A Practical AI Guide for EFL Teachers

A Practical AI Guide for EFL Teachers

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Simple Steps to Enhance Your Teaching with Artificial Intelligence

In today’s fast-paced educational landscape, teachers are constantly searching for smarter, more efficient ways to support student learning—without burning out. If you’ve ever wished for a planning assistant, a resource generator, or a way to personalize instruction for different levels, artificial intelligence (AI) may be exactly what you’ve been looking for.

This guide is designed for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers who are curious about AI but don’t know where to start. Whether you’re tech-savvy or tech-cautious, these simple, step-by-step strategies will help you explore AI’s potential in your classroom—one small action at a time.

Why Should EFL Teachers Care About AI?

AI is no longer a far-off concept—it’s already being used in education to automate repetitive tasks, generate engaging materials, and even support student feedback. For EFL teachers, AI can:

  • Save hours of planning time

  • Create differentiated materials quickly

  • Suggest personalized content for students

  • Offer creative ideas for classroom activities

  • Support multilingual and mixed-level classrooms

Most importantly, AI is here to assist you—not replace you.

"If you’ve ever wished for a planning assistant, a resource generator, or a way to personalize instruction for different levels, artificial intelligence (AI) may be exactly what you’ve been looking for."

Step-by-Step: How to Start Using AI Today

✅ Step 1: Identify a Clear Use Case

Don’t try to overhaul your entire teaching approach overnight. Start with a small, specific need.
Example:

“I want to plan a 45-minute lesson for A2 students on food vocabulary.”
or
“I need to adapt a B1 reading passage to an A2 level.”

Having a clear goal will make it easier to explore the right AI tool.

 

✅ Step 2: Choose a Beginner-Friendly AI Tool

Here are five tools that work well for EFL teachers:

ToolBest ForFree?
ChatGPTLesson plans, rubrics, creative ideas✅
MagicSchool AIPre-built education tools (plans, emails, scaffolding)✅
DiffitAdapting texts to CEFR levels✅
CuripodCreating interactive presentations✅
CanvaDesigning visual materials✅

Pick one and spend 20 minutes exploring. You don’t need to master them all. 

 

✅ Step 3: Use Clear Prompts for Better Results

AI tools like ChatGPT rely on prompts—your instructions—to generate responses. The better the prompt, the better the result.

Here are some examples:

  • “Create a 45-minute ESL lesson for A2 students on daily routines. Include objectives, a warm-up, two practice activities, and a short assessment.”

  • “Rewrite this paragraph for 10-year-old students learning English as a foreign language.”

  • “Give me five conversation questions for teenagers learning English, B1 level, on the topic of travel.”

🗒️ Pro Tip: Start with a full sentence. Be specific. Mention level, topic, age, and type of task. 

 

✅ Step 4: Review and Adapt What the AI Creates

Never use AI content as-is. Always check:

  • Accuracy of content

  • Language level and appropriateness

  • Cultural relevance

  • Time needed to complete the task

Use AI as a starting point, not a final product. Your expertise matters. 

 

✅ Step 5: Try It in the Classroom

Start with one small piece:

  • An adapted reading text

  • A new set of questions

  • A visual aid or worksheet

  • An interactive slide

Then reflect: Did it save time? Did students engage more? What could you tweak? 

 

Best Practices for Responsible AI Use

As you explore AI, keep these principles in mind:

  • Stay in control: You decide what fits your class.

  • Protect student data: Don’t enter names, grades, or personal info.

  • Check for bias: AI outputs may reflect stereotypes—review content critically.

  • Mix AI with human connection: Use tech to free time for what matters—interacting with students. 

 

 Bonus: Quick Start Guide for Busy Teachers

TaskTry This ToolExample Prompt
Plan a lessonChatGPT / MagicSchool«Plan a 45-min class on weather for A1 teens»
Adapt a textDiffit / ChatGPT«Simplify this article to A2 level»
Make visual resourcesCanva«Create a food vocabulary chart»
Create interactive slidesCuripod«Make a warm-up quiz on past tense»

Set a weekly 30-minute “AI exploration” slot in your calendar—make it a habit! 

