
Conversation Topic: Spring, Allergies and Cherry Blossoms
For many of us and our students, spring is in the air! How does this affect our students? What questions...
How to Avoid Answering Sensitive Questions [Updated]
Share These "Cold" Idioms with Students This Winter
"Cheese!" 9 Picture-Based Idioms to Share with Students
Free-Talk Idea: Movie Vocabulary (with Quiz + Discussion Questions)
Extra Time at the End of the Lesson? ⏳ Play Games!
You reach the end of the lesson, but there is way too much time left 😱 What do you do?...
COVID-19: What's Happening and What Can We Do To Stay Safe?
In recent weeks, COVID-19 (popularly known as “coronavirus”) has spread relentlessly around the globe. We’d like to take this opportunity...
Are You Accidentally Being a Creepy Online Tutor? (Real Student Complaints Included)
Unfortunately, it happens to the best of us: We ask a question because we want to get to know our...
How Not to Teach Vocabulary (According to Science)
Imagine you’re in a Japanese class and your teacher is reading some vocabulary: “And the next word is “kyū-ryō,” which...
R or L? 3 Easy Ways to Teach Students the Difference
It’s common knowledge that many East Asian learners confuse their R’s and L’s. The usual explanation is that these sounds...
We are Engoo — Behind Our New Tutoring Brand
We recently announced that our teaching platform is being rebranded as “Engoo.” Since many of you have said that you’d...
"I'm Boring": An Easy Way to End the "Boring/Bored" Madness Once and for All
If we got a dollar every time a student said “I’m boring” or “I’m exciting” instead of “I’m bored/excited,” we’d...
Important Things to Know Before Tutoring Advanced Students 👀
Advanced students are great because you can have truly stimulating conversations with them. But when they start talking about global...
Explain Words with Their "Core Concepts" and Watch Students Go “Aha”!💡✨
Did you know that the French word for “potato” is “apple of the earth” (pomme de terre)? Or that the...
Do Students Really Need a Native Accent? 🤔
Ironically, the English language does not belong to the English anymore … and no, it doesn’t belong to the Americans...
How Students Book Your Lessons
As tutors, we normally don't get to see how the booking system works from the student's side, which leads to...
Maximize Your Income With Last-Minute Bookings
Have you ever closed slots that haven't been booked yet? Do you think opening slots at the last minute is...
Types of Incidents You Didn't Know You Should Report
Occasionally, you may encounter situations during lessons that make you go, “Wait, is that allowed?” Today, we’ll cover four types of...
How to Write Great Lesson Notes
Delivering enjoyable and educational classes for our students is only one part of the service we provide at Engoo. So...
How to Avoid Answering Sensitive Questions [Updated]
It happens every now and then: a student asks a question that is too personal or just not appropriate for...
What Does Our New AI Tool Mean for Tutors?
As you have probably seen, we have been developing a new AI-powered tool for users of our platform. We hope...
8 Facts About Engoo for Our 8th Anniversary
Did you know that our international brand, Engoo, launched this month eight years ago? About a year after starting our...
The Unique Challenges Faced by Many Japanese English Learners
According to a recent report, Japan ranks a record low 87th out of 113 countries and regions in the English...
5 Pro Tips for Handling Technical Issues During Online Lessons
Unfortunately, technical difficulties are part of our job as online tutors. While most of our lessons go smoothly, every now...
7 Thought-Provoking Free-Talk Topics for Ghost Season
In Japan and Taiwan, the "Ghost Season" has begun. This is the time of the year when the spirits of...