These posts are written for learners of English themselves. Find learning tips and ideas for learning English.

For Students

Did you know that the writers who create Ellii lessons and resources are all English teachers or former teachers?

That&#39;s just one of the reasons we love receiving poetry, stories, and paragraphs&nbsp;that students write while doing Ellii lessons.&nbsp;

In our <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/93/lessons/1885" target="_blank">Remembrance Day / Veterans Day lesson</a>, we challenge students to write acrostic poetry and share it with our team. Check out this year&#39;s submissions as well as the poems from years past.

<h2>2025 Student Poetry&nbsp;</h2>

This year&#39;s submission is from Eyerusalem Hailu at the Bickford Centre in Alison Clarke&#39;s class: Essential Skills Upgrading program,&nbsp;Toronto District School Board

<blockquote>
Remember the brave who gave their lives. 
Every moment was unforgettable. 
Memory and admiration bring tears. 
Energy for us to go forward. 
Meaningful for everyone of us. 
Recall again and again their sacrifice. 
Admire the people who sacrificed their lives. 
Never forget what they did for us. 
Celebrate every year on November 11th. 
Excited to be a part of this incredible Day. 
&nbsp;
</blockquote>

<h2>2024 Student Poetry</h2>

Here is a new poem submitted by Bryna Gerakos, an ESL Instructor at Hudson Adult Learning Center

<blockquote>
Veterans, we are 
Eternally grateful 
To you 
Excellent service 
Remembering and honoring you 
And we will 
Never forget you 
So, thank you very much!

By Gabriela Sanchez, Johanna Ortega, Dunia Caal, and Lin Yangzheng.
</blockquote>

&nbsp;

<h2>2023 Student Poetry</h2>

Here is a new poem that was submitted by Ms. Anderson&#39;s 4th Period Intermediate ELD Class:

<blockquote>
Memories of Silence for Their Sacrifice 

Remember the lives of soldiers

Everything stops for

Memories of silence

Enormous Alliance

Moments before disaster

Bullet dodging when Death calls your name

Remember the lives of the soldiers who sacrificed

Anniversary of the soldiers who fought for peace

November 11th is the Day of Remembrance

Color of poppies reminds &quot;we kept this promise&quot;

Everything for peace
</blockquote>

<hr />
And here is a poem that was submitted by Ms. Anderson&#39;s 6th Period Intermediate ELD Class:

<blockquote>
 
Peace for Veterans 

Represents all the soldiers globally

Every soldier that fought in War

Memories of lost ones

Event for remembering the veterans that fought for peace

Memorial is a way to remember someone

Be polite to Veterans

Remembering our loved ones

Allied forces fought for our peace

No veterans should be disrespected

Celebrate memories with loved ones

End war
</blockquote>

<h2>2022 Student Poetry</h2>

We love these moving acrostic poems we received&nbsp;from Betul Ozer Budak&#39;s LBS (Literacy and Basic Skills)&nbsp;class.

<h3>Poem #1</h3>

<blockquote>
Veterans Day...

Every November, we remember.

Trumpets play &quot;Last Post&quot; ...

Eleven o&#39;clock: a moment of silence ...

Red poppies people wear

After the war, people were happy but

Never forget the soldiers who died

Soldiers who fight ...

By Asmae Dadi, Ebtesam Rashed, and&nbsp;Helen Ada
</blockquote>

<h3>Poem #2</h3>

<blockquote>
Poppies everywhere

On our hearts

People&#39;s stories

Poppies everywhere

Yesterday&#39;s memories

By&nbsp;Ebtesam Rashed and&nbsp;Helen Ada
</blockquote>

<h3>Poem #3</h3>

<blockquote>
Remembrance

Every year we remember them.

Many soldiers died in the war.

Every 11 November is Remembrance Day.

Many people have a ceremony.

Birds of peace carrying olive branches

Remind us the young soldiers.

At 11 o&#39;clock the war ended but

Nobody forgot the soldiers.

Ceremonies we have for them;

Each of us is proud of them...

By&nbsp;Aisha Ankaa,&nbsp;Cuc Thi Nguyen, and&nbsp;Ebtesam Rashed
</blockquote>

Here are a few wonderful Remembrance Day poems from Kosta Stojanovic&#39;s LINC 4/5 class at Coll&egrave;ge Bor&eacute;al in Toronto, Canada.

