Podcasts for Teaching Inspiration

Author

Bethany Anderson
January 30, 2025

I’ve previously shared podcast recommendations for your learners, but this month I wanted to share some of my favorites to listen to for myself!

Podcasts are my go-to for professional development as well as teaching inspiration and ideas. I love how I can usually find something to apply to my own teaching context regardless of the topic being discussed, and I often feel more motivated to try new things after listening to other teachers discussing the methods they are passionate about.

Here are 10 podcasts I am listening to these days. . . add a couple to your podcast library and see what you think!

Top Pick: TESOL Pop

I have to list this one first because I have been listening to this podcast for over a year and it's my go-to for short format, dependably useful content. Each week Laura Wilkes interviews an ESL/EFL teacher and highlights a few practical take-aways in 15 minutes or less. This is my lunch break listen every week when it releases!

This is a new find for me as it was recommended after I posted the original version of this list on LinkedIn. In each episode, host Billie Jago discusses relevant topics with an English language professional.

Recently I enjoyed the episode How to Get Your Advanced Students Talking, an interview with Gareth Yates. Most episodes run between 30-45 minutes in length.

This is also a recent find for me and I’ve really been enjoying it! Erin O'Byrne teaches in Dublin and she talks about her own teaching experiences in a friendly, chatty tone. In one recent episode, she spoke about a lesson she taught on the passive voice and how she reworked it when it wasn't as successful as she wanted.

This is a brand-new podcast from my podcast classmate, Christina Jones, and I'm super excited for each new episode that comes out! Christina discusses topics related to successful language learning, geared for language teachers and learners alike. Four episodes are now available, and they have been excellent! (Shout-out to Laura Wilkes for the Podcast Pathfinder course that helped Christina get her show up and running!)

This is another new find for me. I enjoyed the latest episode where host Jim Fuller talks with guest Lara Bryfonski about corrective feedback. I appreciate the emphasis on the practical application of research in the field of ELT. Episodes run 45 minutes to an hour.

In each episode, George Kokolas & Virginia Dooley, both of Express Publishing, interview a leader in the field of ELT. Each episode is around 30 minutes in length.

Each month, Learn Your English founders Leo Gomez, Mike Landry, and Andrew Woodbury discuss a range of topics related to the field of ELT with a guest expert. These episodes are long-form and usually run between 1 and 2 hours so I definitely have to divide them up into several listening segments, but I always enjoy their thoughtful and insightful discussions.

Host Philip Pound interviews teachers, business owners, and creatives in the field of EFL. I enjoy Philip’s relaxed, conversational interview style that helps you get to know the guest. The January 23, 2025 conversation with Andrew Woodbury is a great listen as Andrew tells the story of his journey in EFL teaching and cofounding a coaching business for teacher entrepreneurs. Episodes generally run from 30-60 minutes.

Hosts Shéylynn Riel & Anna Ciriani-Dean interview a guest every other week and discuss topics related to English teaching. As a teacher entrepreneur myself, I enjoyed the recent interview with Ellii founder Ben Buckwold, and I look forward to listening to more upcoming and past episodes.  Listening time is around 30 minutes.

Heather Johnston of the ELT Resource Room helps teachers get organized with practical tips and strategies to manage your time better. I came back to this podcast after a bit of a break and I'm so glad I did because I was just in time for a review of a book that I am now reading and enjoying immensely (Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less, by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang). I love Heather's calm, reassuring tone and the short format of episodes (10-15 minutes).

I hope you find these recommendations helpful! I would love to hear what other ELT teaching podcasts you are listening to and enjoying!