Your student walks into class late again. She’s got her toddler with her because childcare fell through. Another student is checking his phone constantly because his family back home is in crisis. Someone else looks like they haven’t slept in days because they’re so stressed about passing this level.
This is IEP teaching. Your students are dealing with a lot, and sometimes it feels like their English learning is the least of their problems.
But here’s the thing: you can help. Not by solving all their problems (you’re a teacher, not a miracle worker), but by understanding the challenges they face and adjusting your approach to support them.
Let’s talk about the real obstacles your IEP students encounter and what you can do about them.
When Time Is the Enemy
Your IEP students are supposed to be full-time students focused entirely on learning English. That’s the theory, anyway.
The reality? Some of them are juggling a lot more than just classes.
Students with green cards might be working early morning shifts before class. Students with kids are managing childcare, school pickups, sick days, and everything else that comes with parenting. Students dealing with family emergencies back home are staying up all night on the phone trying to help from thousands of miles away.
Even your F-1 visa students who aren’t allowed to work off-campus and don’t have kids? They’re still exhausted from 20-25 hours of class per week, homework from multiple classes, and the mental fatigue of functioning in a second language all day.
So yeah, time is an issue for a lot of your students, even in an intensive program.
Be Flexible When You Can
I’m not saying lower your standards or excuse students from doing the work. But there are ways to be flexible without compromising learning:
Allow occasional disruptions. If a student needs to bring their child to class once because childcare fell through, let it happen. (assuming, of course, that said child isn’t wildly disruptive) If someone needs to step out to take an urgent call, don’t make it a federal case. Life happens.
Offer alternative ways to engage. Can’t make it to class? Let students access a recording if possible. I used to insist on the first day of class that they exchange contact information with at least one other student in that class in case they need to get notes or find out what an assignment is. Create discussion forums where students can participate asynchronously. Give them options to demonstrate learning in different ways.
Make assignments flexible when possible. Instead of rigid deadlines for every small assignment, give students some tasks they can complete on their own timeline. Not everything needs to be due at 8 am Monday.
Build in make-up options. Students will miss class. They’ll be late. They’ll leave early. Have a system for making up work that doesn’t penalize them for having lives outside your classroom.
I once had a student who worked at his family’s bakery starting at 3 am. He’d show up to my 9 am class exhausted. I’d let him sleep through the first 20 minutes while I recorded the lesson introduction. He’d wake up, watch it on his phone with headphones during break, and then fully participate for the rest of class. Did it solve his exhaustion? No. But it let him actually learn instead of just physically being present while his brain was shut down.
Give Them Practical Time Management Strategies
Your students might need concrete suggestions for how to fit English practice into their chaotic lives:
Set specific practice times. Early morning before anyone else is awake. Late at night after kids are in bed. During lunch break. Whatever works for their schedule, but make it specific and regular.
Use small pockets of time. Recommend language learning apps they can use during commutes or while waiting in line. Suggest listening to podcasts while cooking or doing laundry. Every little bit helps.
Combine English with other activities. If they’re supervising kids doing homework, they can do their own homework at the same time. If they’re exercising, they can listen to English podcasts. If they’re cooking, they can watch English cooking shows. While they’re cleaning, they can listen to English ballad songs.
The goal isn’t to add more to their plate. It’s to help them integrate English practice into what they’re already doing.
When Understanding Native Speakers Feels Impossible
Here’s a problem I didn’t fully appreciate until I’d been teaching for a while: students could understand me perfectly in class and then completely fall apart trying to understand native speakers in the real world.
I once tutored a Korean student one-on-one for a couple of hours every day while I was still in university. His English proficiency grew quickly. Too quickly, in a way. He became so accustomed to my pronunciation, my intonation, my rate of speaking that he couldn’t understand even simple answers when he asked questions of other people.
That’s when I realized that if students only ever hear YOUR voice, they’re not prepared for the real world where people talk fast, have different accents and dialects, use slang, and don’t carefully enunciate like teachers do.
Expose Them to Lots of Different Voices
Your students need to hear English from sources other than you:
Use authentic materials. Podcasts, news clips, YouTube videos, TV shows, movie clips. Let them hear different accents, speaking speeds, and speaking styles.
Invite guest speakers. Bring in other teachers, university students, community members. Anyone who speaks differently than you do. No one wants to speak? Invite them to be interviewed. You don’t need to be out sick to use my substitute spotlight activity.
