"Cheese!" 9 Picture-Based Idioms to Share with Students
In English, we often speak about things we can see. However, many times we aren't referring to our eyes at...
- Vocab & Expressions
Featured Articles
Free-Talk Idea: Movie Vocabulary (with Quiz + Discussion Questions)
How to Highlight Your Online Tutoring Experience on Your Résumé
TV Shows to Recommend to Students for English Study
Customer Service Concepts That Apply to Online Tutoring
How to Get Shy Students to Warm Up to You 🙈🙉
You’ve probably realized that many of our students are shy. This is partly cultural; East Asians (i.e. most of our...
- Online Tutoring
Smart Expressions for Providing Reasons, Predictions, and Recommendations
Everyone wants to sound smart. Yet, when we speak a foreign language, our ideas get watered down by simplistic language...
- Conversation
- Vocab & Expressions
Smart Expressions for Voicing an Opinion
Have you ever noticed that some students always use the phrase “I think …”? Or maybe you’ve noticed a student...
- Conversation
- Vocab & Expressions
"Safety Country"? "Hand Phone"? "Fighting"? — Funny Phrases Our Students Use and Why
“Japan is a safety country!” If you’ve taught English to Japanese students, you’ve probably heard “safety” used this way. But...
- Vocab & Expressions
Important Things to Know Before Teaching Japanese Students 🇯🇵
Japan takes the word, “non-confrontational,” to a new level. At my university in the US, I sometimes attended lectures in...
- Online Tutoring
Why Our Students Lack Confidence
You may have noticed that many of our new students aren’t total beginners. They know vocabulary and grammar — just...
- Beginners & Kids
How We've Grown Through Online Tutoring
When we interview tutors for this blog, many of them mention how they've grown personally and professionally. As the saying...
- Online Tutoring
Backchaining — How to Get Difficult Words to "Roll off Your Tongue"
Have you ever started singing a song and gotten stuck after the first few lines? Or maybe you can remember...
- Pronunciation
Don't Know the Answer to a Student's Question? Try These Strategies.
Your student asks a question. You don’t know the answer or can’t answer right away. Do you: Secretly look up...
- Online Tutoring
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...
- Online Tutoring
- Our Materials
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...
- Online Tutoring
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...
- Online Tutoring
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...
- Online Tutoring
- Our Materials
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...
- Online Tutoring
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...
- Online Tutoring
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...
- Curiosity
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...
- Online Tutoring
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...
- Conversation
3 English Grammar Mistakes to Always Correct With Beginners
Beginners make all sorts of grammar mistakes! Today, let's go over three categories of mistakes we should look out for....
- Grammar