 

What’s Next?

AI is not about working harder. It’s about working smarter. As a teacher, your creativity, intuition, and classroom management skills are irreplaceable—but now, you can partner with AI to do more with less effort.

Check out our next episode on Hablemos de ELT, where we’ll go over even more insight for both teachers who have already started integrating AI into their classrooms and those who are just getting started. 

💬 Tried any of these tips? Want to share your favorite prompt or tool? Leave a comment or send us a message—we’d love to hear from you.

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Tatiana

Gómez Ramírez

Author

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Understanding Upskilling: Why It Matters in ELT and How to Do It

by with No Comment Teaching reflections

What is Upskilling and Why Does It Matter in Education?

In today’s fast-evolving world, education is no longer static. Just as technology, industries, and teaching methodologies advance, teachers must also continuously develop their skills to remain effective in the classroom. This process of actively learning new skills or enhancing existing ones to stay relevant and improve performance is known as upskilling.

While upskilling is widely recognized in corporate and technical fields, it is equally critical in education, particularly in English Language Teaching (ELT). English teachers face constant curriculum changes, evolving student needs, and technological advancements that reshape how language is taught and learned. Without upskilling, teachers risk falling behind, using outdated methods, and missing out on career growth opportunities.

"Upskilling is not just an option; it’s essential for career growth, teaching effectiveness, and staying competitive in the job market."

Why is Upskilling Important in ELT?

In ELT, upskilling is essential because:

✔ Language Teaching is Always Evolving – New research on language acquisition, classroom management, and student engagement strategies continuously changes best practices.

✔ Technology is Transforming Education – Online and blended learning, AI-driven language tools, and digital classrooms require teachers to adapt and integrate new technologies.

✔ Employers Value Certified and Skilled Teachers – Many institutions now prefer teachers with specialized training and updated methodologies, making upskilling a competitive advantage.

✔ Students Have Diverse Needs – Teaching young learners, business professionals, or exam candidates requires different skill sets and strategies.

✔ Career Growth and Higher Salaries – Teachers who expand their qualifications with additional certifications unlock better job opportunities and salary increases.

How Can ELT Professionals Upskill?

There are various ways English teachers can develop professionally and enhance their teaching effectiveness. Below are some of the most valuable upskilling options, along with TESOL courses that support these pathways.

1. Earn or Upgrade Your TESOL Certification

A foundational way to upskill is by obtaining a TESOL certification. This credential is essential for new teachers and beneficial for experienced educators who want to refresh their skills or expand into new teaching areas.

👉 Recommended Course: 120-Hour Master Certificate in TESOL – Ideal for teachers starting or advancing in the field.

👉 Recommended Course: Join the Blended 140-Hour Master Certificate in TESOL in Medellín, Colombia. 

2. Specialize in a Niche Area of ELT

General TESOL certification is just the beginning. Specialized training allows teachers to focus on high-demand areas, making them more valuable in specific teaching contexts.

📌 Teaching Business English – Helps teachers cater to corporate professionals who need English for workplace communication.
👉 Course: Teaching Business English

📌 Teaching Young Learners and Teens – Provides techniques to effectively engage younger students.
👉 Course: Teaching English to Young Learners and Teens

📌 Teaching Exam Preparation Courses – Prepares teachers to help students pass exams like IELTS, TOEFL, or Cambridge.
👉 Course: Teaching IELTS Exam Prep

3. Learn to Teach Online or in a Blended Setting

With digital learning expanding, English teachers must understand how to teach in online and hybrid settings. This includes learning about engagement strategies, virtual tools, and student interaction techniques.

