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Not everything can be taught in the classroom – that’s why we’ve put together a list of 10 English words, slang terms and figures of speech for you to sprinkle into your English conversations. Not sure how to use them? Don’t worry, we’ve included definitions and examples of how to use them in a sentence.

Earworm

A song or tune that, once you’ve heard it, is stuck in your head.

Use it: “That new Taylor Swift song is such an earworm!”

Staycation

Spending your holiday in your hometown rather than traveling abroad. Often spent relaxing around the house or doing activities in the local area.

Use it: “I’m having a staycation this summer, as I’m trying to save money.”

Webisode

An episode or series created exclusively for online viewing. This can be part of a web series or used to promote a television series.

Use it: “There’s a new Breaking Bad webisode online, have you seen it?”

Crowdfunding

Funding a project or business venture by asking a large number of people (typically online) to invest a small amount of money – usually via websites such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo.

Use it: “We raised enough money to launch our business using crowdfunding.”

Glamping

Glamorous camping! Avoiding any rough conditions with luxurious facilities and accommodation, such as a yurt or cabin.

Use it: “We’re going to be glamping at Glastonbury this year.”

Lookalike

Something or someone that closely resembles something else, often used to describe someone who looks very similar to a celebrity.

Use it: “Have you seen the Prince William and Kate Middleton lookalikes over there?”

Handover

This word has a more political significance, in terms of gaining land or ownership. However, its modern usage is commonly in the workplace: The act of passing over control or responsibility to another person while you are off work on holiday or leaving a job.

Use it: “I’ll send my notes in a handover email so you can continue the project while I’m away.”

Meh

When something is a little uninspiring or dull. Also a word you could use to describe your lack of interest or indifference. It’s basically a verbal shrug.

Use it: “The film was a bit meh.”

Binge-watch

Watching multiple episodes of a TV show, one after another, in a single sitting. Usually, with a DVD box set or using online streaming.

Use it: “I’m planning to binge-watch the entire series of Game of Thrones this weekend!”

Spill the tea

When someone 'spills the tea' they are telling you all the latest news or gossip.��

Use it: “Please spill the tea about last week's party!"

There are lots of resources available to English teachers today: from textbooks to online teaching tools, they can all aid and enrich English lessons. Many ESL teachers also introduce authentic English material into their lessons to expose learners to the language as it is spoken in the real world.

Authentic material is any material written in English that was not created for intentional use in the English classroom. Using this content for teaching English can make the teaching experience even more engaging, imaginative and motivating for students. It can also be useful to elicit genuine responses from English language learners.

The great thing about using authentic material is that it is everywhere, which makes it easy to find, and simple for learners to practice English in their own time. Remember that it isn’t limited to articles from newspapers and magazines. Songs, TV programs and films, radio and podcasts, leaflets, menus – anything written in English constitutes authentic material.

Selecting authentic material

The best content to select depends on the learners, their level of English and the course content the English teacher wishes to focus on. It’s also a good idea to find out the learners’ interests – after all, there’s no point trying to get students fascinated by a text on the latest sci-fi movie if they’re all fans of action films.

The materials should reflect a situation that a student may face in an English-speaking environment – this will help them transition into a world where English is the norm. In this world, people use abbreviations, body language is important and they’ll use 'filler' sounds – such as 'ummm' – when they are speaking English – and learners will encounter these in authentic material.

It’s important not to overwhelm learners with the first piece of authentic material. So, choose articles, songs or sections of TV programs or movies that aren’t too difficult to understand or take too long to get through.

“We are all creative, but by the time we are three or four years old, someone has knocked the creativity out of us. Some people shut up the kids who start to tell stories. Kids dance in their cribs, but someone will insist they sit still. By the time the creative people are ten or twelve, they want to be like everyone else.” — Maya Angelou.

We want our kids to excel in everything they do. This is partly down to the media, which has fostered the idea of celebrity kids and football leagues that encourage kids to become professional athletes at the age of eight or younger.

However, we have missed the most crucial thing in their education – and that is to build their character through everyday creative activities which encourage the formation of human connections.

Moving from kindergarten to elementary school

Consider how nervous a first grader must feel after leaving the safe kindergarten playground and entering a strange new 'grown-up' world. The playgrounds are bigger, the kids are older, they have to line up to buy their first meal at the school cafeteria. The classroom has changed too: the desks look different, the books are bigger, and there are new challenges too.

Some are thrilled to feel part of the older kids’ environment. Others, of course, are frightened and insecure. They have to understand and accept all the new rules and regulations, which now apply to them too.

High expectations from parents must be met

We also have moms, dads and caregivers worried for their little ones. They have high hopes for them. They want their children to become successful learners, multi-medal athletes, excellent readers, mathematicians or perhaps scientists…

Professor David Healy, director of the North Wales Department of Psychological Medicine, said:��“We want kids to conform to ideals based often on parental insecurities and ambitions.”

Elementary school has therefore become something resembling a battlefield, where children must thrive in spite of (and not because of) their interests. Only top grades and excellence in everything will make parents proud.

But what if a child is not successful? What if their reading skills are below average? What if their daydreaming about a trip to the moon doesn’t allow them to concentrate?

Then we have two lists of kids, the thriving kids with excellent grades and the other ones.

So how can we take the pressure off and help all kids to thrive? Here are some simple creative activities to help.

Reaching out to your students with a simple hello

When did we forget that education is about promoting playfulness, imagination, and creativity to build up confidence?

My very first and most important recommendation would be this:

Before you start a class, give yourself a moment to say��"Hello"��to each individual in your class. Take that moment to make eye contact with every student and see how they are doing that day.

Make this an important part of your routine. Then have them do the same with their classmates. You could even introduce phrases such as:

• "How was your day yesterday?"
• "How are you feeling today?"
• "What did you have for breakfast this morning?"
• "I notice you look nice today!"

You can also try another creative activity. Ask your students to say good morning to the new day and think of something they are grateful for or someone they are grateful to. For example:

• "Thank you mom, for my breakfast."
• "I am grateful because all my classmates are here."
• "Thank you moon, for your light every night."

These are just a few simple creative activities. But the most important thing to consider, if you want to introduce creativity in the classroom, is that every student needs to feel in a secure and welcoming environment, free of criticism or judgment of their ideas. If you achieve this in your classroom, you will be well on your way to exploring your students’ creativity and building new connections with them.