ETAS Podcast

Diverse minds, one goal: making learning work for all (with Pamela Gonzalez)

In this practical and inspiring episode, Anna speaks with a special educator Pamela Gonzalez. Drawing on her extensive experience in the field, Pamela shares classroom-ready strategies that help teachers better support neurodivergent learners while benefiting all students. From simple mindset shifts to her favorite go-to activities that work across diverse teaching and learning contexts, this conversation offers actionable insights that extend beyond the classroom and into everyday life. All views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent or reflect the official position or views of ETAS. About Pamela Pamela is a special educator and educational leader based in Zurich, Switzerland. She holds a Master’s degree in Special Education and has a lot of experience in special education, ESL, and inclusive teaching practices. She currently serves as Vice President of the English Teachers Association of Switzerland (ETAS) and works with the ETAS Publications team as the journal designer. Her work focuses on neurodiversity, inclusive education, and helping teachers create more accessible and supportive learning environments for all students. Find out more about ETAS: ⁠https://www.e-tas.ch/ [https://www.e-tas.ch/]⁠ Send us your comments and suggestions: ⁠podcasts@e-tas.ch [podcasts@e-tas.ch]⁠ Podcast team: Host: Anna Boyko Editor: Maria Terec

The language of connection: teaching English at Swiss public schools (with Bettina Coppens)

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Bettina Coppens, an experienced English teacher and local councilwoman. In this episode, we explore the power of personal storytelling in the classroom, today's classroom challenges and creative teaching strategies that work. Bettina also offers insight into her work beyond the classroom, highlighting how educators can influence policy, and make a lasting impact by planting small but meaningful seeds in their students’ lives. All views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent or reflect the official position or views of ETAS. About Bettina Bettina Coppens, with MAs in English Linguistics and Education, currently teaches English at Swiss public schools after years of teaching various subjects and being a mentor teacher. Now part-time, she balances teaching with roles in teacher associations, the Aargau Department of Education, her position as a member of the local council, and ETAS. Bettina’s main interests lie in teaching teenagers and young adults, interacting with fellow teachers from various schools, as well as being engaged in the bigger picture of teaching. Find out more about ETAS: ⁠⁠https://www.e-tas.ch/⁠ [https://www.e-tas.ch/]⁠ Send us your comments and suggestions: ⁠⁠podcasts@e-tas.ch [podcasts@e-tas.ch] ⁠ [podcasts@e-tas.ch]⁠Podcast team: Host: Anna Boyko Editor: Maria Terec

Teaching students how to learn: what should every teacher know? (with Rachael Harris)

In this episode, host Anna speaks with Rachael Harris — a Special Educational Needs coordinator in a bilingual primary school and an experienced educator with over 30 years teaching ELT, literature, CLIL, and media studies — about the role of learning strategies in language learning. The conversation explores which strategies matter most at different proficiency levels, how and when to introduce reflection, and how teachers can support both struggling learners and high achievers. Rachael and Anna also discuss practical questions, from getting started with explicit strategy instruction to integrating it into everyday lessons, even in multilingual classrooms, and share simple routines teachers can use right away — along with the strategies that have helped Rachael on her own lifelong learning journey. All views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent or reflect the official position or views of ETAS. About Rachael Rachael Harris is a Special Educational Needs coordinator in a bilingual primary school, she has also taught ELT, literature, CLIL and media studies to students of all ages for over 30 years. She has published material including several books on inclusion and learning strategies. She is a life-long learner, passionate about learning theory, connection and Inclusion. Rachael’s LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachael-harris-0468597b/]and books [https://www.deltapublishing.co.uk/person/rachael-harris-4489/?page_id=1⁠] Find out more about ETAS: ⁠https://www.e-tas.ch/ [https://www.e-tas.ch/]⁠ Send us your comments and suggestions: ⁠podcasts@e-tas.ch [podcasts@e-tas.ch] ⁠ Podcast team: Host: Anna Boyko Editor: Maria Terec

Business English teaching: done differently? (with Ian McMaster)

In this episode, Anna speaks with Ian McMaster, a leading voice in business communication and a long-standing figure in the business English community, about how the field has evolved over the past decades. Drawing on his extensive experience in publishing, consulting, and professional networks, Ian reflects on how he entered the profession, key shifts in materials and methodology, and changing client expectations. They also discuss the role of ‘perfect English’ in today’s global workplace and consider what the future of international business communication could mean for teachers and learners. All views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent or reflect the official position or views of ETAS. About Ian Ian McMaster is a business communication consultant, journalist, and author. He served as editor-in-chief of Business Spotlight magazine from 2001 to 2021 and previously coordinated IATEFL BESIG. His most recent publication, co-authored with Bob Dignen, is Trainingsbuch Business English – Kommunikation und Zusammenarbeit in internationalen Teams (Haufe). Ian is a longtime member of ETAS and a regular presenter at international conferences. Ian’s LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-mcmaster-51823a4/]. Find out more about ETAS: ⁠https://www.e-tas.ch/⁠ [https://www.e-tas.ch/] Send us your comments and suggestions: ⁠podcasts@e-tas.ch⁠ [podcasts@e-tas.ch] Podcast team: Host: Anna Boyko Editor: Maria Terec

AI in language teaching: friend, foe or just a toy? (with Ben Hoyt)

In this episode of the ETAS Podcast, Anna welcomes educator and EdTech observer Ben Hoyt to explore what AI really means for the language classroom. Drawing on decades of teaching experience and a long history with digital technologies, Ben reflects on the rapid rise of generative AI and shares personal observations from both teaching and studying, raising important questions about learning, creativity and accountability. This episode invites listeners to consider AI's true place in English language teaching. All views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent or reflect the official position or views of ETAS. Content warning: This episode includes discussion of distressing experiences related to mental health, including self-harm. You may wish to skip the section from min. 38 to min. 40:30 and from min. 43 to min. 43:30. About Ben Ben has worn many hats in ETAS since he joined around 15 years ago. In addition to being the ETAS president, he also served as the Web Chair and a member of the web team for many years, which included the years of “Surprise! All events have to be online now” during the pandemic. He’s been teaching English for almost 20 years but that came after his first career as a digital artist and computer animator in San Francisco. He was on the internet before Google existed and has followed tech trends enthusiastically ever since. He did online teaching back in 2010 and has been integrating digital tools into his real-life classrooms since before then. Find out more about ETAS: https://www.e-tas.ch/ [https://www.e-tas.ch/] Send us your comments and suggestions: podcasts@e-tas.ch [podcasts@e-tas.ch] Podcast team: Host: Anna Boyko Editor: Maria Terec