Do role plays with variety. When you’re practicing conversations, model different ways of saying the same thing. Show them that there’s not just one “correct” way to speak English.
The more varied input they get, the better prepared they’ll be for real-world communication.
Teach Pronunciation Explicitly
I know, I know. Some people think explicit pronunciation instruction is old-fashioned or unnecessary. But here’s what I’ve seen: students who struggle to be understood get discouraged, stop trying, and withdraw.
I had one student who was so bubbly and enthusiastic about speaking at the beginning of the semester. She gradually lost all that enthusiasm because while everyone in class could understand her, she struggled to get her meaning across when speaking with others in her community. Her accent was strong, and it wasn’t a common one.
Once we started targeting some of her biggest pronunciation difficulties (not trying to eliminate her accent entirely, just working on the sounds that were causing the most confusion) she blossomed. She regained her love of talking to everyone who stood still longer than 15 seconds.
Use minimal pairs to target specific problem sounds. Teach rhythm and intonation patterns. Record students and let them hear themselves. Give them specific things to practice.
Not every student needs intensive pronunciation work, but for those who do, it makes a huge difference.
When Students Feel Alone
IEP classrooms can be intense, tight-knit communities where students spend hours together every day. But that doesn’t mean everyone feels supported.
Some students are quiet and get overlooked. Some are struggling but don’t want to admit it. Some are dealing with things outside class that make them feel isolated even when surrounded by classmates.
And let’s be real…people don’t always grow up and magically shed their unkind tendencies from middle school. Classroom dynamics can get messy. Cliques form, and some students get left out. Occasionally, someone is outright mean.
You need to create an environment where students feel genuinely supported, not just physically present in the same room.
Give Individual Attention
Go beyond just calling on students by name. That’s necessary, but it’s not enough.
Get to know them. Learn about their goals, their backgrounds, their challenges. When you give feedback, make it specific to them–not generic comments that could apply to anyone.
Notice when they make progress and tell them. “Your pronunciation of /th/ sounds is so much clearer than it was three weeks ago.” “I can see you’re using more complex sentence structures in your writing now.” Specific, personalized feedback shows you’re paying attention.
When students feel seen and known, they feel supported.
Build a Classroom Culture of Support
You set the tone for how students treat each other. If you create a positive, collaborative atmosphere from day one, students will follow your lead.
Encourage students to help each other. Celebrate when someone takes time to explain something to a struggling classmate. Make it clear that everyone’s success is something to be celebrated, not something to be jealous of.
Shut down any meanness or exclusion immediately. If you see cliques forming that leave students out, strategically mix up groups and partners. Don’t let bullying or unkindness take root.
My favorite classes were the ones where students genuinely cared about each other. They’d check in if someone was absent and help each other study. They’d celebrate together when someone passed a hard test. That kind of classroom culture doesn’t happen by accident—you have to intentionally build it.
Use Strategic Grouping
One of the best things I ever did as a teacher was play cultural matchmaker.
I had a grammar class that was 50% Saudi students and 50% Chinese students. They were almost comically stereotypical in their tendencies: the Saudis loved talking and weren’t really on speaking terms with studying outside the classroom, while the Chinese students were super shy about talking but powerhouses when it came to studying.
I paired them up strategically. The more outgoing Saudis took it upon themselves to adopt their Chinese classmate partners and get them talking. The Chinese students covertly got the Saudis to study, even on weekends.
Both groups improved more rapidly than I thought possible. Ever after, I looked for opportunities to pair students who would complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
Study groups and partner work aren’t just about practicing English. They’re about building a support system.
When Resources Feel Out of Reach
Your IEP students are paying tuition for their classes, and presumably they have textbooks and access to school facilities. So, resources aren’t really a problem, right?
Not quite.
The problem isn’t usually access to ANY resources. It’s knowing where to find GOOD resources and how to choose appropriate materials when you’re still learning the language.
Imagine trying to find and select appropriate learning materials for yourself in a language you barely know. Overwhelming doesn’t begin to cover it.
Point Them to Specific Resources
Don’t just say “there are lots of great websites for English learning.” Give them specific recommendations:
Share curated lists. Create a list of apps, websites, YouTube channels, and podcasts that you’ve vetted and know are appropriate for their level. Make it easy for them.
