying us a coffee at https://ko-fi.com/tesolpop

Want to join our next non-fiction book club? Click here to find out more.

Credits

Podcaster & Producer Laura Wilkes

Audio-Video Editor Haven Tsang

With thanks to our knowledgeable guest, Gregory Diehl.

💡Good to Know💡
This episode description contains affiliate links. To learn more about affiliate links, read our disclaimer here.


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

TESOL Pop
Podcast Episodes
Stages of Group Dynamics in the Classroom with Hall Houston [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:22
Teacher and Author Hall Houston talks about the different stages a group of learners moves through during a course and suggests activities to support the group's needs and evolution. All the activities referenced in this…
Student Wellbeing and Support with Konstantin Goldau [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:49
Teacher and Counsellor Konstantin Goldau talks about challenges learners may encounter when returning to a hybrid or face-to-face classroom post pandemic, and suggests strategies to create space for reflection and mindfu…
Takeaways from IATEFL 2022 in Belfast [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:00
Teacher Trainer and Examiner Fiachra McCleary shares his experience, takeaways and tips as an attendee of the 55th IATEFL Conference and Exhibition in Belfast (May 2022). To find out more about IATEFL, click here.Referen…
Trends in the ELT Industry in 2022 with Eve Conway [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:38
Writer and Editor Eve Conway joins Laura to discuss the growing influence of artificial intelligence, virtual spaces and the need for soft skills in the ELT industry.If you have a question or a topic that you would like…
Stepping Outside of the Classroom with Tiffany Nielsen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:18
Teacher Tiffany Nielsen talks about the positive impact day trips can have on learners, as well as suggests points to keep in mind before, during and after a trip to help learners get the most from the experience.If you…
Community in the Classroom with Helena Marilican [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:18
Academic Coordinator, Helena Marilican, talks about what community can look like in a classroom setting, the positive impact it can have on learning, and how we can foster an inclusive and supportive learning environment…
Teaching English for Academic Purposes with Sean Martin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:25
Teacher Trainer, Sean Martin, returns to the podcast to talk about what teaching English for Academic Purposes (EAP) can involve, the type of language and skills learners need to develop, and how we can set ourselves up…
Creative Writing for Language Learners with Gerhard Greyvensteyn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:36
Author and teacher Gerhard Greyvensteyn reflects on the impact creative writing has had on his learners, as well as shares ideas on how we can engage and support learners when setting creative writing tasks. Hosted on Ac…

«1...678910