The ESL Teaching Podcast

Episode 173 - Brain Science Meets the Classroom: A Conversation with Dr. Lisa Riegel

31 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

As teachers, we are incredibly well-trained in structure, curriculum, and how to organize the day-to-day of teaching. But what about the human side of...

Episode 172. Why Your EL Lessons Feel Scattered (and How Backward Design Fixes It)

24 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I’m diving into lesson planning and introducing a process called backward design, which is a truly great way to plan for our Englis...

Episode 171. Stop Planning Everything: A Simpler Way to Plan for Multilingual Learners

17 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, I dive into a common source of overwhelm for EL teachers: overplanning. The pressure to adapt content-area lesson plans for multiling...

Episode 170. The 30–60–90 Minute Planning Framework for ELL Teachers

10 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I’m sharing a simple but powerful structure—the 30–60–90 Minute Planning Framework—to help EL teachers stop the spiral of overplannin...

Episode 169. How to teach listening (not just speaking) to ELs

24 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Today I'm diving into a topic I believe is foundational to everything we do in our classrooms: listening. Communication breakdowns are often abou...

Episode 168. When “You’re the Expert” Becomes Too Much: Decision Fatigue in EL Teaching

17 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we tackle the pervasive issue of decision fatigue among educators, specifically focusing on teachers of multilingual learners (ELs). W...

Episode 167. When ELs Freeze, Shut Down, or Give Up: What Testing Reveals About the Emotional Side of Language Learning

10 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we address the overlooked emotional dimension of language testing, exploring why English Learners (ELs) may "freeze, shut down, ...

Episode 166. Preparing ELs for ACCESS Without Panic: What to Teach, What to Let Go, and How to Stay Regulated

03 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

ACCESS season can quietly shift the energy in our classrooms—bringing urgency, pressure, and the feeling that we should be doing more. More prep. Mo...

Episode 165. One EL Strategy, One Shift: How to support ELs without burning yourself out

27 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re listening today and you feel like you’re constantly trying to do more—more scaffolds, more supports, more differentiation—yet still ...

Episode 164. Your Inner Classroom: The 5 Pillars That Change How You Show Up

20 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Today, I want to do an official introduction. An introduction to the new layer of Simply Ieva ESL, the addition that I believe is so so important in t...

Episode 163. The First 7 Minutes: Why Your Class Needs a Better Beginning (Not a Better Lesson)

13 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Stop focusing only on the lesson plan and start focusing on the most critical moments of your class: the first seven minutes.In this episode, we dive ...

Episode 162. When the Strategies Aren’t Enough: Teaching ELs without Losing Yourself

06 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s episode "When the Strategies Aren’t Enough: Teaching ELs without Losing Yourself," is a reintroduction to The ESL Teaching Podca...

Episode 161 - Announcement + Big News About the Roadmap

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s episode is short, sweet, and exciting! I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes update and big news about the ESL Teacher Roadmap.Whether you'...

Episode 160 - Your First Year as an EL Teacher- What Matters Most

24 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Starting your first year as an EL teacher can feel both exciting and overwhelming. Especially if you're stepping into a new building, new subject...

Episode 159 - What to Do When a Newcomer Walks Through Your Door: The First 30 Days

17 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You’re in the middle of your school day when the front office calls: “You’re getting a new student tomorrow. They don’t speak any English.” ...

Episode 158 - What They Wish You Knew: Muslim Students in the Classroom

10 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I’m joined today by Farhana N. Shah - an experienced educator, instructional specialist, and advocate for Muslim students. Farhana brings over two d...

Episode 157 - Here is Why You're Drained (or Energized) by Teaching

03 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever walked out of your classroom at the end of the day feeling completely drained by teaching, even when everything went “according to pla...

Episode 156 - The Hidden Key to Engagement: Learning Rhythms You've Probably Never Considered

27 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, we're talking and taking a closer look at what I call five learner energy profiles. These aren't learning styles pe...

Episode 155 - How to use AI to Personalize Learning, Boost Engagement and Assess Multilingual Learners (Part 2)

20 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In part one, we covered the why behind using AI in the classroom, how to craft effective prompts, and two smart ways to use it to differentiate instru...

