How to Teach English: A Modern Guide for New and Developing English Teachers

From time to time, I receive messages from people who want to know how to teach English. The questions usually sound like this:

• What materials should I use to teach English?
• What is the best method for teaching English?
• What do I need to start teaching English?
• What should I teach in my English lessons?

If you’re thinking about stepping into the world of English language teaching (ELT), this updated guide will give you a clear direction—using a modern, practical, teacher-focused perspective.

Tip: After reading this, you may want structured training designed specifically for English teachers (methodology, lesson design, practical classroom strategies, and professional development). If you’re looking for that kind of roadmap, check out my teacher-training course for English teachers.

What Does “Teaching English” Really Mean?

In my workshops and teacher-training programs, I often ask participants to define what teaching English is. That definition becomes your foundation as a professional.

When I started teaching (back in 1993), I honestly believed teaching English meant:

• explaining grammar rules
• writing vocabulary lists on the board
• giving exercises
• testing memorization

With time, reflection, study, and classroom experience, I realized something uncomfortable: I wasn’t teaching English—I was testing memory.

Teaching English is far bigger than transmitting content. At its core, teaching English is helping people communicate:

• ideas, opinions, desires, fears, dreams
• personal experiences and frustrations
• real messages for real situations

It also involves guiding learners through the differences between worlds: the world of Portuguese-speaking communication and the world of English-speaking communication—language, culture, behavior, expectations, and context.

This may sound philosophical, but it’s deeply practical:

Teaching English responsibly means teaching communication, not just content.
Grammar lists + vocabulary lists + memorization tasks alone are not “teaching English.”

How to Teach English Effectively: Start With Learner Goals

If your definition of teaching is clear, your “how” becomes much easier.

Yes—there will be moments when you need to address grammar. The key question is:

Should you teach grammar explicitly or implicitly?

Sometimes you will:

• explain a rule directly
• show patterns with examples
• compare English and Portuguese when it helps clarity

Other times you will:

• help students notice patterns through input
• guide them to use forms naturally through meaningful practice

The right choice depends on the moment, the class profile, and the learning objective.

Teach language that fits real situations

You’ll also teach words, expressions, and everyday language used in specific contexts (work, travel, study, social life). That’s where culture matters.

Different countries and communities may use English differently—social rules, politeness, tone, humor, small talk, directness, and formality vary widely. Teaching these elements helps learners avoid misunderstandings and communicate with confidence.

Needs Analysis: The Step Most Teachers Skip (and Shouldn’t)

One of the most important parts of how to teach English is understanding your students’ goals.

Ask questions like:

• Why do you want to learn English?
• What do you need English for—work, travel, study, immigration, personal growth?
• Which skills matter most right now: speaking, listening, reading, writing?
• What situations do you need to handle in English?

Different goals require different teaching

A student learning English for academic purposes may need:

• reading comprehension
• academic vocabulary
• writing structure
• text interpretation

A student learning English for travel may need:

• hotel and airport interactions
• restaurant language
• asking for directions
• handling basic problems and requests

Same language. Different priorities. Different course design.

And don’t worry: you don’t learn how to teach English overnight. Teaching is a long game. Even after decades in the profession, I’m still learning every day.

What to Teach in English Class: Beyond Grammar and Vocabulary

The short answer is: grammar, vocabulary, and culture—but that’s not enough.

Modern ELT also requires you to develop the four skills:

• Speaking
• Listening
• Reading
• Writing

And inside each skill, you’ll teach sub-skills such as:

• pronunciation, stress, rhythm, intonation
• conversational strategies (turn-taking, repair, clarification)
• functional language (requests, offers, refusals, advice)
• reading strategies (skimming, scanning, inference)
• listening strategies (gist, detail, prediction, note-taking)
• writing organization (genres, cohesion, punctuation)

Grammar isn’t one thing

Some learners want technical grammar terms. Others don’t. Your job is to teach grammar in a way that serves the learner’s goals.

Vocabulary is more than “words”

When we talk about vocabulary (lexis), we’re also talking about:

• everyday phrases
• idioms and slang (when appropriate)
• collocations and common combinations
• chunks of language and formulaic sequences
• phrasal verbs
• register (formal vs informal)
• appropriacy (what works in which situation)

Your students matter too

Who are they?

• children, teens, adults
• beginners or advanced learners
• learning preferences and pace
• confidence, anxiety, motivation
• class size and group dynamics

All of that shapes what you teach and how you teach it.

What Materials Should You Use to Teach English?

People often ask me: What’s the best book to teach English?

There isn’t one single answer.

There are many excellent coursebooks on the market, and most of them cover the core components of ELT well. The “best” material is the one that matches:

• your students’ goals
• the level and context
• your teaching beliefs and methodology
• the skills you want to prioritize
• the time you have and the outcomes you promised

If you teach at a school, you’ll typically follow the institution’s adopted material. Even then, a strong teacher knows how to adapt content intelligently.

Essential teacher resources (beyond the coursebook)

A professional English teacher usually relies on:

• a solid grammar reference
• a reliable learner dictionary
• practical classroom resources (audio, texts, activities, games, speaking tasks)
• digital tools (when helpful)

How to Start Teaching English: Professional Advice That Still Matters

If you’re beginning your teaching career, one principle will save you years of trouble:

Don’t act like you know everything

Never position yourself as the “ultimate authority.” That attitude destroys trust and blocks growth.

If you don’t know something:

1. Say you don’t know (calmly and professionally)
2. Tell the student you’ll research it
3. Bring the answer back (and actually do it)

Also, when students ask questions—especially about grammar or “what’s correct”—don’t answer on autopilot. Ask yourself:

• Why is the student asking this?
• What do they need this for?
• Is this about accuracy, confidence, exams, writing, speaking, or clarity?

Professional teaching requires judgment, not ego.

Read. Study. Talk to other teachers. Observe. Reflect. Keep learning.
Respect your students—and earn their respect.

Conclusion: Learning How to Teach English Is a Process

If you’ve read this far, you already see the truth:

Learning how to teach English isn’t as simple as a list of 10 quick tips.

Teaching English is not only about grammar rules, word lists, worksheets, and tests. It’s about:

• people
• goals
• communication
• skills
• culture
• decision-making in real time

That’s why great teachers constantly pause, reflect, adjust, and improve.

That’s it for now. Keep learning—and keep becoming a better English teacher every day.

FAQ: Quick Answers

What is the best method to teach English?

The best method is the one that matches learner goals, builds communication skills, and balances form (grammar) with meaning (real use).

What should I teach first in English lessons?

Start with what learners need most: basic functional language, high-frequency vocabulary (chunks of language), and confidence-building speaking/listening practice.

Do I need to teach grammar explicitly?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. It depends on the lesson aim, learner profile, and the kind of accuracy required for the situation.

This blog post was originally published in Portuguese on September 11, 2015.