Why can teaching just one English learner feel more demanding than teaching a whole class? Join us, Gav & Em, as we explore the rewards, challenges and everyday realities of one-to-one English lessons.
Private lessons give us space to personalise learning, build confidence and focus on what a student really needs. They also require plenty of energy, quick thinking and a working relationship that suits both people!
We discuss:
🔹 Why one-to-one lessons can feel so intense
🔹 Whether silent exercises belong in paid lesson time or at home
🔹 How to agree realistic homework and course expectations
🔹 Who should lead: the teacher or the learner?
🔹 How to build rapport while keeping professional boundaries
🔹 Why thinking time matters in conversation lessons
🔹 How to correct and upgrade language without stopping every sentence
🔹 Why learners should ask their teacher questions too
🔹 How to adapt coursebooks and pair work for individual lessons
We agree on the importance of understanding the learner, but we don’t always agree on how to use lesson time! Em usually saves independent exercises for homework, while Gav sees a place for short writing tasks with immediate feedback.
Em also shares her one-to-one teaching poem, capturing the hidden effort behind keeping a conversation lesson going. Teachers who have ever finished a friendly chat feeling completely exhausted may recognise themselves!
🌐 EXPLORE THE ARTICLES
How Can Teachers Manage the Intensity of One-to-One English Lessons?
https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/how-can-teachers-manage-the-intensity-of-one-to-one-english-lessons-s01e19/
Should One-to-One Students Do Silent Work During Lessons?
https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/should-one-to-one-students-do-silent-work-during-lessons-s01e19/
What Should a One-to-One English Needs Analysis Cover?
https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/what-should-a-one-to-one-english-needs-analysis-cover-s01e19/
How Should You Plan a One-to-One English Course?
https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/how-should-you-plan-a-one-to-one-english-course-s01e19/
Who Should Lead a One-to-One English Lesson?
https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/who-should-lead-a-one-to-one-english-lesson-s01e19/
How Do You Build Rapport Without Losing Authority in One-to-One Lessons?
https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/how-do-you-build-rapport-without-losing-authority-in-one-to-one-lessons-s01e19/
How Can Teachers Adapt Group Coursebooks for One-to-One Lessons?
https://howtoenglishpod.wordpress.com/how-can-teachers-adapt-group-coursebooks-for-one-to-one-lessons-s01e19/
⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction
01:28 Why one-to-one lessons feel intense
02:43 Independent exercises: classwork or homework?
04:18 Our debate about exam writing in lesson time
05:53 Agreeing expectations and homework
06:54 Rapport, authority and who leads
10:25 Different opinions and professional boundaries
11:56 Using homework to develop conversation
12:50 Pacing, thinking time and silence
13:39 Personalising lessons and useful takeaways
14:38 Em’s one-to-one teaching poem
16:31 The hidden work behind conversation lessons
17:39 Reformulating and correcting speaking mistakes
18:47 Encouraging learners to ask questions
21:03 Teaching two learners together
22:37 Books and adapting group materials
24:08 Final thoughts and goodbye
☕ Support How to English:
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🌐 Teaching tips, guides and free lesson materials:
https://www.howtoenglishpod.com/
How to English TEFL Podcast with Gav & Em explores teaching and learning English as a foreign language through practical ideas, honest classroom experiences and a little teacher humour.
#TeachingEnglish #OneToOneTeaching #TEFL #ESL #EnglishTeacher #PrivateEnglishLessons #LearnEnglish