Episode 154 - Smarter Planning for ELs: AI Prompting & Differentiation Made Easy (Part 1)

13 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we’re exploring a topic that’s generating a lot of buzz in the world of education - AI. Whether you’re excited, skeptical, or s...

Episode 153 - 5 Must-Know Tips for New EL Teachers

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

One of my favorite things about connecting with teachers is hearing your questions. Whether it's navigating a tricky teaching moment or figuring ...

Episode 152 - 5 Simple Wins for the Days You’re Just Done

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Let’s get real about those exhausting days when lesson planning feels impossible and burnout lurks around every corner…especially as the end of th...

Episode 151 - The Big 5: Key Pillars of EL Inclusion in Mainstream Classrooms

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to teaching English learners, there's no question that EL specialists are trained to meet their unique language and learning needs....

Episode 150 - Rooted in Success: 5 Reasons to Teach Greek & Latin Roots in Any Classroom

15 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is all about building vocabulary in a powerful and lasting way. We're diving into something that often gets overlooked, Gree...

Episode 149 - Why Social-Emotional Learning Matters Just as Much as Academics

08 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The world needs emotional intelligence. We need emotional intelligence. Our students need emotional intelligence. Intellectual knowledge is great, but...

Episode 148 - How to Teach ELs When You Don't Speak Their Language

01 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You just found out you have English learners in your classroom, but you don't speak their language. Now what? Should you Google translate your en...

Episode 147 - Hooked on Books! How Novels Can Supercharge EL Vocabulary and Thinking

25 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Reading is always a hot topic for good reason, and it's something every teacher thinks about no matter the grade level. But when it comes to teac...

Episode 146 - Digging Deeper: How the 5 Whys Can Transform Your Teaching and Life

18 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever felt like you're constantly putting out fires in your classroom? Redirecting behavior, reteaching concepts, or dealing with burnout...

Episode 145 - It’s Not Just About Language! The 2 Soft Skills Every EL Teacher Should Have

11 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In education, we often focus on the hard skills, the academic knowledge of our subject, the instructional strategies, the assessment methods, and the ...

Episode 144 - 3 Myths About Teaching Newcomers - And What Actually Works

04 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Let’s talk about three common myths about teaching newcomers. Teaching English learners is really not as complicated as many think, yet I hear from ...

Episode 143 - How to Beat the Mid-Year Slump in the EL Classroom for Both Students and Teachers

25 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the mid-year slump. Whether you live in a colder climate like I do or anywhere else, the middle of the school year can get hard for so many...

Episode 142 - The Secret to Effective EL Lessons? Start at the End!

18 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I am very excited about today's episode because I know it will bring so much value to you. I've talked about lesson planning before, but tod...

Episode 141 - A Look Behind the Scenes of The ESL Teaching Podcast

11 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

I don't know about you, but I love a good behind the scenes moment. In the world where we always see the final product, whether it's a great...

Episode 140 - The Less is More Philosophy When Teaching EL Newcomers

04 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

One of the themes that keeps coming up in my teaching and that of many other teachers who work with English learners is this: How much work should we ...

Episode 139 - How to Prepare for State and Proficiency Tests Part 2: Reading and Writing Practice

28 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Midwinter and early spring is the season for state and language proficiency testing, and I am dedicating a couple of episodes to help you prepare your...

Episode 138: Preparing Your English Learners for State and Language Proficiency Tests. Part 1 - Listening and Speaking Practice

21 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The testing season is upon us. I wanted to talk about a topic that every teacher working with English learners faces each year, preparing your English...

Episode 137 - Breaking Down Assumptions About English Language Learners

14 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever made an assumption about a person before truly getting to know them? As teachers, whether we like it or not, we tend to operate on a lot...

Episode 136 - Your First Day with Newcomer EL Students

07 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Teaching EL newcomers is by far one of the most popular subjects among all teachers at the beginning of the school year, middle of the school year, en...

Episode 135 - From Holiday Mode to Learning Mode: How to Reset, Refocus and Recharge

31 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The holiday season can be hectic both at home and at school. Besides you being tired and over it, the students are tired and over it. And it shows. No...

Episode 134 - The Year of Growth: The Biggest Takeaway of 2024

17 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As I'm looking back on 2024, there were challenges and opportunities as well as a lot of growth. And as we know, it doesn't happen in a calm...

