☕ My Top 5 ESL Tips for Real-Life English (Not Just Textbooks!)
Let’s be honest — textbooks are helpful… until they teach you how to politely order a fax machine.
Hi, I’m Gary — the ESL Traveling Teacher — and I’m here to help you actually use English in real life, not just pass tests or fill in grammar boxes.
I’ve been teaching ESL for nearly a decade (9 years in China!), and right now, I’m in the top 10 out of more than 6,500 teachers on PalFish.
Why? Because I do things a little differently.
I use tech, games, and cheeky real-life lessons to get students talking — not just memorising.
So here are my top 5 ESL tips to help learners (and teachers!) make English more practical, more fun, and more real.
🎧 1. Learn English with Music (and Write Down the Lyrics)
Forget grammar drills for a sec — just put your headphones in.
Listen to a song in English, and try writing the words. Not only will it improve your listening, but it’ll teach you natural phrasing, pronunciation, and a bit of culture too.
Start with something slow (I’m looking at you, Adele), then build up to faster artists once your ear adjusts.
Bonus: It’s way more fun than rewriting irregular verb tables.
📱 2. Use Real English in Real Apps
Booking a flight? Ordering food? Searching Google?
Try doing it all in English.
It might feel awkward at first, but this is where your vocabulary actually sticks — because you’re using it for something real.
This is the kind of thing I build into my digital ESL products — not just vocab lists, but real-life tasks and games that make learners think and speak.
🎮 3. Learn Through Games (Yes, Even as an Adult)
I design my own games using Baamboozle and Wordwall, and students love them — even the quiet ones.
Games lower stress, get students speaking, and help actually remember the language.
Plus, let’s be honest — everyone’s competitive deep down.
Teachers: if you’re not using games, you're missing out.
Students: if your teacher doesn’t use games, send them this post. 😉
🎤 4. Speak Out Loud (Even When You’re Alone)
One of my favourite tips:
Practice speaking to yourself — narrate what you’re doing, answer your own questions, or talk to your phone like you’re doing a voice message.
It trains your mouth, brain, and confidence all at the same time.
You don’t need a native speaker in front of you to get speaking — you just need to open your mouth.
🔑 5. Learn Idioms & Slang That Locals Actually Use
If someone says “It’s a piece of cake,” and you start looking for dessert… we’ve got a problem. 😅
Idioms and slang are essential to sounding natural — and understanding native speakers.
That’s why I’ve created printable idiom cards, visual guides, and a full ESL speaking kit designed to teach these phrases in a way that sticks.
🎁 Want More?
Check out my digital ESL resources here:
👉 ESL TRAVELING TEACHER
I’ve packed it with speaking cards, idiom games, travel packs, and journals — everything I use in class, made by a real teacher who still teaches.
☕ Final Thoughts
English is a living language. It’s messy, weird, and full of personality.
So let’s stop treating it like a test… and start using it like a real skill.
Whether you're a student, a teacher, or just nosy — stick around.
We’ve got a lot more English to explore.
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