Pedagotech For English Teachers with Marcelo Hosannah

Епизоде

• 
  The Question Nobody Asks Before Opening the Book 24.08.2026 11мин

  When the coursebook your school hands you can’t actually get students where the school promises they’ll go, the fix isn’t patching the book with extra activities — it’s flipping the order of planning altogether. In this episode, I talk about a student who froze up, afraid to even speak English out loud, and how that moment pushed me to drop the coursebook’s logic and build my own trajectory around short stories like Langston Hughes’s “Thank You, M’am.” I also explain why the framework that fixed it, Backward Design, works whether you have full curricular freedom or control over exactly one four-lesson unit inside an imposed book.In this episode* Why “we’re covering short story X” isn’t an objective — it’s just a topic* The three steps of Backward Design: decide what students will be able to do, design the assessment before lesson one, and only then plan the lesson sequence* How that becomes a four-part cycle: activation, guided reading, consolidation, and production* Why the method is “fractal” — it works at the scale of a three-year program or a single unit, starting this week* The link between inferential reading, Cambridge exam descriptors, and what standardized exams actually test forA question to sit withBefore opening your next unit, write one sentence with an observable verb: what will your students be able to do by the end? Then write the instrument that proves it. Only after that, go back to the coursebook.Sources for this episodeThis episode draws on two articles originally published on the Pedagotech Substack:* “What to do when the English materials your school uses don't cut it?”* “Do we need to rewrite the whole program? Or just the next unit”Subscribe for more: pedagotechenglish.substack.comReferenceWiggins, G. & McTighe, J. — Understanding by Design Get full access to Pedagotech For English Teachers at pedagotechenglish.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  The Vibe-Coding EFL Teacher 20.07.2026 16мин

  A teacher who had never written a line of code built three digital games in two weeks — and changed her students’ relationship with content in ways no textbook activity could.In this episode, EFL teacher and instructional coach Marcelo Hosannah unpacks what happened in a coaching cycle that started with an underpopulated class and ended with a question about what remains irreplaceable in teaching, even in the age of AI.The topic is vibe coding — using generative AI to build digital resources without knowing how to program. But the deeper question is older: what changes when a teacher stops consuming materials and starts designing experiences?In this episode:— Why a class with two students can be harder to engage than a class with thirty — What vibe coding is and why EFL teachers should know about it — The difference between a student who uses a game and a student who becomes its beta tester — What the AI executes — and what only the teacher can decide — Why Shulman’s pedagogical content knowledge explains the vibe coding dynamic better than any tech framework — Why sustainable pedagogical innovation is not a solo sportFrameworks and thinkers referenced: Lee Shulman (pedagogical content knowledge), Ryan & Deci (self-determination theory, intrinsic motivation), John Hattie (visible learning, feedback loops), Scardamalia & Bereiter (knowledge building communities)Read more: The companion article for this episode is available on Substack Chapters: 0:00 The teacher who never coded 0:30 What vibe coding is — and why EFL teachers should care 2:15 The class that was too small: the full story 6:33 Layer one: what the AI executed 9:20 Layer two: the beta tester effect and intrinsic motivation 11:30 Layer three: sustainable innovation and knowledge-building communities 13:36 What remains irreplaceable 14:55 The question to sit with Get full access to Pedagotech For English Teachers at pedagotechenglish.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  Awe And Despair 25.05.2026 18мин

