5 Common Mistakes English Teachers Make (and How to Avoid Them)

Every teacher slips into habits now and then, especially when juggling lesson planning and full timetables. But some habits can quietly hold learners back from making progress.

In over 20 years of teaching and training, I’ve noticed the same issues crop up again and again. The good news is they’re easy to fix once we recognise them.

There are many potential pitfalls in language teaching, but here are five common ones I’ve seen (and sometimes made myself), along with practical ways to avoid them.

1. Talking too much

It’s easy to slip into the role of lecturer, especially when we know our subject well and want to explain it clearly. But if most of the talk in class comes from us, learners don’t get enough opportunities to practise the language themselves.

Research in language learning consistently shows that students need both comprehensible input (Krashen, 1985) and, just as importantly, opportunities for output (Swain, 1995). If teacher talk dominates, learners may understand the explanation but leave class with little practice producing the target language.

How to avoid this mistake:

• Set up tasks that shift the focus. Use pair work, group work, and roleplays so students are speaking to each other, not just to you.
• Keep explanations short. Break instructions into small steps, demonstrate rather than over-explain, and check understanding with quick questions.
• Use monitoring, not centre stage. Step back and listen while students work, noting errors or successes to highlight later.
• Measure your TTT (Teacher Talking Time). A simple reflection: in this lesson, did learners speak more than I did? If not, plan the next one to reverse the balance.

Reducing teacher talk doesn’t mean saying nothing – it means creating the space for learners to take centre stage.

2. Focusing on accuracy over fluency

Accuracy is important, but when every mistake is corrected the moment it’s made, learners can become hesitant and lose confidence. If students are afraid of “getting it wrong,” they may hold back from speaking at all, which defeats the purpose of language learning.

The balance really depends on the activity. In controlled practice, including drilling, it makes sense to focus closely on accuracy and give immediate correction. But in freer speaking activities, where the aim is communication, it’s usually better to step back, let learners talk, and save most corrections for later.

Fluency comes from using the language in real time, even if errors happen along the way. Learners need the freedom to experiment, take risks, and keep the conversation flowing. Over time, this practice provides the foundation on which accuracy can be built.

How to avoid this mistake:

• Match correction to activity type. Prioritise accuracy in controlled practice, and fluency in freer tasks.
• Correct selectively. Focus on errors that interfere with communication or relate to the target language or lesson aim. Ignore slips that don’t affect understanding.
• Encourage risk-taking. Let learners know mistakes are part of the process. Praise their effort to communicate, not just their accuracy.
• Balance your lesson plan. Include a mix of accuracy-focused and fluency-focused tasks so learners build both.

When accuracy and fluency are balanced in this way, learners gain confidence and improve their command of English more effectively.

3. Following the coursebook too closely

Most coursebooks are designed as a framework, not a script. Yet it’s easy to fall into the habit of treating the book as the lesson, moving from page to page without much adaptation. This feels safe and saves preparation time, but it can quickly lead to lessons that are predictable and less responsive to your learners’ needs.

Coursebook writers themselves usually expect teachers to supplement and adapt. Teacher’s notes often suggest optional activities, extra materials, or ways to expand on the unit. If we ignore those and stick rigidly to the book, students miss out on variety, authenticity, and opportunities to practise language in ways that connect with their own interests.

How to avoid this mistake:

• Use the book as a guide, not a bible. See its sequence as one possible route through the material, not the only one.
• Supplement strategically. Bring in authentic texts, songs, short videos, or real-life objects to make the language more engaging. For example, if the unit introduces directions, supplement with a real city map or an app screenshot.
• Adapt tasks for level and context. Simplify or expand exercises depending on the group. A controlled gap-fill can easily become a pair-work quiz, or a reading text can lead to a roleplay.
• Connect with learners’ interests. If a unit’s theme is “holidays” but your class is more interested in music or sport, keep the grammar focus of the unit but swap in contexts they’ll relate to.

By loosening our reliance on the book, we shift the focus back to learners and open the door to more dynamic, responsive lessons.

4. Adapting materials to your style and interests instead of your learners’

It’s natural to fall back on what feels comfortable. Many teachers unconsciously shape lessons around their own preferred learning style, whether that’s visual, auditory, or something else. The problem is that this doesn’t always match the way our learners process information best.

For example, if you’re a visual learner yourself, you might instinctively reach for diagrams, slides, or boardwork. But what if you’re teaching a group of very young learners who respond better to movement and songs? Or adult students preparing for an exam who need repeated opportunities to produce language under time pressure?

Research in second language acquisition (for example, Lightbown & Spada, How Languages are Learned) cautions against teaching only through one preferred “style”. Learners don’t all benefit from the same type of input, and a teacher’s natural preference may not match the way students engage best. A balanced mix of activity types gives everyone more chance to succeed.

But it’s not just about learning style – it’s also about interests. Materials and lesson themes that engage you might leave your learners cold. A football-based reading text could be perfect for one class (and for you) but fall flat with a group who prefer music or technology. Sticking too rigidly to topics you find engaging risks alienating students who don’t share those interests.

How to avoid this mistake:

• Take time early in a course to notice how your students respond. Do they engage more with tasks that are spoken, written, kinaesthetic, or interactive? Which themes spark the most discussion?
• Build in opportunities to find out what they care about – simple surveys, warm-up discussions, or even observing what they talk about informally before class can give you clues.
• Mix activity types to reach different learners. For example, start one lesson with a picture prompt on the board, the next with a short video, and another with a hands-on task (like sorting word cards). Varying the way you introduce or practise language keeps the class fresh and makes it more likely that every learner finds an entry point that works for them.
• Rotate themes and examples to connect with different interests across the group. If one lesson uses sport, the next might draw on music, food, or travel.

Ultimately, it’s not about tailoring everything to each individual preference, but about offering a balance of input, practice opportunities, and engaging themes so that every learner finds something that connects with them.

5. Not encouraging practice outside class

Even with the best lesson plans, classroom time is limited. In many contexts, learners may only get an hour or two of English per week. That’s simply not enough exposure for them to make real progress – especially if they spend the rest of their time immersed in their first language.

Without extra practice, the language you cover in class can quickly fade. Learners need opportunities to revisit, recycle, and use English between lessons if they’re going to retain it. Most students now have easy access to resources that make this possible, but they often need encouragement and direction from us as teachers.

How to avoid this mistake:

• Suggest practical, low-stakes activities. Encourage learners to keep a short journal, label objects around the house, or send you one WhatsApp message a day in English.
• Point them to accessible resources. Free podcasts, YouTube channels, apps, and graded readers can give learners extra input that matches their level.
• Promote interaction. Suggest language exchanges, conversation clubs, or even setting up class WhatsApp groups where learners can ask and answer questions in English.
• Set small, achievable goals. For example: “Try listening to one three-minute podcast each day this week” feels realistic and motivating.

Asking learners to practise outside class doesn’t mean overloading them with homework. It means equipping them with simple, enjoyable ways to keep the language alive in their daily routines.

Wrapping Up

No teacher is immune to these pitfalls – I’ve certainly made them myself. The important thing is to notice when they creep in and make small adjustments. By adapting materials to learners’ needs and interests, loosening our grip on the coursebook, encouraging practice outside class, giving students more speaking time, and balancing accuracy with fluency, we give learners a much better chance to succeed.

Of course, these five aren’t the only mistakes teachers can make – just some of the most common. What matters is staying reflective and open to change.

Have you noticed other pitfalls in your own teaching, or ways to avoid them? Share your thoughts in the comments below.