<h3>Poem #4</h3>

<blockquote>
Red poppies bloom on each breast

Earth remembers it&#39;s heroes

Many great-grandparents were there

Every soldier lives to wonder why

Memories of War that never stray

But someone is shooting again and again

Remembrance poppies are red, not signifying blood of soldiers

And their stories never see the light of day

Need of peace is worldwide

Children want to live in love

Every day can be better,&nbsp;if everyone has remembrance

By Elvira Shootca
</blockquote>

<h3>Poem #5</h3>

<blockquote>
Raise your head off the ground

Everyone is proud of you

My heart is like a galaxy

Even though you&#39;re not here I feel you

My heart belongs to you

Breathe in the morning of victory

Raging about war

Army protect the people

Never make me feel sad

Ceremony for your courage

Everyone will always remember

By Mandana Hodhodynejad
</blockquote>

<h3>Poem #6</h3>

<blockquote>
Rmember our soldiers

Enlist the soldiers

Making our world into peace

Everyone who died in the wars

Memorial never forget

Brothers who bled just

Respect our fallen soldiers

Armistice day

November 11th armed weapons fall silent

Celebrate the soldiers

Enjoy freedom in happiness and peace

By Dilek Tas
</blockquote>

<h2>2021 Student Poetry</h2>

<h3>Poem #1</h3>

This beautiful acrostic poem was sent in by Sherry and&nbsp;Kathleen&#39;s class:&nbsp;

<blockquote>
Vests of soldiers carry valued human beings

Emotions of appreciation echo when we commemorate every year on November 11

Treasures you have done for us are countless as we are free

Echos of your contributions are hard to describe out loud.

Remembering you veterans

Appreciating your efforts

Nations will never forget you for

Sacrificing your lives to give us freedom.

By Antonio, Cecilia, Huda, Jingyuan, and Yunyi
</blockquote>

<h3>Poem #2</h3>

Here&#39;s another poem that was submitted by an intermediate LINC class.

<img alt="Remembrance Day Poem by LINC students" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1879/content_Remembrance-Day-Poem.jpg" />

<h2>2020 Student Poetry</h2>

Here are some poetry submissions we received in November 2020 from a low-intermediate&nbsp;LINC class in Toronto, Ontario. Thank you to Kosta and his class for sharing this writing with us!

<h3>Poem #1</h3>

<blockquote>
<h3>Remembrance Day</h3>

Essential day

Many people lost a loved one

Ended of the war must be done

Be peaceful, remember the war

Against the war, no more the war

Celebrate the peace

Everyone will be happy

By Momoko, Anibal and Zhi Sheng
</blockquote>

<h3>Poem #2&nbsp;</h3>

<blockquote>
<h3>Very important</h3>

Eating and drinking

Tomorrow it&#39;ll&nbsp;be coming

Email to me

Remember it

Answer and reply

Notice it on your calendar

Send it to me

By Coco
</blockquote>

<h3>Poem #3</h3>

<blockquote>
<h3>Remembering our veterans</h3>

Enormous respect

Many left behind the family who were

Eager to see them again

More peace, no war

By wearing the poppy we remember,

Each that fell

Rising like the sun every day

Don&#39;t forget them

Anually we honour the past

Yesterday is not forgotten

By Milena Nessi
</blockquote>

<h2>Poem #4</h2>

<blockquote>
Red color

Email me

May I have&nbsp;

Enough for me

Many years

Best of luck

Raise your hand

At a time

Never mind

Call me

Excellent place

By Israt, Alice, and Coco
</blockquote>

<h2>Poem #5</h2>

<blockquote>
Voters are protesting

Eat your food

Trumpet is a bass horn

End your day in a happy way

Remembrance Day is a poppy day

Are you okay

No one here

Can you hear?

By Rania, Gadha, and Milena
</blockquote>

<h2>Pronunciation Work</h2>

Here is some pronunciation work these writers did while working on their poetry from our <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/93/lessons">Holidays &amp; Events</a> lesson. We&#39;re so happy to see students working with <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/130/lessons/3352">pronunciation symbols</a>. We&nbsp;hope you&#39;re enjoying our <a href="https://ellii.com/courses/130/lessons">Pronunciation</a> lessons, too.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

<img alt="" src="https://esllibrary.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/ckeditor/pictures/1070/content_Screen_Shot_2020-11-26_at_4.22.13_PM.png" />

Keep up the great work, LINC class! And most importantly, thank you for remembering our veterans.