  A teacher I work with described her relationship with AI tools in two words: awe and despair. She wasn’t resistant. She wasn’t technophobic. She was genuinely fascinated — and completely overwhelmed. At the same time.I understood exactly what she meant. And then I realized my response to her had answered the practical question on the surface while leaving the deeper one untouched. She wasn’t asking how to use AI more efficiently. She was asking something harder: what happens to me, as a teacher, in this new world?In this episode I talk about that gap — and share the three-part workflow I actually use in my own teaching, built around one principle: intention before the tool.In this episode:* The moment a teacher’s two words stopped me mid-scroll and made me question my own advice. * Why the same AI tool feels like liberation to some teachers and suffocation to others — and why that gap has nothing to do with technical skill. * The principle that changed how I use AI: intention before the tool. * Three concrete applications from my own classroom practice — syllabus and TBL lesson planning, essay feedback at scale, and assessment gap analysis. * Why teacher overwhelm with AI is not a personal failing but a structural signal. And the one question worth sitting with before you open any AI tool this week.Chapter Markers:0:00 — The comment that stopped me1:36 — Welcome to Pedagotech for English Teachers 3:12 — A workshop, a forum, and two words I couldn’t shake 6:39 — Intention Before the Tool8:20 — Application 1: Syllabus and TBL lesson planning from the course book10:10 — Application 2: Essay feedback at scale11:41 — Application 3: Assessment gap analysis and reporting14:49 — What overwhelm is really telling us17:32 — Outro and where to find moreIf this episode resonated:Share it with one teacher who you think needs to hear it. And subscribe to Pedagotech for English Teachers wherever you listen to podcasts — new episodes drop regularly on teaching, learning, and what it actually takes to do this work well.Pedagotech for English Teachers is hosted by Marcelo Hosannah — EFL teacher, instructional coach, and Google Certified Trainer based in Brazil. Get full access to Pedagotech For English Teachers at pedagotechenglish.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  This Is How I Did the Math — and What I Found 27.04.2026 14мин

  Pedagotech For English Teachers - Season 1 Episode 5In 2006, my first salary as an English teacher was the equivalent of about six dollars an hour. Last week, I found out that one of the most respected language schools in my city is currently offering new teachers around seven dollars. One dollar difference over twenty years — and that dollar buys less today than the six did back then.This episode isn’t a complaint. It’s a calculation. And what the numbers reveal goes far beyond wages — it speaks to how the market understands, or fails to understand, the value of teaching expertise.Chapters:00:00 — The weight of that first paycheck 01:29 — Welcome and episode framing 02:15 — The question I couldn’t answer 05:09 — Why the market can’t see what experienced teachers do 10:45 — What can shift and what won’t fix itself 13:07 — ClosingFollow Pedagotech for English Teachers:📩 Substack: pedagotechenglish.substack.com 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/pedagotech 💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marcelohosannahPedagotech for English Teachers is a podcast for EFL educators who want to teach with more intelligence — and less burnout. Get full access to Pedagotech For English Teachers at pedagotechenglish.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  Heterogeneity Is Not Your Problem. Your Lesson Design Is. 23.03.2026 15мин

  Mixed proficiency classrooms are one of the most common sources of frustration for high school English teachers — especially in exam-driven contexts. But what if the real issue isn’t the variation in your students’ levels? What if it’s the model of instruction we keep using to try to contain it?In this episode, we discuss why the “average learner” assumption breaks down, what second language acquisition research tells us about proficiency variability, and how shifting from content delivery to cognitive design changes the professional posture of the teacher entirely.No checklists. No easy fixes. Just a more honest way of thinking about a very real classroom challenge.Chapter Markers00:00 — Introduction 01:34 — That moment at the start of the year 03:15 — The assumption buried in the question 05:16 — What actually happens in heterogeneous classrooms 06:32 — Cognitive demand vs. linguistic complexity 08:37 — Vygotsky and the zone of proximal development 09:56 — What differentiated access looks like in practice 11:43 — The danger of leveling down 13:08 — Teacher cognition: how you frame the problem changes everything 14:37 — Closing thoughtsKey Ideas from This EpisodeProficiency is not a linear scale — it’s the visible surface of deeper cognitive and experiential differences between learners.The cognitive demand of a task can be shared across a class even when linguistic proficiency varies widely. What changes is the scaffolding, not the intellectual challenge.Confusing linguistic complexity with cognitive demand leads to differentiation strategies that either bore advanced students or patronize beginners.Teachers who frame heterogeneity as a predictable design feature — rather than a flaw in the group — plan anticipatorily instead of reactively.About Pedagotech For English TeachersPedagotech For English Teachers is a podcast for English language educators who want to think more carefully about how learning works — and what that means for the decisions we make in the classroom. Episodes draw on second language acquisition research, learning sciences, and teacher cognition to explore questions that matter in real teaching contexts.New episodes drop monthly. Get full access to Pedagotech For English Teachers at pedagotechenglish.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  The Homework Crisis and the AI Mirror 11.02.2026 6мин