Episode 133 - 5 SEL Components to Incorporate in Every ELL Lesson

10 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What is social-emotional learning? And why it is crucial to address it daily with your students, including, if not especially, English learners. SEL o...

Episode 132 - From Struggle to Success: Helping ELs Thrive in Language Arts Classroom

03 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Helping English learners access the curriculum of the Language Arts class, which is geared towards native speakers, is one of the challenges many teac...

Episode 131 - How Neuroscience Can Transform Your ELL Teaching with Guest Meeghan Carter

26 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In order to learn something, we need tools that address the way we learn as people as well as help us develop ways of thinking. In recent years, terms...

Episode 130 - Beyond Buddies: How Peer Pairing Empowers ELs

19 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Over the past several weeks, I have been sharing with you three simple accommodations every classroom teacher can make to reach ELs, even newcomers. W...

Episode 129 - Why Simplifying Your Language for ELs Leads to Effective Higher Order Thinking

12 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I am bringing you a series of episodes … 3 simple accommodations every classroom teacher can make to reach ELs, even newcomers. They are very target...

Episode 128 - Seeing is Understanding: 5 Visual Strategies for Supporting ELs

29 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How can I help an English learner in a regular education classroom? This question is right there at the top of all questions asked by teachers along w...

Episode 127 - When to Use Professional Interpreters vs. Bilingual Staff for Communicating with EL Families

22 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Let's talk about translation in the world of multilingual teaching. It is a bigger topic and covers both the translation of materials in the clas...

Episode 126 - The Top 5 Questions We Get about Teaching ELs - And Here Are the Answers!

17 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I work closely with content area teachers, and I frequently receive questions from them about how they can help English learners in their classroom. T...

Episode 125 - 3 Meaningful Ways to Teach Grammar to EL Teens and Adults

10 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Teaching grammar can be a topic that raises many questions for teachers of English learners, but it doesn't have to be. And as we discussed last ...

Episode 124 - How to Teach Grammar to Younger English Learners

03 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you teach young English learners or teenagers and even adults, teaching in language involves teaching the grammar of that language. At the sam...

Episode 123 - Kicking Off the School Year: The First Five Days in the ESL Classroom

27 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we're diving into a crucial topic for every ESL teacher as we approach a new school year—how to set the stage for success during the firs...

Episode 122 - Why Your EL Program Needs a Mission Statement and How to Create One

20 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Recently, I talked about the roles of the EL teacher, what our jobs entail, and how we can explain, in short, about what we do to our colleagues and a...

Episode 121 - 3 Reasons Hiring an EL Educational Consultant is a Must for Your EL Teaching Needs

13 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With the new school year kicking off, energy is buzzing through the hallways as teachers set up their classrooms and dive into mandatory trainings. To...

Episode 120 - The Four Roles of an ESL Teacher: What Do They Actually Do?

06 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With the number of English learners constantly rising and permeating not only large urban areas but also spreading into suburbs and rural towns, there...

Episode 119 - 5 Tips for Newer EL Teachers

25 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we're diving into five practical tips for newer EL teachers. Whether you're transitioning into EL teaching, getting your certification...

Episode 118 - How to Handle New Arrivals and Group Challenges Year-Round

18 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Every day, I receive several emails that share your current biggest struggles as a teacher who works with EL students, whether you're exclusively...

Episode 117 - Clocking In: Cultural Perspectives on Time and Social Interactions

11 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As EL teachers, we need to possess a variety of skills, and not all of them are clear cut. Besides the obvious ones, such as being knowledgeable in te...

Episode 116 - Do These 5 Things BEFORE Summer Break to Feel More Organized and Refreshed

04 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As the summer break is nearing, it seems that time flies faster and faster. Between all of the award ceremonies, field days, final exams, and graduati...

Episode 115 - Personalized Learning for EL Students: The Power of Choice Boards

28 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With the school year almost at the end for many of us, or even finished for some, I wanted to revisit one of the episodes I recorded a while back beca...

Episode 114 - The What and Why of a Scope and Sequence for EL Newcomers

21 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When I ask teachers: if you could have a magic wand, what would you wish for you in your teaching situation, I get so many requests for a scope and se...

