Best Esl Ell Teaching Podcasts (2025)

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179. Translanguaging and Literacy: Helping Multilingual Learners Thrive with Sara Knigge 43:44

1d ago43:44

43:44

In this powerful and practical episode of the Equipping ELLs Podcast, host Beth Vaucher welcomes Sarah Knigge, an independent consultant and co-author focused on bilingual literacy, to unpack the essential role native language plays in developing English literacy for Spanish-speaking students. With years of experience as a bilingual teacher and pro…

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Episode 154 - Smarter Planning for ELs: AI Prompting & Differentiation Made Easy (Part 1) 24:48

3d ago24:48

24:48

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 simply overwhelmed by all things AI, I want to break down exactly how tools like ChatGPT can be a game-changer for EL teachers and classroom educators working with multilingual students. Planning, differenti…

1
EP 161 Simple Strategies to Make the Upcoming School Year Easier 12:28

6d ago12:28

12:28

Welcome, educators! 👩🏽‍🏫👨‍🏫 Before we dive into this week’s episode, don’t forget to check out the engaging resources available to support your ESL classroom at myadventuresinesl.com/store. 💙 A Heartfelt Thank You To all the incredible ESL teachers—thank you for the heart, patience, and dedication you pour into your students every day. You do more …

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178. Creating Safe Classrooms: Trauma-Informed and Restorative Practices with Marg Thorsborne & Joe Brummer 55:24

8d ago55:24

55:24

In this powerful episode of the Equipping ELLs podcast, host Beth Vaucher sits down with two leading voices in trauma-informed and restorative education, Marg Thorsborne and Joe Brummer, for a deeply transformative conversation on rethinking student behavior, discipline, and classroom culture. Marg, a global pioneer in restorative practices, and Jo…

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Episode 153 - 5 Must-Know Tips for New EL Teachers 21:18

12d ago21:18

21:18

One of my favorite things about connecting with teachers is hearing your questions. Whether it's navigating a tricky teaching moment or figuring out where to start with English learners. And while each situation is unique, so many of your questions echo the same themes, especially from those of you who are new EL teachers. If you are stepping into …

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177. How Digital Portfolios Drive Student Success: Insights from Kelly Aldinger 21:33

16d ago21:33

21:33

How can I effectively track and showcase the progress of multilingual learners across all language domains when traditional assessments often fail to capture their growth? In this episode of Equipping ELLs, host Beth Vaucher is joined by Kelly Aldinger, a bilingual learning and development expert with a passion for fostering educational equity for …

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Episode 152 - 5 Simple Wins for the Days You’re Just Done 19:05

19d ago19:05

19:05

Let’s get real about those exhausting days when lesson planning feels impossible and burnout lurks around every corner…especially as the end of the school year approaches. In this episode, I open up about my own struggles with low energy and share my solution: an “emergency lesson folder” packed with simple, engaging activities that spark student e…

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176. Reimagining Literacy: Prioritizing Family Collaboration with Nawal Qarooni 40:40

23d ago40:40

40:40

How can educators overcome the challenge of engaging multilingual families in their child's literacy development, especially when language barriers or cultural differences exist? In this enlightening episode of the Equipping ELLs Podcast, host Beth Vaucher is joined by Nawal Qarooni, an educator, writer, and adjunct professor who’s reshaping the ap…

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Episode 151 - The Big 5: Key Pillars of EL Inclusion in Mainstream Classrooms 18:59

25d ago18:59

18:59

When it comes to teaching English learners, there's no question that EL specialists are trained to meet their unique language and learning needs. But what about regular classroom teachers, the ones juggling 25 different needs in one room and suddenly faced with students who speak little or no English? It can feel overwhelming, confusing, and even a…

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175. Talk for Writing: The Scaffolding Secret to Confident ELL Writers 24:42

30d ago24:42

24:42

In this episode of the Equipping ELLs podcast, host Beth Vaucher dives into one of the most transformative and practical frameworks for supporting English Language Learners (ELLs): Talk for Writing. Beth introduces listeners to this British-based strategy that builds students’ confidence in all four language domains - listening, speaking, reading, …

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Episode 150 - Rooted in Success: 5 Reasons to Teach Greek & Latin Roots in Any Classroom 33:35

1M ago33:35

33:35

Today's episode is all about building vocabulary in a powerful and lasting way. We're diving into something that often gets overlooked, Greek and Latin root words. I am so excited because we have a special guest joining us who's incredibly passionate about this topic. My dear friend, Laura Kebart from Language Arts Teachers is on the podcast today …

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174. Making Language Accessible: Using GLAD to Support ELLs with Bridget Dale 45:54