📌 Teaching English Online – Equips teachers with the skills to succeed in virtual classrooms.
👉 Course: Teaching English Online

📌 Blended Learning for ELT – Combines traditional and online methods for a more dynamic approach.
👉 Course: Blended Learning in ELT

4. Stay Updated on ELT Research & Methodologies

Reading research papers, joining ELT communities, and attending conferences or webinars ensures teachers are aware of the latest methodologies, best practices, and global trends.

📌 Join professional ELT groups on LinkedIn, Facebook, or forums like IATEFL and TESOL International. 📌 Attend ELT conferences and free webinars offered by teacher organizations and universities.

5. Build a Strong Professional Learning Network (PLN)

Networking with fellow educators allows teachers to exchange ideas, share experiences, and discover new opportunities. Teachers should consider:

✔ Connecting with ELT professionals on LinkedIn.
✔ Participating in Facebook groups for TEFL/TESOL teachers.
✔ Engaging in ELT Twitter chats (e.g., #ELTchat).
✔ Seeking mentorship or coaching from experienced educators.

 

Final Thoughts: The Future of ELT Belongs to Lifelong Learners

English teaching is not a static profession—it requires constant learning, adapting, and evolving. Upskilling is not just an option; it’s essential for career growth, teaching effectiveness, and staying competitive in the job market.

By earning advanced TESOL certifications, specializing in high-demand areas, mastering online teaching, and staying connected to professional networks, educators can position themselves for success in a rapidly changing educational landscape.

👉 Start your upskilling journey today! Check out our full range of TESOL courses here: Bridge Online TESOL Courses 

🚀

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Tatiana

Gómez Ramírez

Author

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How to use videos while teaching remotely?

How to use videos while teaching remotely?

by with No Comment Teaching reflections

Teachers have always been using videos to engage English language learners, but now more than ever it is has become an essential tool to truly motivate learning. While we are teaching remotely, the reasons behind why videos are important in education continue to be just as important. We traditionally use videos to engage students in and out of the classroom and through multimedia catch their attention. Nowadays, video can be a critical way of connecting with students despite the social distancing restrictions, and now as some schools return to the classrooms under different models, it can continue to be of great support for teachers and students. In this article, we’ll revisit the benefits of teaching and learning through videos. 

Teaching through videos allows students to: 

  1. Have access to on-demand, bite-sized microlearning experiences. You can create a library of videos in a simple Google Drive shared file, a Google Classroom, or Edmodo. Although, you could also use platforms like English Central to create your classrooms and edit videos to include questions for your students. If you’re a school and are interested in know more about English Central, contact us. 
  2. Increase their interaction and engagement with the content. Teaching remotely opens the door to using creative strategies to get students engaged, but at the same time ensures accountability of the tasks at hand depending on the tools you use.
  3. Access for multi-device learning such as computers, laptops, tablets, or smartphones. Especially with the evident digital divide that has surfaced due to the pandemic, we as teachers should consider that videos are an easy way to reach students, granted that it’s still important to consider connectivity. 

Now, let’s consider how we can prepare videos for our lessons. 

  1. Keep it short. Use segments or clips. Use video segments to maintain your students’ attention as well as 
  2. Connect with the target language and align with the lesson objective. Even though videos can be fun, it’s also important to make sure they are aligned to your target objective and language to ensure students can use this opportunity to continue learning and reinforcing the language.
  3. Allow active learning with the right tools. Selecting the right tools will depend on a great variety of factors such as your students access to devices and connectivity, the skill targeted in the activity (vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, etc.), or the aim of the content of the lesson (inform, explain, etc.)
  4. Use videos to connect with students. Teachers can create videos to make short instructional or explanation videos to connect more with students while teaching remotely. 

Apps to use videos while teaching remotely. 

PlayPosit

A tool to create interactive video activities and keep track of your students’ responses and progress. 

  • Always free, forever.
  • Templates for quick content creation.
  • Access to free premade content library.
  • Detailed analytics to understand when learners are succeeding or struggling.
  • Unlimited bulbs can be built per month.
  • 100 free learner attempts per month. That means that 100 individuals can make a single attempt once per month, that one individual can make 100 attempts per month, or anything in-between.