  In this episode, we dive into a hard truth facing English teachers today: the “tried and true” methods of the past are no longer holding up. It’s not just about the rise of AI; it’s about the sudden realization that the assignments we relied on for years might have lost their meaning.“The anxiety isn’t really about AI. It’s about feeling that something we relied on, something that looked like learning, suddenly stopped holding up.”Marcelo explores the growing anxiety in the staffroom and shares a personal confession about why he’s stopped giving out homework altogether. If you’ve felt like your assignments are “glitching” in the 21st-century classroom, this episode is for you.Key Takeaways:* Beyond the AI Hype: Why the real challenge isn’t the technology, but the erosion of traditional learning proxies.* The Homework Dilemma: Why “business as usual” assignments feel increasingly meaningless for both teachers and students.* Teaching Smarter, Not Harder: Rethinking the English classroom to focus on what truly matters in a digital age.Chapters00:00:00 - Introduction00:00:33 - The Anxiety of "The Glitch"00:01:36 - The Difficulty Trap00:02:38 - Two Institutional Traps00:03:35 - A Spatial Shift in Learning00:04:19 - Output vs. Process00:05:24 - The Real QuestionQuestion of the weekIf you could only grade work that happens "live" in your presence, what is the first thing you would cut from your curriculum? Get full access to Pedagotech For English Teachers at pedagotechenglish.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  Workshop #2: Rebuilding Engagement by Design 22.12.2025 9мин

  In this workshop, I walk you through the exact thinking and design moves I used while coaching a colleague whose students were quietly disengaged — not resistant, not unmotivated, just cognitively disconnected.You’ll see how small shifts in task framing, lesson flow, and output design can dramatically change how students engage with reading, listening, and storytelling tasks in ELT and ELA classrooms.This is a practical, classroom-first workshop. Everything you see here can be applied immediately — no new tools, no new materials, just better design.Watch the video, download the resources, and try one idea in your next class. Get full access to Pedagotech For English Teachers at pedagotechenglish.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  Why Students Disengage and How to Rebuild Engagement 17.12.2025 8мин

  Why do students disengage during English lessons — even when the material is interesting? In this episode, Marcelo breaks down the real reasons behind low engagement and passive learning in ELT/ELL classrooms, and how teachers can redesign lessons to boost thinking, participation, and language production.You’ll learn:* the hidden cognitive causes of student disengagement* how lesson flow affects attention and motivation* why reading, listening, and TBL tasks often “go silent”* a simple strategy to improve noticing and output* practical tips to make input-based activities more engagingThis episode synthesizes key insights from a full month of classroom coaching and offers clear, actionable ideas you can apply right away. Ideal for English teachers, EFL/ESL educators, and anyone interested in lesson design, Task-Based Learning, and effective pedagogy.Chapters00:00:00 - 0️⃣ Introduction00:01:22 - 1️⃣ The moment everything became clear00:02:28 - 2️⃣ The second layer: structure00:03:26 - 3️⃣ The story that changed everything00:04:52 - 4️⃣ The redesign that reactivated everything00:05:50 - 5️⃣ The big lesson from this whole journey00:06:45 - 6️⃣ A challenge for your next lesson00:07:09 - 7️⃣ What’s coming next Get full access to Pedagotech For English Teachers at pedagotechenglish.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  Workshop #1: How to Plan a Lesson Using the Task-Based Learning Framework 24.11.2025 12мин

