
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)
How to Explain Exceptions to Rules (Without Saying "That's Just the Way It is")
Sometimes, students get upset over variations in grammar and spelling. For example, they might demand to know why one native...
Should I Get a TESOL or TEFL Certificate to Teach Online?
Many online English tutors wonder if they should get certified. To answer this question, we asked our tutors with certification...
Important Things to Know Before Teaching Taiwanese Students 🇹🇼
After Japan and South Korea, Taiwan is our next largest source of students. What should we know about Taiwan and...
Forget Word Stress Rules (For Now) and Prioritize These Two Principles
When we think of teaching word stress, it’s easy to think about all the rules and feel overwhelmed. Luckily, there...
How Japanese, Korean, and Taiwanese Brains Perceive Word Stress
As you’ve probably noticed, many of our students have a hard time mastering word stress. Some linguists even call this...
Introducing Our New Absolute Beginner Conversation Materials
As tutors ourselves, we know how hard it can be to have a conversation with an absolute beginner. But fear...
How to Not Offend Students from Different Cultures
One of the most enjoyable aspects of teaching online is interacting with students from different countries. However, cultural differences sometimes...
How to Craft Example Sentences That'll Make Students Go "Aha!" 💡
Have you ever explained a new word only to find that your student still looks puzzled? Chances are, it’s not...
Are You Correcting These Pronunciation Mistakes? 🗣️ Part III: Nuclear Stress
It’s common knowledge that we should pause when speaking. However, if you listen closely to any conversation, you’ll notice that...
“Please Teach Me To Be Funny” — A Guide To Teaching Humor 🤪
Did you know that cracking jokes is considered an actual skill? Believe it or not, CEFR criteria lists “joking usage...
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...