Use digital resources you already have. If your teaching materials include digital components (like Easel activities on TpT that are self-checking and include audio), share those with students. They can work through them independently as extra practice. I have many such materials available in my TpT store.↗
Introduce them to the library. Not everyone comes from a background where libraries are available and utilized. Take class time to show them what’s available. Beyond the books that everyone thinks of first when they think of libraries, there are audiobooks, movies, language learning software, and sometimes even conversation groups. And reassure them that librarians are patient with non-native speakers.
When you give students specific, concrete resources instead of vague suggestions, they’re much more likely to use them.
When Motivation Disappears
Most of your IEP students start the semester motivated. They’re paying money to be there, and they have goals they are committed to.
But motivation doesn’t last forever, especially when progress feels slow or when the pressure gets overwhelming.
Maybe they studied English for years in their home country and thought they were prepared, but now they’re drowning in an English-only environment. Maybe they’ve been in your program for months and feel like they haven’t made the progress they expected. Maybe they failed a level and are demoralized.
Loss of motivation is real, and it can tank a student’s progress.
Give Regular, Specific Feedback
Generic praise doesn’t motivate anyone. “Good job!” means nothing.
Give feedback that’s specific and tied to their personal goals. If a student wanted to improve their speaking fluency and you’ve noticed they’re speaking more smoothly in discussions, tell them. If someone was struggling with essay organization and their latest paper shows clear improvement, point it out.
Regular progress updates, not just grades, but actual observations about their growth, help students see that they’re moving forward even when progress feels incremental.
One thing I did that students loved: informal progress reports. Not long, detailed things. Just a quick note saying “One thing I’ve noticed you’ve improved: [specific skill]. One thing to work on next: [specific goal].” It showed I was paying attention and gave them direction.
Help Them Set Realistic Goals
I once had a Level 1 student who was demoralized after failing the TOEFL. Of course she failed. Her goal of passing with a high enough score to enter university was nowhere near attainable at her current level of proficiency.
Once she reworked her goals to be more realistic and incremental, she regained her spirit. Instead of “pass the TOEFL,” her goals became things like “improve reading speed,” “learn 100 academic vocabulary words,” “write a clear five-paragraph essay.”
Realistic goal setting is an important skill. Help students identify what they want to achieve and break it down into steps they can reach. Then celebrate when they hit those milestones.
Connect English to Their Bigger Picture
One thing I loved about teaching adult ESL was that most of my students WANTED to learn English. They weren’t there because their parents forced them, as is often the case when you teach children.
But wanting to learn and being motivated to do the work are different things. Some students who insisted they needed English were the least motivated, often because they weren’t clear on WHY they wanted to learn.
Help them identify their personal reasons for learning English and connect those reasons to their larger goals. Once they understand how English fits into their bigger picture—getting into a specific graduate program, being able to communicate with their kids’ teachers, landing a job in their field—they’ll be more engaged.
Make Learning Fun Sometimes
This is intensive English, yes. It’s serious, yes. But it doesn’t have to be grim all the time.
Some of my classes loved earning points toward a party. Once the class acquired a certain number of points for participation, homework completion, or whatever, we’d have a mini celebration or potluck.
Others preferred grab-bag prizes that varied by season like flower seeds in spring, hot cocoa packets in winter, and other small silly things that made people smile.
And some groups just loved the ridiculous special privileges I’d offer: sitting in an elaborately decorated “throne” chair for the day, choosing which review game to play, being gifted with the knowledge of my middle name (which I claimed to hate).
Inject some lightness when you can. It helps.
When Authentic English Feels Unreachable
Your IEP students are living in an English-speaking country and sitting in English classes for hours every day. So… they’re getting tons of exposure to authentic English, right?
Not necessarily.
Many IEP students live in communities where English isn’t the primary language spoken. They go home to apartment complexes where everyone speaks their first language. They eat at restaurants where the staff speaks their language. They socialize primarily with people from their country.
And in class? They’re hearing teacher-talk, which is slower, clearer, and more carefully structured than how people speak in the real world. They’re reading textbooks written for language learners, not authentic texts written for native speakers.
So even though they’re physically in an English-speaking country, their actual exposure to authentic English can be surprisingly limited.
Use Real Materials in Class
Bring authentic materials into your classroom regularly (as is appropriate for their level):
Consider bringing in news articles and opinion pieces written for native speakers, not simplified for learners. Share some podcasts and videos on topics your students care about. Use movie and TV clips that show real conversation patterns. Scour local FB community groups (public groups only) and share social media posts, reviews, and comments that show informal written English.
