EF Teacher Zone
Ideas, tips, and tools for language teachers around the world.
MenuVisit EF Teacher Zone

Our favorites

Grammar tips

Teaching English Grammar Effectively: Exploring the Difference Between Explicit and Implicit Grammar Teaching
4 min read 4 min

IntroductionThe decades-old debate between explicit and implicit grammar teaching is one of the most divisive in language education.Advocates of expli...

The Importance of Building a Classroom Library: Creating a Reading Culture in the Classroom
3 min read 3 min

Books are powerful tools in language learning. They provide examples of authentic language and expose students to different cultures and ways of think...

3 Activity Adaptations to Boost Student Participation in Class
4 min read 4 min

Active participation is what makes a class successful. Engaging in discussions, sharing thoughts and joining in with activities not only allows studen...

See all Grammar tips articles

Teaching tips

Creating Authentic Assessments
4 min read 4 min

Every teacher has a go-to approach to evaluating students' progress. Whether it’s through formal testing or taking the time for conversations with...

11 (more) tips to encourage unmotivated students
4 min read 4 min

If you’re struggling with ideas to motivate a discouraged student or learner who can’t see the progress they’re making, we’ve got a few tips to share....

Teaching Shakespeare: Bringing the Bard to Life in the English Classroom
4 min read 4 min

If you’ve ever thought that someone has had ‘too much of a good thing’, or that something is ‘extraordinary’, then you’ve used language first said by ...

See all Teaching tips articles

Life as a teacher

19 ways to challenge yourself as a teacher
4 min read 4 min

In education, we often talk about how to challenge our students—but what about ourselves as teachers? In a teaching career, it’s normal to find yourse...

Are native English speaking teachers better?
4 min read 4 min

Some students and schools believe that the only good teacher is a Native English Speaking Teacher (sometimes referred to as a NEST or Mother Tongue sp...

How my students benefited from studying a language abroad
4 min read 4 min

Mara Reynoso is a teacher living and working in Mexico. During her career she has gone on several overseas group travel trips with her students. Here,...

See all Life as a teacher articles