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From textbook dependency to a \"Starter, Main Course, and Dessert\" approach. Fiona Hunter, founder of Kids Club English shares how to confidently step away from set materials to create authentic, play-based language experiences for young learners. From managing the psychological hurdles of letting go of the coursebook to structuring lessons around picture books, Fiona explains how stepping back allows young learners to take true ownership of their language.


Watch with captions here.


TALKING POINTS

1. The textbook tension: engagement, syllabus pressure, and the progress gap

2. Why moving away from a coursebook requires us to rethink our teaching

3. The \"Starter, Main Course, and Dessert\" framework for structuring lessons

4. How giving young learners ownership over their activities sky-rockets motivation



ABOUT


Fiona Hunter is a teacher, teacher trainer and the founder of Kids Club English. Originally from Scotland and now based in the south of Spain, she has worked in ELT for over twenty years, teaching in Spain, the UK, Argentina and South Korea, including at the British Council. She holds a DELTA with Merit and specialises in teaching preschool and primary learners.


Now working independently, Fiona creates her own flexible, play-based courses built around stories, songs, games, crafts and drama - without relying on coursebooks. Through Kids Club English, she shares classroom-tested resources and runs an online Teacher Membership supporting freelance teachers and small language school owners who want to feel more confident, less overwhelmed and better equipped to build engaging, language-rich lessons for young learners.



RESOURCES & REFERENCES

πŸ”— Kids Club English Website: https://kidsclubenglish.com/

πŸ”— Download Fiona’s Quick Start Guide to Flexible Units (available in the teaching tips section)

πŸ”— Watch Fiona’s 4-part video series on teaching without coursebooks on her website

πŸ”— Kids Club English  @kidsclubenglish582 


Fab Videos on Kids Club English YouTube:

  1. Getting Personal with Puppets - Teaching Tips
  2. How to Prepare for Reading a Story -Teaching Tips
  3. Sports Spinner Game Craft


SUPPORT US

β˜• Buy us a coffee https://ko-fi.com/tesolpop

⭐ Leave a review wherever you listen


THE PRODUCER'S EDIT

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CREDITS

Producer: Laura Wilkes

Editor: Haven Tsang

Special thanks to our guest, Fiona Hunter

Production by Communicating for Impact @laurawilkes


TIME STAMPS

00:00 - Introduction to Fiona Hunter and the episode overview

01:12 - The three biggest engagement and pressure challenges of coursebooks

04:36 - The mindset shift: Rethinking your underlying teaching philosophy

06:39 - Moving from \"off-piste\" projects to a semi-structured storybook approach

11:08 - The \"Starter, Main Course, and Dessert\" lesson staging framework

11:36 - Fostering learner identity and confidence through classroom roleplay

12:00 - Where to find bite-sized teaching resources and closing thoughts

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