Episode 113 - How to Use AI to Help Your Students Access Content Plus My Favorite Tools

14 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Technology has increasingly become an integral part of teaching, and honestly, I cannot imagine teaching a lesson without it. Of course, I would if I ...

Episode 112 - 5 Non-Negotiables for Integrating ELs in Regular Education Classroom

30 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to teaching English learners, some things come naturally for EL teachers, while regular education teachers might be wondering how they c...

Episode 111 - 5 End of the Year Hacks to Finish the School Year With Sanity

23 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I don't know about you, but every year around April, I feel like my energy is drained. I can no longer focus, and the feeling of inadequacy begin...

Episode 110 - The Two Most Important Soft Skills for Teachers of English Learners

16 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In education, hard skills such as the academic knowledge of the subject and the know-how of teaching in general, the strategies, the methodology, the ...

Episode 109 - Rewriting the Script of Negative Self-Talk for Teachers

09 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome back to another episode of The ESL Teaching Podcast. Today we're tackling an issue that's close to the heart for so many of us educa...

Episode 108 - No Plan? No Problem! 5 Activities for those "I can't even" days

02 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to Episode 108 of The ESL Teaching Podcast! In this episode, I share my go-to activities for those "I can't even" days, when ex...

Episode 107 - The Heart and Art of Teaching ELs in Regular Education Classrooms with Zach Camenker

26 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

My guest Zach Camenker, and I explore the challenges and joys of teaching English learners in a regular classroom. Zach, an English Language Arts teac...

Episode 106 - 6 Most Common SEL Challenges ELs Face in the Classroom

19 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We talk a lot about instruction of English learners, how we can accommodate our lessons, how we can scaffold, and what to teach them in general. But t...

Episode 105 - 3 Misconceptions About Teaching Newcomers in Regular Classrooms (and how to reframe them)

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to episode 105 of The ESL Teaching Podcast. In this episode, I address three common misconceptions about teaching English learners in regular ...

Episode 104 - Landing the Gig: 3 Secrets to a Successful Teacher Interview

05 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to Episode 104 of The ESL Teaching Podcast! In this episode, I share valuable insights into how you can prepare for your ESL teacher interview...

Episode 103 - Questions Answered - Developing Supportive Mindset for EL Success

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Guess what? It's Q & A time. I receive many emails from teachers sharing their current biggest struggles, both EL teachers and classroom educ...

Episode 102 - 3 Essential Keys to Assessing English Learners

13 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Testing season is upon us, and with it, changed schedules, test practice, and new questions about how we can help our students, especially ELs, naviga...

Episode 101 - Math is NOT a Universal Language and Here is Why with Odalis Amparo

06 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How many times have you heard this phrase, math is math, it is a universal language. Well, let me tell you, it is not. And that is exactly what today&...

Episode 100 - It's Our 100th Episode! Comments From Listeners and Hot Seat with Simply Ieva

30 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You're listening to the 100th episode of the ESL Teaching Podcast. Can you believe the ESL teaching podcast has been around for 100 episodes? Me ...

Episode 99 - Why Less is More When Teaching EL Newcomers and Beginners

23 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This is episode 3 of the 3-part series called, “You Can't Buy Language at Walmart: 3 Essential but Overlooked Details of Teaching Language to E...

Episode 98 - EL Newcomer to Experienced Multilingual: A Journey Through Proficiency Levels

16 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is episode 2 of the 3 part series, which I called, “You Can't Buy Language at Walmart: 3 Essential but Overlooked Details ...

Episode 97 - How Teachers Can Harness the Power of Second Language Acquisition Stages when working with ELs

09 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to another episode of The ESL Teaching Podcast! In today's episode, I dive into the fascinating world of second language acquisition stag...

Episode 96 - Lessons Learned, Impact Made and the Wisdom to Bring Into the New Year

02 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, I reflected on the wisdom gained and impact made in the past year, sharing valuable lessons for teachers of English learners....

Episode 95 - Empowering Adult English Learners with Leah Mitchell

19 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Being an educational consultant is one of the most rewarding experiences one can have. Through my website and podcast, I hear from so many teachers fr...

Episode 94 - From Vision to Reality: Intentional Goal Setting for the New Year and Beyond (re-air)

12 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With the new year right around the corner, we tend to reflect on the things we accomplished and what we can do to improve on the quality of our lives,...