<h2>&nbsp;</h2>

Student Poetry for Remembrance Day / Veterans Day

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Find quick links to each episode of the Teacher Think-Aloud podcast, hosted by Shélynn Riel and Anna Ciriani-Dean and sponsored by Ellii.  

Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast

<section>
In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/episodes" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Episode 76</a>&nbsp;of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, co-hosts Sh&eacute; and Anna sit down with teacher trainer and host of&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-efl/id1494494153" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Everything EFL</a>,&nbsp;Erin O&rsquo;Byrne, to explore how the&nbsp;Lexical Approach&nbsp;can transform both teaching and learning in the English language classroom.

Erin shares how her journey&mdash;from pandemic boredom to professional epiphany&mdash;led her to embrace the Lexical Approach as a practical, empowering methodology that just&nbsp;makes sense.&nbsp;She explains how shifting from teaching individual words to teaching&nbsp;chunks of language&nbsp;helps students process meaning faster, use real-world English, and become more confident, autonomous speakers.

<blockquote>&ldquo; You are giving them real-world language. The lexical approach is very much conversation driven. They recognize things. They notice things faster.&rdquo;&nbsp; &mdash; Erin O&rsquo;Byrn</blockquote>

From corpus linguistics to classroom spontaneity, this episode explores how teachers can &ldquo;learn it loose,&rdquo; noticing and recycling meaningful phrases that actually appear in authentic communication. Erin also unpacks&nbsp;emergent language&nbsp;and how creating space for student-led noticing can reduce prep time, prevent burnout, and spark creativity for both learners and teachers.

Whether you&rsquo;re new to the Lexical Approach or looking to refresh your teaching, this conversation is packed with ready-to-use ideas and reflective insights on how to move from&nbsp;rules to real language.
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</section>

Empowering Learners & Teachers with the Lexical Approach

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In Episode 75 of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, co-hosts Anna and Sh&eacute; explore the transformative potential of AI in the classroom with guest Sara Davila, a self-described &ldquo;learning alchemist&rdquo; who excels in transforming theoretical research into actionable strategies for educators. Sara provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of large language models (LLMs), tracing back to early AI research, and highlights their contemporary applications in education. The discussion emphasizes frameworks for teachers&rsquo; AI use and AI&#39;s potential to enhance teaching while preserving an essential human touch.

<blockquote>&ldquo;AI is a tool created by human beings to be used by human beings for the improvement of human beings. It&#39;s not about replacing humans.&rdquo;&nbsp; &mdash;Sara Davila</blockquote>

Sara encourages educators to experiment with AI, suggesting that beginning with familiar, low-stakes activities can boost confidence and illuminate AI&rsquo;s educational benefits. This episode serves as both a guide and an inspiration for teachers looking to embrace AI&#39;s educational potential.

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🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

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A Teacher’s Guide to Large Language Models

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Reflection is a powerful tool for English language teachers. In Part 2 of their collaboration with the&nbsp;<a href="https://diesol.org/welcome-to-the-diesol-podcast/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">DIESOL Podcast</a>&nbsp;team, Sh&eacute; and Anna of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>&nbsp;pick up their conversation with Brent Warner and Ixchell Reyes and explore the nuances of reflective practice, moving beyond foundational theories to actionable steps. From unexpected &quot;golden moments&quot; of inspiration during a dream or a walk&nbsp;to the more structured approaches of journaling and goal-setting, the hosts and guests share personal experiences and insights on making reflection a meaningful part of a teacher&#39;s professional life.

<blockquote>&quot;Reflection doesn&rsquo;t have to be polished. It just has to be honest&mdash;that&rsquo;s how you&rsquo;re going to get the most out of it!&quot; &mdash;Sh&eacute;lynn Riel</blockquote>

The episode emphasizes that reflection doesn&#39;t have to be a daunting task. It can be iterative, allowing teachers to discover what works best for them without the pressure of perfection. The discussion highlights the importance of carving out dedicated time for reflection, even if it&#39;s just a few minutes, to foster professional growth and prevent burnout. They introduce the concept of &quot;Reflection for Action,&quot; where insights from past experiences guide future planning and long-term professional development goals.

The team also dives into innovative tech tools that can enhance reflective practice, such as &quot;Future Me&quot; for sending future self-emails, Marco Polo for asynchronous video conversations, video recordings for self-observation, and&nbsp;AI chatbots as reflective partners. The episode also underscores the invaluable role of accountability partners and professional learning networks. If you&#39;re looking to transform your teaching practice and discover new ways to reflect, tune into the full episode for a rich and inspiring discussion!