1M ago45:54

45:54

Are you struggling to support your English Language Learners without sacrificing academic rigor or adding more to your already full plate? In this powerful episode of the Equipping ELLs Podcast, host Beth Vaucher welcomes Bridget Dale, a Tier 4 OCDE Project GLAD trainer, educational consultant, and founder of Elevated Language Development, LLC. Bri…

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Episode 149 - Why Social-Emotional Learning Matters Just as Much as Academics 18:36

1M ago18:36

18:36

The world needs emotional intelligence. We need emotional intelligence. Our students need emotional intelligence. Intellectual knowledge is great, but by itself, it wreaks havoc, as without emotional depth and experiences, we're not able to engage in meaningful conversations, discussions, learning, and problem solving. In today's episode, I'm going…

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173. Unlocking Student Potential through Visible Thinking with Shelley Love de Feliú 26:02

1M ago26:02

26:02

In this episode of the Equipping ELLs Podcast, host Beth Vaucher is joined by Shelley Love de Feliú, an experienced educator and math instructional coach with over 18 years of experience in the field. Shelley is the founder of Raising Thinkers and Raising Mathematicians, where she focuses on helping parents and educators nurture curiosity and criti…

1
EP 160 Mistakes When Writing Language Objectives 9:58

2M ago9:58

9:58

📘 Episode Summary: In this episode of My Adventures in ESL, we're diving into one of the most foundational (yet often overlooked) aspects of ESL instruction: language objectives. If you’ve ever felt unsure about whether your objectives are truly effective—or you’re just looking to sharpen your approach—this episode is for you. I’m sharing the three…

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Episode 148 - How to Teach ELs When You Don't Speak Their Language 20:24

2M ago20:24

20:24

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 entire lesson? Mime your way through the day? Don't worry. You don't have to speak their language to be an effective and impactful teacher. In today's episode, we're going to talk about the mindset shift tha…

1
172. Simplifying ELL Instruction: A Series on Effective Teaching Frameworks for All Four Domains 5:30

2M ago5:30

5:30

Do you feel like instruction for your ELLs is overwhelming and complicated? Welcome to a brand-new series from the Equipping ELLs podcast! In this exciting kickoff episode, host Beth Vaucher sets the stage for a transformative journey designed to empower educators of multilingual learners. Whether you're teaching kindergarten or high school, this s…

1
Episode 147 - Hooked on Books! How Novels Can Supercharge EL Vocabulary and Thinking 19:33

2M ago19:33

19:33

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 teaching reading to English learners, there are extra layers to consider, especially around language proficiency and age. I'm excited to share something I've been trying out with my middle schoolers, something…

1
EP 159 Student Needs Assessments 8:10

2M ago8:10

8:10

In this week’s episode of My Adventures in ESL, we’re exploring one of the most powerful tools you can use to support your English Language Learners: the student needs assessment. You'll learn what a needs assessment is, why it’s crucial in an ESL setting, and how to effectively implement one in your own classroom. Whether you teach newcomers or lo…

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171. Building Writing Confidence: 5 Fun Routines for ELL Students 25:22

2M ago25:22

25:22

Welcome back to Equipping ELLs! In this final episode of our language domain series, host Beth Vaucher dives into one of the most challenging yet rewarding skills for English Language Learners: writing. If you’ve missed our previous episodes on listening, speaking, and reading, be sure to check them out, as all language domains build on each other …

1
Episode 146 - Digging Deeper: How the 5 Whys Can Transform Your Teaching and Life 19:18

2M ago19:18

19:18

Have you ever felt like you're constantly putting out fires in your classroom? Redirecting behavior, reteaching concepts, or dealing with burnout without really solving the root problem? Sometimes it feels like we are running around in circles and nothing changes our lives, in our classrooms, in our professional development even though we seem to d…

1
EP 158 My Go-to Engaging Lessons 9:17

2M ago9:17

9:17

Welcome to the My Adventures in ESL Podcast! In this episode, we’re diving into engaging ESL lesson ideas that will captivate your students and enhance their language skills. Teaching English as a second language is more than just lessons—it's about empowering students to express themselves, connect with others, and build confidence. Today, I’m sha…

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170. 5 Essential Reading Routines for Supporting ELL Readers 27:03

2M ago27:03

27:03

Do your ELL students struggle with reading comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency—leaving you unsure how to support them? In this episode of the Equipping ELLs Podcast, Beth Vaucher tackles one of the toughest challenges for English learners: developing strong reading skills. As part of our series on supporting ELLs, Beth shares why reading is not …

1
Episode 145 - It’s Not Just About Language! The 2 Soft Skills Every EL Teacher Should Have 14:01

2M ago14:01

14:01

In education, we often focus on the hard skills, the academic knowledge of our subject, the instructional strategies, the assessment methods, and the pedagogy that shape effective teaching. These are the measurable, tangible aspects of our profession, and they are absolutely essential. But today, I want to shift the focus to something just as impor…