  Planning a task-based lesson doesn’t have to be complicated — but it does require a shift in how we think about classroom time and language learning. In this workshop, we’ll explore a simple, practical structure to design lessons that focus on real communication, purposeful tasks, and meaningful language use.You’ll learn how to plan each stage of the Task-Based Learning (TBL) framework:1️⃣ Pre-task — activating prior knowledge and introducing context.2️⃣ Task cycle — engaging students in authentic language use and interaction.3️⃣ Language focus — reflecting on form and consolidating learning.Throughout the session, I’ll share examples from EFL classrooms (and how these same principles can easily be adapted to other subjects) — plus a few tips on using digital tools to make each phase more dynamic and connected to your learners’ reality.💡 Download: Dynamic Learning Lesson PlannerTo help you put everything into practice, download the Dynamic Learning Lesson Planner — a Google Doc you can copy and adapt for your own lessons.🕒 Video timestamps00:00:00 – Introduction: The principles behind TBL00:02:27 – The TBL Framework 00:04:26 – The TBL Rhythm: Fluency First00:07:07 – Example Lesson00:09:10 – Beyond The English Class (CLIL)00:10:30 – Your Turn! Final Thoughts and Subscribe👋 Final thoughtsWhether you teach English or any other subject, the TBL framework offers a path toward lessons that are more authentic, student-centered, and cognitively engaging.If this workshop helps you plan your next lesson — or rethink the way you design tasks — let me know in the comments or share your version using the planner. I’d love to see what you create.Pedagotech For English Teachers is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Did you enjoy the content but cannot commit to a subscription? Get full access to Pedagotech For English Teachers at pedagotechenglish.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  The Confidence Crisis Solution 19.11.2025 10мин

  Hi, everyone!We’re kicking off Pedagotech for English Teachers with Marcelo Hosannah with a topic that cuts deep for almost every educator I know: the confidence crisis.It’s that quiet voice that whispers, “You’re not good enough.”That moment of doubt before trying something new in class.That pang of insecurity when someone praises your work and you secretly think, “If only they knew how much I struggle.”I’ve been there — and if you have too, you’re not alone.This first episode brings together three of Pedagotech’s core themes — Pedagogy, Technology, and Language Learning — to explore how we can move from self-doubt to self-trust as professionals.💡 The Three-Step Solution1️⃣ Reclaim Your Time (Pedagogy & Technology)Teachers often say they don’t have time to reflect — and they’re right. But what if AI could take over some of the repetitive, low-impact work that drains us daily?In the episode, I show you how to use AI tools to get your time back — and turn that reclaimed time into professional growth, feedback, and self-awareness.2️⃣ Build Real Competence (English Language Arts)Drawing on Task-Based Learning and the Dunning-Kruger effect, we’ll talk about how confidence grows not from comfort, but from authentic progress. When teachers and students engage in meaningful tasks and reflect on their language use, they start seeing evidence of growth — and that’s where real confidence lives.3️⃣ Create Safe Learning Spaces (English Language Learning)Finally, we’ll talk about the emotional side of confidence — how to build classrooms where mistakes are normalized, feedback is constructive, and both teachers and learners feel seen. Because confidence isn’t a personality trait — it’s a culture we build together.🎧 Listen & ReflectThis episode is your invitation to slow down, think about where your confidence comes from, and start designing teaching moments that bring it back.If you like what you hear, please share it with another teacher who might need this message today.And if you want access to deeper, practical follow-up episodes, consider becoming a paid subscriber.Let’s rebuild confidence in teaching — together. Get full access to Pedagotech For English Teachers at pedagotechenglish.substack.com/subscribe
• 
  Welcome to Pedagotech for English Teachers 12.11.2025 1мин

  Welcome to Pedagotech for English Teachers — a space for reflection, practical ideas, and thoughtful conversations about teaching English in a connected world.Hosted by Marcelo Hosannah, an instructional coach and Google for Education Trainer, this podcast explores the intersection of Pedagogy, Technology, and English Language Teaching.In this trailer episode, Marcelo shares what inspired Pedagotech, what teachers can expect in each episode, and how this show aims to help you reclaim your time, rebuild your confidence, and bring meaning back into teaching.💡 What you’ll hear in this trailer:Why Pedagotech existsWhat makes it different from other teacher podcastsWhat kinds of topics and guests are coming soonHow to subscribe for free or join as a paid supporter🎧 Follow the show:Substack: pedagotechenglish.substack.comInstagram: @pedagotechLinkedIn: Marcelo Hosannah🎼 Music in the show:Happy Indie Pop by WinnieTheMoogLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/6777-happy-indie-popLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license Get full access to Pedagotech For English Teachers at pedagotechenglish.substack.com/subscribe