TED-Ed

Use TED videos as well as from other platforms to create staged out video lessons where students can participate actively. 

  • Teachers can customize a video. 
  • Tracks progress
  • Share via email or links
  • Use different sections of the video lesson to expand students’ comprehension and knowledge of the topic.  

iSL Collective

(Video lessons)

Use this website to edit already made video lessons or make your video quizzes to share and grade your students’ progress. 

  • Create an ESL popup quiz around any Youtube or Vimeo video in minutes.
  • Generate a vocabulary quiz with YouTube videos. 
  • Generate a grammar quiz using Youtube videos. 
  • Customize your quizzes.
  • Track answers and progress 

Language learning with Netflix / Language learning with Youtube 

This Chrome extension embeds an interactive element to your Youtube videos and Netflix series and movies. 

  • Subtitles are shown in two languages, allowing you to compare the original audio and text with a translation in your language.
  • The extension allows you to listen to subtitles one at a time, and to change the playback speed.
  • There’s a pop-up dictionary, and the extension suggests the most important words for you to learn.

VEED Screenrecorder

You can record your screen and video to make tutorial videos for your students. It’s very easy to make.

  • Add text, emoji, ink, and custom images
  • Toggle-on whiteboard/ blackboard mode
  • Create a stop-motion sequence (with pause/record)
  • Upload videos from your camera roll
  • Screen record
  • Trim, rotate and rearrange clips

Flipgrid

Flipgrid is a simple, free, and accessible video discussion experience for PreK to Ph.D. educators, learners, and families. Create a Topic and engage your community…together!

  • Videos up to 10 minutes long
  • Unlimited projects
  • 2GB of storage space
  • Unlimited downloads
  • 720p export quality 
  • Auto subtitles
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Tatiana

Gómez Ramírez

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Teaching with stations

Social Endeavor Updates: Teaching with stations in a digital learning environment

by with No Comment Teaching reflections

In the distance, both teachers and students are still looking for ways to innovate teaching and connect with their learning communities, now more than ever. At ELT Think Tank, we believe in working with learning communities to come up with educational strategies that can motivate and engage students. As part of our social engagement, ELT Think Tank has been supporting a local rural public school since the beginning of 2019, and despite the current pandemic, we have been trying to find new ways to continue supporting the children’s learning process. 

After brainstorming with the English teacher from the school, we came up with the idea of creating a digital learning environment with learning stations. We’ll be documenting every step of the process in our upcoming short articles such as the set up , the students’ reaction, overall engagement, as well as  the impact on the community. This is a small-scale project that we hope helps students to connect more with the language as well as promote autonomous learning skills. 

We’ve decided to set up our digital learning stations focused on vocabulary enhancement by cross-referencing it with the school’s curriculum. The content will be updated monthly in what we are calling cycles. The stations were set up in the following way:

  • Learning Station

Students will find videos and other input to learn the assigned vocabulary for each cycle. These videos will help them to understand not only the vocabulary but basic commonly used phrases when using the target vocabulary. 

  • Practice Station

We’ve partnered with Cool English and are integrating their interactive games into our digital learning environment. These games allow students to recognize, practice, and learn new vocabulary in a fun and interactive way. We have divided this learning process into five stages: engage, explore, explain, extend, and evaluate.  

  • On my own Station

In this station, students can enhance their language learning by practicing other skills like reading and listening, according to their preferred skills or practice. 

  • Teacher Help Station 

Here students will find a forum where they can write questions about what they’ve been learning and get responses from their teacher or one of our volunteers. 

  • Learn together Station 

We want to promote collaborative learning spaces, so in this space, students will be able to share their explanations of the topics covered in that topic to explain to their classmates. 

Once students have access, they will be able to join in at any time from any device and participate in the different activities at their own pace and in any order they like. 

We will continue to document our progress and hope you will tag along for the ride! 

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Tatiana

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