1
EP 157 Celebrating Your Newcomer's Success 6:40

2M ago6:40

6:40

Welcome to the My Adventures in ESL Podcast! In this episode, we’re diving into meaningful ways to celebrate the achievements of your newcomer students—helping them build confidence, stay motivated, and feel valued in the classroom. As educators, we know the importance of encouragement, and today, I’ll be sharing simple yet powerful strategies to u…

1
169. Empowering ELLs Through Speaking: 5 Practical Oracy Routines 30:18

2M ago30:18

30:18

Are your ELL students staying silent during class discussions no matter how much you encourage them to participate? After laying the groundwork with listening in our previous episode, today’s spotlight is on the speaking domain—arguably one of the most intimidating and vulnerable areas for ELL students. Speaking out loud in a new language can bring…

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Episode 144 - 3 Myths About Teaching Newcomers - And What Actually Works 13:50

2M ago13:50

13:50

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 so many overwhelmed teachers who have lost sight of the forest for the trees. Schools are notorious for grasping onto the newest programs and ideas for teaching English learners, which sometimes work ou…

1
Ep 156 Lesson Ideas for March 6:40

3M ago6:40

6:40

Welcome to this episode, where we dive into engaging lesson ideas for March! This month offers a wealth of opportunities to create meaningful learning experiences for your students. From celebrating Women’s History Month and Poetry Month to exploring the arrival of spring, we’ve got you covered with creative ideas and actionable lesson plans. Episo…

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Episode 143 - How to Beat the Mid-Year Slump in the EL Classroom for Both Students and Teachers 21:32

3M ago21:32

21:32

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 reasons. February and March in particular can be especially tough months in the school year. Students and teachers are tired, motivation is dipping, and standardized testing is looming. If you are fe…

1
EP 155 My thoughts and experiences about Gifted ELLs 7:16

3M ago7:16

7:16

Welcome to the My Adventures in ESL Podcast! In this episode, we explore an important and often overlooked issue—identifying and supporting gifted English Language Learners (ELLs). Many multilingual students go unnoticed in gifted programs simply because traditional assessments don’t account for their unique skills and potential. Join me as I share…

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168. The Power of Listening: 5 Simple Routines to Help ELLs Thrive 24:13

3M ago24:13

24:13

Have you ever wondered why your ELL students struggle with speaking, reading, or writing? The answer often comes down to one foundational skill: listening. In this episode, Beth Vaucher explores why listening is the gateway to all language learning, what makes it so challenging for English Language Learners, and—most importantly—five simple and eff…

1
Episode 142 - The Secret to Effective EL Lessons? Start at the End! 18:00

3M ago18:00

18:00

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 today, I wanted to share a process that has been very helpful and, honestly, is truly a great way to plan for our EL students. So in today's episode, I will be sharing all about backward design and lesson planning…

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167. Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing: Simple Routines to Boost ELL Learning 14:00

3M ago14:00

14:00

Welcome back to the Equipping ELLs Podcast! In this episode, host Beth Vaucher kicks off a powerful new series designed to help you maximize the last few months of the school year without adding to your workload. If you’re feeling exhausted but still want to give your English Language Learners (ELLs) the best support possible, this episode is for y…

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Empowering Educators: Engaging Lesson Plans for Black History Month 7:21

3M ago7:21

7:21

Welcome, educators! In today’s episode, we’re diving into impactful and engaging lesson ideas to help you plan for Black History Month. These lessons are designed to build background knowledge, strengthen reading comprehension, and encourage thoughtful discussions among your students. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ How to introduce Black Hist…

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166. The Power of Being Bicultural: Lessons for Educators & Multilingual Learners with Gabby Rivera 32:07

3M ago32:07

32:07

Did you know that supporting your students' growth goes far beyond bilingualism and language itself? In this episode of Equipping ELLs, host Beth Vaucher welcomes Gabby Montenegro Rivera, a bilingual and bicultural educator with a powerful personal story. Gabby, who grew up in Panama with Colombian and Panamanian roots, shares her journey of embrac…

1
Episode 141 - A Look Behind the Scenes of The ESL Teaching Podcast 22:38

3M ago22:38

22:38

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 lesson plan, an engaging activity, or heck, someone simply looking amazing and put together, it is good to remind ourselves that the road to that result is not always very linear. Have you ever wondered what i…

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EP 153 Supporting You & Your Students This Testing Season 9:23

3M ago9:23

9:23

Welcome to the My Adventures in ESL Podcast! I want to encourage you to take the time to explore the podcast and my website My Adventures in ESL. Testing season can be overwhelming for both ESL teachers and students, with multiple required assessments in a short period. In this episode, we’re diving into strategies to help your students feel confid…

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165. Dismantling Misconceptions About ELLs: What Really Stands in the Way of our Students' Success with Pamela Broussard 44:50