Authentic materials have a different feel that’s incredibly valuable. They show students what English looks like when it’s not filtered through a textbook. Oh, and for a literal “feel”, ask your local library if you can have the next day copies of the local papers if they throw them away. Whether you bring in the whole paper or just cut out a few articles, you’ll have something with a literal authentic feel.
Create Opportunities for Real Interaction
Your students need to interact with English speakers outside your classroom:
Check if there’s a conversation café in your area. These are informal gatherings where English learners can practice with native speakers. Colleges and universities often have them. Churches do as well, but make sure your students know ahead of time which ones are church affiliated to avoid possible awkwardness.
Invite university students to your class for conversation practice. Education majors especially are often looking for opportunities to work with diverse learners. Sometimes it’s even a required part of their coursework that they find and work with some. Give your contact information to those professors who can then pass it on to their students, and you’ll have an easy, steady supply of fresh faces and voices.
Find common interest groups. If your students love hiking, connect them with local hiking groups. If they’re into photography, point them to photography clubs. When they’re interacting around a shared interest, the conversation flows more naturally than in forced “language exchange” settings. If you live in an area with a high population, meetup.com↗ is a great way to find such groups.
Practice Through Role Play
I know role plays can feel artificial, but they’re valuable for students who aren’t comfortable speaking outside the classroom yet.
Start with structured role plays using scripts. Let them practice in a safe, controlled environment. Build their confidence. Then gradually move to less structured scenarios where they create their own dialogues.
Once they’re comfortable speaking in the classroom, they’ll feel more ready to speak outside it. Baby steps matter.
When Moving Up Feels Impossible
One of the most frustrating challenges for IEP students is getting stuck at a level. They’re working hard, they’re improving, but they can’t quite pass to move up.
Sometimes this happens because there are gaps in their knowledge. Sometimes it’s because the jump from one level to the next is HUGE. For example, if your program only has beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, the leap from beginner to intermediate can feel impossible.
Sometimes students are placed in a level that’s too high for them and they’re struggling to catch up. Sometimes they passed the previous level but weren’t really ready, and now they’re drowning.
Make Level Expectations Clear
Students need to know exactly what’s expected at each level. What skills do they need to demonstrate to pass? What does proficiency at this level look like?
If the boundaries between levels are blurry, students don’t know when they’ve made progress or what they still need to work on. Draw a clear line and give them concrete criteria.
I realize this isn’t always within your control, especially if you’re teaching in a program that doesn’t have well-defined level descriptors. But even if you have to create somewhat arbitrary benchmarks, give students something to work toward and look back on with pride.
Provide Targeted Support for Struggling Students
Not every student needs the same help. Some struggle with grammar, some with listening. Some can read fine but fall apart when speaking.
Figure out where each struggling student’s specific gaps are and provide targeted support:
- one-on-one tutoring if your program offers it
- review sessions focused on skills most students are struggling with
- extra practice materials aimed at specific weaknesses
- study guides that break down complex concepts
Don’t assume all students need help or that none of them do. Pay attention to who’s struggling and what they’re struggling with, then address it directly.
Point Them to Additional Learning Opportunities
Encourage students to supplement their IEP classes with other learning experiences:
- workshops or short courses on specific skills
- volunteer opportunities where they’ll need to use English
- clubs or activities where they’ll interact with native speakers in low-pressure settings
These don’t have to be focused on learning English. Taking a cooking class alongside native speakers, for example, provides rich speaking and listening practice without the pressure of a language class. Plus, there’s no need to build common ground first because the shared activity creates it.
The Bottom Line
Your IEP students face real challenges. There’s time constraints, difficulty understanding native speakers, lack of support, limited access to resources, motivation issues, limited exposure to authentic English, and struggles moving between levels. None of these are just minor inconveniences. They’re real obstacles that can derail language learning.
But you can help by:
- being flexible when possible without lowering standards
- exposing students to diverse voices and authentic materials
- creating a genuinely supportive classroom environment
- pointing students to specific, useful resources
- giving meaningful feedback and helping set realistic goals
- creating opportunities for real English interaction
- providing targeted support for individual struggles
You’re not going to solve all your students’ problems. You can’t. But you can make your classroom a place where they feel supported, where they see progress, and where they develop the skills and confidence they need to succeed.
That’s enough.
That’s it from me. See you in the next post!
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