Ideas, tips, and tools for language teachers around the world.

Vinod Aithal

Vinod is a freelance writer and editor, currently based in London, UK. He taught English for four years in South Korea, Italy, and the UK before working for EF for six years, creating thousands of hours of material for EF’s digital learning platforms.

Vinod holds a masters degree in organisational psychology and currently divides his time between studying to be a lawyer, working as a community legal adviser, writing, and spending time with his children. He is currently learning Mandarin Chinese and German.

All articles from Vinod Aithal

Enhancing Writing Skills: Effective Strategies for Peer Editing and Revision

5 min read 5 min

“The secret to good writing is rewriting.” William Zissner, American writerWhen you write something, whether it’s a story or an email, it’s unlikely t...

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...

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 ...

Enhancing Students’ Critical Thinking Skills through Literary Analysis

4 min read 4 min

The importance of critical thinking in language educationWhen it comes to learning English, there is an important distinction between descriptive spee...

Building the Foundations of Differentiation: Helping Students to Set Clear Goals

3 min read 3 min

Most teachers at some point have struggled to cope with the range of abilities and backgrounds of students in a class. Tailoring instructional methods...

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...

Technology in the classroom

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Technology in the classroomLearning technologies have been essential for teachers and students for decades, if not centuries. In fact, at one point, e...

Exploring Multicultural Literature: Embracing Diverse Voices in the English Language Classroom

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Studying diverse voices and experiences which represent a wide range of backgrounds doesn’t just promote cross-cultural understanding, but also enable...

13 fail-safe icebreakers to use in class today

4 min read 4 min

It doesn’t matter whether students have started studying together, or whether they have known each other for years, there’s never a bad time to do an ...

Integrating Social Media into EFL Lessons: Enhancing Communication Skills and Presenting Language in Natural Use Situations

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Social media algorithms are specifically designed to present users with appealing and engaging content. This addictive nature also provides an opportu...

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...