3M ago44:50

44:50

Have you been told that your students' grades are all that matters as indicators of their success? They can figure out the rest on their own? In this eye-opening episode of Equipping ELLs, host Beth Vaucher sits down with the incredible Pamela Broussard, a veteran educator with over 30 years of experience working with multilingual learners, refugee…

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Episode 140 - The Less is More Philosophy When Teaching EL Newcomers 14:35

3M ago14:35

14:35

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 give EL newcomers and any EL student? What can we expect from them? Today, I wanted to revisit the topic of classwork and homework our ELs have to do and about how we can make it more manageable and e…

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164. Dismantling Misconceptions About ELLs: Rethinking Assessment with Andrea Honigsfeld & Margo Gottlieb 35:10

4M ago35:10

35:10

Do you find yourself questioning whether the assessments you are giving are truly accomplishing what they are intended to accomplish? In this episode of Equipping ELLs, host Beth Vaucher welcomes two of the most influential voices in multilingual education and assessment: Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld and Dr. Margo Gottlieb. As part of the ongoing series, …

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Episode 139 - How to Prepare for State and Proficiency Tests Part 2: Reading and Writing Practice 19:49

4M ago19:49

19:49

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 students for them so that they can show off all of the great things they've learned so far. Last week, I talked about peculiarities of listening and speaking tests and what activities you can incorpo…

1
Breaking Myths About Newcomer Students: Insights for Educators 8:30

4M ago8:30

8:30

Welcome to today’s episode of the My Adventures in ESL Podcast! We’re tackling some of the most common misconceptions about working with newcomer students and sharing practical strategies to help educators support their success. Episode Highlights: 1. Myth: Students Must Acquire Oral Language Before Literacy Misconception: "Students need to speak E…

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163. Dismantling Misconceptions About ELLS: Embracing the Linguistic Assets of Multilingual Learners with Valentina Gonzalez 32:54

4M ago32:54

32:54

In this transformative episode of the Equipping ELLs podcast, host Beth Vaucher is joined by the incredible Valentina Gonzalez, a former English Language Learner (ELL), educational consultant, and passionate advocate for multilingual students. Together, they tackle the widespread misconception that ELL students are starting from scratch in their ed…

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Episode 138: Preparing Your English Learners for State and Language Proficiency Tests. Part 1 - Listening and Speaking Practice 15:13

4M ago15:13

15:13

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 learners for state testing and language proficiency tests like ACCESS, TELPAS, and others. These tests play a crucial role in measuring student progress and shaping future instruction. However, prepa…

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EP 151 Celebrate Lunar New Year in Your ESL Classroom with Engaging Lessons and Activities 10:49

4M ago10:49

10:49

Welcome, educators! In this episode, we’re sharing exciting ways to bring the Lunar New Year into your ESL classroom. From close reading strategies to hands-on activities, you’ll find creative ideas to spark curiosity, foster cultural appreciation, and build essential language skills. What’s Inside This Episode: 1. Lunar New Year Close Read Discove…

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162. Dismantling Misconceptions About ELLs: Disrupting the Monolingual Bias with Dr. Lillian Ardell 40:59

4M ago40:59

40:59

In this episode of the Equipping ELLs podcast, host Beth Vaucher dives into dismantling misconceptions about English Language Learners (ELLs) with the help of Dr. Lillian Ardell. A bilingual education coach, keynote speaker, and advocate for multilingual equity, Dr. Ardell sheds light on the pervasive "monolingual bias" in education. Through real-l…

1
Episode 137 - Breaking Down Assumptions About English Language Learners 17:08

4M ago17:08

17:08

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 of assumptions which come from our education, practice, and experience. What I found though is that most of the time, many and any assumptions stem from lack of information. And sometimes it's diffic…

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Strategies for Teaching Close Reading to Newcomers: A Guide for ESL Educators 11:12

4M ago11:12

11:12

Welcome to today’s episode, where we’re diving into effective strategies for teaching close reading to ESL newcomers! Whether you’re a seasoned educator or just starting your journey, these actionable tips will help you empower your language learners and create meaningful learning experiences. Episode Highlights: Building Background Knowledge: Lear…

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161. Equipping ELLs: Dismantling Misconceptions for 2025 5:21

4M ago5:21

5:21

Are misconceptions and biases about multilingual learners holding your students back from reaching their full potential? Welcome to the Equipping ELLs podcast, your essential guide to supporting multilingual learners and fostering inclusive classrooms. Hosted by Beth Vaucher, founder of Inspiring Young Learners, this episode kicks off 2025 with exc…

1
Episode 136 - Your First Day with Newcomer EL Students 15:45

4M ago15:45

15:45

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, end of the school year, all the time. So much so that I have created quite a few episodes on what to teach them and how to help them in the regular education classroom. In today's episode, I am revisiti…

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