Best podcasts and YouTube channels for English teachers

16.01.2024

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4 minutes

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We as ESL teachers are used to making the most of various websites and social media platforms both to make the lessons more engaging and to improve our teaching skills.

As for the last matter, podcasts and YouTube channels should not be underestimated, as they may often offer some extremely useful and generally awesome ideas.

If you are interested in discovering more YouTube channels and podcasts, this article is for you.

Podcasts

But first of all, let’s start with the terms.

Podcasts are one of the most popular sources of information. Despite this fact, they are considered to be a source of slow information consumption. Therefore, you can enjoy an episode released a year ago.

The creators of podcasts use their laptops and mics to record their own voices telling some stories or developing any kind of narration based on their chosen topic.

The variety of topics is just insane, so podcasts can meet the needs of a huge number of people.

Specialists say that podcasts resemble the radio somehow. However, the difference is that you can control when, where and what you want to listen to.

Podcast enjoyers tend to use Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Soundcloud to look for new episodes. However, there are numerous other platforms available.

With the great popularity that podcasts have gained, it’s not surprising that there are such popular podcasts for ESL teachers as:

ESL Talk

This is a podcast created by and for English teachers. Each episode is centred around various useful teaching strategies, techniques and recommendations. ESL Talk is a rare combination of a chill atmosphere and insane practical use.

The latest episodes pay listeners’ attention to such topics as:

the power and influence of the teacher’s voice in the teaching environment
navigation in the online ESL job market
accelerating teachers’ growth on social media

…and so much more.

TESOL Pop

TESOL Pop is a podcast that aims to help teachers who are always on the go.

The episodes that raise some important issues like building reading habits, making materials more inclusive etc. last up to only 15 minutes.

So, whenever you have your breakfast or commute to work, you can turn it on and enjoy some insightful conversations.

The DIESOL Podcast

This podcast is indeed a rare gem.

It combines EdTech and teaching English as a Second or Other Language. It helps to link the best practices of English teaching with the trends of the technology field.

Therefore, we get coverage of such extremely interesting and truly unique topics as:

mobile cameras in the language classroom
AI tools you can explore
ChatGPT usage
coding with ELLs

…and much more.

A Toast To Work

The main goal of this podcast is “a celebration of joy in the workplace.”

The thing is that the host of this podcast, Sue Ann, is about to retire from her beloved work where she teaches ESL to adult immigrants.

She embraces her last teaching experiences by recording conversations with other professionals who are not related to ESL at all: flight attendants, young adult book authors, theater directors, newspaper editors and many more.

“There’s always something in common just when you think there couldn’t possibly be!”

Sue Ann says.

So, if you feel low about your teaching career and are looking for some inspiration, Sue Ann’s podcast has more than enough to share!

YouTube channels

Mooncake English

Do you work as an English teacher overseas? Then you should watch this channel!

Mooncake has all the information you need to teach English to speakers of other languages, including game ideas and advice on managing the classroom.

Moreover, there is also a website with a blog, store, and materials you can download.

Jo Gakonga – ELT Training

This channel is for you if you teach English or are enrolled in a CELTA or Trinity Cert TESOL course!

Jo, the author of the channel, is a kind CELTA tutor with more than 30 years of experience teaching EFL and ESOL in the classroom.

Her goal is to provide ESL teachers with useful ideas for enhancing their teaching style and skills, as well as share some hands-on activities that any students will enjoy.

There is a website too in case you need even more high-quality content.

Edutopia

Edutopia is a great YouTube channel that will answer your questions on project-based learning, using technology as well as social and emotional learning strategies.

Moreover, the Schools That Work series, which focuses on implementing evidence-based practices, will undoubtedly become helpful for every ESL teacher.

The advantage of this channel is that it offers quick solutions, as the majority of the videos do not last more than five minutes!

It means that it takes less than five minutes to become a better teacher!

Grade Education Centre

Yes, Grade also has its own YouTube channel!

Here we share webinar recordings on the freshest topics as well as inform on our upcoming courses.

Critical thinking in grammar teaching, spicing up your online classes, and developing students’ self-assessment – these are only some of the issues we discuss! Don’t forget to join our channel to get as many interesting recommendations as possible.

If you are interested in a piece of professional advice on improving your teaching skills in general, Grade University is here to help you as usual.

Does it always take a lot of time to get a valuable teaching recommendation through a podcast?