DEVELOPOD - The IATEFL TDSIG Podcast

In this episode, Helen and Emily discuss her eclectic career, including teaching, teacher training, authoring books like Voices for National Geographic Learning, running online courses, and creating doodle and sketchnote visual resources. Emily describes teaching ESOL learners from refugee backgrounds and embraces a nomad lifestyle, traveling while working remotely. She highlights persistent issues in ELT like native speakerism and lack of LGBTQ+ representation, though she notes growing awareness of diverse Englishes and localisation in teaching materials. Looking ahead, Emily will continue visual recording and write about her digital nomad experiences. Emily emphasises how supportive the ELT community is and encourages us to: embrace creativity and messiness in teaching and learning, network and take opportunities, and feel the fear, turn off your inner troll, and draw anyway!

Emily’s website: www.EmilyBrysonELT.com   www.EmilyBrysonELT.com/freebies/   
www.EmilyBrysonELT.com/all-courses/  www.EmilyBrysonELT.com/resources/ 

Contact Emily via LinkedIn or Instagram and Facebook @emilybrysonelt or via her website www.EmilyBrysonELT.com/contact

In this episode, Emily references:
Voices & Impact: https://www.eltngl.com/sites/Voices/home & https://www.eltngl.com/sites/impact/home   

Chia Suan Chong - Successful International Communication: https://chiasuanchong.com/about-me/

Rachael Roberts, Business Coaching: www.EarnLiveThriveinELT.com

Jennifer Murray, Copywriting Support: https://www.bestwordscopywriting.com/   

Canva: www.canva.com  

To find the complete archive of Developod episodes, go to tdsig.org/developod-tdsigs-podcast

In this episode, Cecilia Lemos-Harmer and Adrian Underhill explore how language learning is deeply connected to identity, emotion, and embodiment, rather than being a purely intellectual process. Adrian argues that effective language development happens when learners feel psychologically safe, engaged, and willing to experiment with new sounds and expressions. He emphasises the teacher’s role in creating conditions for learning by managing attention, presence, and classroom energy, rather than simply delivering content. He also highlights pronunciation and voice work as gateways to confidence, self-expression, and communicative competence, noting that learners often need permission to “be different” in another language. This conversation between Ceci and Adrian reframes language teaching as a human, relational practice, where awareness, trust, and physical engagement are central to meaningful learning.

Visit Adrian’s website: https://adrianunderhill.com/ 

To find the complete archive of Developod episodes, go to tdsig.org/developod-tdsigs-podcast

Helen and Dr Harry Kuchah Kuchah reflect on his lifelong ELT journey, beginning with helping classmates in Cameroon and moving through roles as a primary-teacher educator, UK-based researcher, Ministry of Education policymaker, IATEFL President, Chair of the British Council’s English Language Advisory Group, and Director of the University of Birmingham’s MSc TESOL programme, where he also mentors four PhD students in multilingual education. Guided by the Ubuntu idea that “I am because you are,” he values community and collective work. Harry notes that ELT is becoming more context-sensitive and globally connected, and he advocates for deeper engagement with multilingualism and how languages enrich one another. Seeing language as a tool rather than a product, he argues for assessment that recognises meaningful, culturally situated communication instead of standard RP norms. Though he never sought leadership, relationships led him there, and he views education as a calling rooted in care, mentorship, and human connection.

Harry at the University of Birmingham: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/education/staff/profile?Name=dr-harry-kuchah-kuchah&ReferenceId=206555

Harry’s Plenary Session on 'Teaching English in Difficult Circumstances at 2015 IATEFL Conference in Manchester: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/news-and-events/iatefl-online/2015/plenary-harry-kuchah  

Harry’s contribution to the British Council Podcast series ‘Our World Connected’  on the theme: What role does English play in our multilingual world? https://www.britishcouncil.org/research-insight/our-world-connected-podcast/english-multilingual-world

Harry’s autobiographical chapter in Alan Maley's open access edited book is available here: https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/publications/case-studies-insights-and-research/developing-expertise-through-experience

The Publication from the Africa ELTA Teacher Research mentoring programme can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UIKoFKdwynMvNs4Mj5FyaZZioMgwwBPE/view

To find the complete archive of Developod episodes, go to tdsig.org/developod-tdsigs-podcast

In this episode, Helen and Ana Paula Biazon Rocha discuss Ana’s journey in ELT, emphasizing her passion for pronunciation and teacher development. She started teaching at 17 in Brazil, influenced by her family of educators and legacy. Anna's interest in pronunciation stemmed from personal challenges and feedback from teacher trainers – while seeking to improve, she discovered a passion. She highlights her shift from a teacher-centered to a student-centered approach, the importance of human connection in learning, and the need for us teachers to feel that we’re not alone but  part of a teaching community. Ana's career evolved through self-study, workshops, and courses, including a Cambridge Delta and an MA in TESOL. She says that students become teachers who become students… The learning cycle is ongoing! Ana advises novice teachers and those coming to another country to learn, grow, and teach to believe in themselves, study, and embrace continuous learning. Be an open teacher-learner and find your passions!

Ana mentions:
- Cambridge Delta
- MA in Applied Linguistics - University of Sheffield
- MA in TESOL - University of Sheffield
(Ana completed the MA in Applied Linguistics with TESOL in the academic year 2017-2018. After the COVID pandemic, this course was split into two: MA in Applied Linguistics and MA in TESOL, so her original Masters course does not exist anymore at the University of Sheffield. Students choose one or the other now.)
- An article Ana wrote: MA student Ana Paula Biazon Rocha on why she chose Sheffield
(Side note: This goes back when she was interviewed by the University of Sheffield to talk about my life as an MA student in 2018. After she finished her MA course, she started working as an English Language Tutor at the English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC) at the University of Sheffield and has been doing so for nearly seven years. So she was a student who became a staff member at the university.)
- IATEFL PronSIG blog

Listeners can contact Ana by email: [email protected] or on social media:
1. LinkedIn: (her full name: Ana Paula Biazon Rocha)
2. Instagram: @anapaulabiazonrocha
3. Facebook: Ana Paula Biazon Rocha

To find the complete archive of Developod episodes, go to tdsig.org/developod-tdsigs-podcast

In this episode, Helen & JPB Gerald discuss his professional foundation in ELT and his current work writing articles, essays, and books, focusing on language, race, neurodivergence, and critiquing the ELT industry. Justin talks about motivation, personal struggles, his writing process and style, and shares his evolution as a writer. He shares his perspectives on academic writing and the importance of grounding theory and personal connections in research. He also discusses slavery along with overt and subtle racism and oppression. and self-identifies as a "heckler", pointing out that if we don’t jump in and speak out, nothing will change. 

Check out his website: https://jpbgerald.com/

To find the complete archive of Developod episodes, go to tdsig.org/developod-tdsigs-podcast