by UNI-Prep Institute · Updated May. 14, 2026
One of the biggest challenges for an English language teacher is keeping students' attention in class. Many teachers stay up late crafting lesson plans and walk into class in the morning full of enthusiasm, only to find a completely different picture. One student is staring out the window, another is chatting with a friend, someone is doodling in a notebook, and someone else has their head on the desk drifting off to sleep. Everyone's mind has wandered in a different direction. Bringing all that scattered attention back to a single focus becomes a tough test for any teacher.
Using students' interests in a TEFL class is a wonderful way to make the English learning process enjoyable and effective. When students' hobbies and real-life experiences are connected to the lesson, they naturally become more engaged in their studies.
So today, we'll explore the top five effective tips and ways to use students' interests to bring the classroom environment to life.
1. Needs Analysis
Survey your students: Right at the start of class, use a short questionnaire or discussion to find out what they enjoy, such as movies, football, video games, music, or technology. Don't rush into the lesson the moment you walk in; first connect with your students. Try to understand what they're most interested in that day. For example, if there was a World Cup semi-final match yesterday, students might be buzzing about it. Try asking, "Who can tell me how many goals X scored yesterday? Raise your hand!" and you'll find hands shooting up eagerly.
Personalisation: Bring their hobbies into the lesson content and examples. For instance, when teaching the Present Perfect, ask football-loving students to write sentences about their favourite footballer's career. Or ask a football fan to act like their favourite player and describe in English how they felt after winning a match.
2. Using Interests as Content
Songs and Lyrics: Listening to English songs, filling in lyrics, or discussing the meaning of a song is a great way to learn vocabulary and grammar. If students are interested in a particular song, ask them to translate it into English or explain its meaning in English.
Videos and Pop Culture: Use popular videos, movie clips, or social media trends. Students can discuss scenes, culture, and fashion in English. However, stay alert, never let the core discussion drift. Have fun, but be serious where seriousness is needed. Otherwise, students may get too excited and the class can get out of hand.
Real-life Materials: Go beyond the textbook, and use magazines, blogs, recipes, or sports news that are relevant to students' daily lives.
3. Active Learning
Role Play: Design role plays or mini-dramas based on what students enjoy, such as ordering at a restaurant, shopping, or travelling. Put yourself in the character of a shopkeeper, put the student in the role of a customer, and sell them something they like. Have a little fun, but stay in control and don't lose sight of the objective.
Storytelling: Give small groups picture cards or word cards and let them create their own short stories. This can turn into a fun game, and when you make it team-based, everyone will strive to win together, and naturally learn English in the process.
Games and Competitions: Students retain lessons better when they learn through vocabulary games or quiz competitions. After completing a lesson, organise a vocabulary game or quiz. Announce the results, and encourage both those who score low and those who score high.
4. Autonomy and Choice
Variety of Tasks: Instead of giving everyone the same task, give students the freedom to choose how they work. Not everyone can do the same thing, and not everyone will enjoy it either. Let each student choose a task related to their interest, whether someone might prefer writing, drawing, or giving a presentation.
Student-Centered Class: Many teachers don't like giving students a chance to speak during class. This isn't always appropriate, especially when you're teaching a language. People often feel nervous about speaking, and if you don't give students the opportunity, that hesitation will linger. Follow the 80:20 rule, where students speak or work 80% of the time, and you give guidance for just 20%.
5. Environment and Encouragement
Positive Environment: Not all students in a class will be equal. Some will understand three lines after being explained one, while others might still not grasp one line after three explanations. But as a teacher, you cannot afford to get discouraged. You'll need to show serious patience. When a student makes a mistake, instead of showing frustration, praise them and build their confidence. You'll find that weaker students gradually start performing better.
Opportunities to Ask Questions: Many teachers deliver non-stop lectures, leaving some content going right over students' heads. Instead of one long lecture, break it into smaller segments. After each segment, take questions from students. Give them plenty of opportunity to ask, as it keeps them engaged in the discussion and makes the lesson come alive.
Conclusion
One of the biggest challenges for an English language teacher is keeping students engaged in class. Staying up all night planning and then delivering a lecture entirely on your own terms rarely produces meaningful results. When you connect students' interests to the lesson inside the classroom, the energy stays alive and learning stops feeling like a burden. At UniPrep Institute, we teach language teachers tips and tricks that make the teaching profession both beautiful and easy. If you're thinking about earning a TEFL certificate and working as a language teacher, you can start your learning journey with UniPrep today.