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🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

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	<li><a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/episodes" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a></li>
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	<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-teacher-think-aloud-podcast/id1629819608" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

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Reflection for Action: Unlocking Professional Growth in English Language Teaching

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<section>
In this special crossover episode of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, Sh&eacute; and Anna team up with Brent Warner and Ixchell Reyes of the&nbsp;<a href="https://diesol.org/welcome-to-the-diesol-podcast/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">DIESOL Podcast</a>&nbsp;(Developing Innovation in English as a Second or Other Language) for a lively conversation about reflective practice&mdash;the foundation of our podcast and a shared passion between both shows.

<blockquote>Being a reflective educator is really a commitment to a growth mindset and to this idea of continual growth and transformation. &mdash;Anna Ciriani-Dean</blockquote>

Instead of Sh&eacute; and Anna&rsquo;s usual narrative format, you&rsquo;ll hear the DIESOL style: less commentary, more conversation, and plenty of banter among all four hosts.

In Part 1, the group explores the why of reflective pedagogy and its core principles, beginning with a shared understanding of what reflective practice really means in the context of English language teaching. Reflection, as discussed, is not just about looking back on a lesson, but it also includes intentionally engaging with our teaching to uncover insights, strengthen our practice, and align our work with our values. The group examines why reflection matters&mdash;not only for teachers&rsquo; professional growth but also for students&rsquo; learning and classroom equity&mdash;emphasizing that intentional reflection can transform teaching from a routine into a meaningful practice. Finally, the conversation moves toward how teachers can move from superficial reflection, such as simply noting what went well or poorly, to deeper engagement through descriptive, conceptual, and even critical reflection that challenges assumptions and considers broader systemic and cultural dynamics.

This episode offers both philosophical grounding and practical inspiration, setting the stage for Part 2, where the conversation will dig more into actionable strategies for bringing reflection into the classroom.

🎧 Tune in to hear how reflective practice can empower teachers, shape learning experiences, and sustain professional joy&mdash;while enjoying the energy of four educators learning from each other.

Make sure to subscribe to The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast so you don&rsquo;t miss out on the Part 2 drop!
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🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

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	<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-teacher-think-aloud-podcast/id1629819608" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

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</section>

The Reflective Educator: A Conversation on Growth & Transformation

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<section>
In the latest episode of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, hosts Sh&eacute; and Anna are joined by Harry Waters, a global ELT educator, teacher trainer, and climate activist behind&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/harry-waters/?originalSubdomain=es">Renewable English</a>. Together, they explore how sustainability can become a consistent, student-driven context in the English language classroom&mdash;not just a one-off Earth Day activity. 
&nbsp;

<blockquote>We&rsquo;re not just teaching nouns and verbs. We&rsquo;re helping students find their voice in a noisy world.</blockquote>

From student-led recycling campaigns to eco-themed grammar activities, Harry shares practical ways to embed environmental awareness into your teaching&mdash;without overhauling your curriculum. His strategies include small but powerful shifts, like ending a lesson with &ldquo;How does today&rsquo;s topic connect to the planet?&rdquo; or reframing the second conditional to ask, &ldquo;If our school planted 1,000 trees&hellip;&rdquo;.

But this episode goes deeper. Harry also tackles the tough questions&mdash;what happens when student projects fail? How do we keep going when change feels slow? And how can we empower students to lead, even when systems resist?

🎧 Tune in for honest insights, tangible ideas, and the reminder that every lesson is a chance to model agency, connection, and care for the world we share.
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🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

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</section>

Greening ELT: Addressing Sustainability in the English Language Classroom

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In the latest episode of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, hosts Sh&eacute; and Anna are joined by Sharon Tjaden-Burkes, a former English language educator who successfully transitioned into instructional design (ID). Sharon shares her deeply personal and practical story of leaving adjunct teaching behind to pursue a more sustainable, fulfilling path in learning and development.