Episode 93 - Cultivating Comprehension: The Art of Strategic Questioning for English Learners

05 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, I want to delve into the art of cultivating comprehension through strategic questioning for English learners.Every day, I am ...

Episode 92 - Embracing Diverse December Celebrations in ESL Classrooms

28 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

December is right around the corner, and we all know that everything seems to gain speed once Thanksgiving is over. With a few weeks left before the h...

Episode 91 - EL Curriculum Magic and Mastering Classroom Dynamics (Q and A)

21 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As I was planning this episode out, I looked at all the things we talk about on this podcast. That is a lot! From EL newcomer teaching and all that is...

Episode 90 - Teaching Thanksgiving with Accuracy and Empathy

14 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A couple of years ago, I had a conversation with a student who had just arrived from Turkey that inspired a monthly newsletter to our staff about cele...

Episode 89 - The Three Cs of EL Family Engagement

07 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to episode 89 of The ESL Teaching Podcast! In this episode, we dive into the three Cs of EL family engagement: connection, community, and cont...

Episode 88 - How to Use Novel Study to Enrich Vocabulary and Speaking

31 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Reading is always a hot topic, and teaching reading to English learners presents its own set of challenges. It has to do with grade level, with Englis...

Episode 87 - What Does it Take to Acquire a Language and Why All Teachers Should Know This

24 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What does it take to acquire another language? In my previous episode, I used a phrase that I have heard many times, “Oh, but there's another l...

Episode 86 - Here Are Your 3 Essential Truths to Reaching ELs in General Education Classroom

17 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, I was talking to my colleague who was so overwhelmed by all the questions and comments coming from the regular education teachers and frank...

Episode 85 - EL Class Structure and Vocabulary Instruction: A Peek Into My Classroom

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A while back, I recorded an episode about how I structured my middle school class, and since I work at 2 schools, middle and high school, I wanted to ...

Episode 84 - Every Teacher is a Language Teacher. Here is Why!

03 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Teaching multilingual learners requires great knowledge of language acquisition theory, teaching strategies, and methodologies. At the same time, it r...

Episode 83 - 5 Ways AI Can Help Save Teachers Time and Help Multilingual Learners

26 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Artificial intelligence, or AI as we call it, has taken over so many areas of our life, and teaching is no exception. I have been waiting to share my ...

Episode 82 - How to Master Small Group Scheduling and Instruction with guest Kristen Vibas

19 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many teachers work with small groups of students and especially if you're in an elementary  setting, making a schedule for those small groups ca...

Episode 81 - Unlocking ESL Success: The Top 5 Questions Every General Ed Teacher Asks

12 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

I frequently receive questions from my content area teachers about how to help English learners in the classroom. And those questions frankly are the ...

Episode 80 - Empowering English Learners: An Asset-Based Approach

05 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The start of the new school year is typically extremely busy. There are new families registering students, students coming to their new schools, meeti...

Episode 79 - The Power of Affirmations for English Learners and All Students

29 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The new school year is here. And as I'm looking ahead, I reflect about what worked and hasn't worked before and how I can encourage and empo...

Episode 78 - Starting Strong: Easy and Fun Icebreaker Activities for all EL Levels

22 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many teachers either are starting their school year soon, or have already been at it for a couple of weeks. And this time of year, when everything is ...

Episode 77 - How to Build EL Literacy From the Ground Up with Kyle Larson

08 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How do you build students' literacy and confidence from the ground up? My guest, Kyle Larson, and I talk about just that on this episode.How to h...

Episode 76 - Three Major Components of Effective Professional Development for EL (and all) Teachers

01 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Part of an EL teacher's job is to advocate for their students and educate and support their peers in language acquisition theories, teaching stra...

Episode 75 - How to Navigate Grade Transition and Collaboration with Colleagues

25 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Navigating to a new grade level and collaborating with new colleagues can be quite a challenge when it comes to being an ESL teacher. In today's ...

Episode 74 - Why Teachers Should Embrace Meditation As Part of Their Daily Routine

11 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For some time now, I have been wanting to share a tool with you that has helped me navigate to the difficult times as an educator as well as to be eve...