<blockquote>We all have one life. Choose something you&#39;d want to do during the day. &nbsp;&mdash;Sharon&nbsp;Tjaden-Burkes</blockquote>

From battling burnout while raising two young kids to upskilling through a graduate certificate and hobby projects, Sharon offers both encouragement and concrete advice for educators who are ready for change&mdash;but unsure where to begin. Her journey speaks to the realities many teachers face: invisible labor, limited growth opportunities, and the pressure to do it all alone. Through candid storytelling, Sharon helps listeners see how their classroom experience is not just transferable&mdash;it&rsquo;s transformational.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FNNR9ImkRMo?si=vALU92iAfUXehv2j" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

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From the Classroom to the Design Desk: Transitioning from ELT to Instructional Design

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In the latest episode of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, hosts Anna and Sh&eacute; share a curated list of&nbsp;13 impactful reads&nbsp;perfect for educators navigating language, identity, and culture in the English language classroom. They warn that these are not light summer reads&mdash;they are powerful stories that explore migration, memory, and belonging, offering teachers new ways to connect with students across borders.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PUaTsFhfWhk?si=VmYpuQPphFWx6mhU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

The episode features titles like&nbsp;Solito&nbsp;by Javier Zamora,&nbsp;Beautiful Country&nbsp;by Qian Julie Wang,&nbsp;Homegoing&nbsp;by Yaa Gyasi, and&nbsp;Airplane Mode&nbsp;by Shahnaz Habib&mdash;books that dive deep into lived experiences of displacement, resistance, and the search for home. Some titles, like&nbsp;The Covenant of Water&nbsp;and&nbsp;The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, offer immersive, intergenerational narratives rooted in specific places, while others like&nbsp;The Penguin Book of Migration Literature&nbsp;present a range of voices and journeys from around the globe.

Anna and Sh&eacute; reflect on how these stories inform their teaching and inspire classroom activities. Some of the&nbsp;literature-based strategies&nbsp;they discuss for bringing these stories into ELT contexts, from leveraging memoirs for&nbsp;personal storytelling&nbsp;to&nbsp;practicing perspective-taking&nbsp;and rewriting stories through a different lens.&nbsp;

<blockquote>&ldquo;Wherever you are right now&mdash;in a hammock, on a long train ride, or just taking a few minutes between lesson prep for the upcoming school year&mdash;we hope these stories find you well. And we hope they leave you changed, just a little. Because the best stories do.&rdquo; - Sh&eacute; and Anna</blockquote>

🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

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Stories That Cross Borders: A Summer Reading Special for ELT Educators

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In the latest episode of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, hosts Anna and Sh&eacute; explore how educators can build rapport in virtual classrooms, drawing lessons from the transition to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are joined by Bob Nguyen, an ESL instructor at Saddleback Community College, who spent the previous five years working in person and virtually in T&uuml;rkiye. Bob shares how he used technology to bridge the gap between teacher and student. By sharing his &quot;COVID space&quot; online, Bob modeled authenticity and used tools like Padlet and Loom to ensure inclusive student participation.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/episodes/episode/20c5ccbf/e69-digital-hallways-creating-connection-in-the-online-classroom-with-bob-nguyen" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Episode 69 - Digital Hallways: Creating Connection in the Online Classroom</a>, Bob discusses leveraging platforms such as Gather Town, which mimics the dynamics of real-life spaces in a virtual environment, allowing students to engage informally. This gamified setup encourages interaction, crucial for building community and making sure&nbsp;no student voice is left unheard. In digital classrooms, it is important to make intentional efforts to create connections.&nbsp;

<blockquote>&ldquo;Creating digital spaces where students feel comfortable sharing and building connections is essential.&rdquo; &mdash;Bob Nguyen</blockquote>

The episode concludes with a reflection on how these virtual innovations can enhance traditional teaching methods. By integrating digital tools, teachers can create dynamic learning environments that foster genuine connections. Anna and Sh&eacute; encourage listeners to consider how their online teaching experiences have enriched their practices, emphasizing the ongoing value of community building in both digital and analog spaces.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/q8wl6ZGyV3Y?si=IFuYE1VCMFK-qp6V" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

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Building Rapport in the Digital Hallways: Insights from Bob Nguyen

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<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/new-content/new-in-2024" target="_blank">What&#39;s New in 2025?</a></h2>

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	<li><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/new-content/may-2025-new-content" target="_blank">May</a></li>
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<h2><a href="https://ellii.com/collections/new-content/new-in-2024" target="_blank">What Was New in 2024?</a></h2>

Check out 1,286 results!

<h2>Lesson Plan Calendar</h2>

Find monthly features on Ellii&#39;s <a href="https://ellii.com/calendar" target="_blank">Lesson Plan Calendar</a>.

Ellii's Weekly Newsletter

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<section>
What does it&nbsp;really&nbsp;take to be a digital nomad as an English teacher? Beyond the beachside laptops and inspirational quotes, there&rsquo;s a whole world of planning, pivoting, and problem-solving that often gets left out of the Instagram feed.&nbsp;

In a new episode of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, Ellii contributor and visual thinking trainer&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/authors/emily-bryson" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Emily Bryson</a>&nbsp;joins hosts Sh&eacute;lynn Riel and Anna Ciriani-Dean to dig into the full story&mdash;logistics, lessons, and all. Whether you&#39;re considering taking your ELT career on the road or you&#39;re simply curious about how teachers are adapting to hybrid and remote work, this episode delivers honest insight and practical tips from someone who&rsquo;s been there, packed that.&nbsp;

Emily shares what her daily routine really looks like while working remotely&mdash;hint: it involves upturned coffee tables and early morning webinars. She talks about building a freelance income through materials writing, teacher training, and sketchnoting <a href="https://ellii.com/blog/authors/emily-bryson">(some of which she&rsquo;s done for Ellii!)</a>, and gives a refreshingly candid take on the myth of passive income.

The conversation also highlights the&nbsp;hidden labor&nbsp;of travel: from juggling deadlines with poor Wi-Fi to planning your next destination while maintaining a full workload. Emily and the hosts reflect on the importance of digital connections, maintaining community on the move, and the ethical considerations of being able to work and travel freely when many others cannot. 
 
This isn&rsquo;t a dreamy travel episode. It&rsquo;s a grounded, practical, and thoughtful look at what it means to design a teaching life with intention&mdash;whether you&rsquo;re traveling the world or working from your kitchen table. Emily&rsquo;s reflections will resonate with anyone navigating freelance life, exploring online teaching, or rethinking what flexibility and purpose look like in education.
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cl_gQESADKE?si=53zByOrgxChlDc30" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

<ul>
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	<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/e68-backpacks-bandwidth-burnout-the-realities-of/id1629819608?i=1000706979013" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Spotify</a></li>
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Check out Emily&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://ellii.com/blog/how-to-be-an-elt-nomad" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">blog post</a>&nbsp;for more on life as an ELT nomad.
</section>
</article>

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Nomadic Teaching, Real Talk: Lessons from the Road with Emily Bryson

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Tour around the ELT conference circuit as our team shares conference highlights and session reviews.

Conferences

<section>
In the latest episode of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.teacherthinkaloud.com/" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">The Teacher Think-Aloud Podcast</a>, hosts Anna and Sh&eacute; dive deep into the heart of the 2025 TESOL International Convention. Through interviews with conference attendees, including with Ellii&#39;s CEO and founder Ben Buckwold, they capture the vibrant energy and diverse perspectives of educators from around the globe, and harness the main themes of the convention: connection, community, and support for teachers.&nbsp;

The <a href="https://youtu.be/8CxCEIBPWyA?si=N_ak7frW02bD2CcE" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">2025 TESOL Special</a>&nbsp;isn&#39;t just a recap; it&#39;s an immersive experience. Listeners will feel like they&#39;re walking the convention hallways and hearing firsthand about the latest trends and challenges in the field. From discussions on AI in the classroom to reflections on the emotional labor of teachers and advocacy for students, the episode covers a wide range of topics with depth and sensitivity.

<blockquote>&quot;Teaching can be really isolating and teaching can be difficult. And so when we can step away from our classrooms and join together and encourage one another and support one another, and keep building these professional and personal relationships, we come back stronger and better for our own students as well.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&mdash; Janine Darragh, University of Idaho</blockquote>

Whether you attended TESOL 2025 or not, this episode offers valuable insights and a sense of belonging. The guests interviewed reveal the convention&#39;s true essence: a gathering place for kindred spirits, a space for growth and renewal, and a reminder of the power of educators to make a difference. Tune in to hear stories of resilience, innovation, and the unwavering dedication of teachers worldwide, and perhaps find your own sense of connection and inspiration.
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🎙️&nbsp;Listen now on your favorite platform:

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	<li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1OdOXKen4987GDL9Gb8fw8" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Spotify</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/e-64-soft-skills-strong-impact-supporting-multilingual/id1629819608?i=1000685309083" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple Podcasts</a> 
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Finding Connection & Community at the 2025 TESOL International Convention

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