Some people manage to learn English well without ever stepping into a formal classroom. They do not rely on textbooks or grammar lessons. Instead, they spend hours listening to songs, watching movies or repeating phrases from TV shows. Over time, they begin to understand the language, speak fluently and use expressions naturally.
RM, the leader of the Korean group BTS, for example, learnt English by watching the American sitcom Friends repeatedly. In an interview on The Ellen Show, he explained how he picked up vocabulary, expressions and pronunciation just by immersing himself in the series:
‘I watched them with the Korean subtitles, and then next time, I watched with the English subtitles, and then I just removed it [subtitles]’ (KDrama, The Ellen Show, 2017).
Another example is Rich Brian, also known as Brian Imanuel, an Indonesian rapper who developed his English almost entirely through self-study by watching YouTube videos, interacting online and mimicking what he heard. In one interview, he explained how English started to appear naturally in his thinking:
‘One day, I was just thinking about something, and then – you know when you think and you have that inner voice in your head? . . . I realised it was in English’ (ABC News, 2017).
These examples show that people can learn a lot of English on their own if they are surrounded by the language and stay with it over time. However, not everyone can do that. Most students need structure, guidance and regular practice. This is where the classroom plays an important role. Teachers can give students the kind of input, practice and opportunities they need to use the target language. When students listen to stories, notice how sentences are put together, and use English to speak or write about their ideas, they are actually engaging in the same kinds of learning that helped RM and Rich Brian. The key difference is that, in the classroom, students receive guidance and support instead of having to figure everything out by themselves.
This article takes a closer look at how language learning develops through input, processing and use. It also shares ideas for how teachers can support these three areas using digital tools that are already available.
Input: getting lots of comprehensible English
Input refers to oral or written language that a learner receives, whether through listening or reading, during lessons or in their personal time. This input can take many forms, such as listening to stories, watching educational YouTube videos, or reading articles or short stories. According to Renandya (2011) as cited in Floris et al. (2018:154–177), input promotes learning when it is: comprehensible; available in large and reliable amounts; frequently encountered; slightly beyond the learner’s current level; able to capture the learner’s attention; and is meaningful and interesting. When these conditions are met, input becomes more effective. Learners are more likely to stay engaged, process the language more deeply and retain what they learn.
Online stories, such as those from BookBox Inc, provide rich, repeated input with audio, subtitles and visuals. These animated stories are often based on folk tales or children’s literature that might be ideal for young students. Teachers can use these videos as part of daily input routines, asking students to watch and follow along with the subtitles. After watching, students can practise shadowing or retelling the story in their own words.
Elllo.org offers hundreds of short listening lessons with speakers from around the world. Each lesson includes an audio clip, transcript, vocabulary notes and comprehension tasks. The topics are practical and easy to relate to, including daily routines, travel experiences and hobbies. Teachers can assign specific lessons for listening homework or use them in class. Students can read the transcript while listening, highlight key expressions or answer follow-up questions.
Culips English podcast features listening episodes ranging from 10 to 30 minutes that focus on everyday conversations, expressions and cultural topics. The podcast features natural, unscripted dialogue and covers a wide range of themes, from casual chats about daily life to explanations of phrasal verbs and idioms. Each episode is supported by a full transcript, vocabulary list and study guide available on the website. The content is suitable for upper-intermediate to advanced students. Teachers can select a segment to use in class for listening practice, vocabulary preview or guided discussion.
Extensive Reading Central provides a large collection of graded readers, each with an audio option and comprehension quiz. Texts are organised by level and include both fiction and nonfiction topics. Students can choose stories that interest them and read at their own pace, either in class or independently outside class. Word counts and built-in quizzes help students keep track of their reading over time. Teachers can use this data to monitor student progress, encourage regular reading habits and set reading goals. For example, teachers might ask students to complete a certain number of words or quizzes each week or share new vocabulary in group discussions.
StoryWeaver by Pratham Books is an open-access digital library offering thousands of illustrated stories in English and many other languages. The stories are organised by reading level and theme. The platform includes both fiction and nonfiction texts, from simple tales for beginners to more complex stories for intermediate learners. Stories can be read online or downloaded as PDFs. Teachers can use the site to assign individual or group reading tasks, including activities like silent reading, reading aloud together or simple reading discussions.
Loyal Books provides free access to audiobooks and e-books from classic literature. The site includes many well-known titles by authors such as Mark Twain, Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. Many titles come with both text and audio versions. The language in these texts is often more challenging and generally better suited for upper-intermediate or advanced students. Teachers can select shorter excerpts for classroom use. These can be aired with guiding questions or simplified summaries to expose students to authentic language and literary style.
Giving students plenty of meaningful English to listen to and read is one of the most effective ways to support language learning. When input is clear, interesting and repeated often, students are more likely to stay focused and remember what they learn. Videos, podcasts, audiobooks or graded readers help teachers provide this kind of input in simple and practical ways.
Processing: making sense of the language
After students receive input, they need time and support to make sense of it. This stage, often referred to as ‘processing’, is when they begin to understand how the language works. During this internal processing, learners may engage in consolidation (reinforcing what they have seen or heard before) and reorganising the language in their minds. They might recognise recurring sentence patterns, understand how words are used in context or start to remember useful expressions.
Processing, according to VanPatten (2007) helps connect the language that students hear or read with how it is structured and used. This internal work may not always be visible, but it plays an important role in helping students move from simply understanding English to being able to use it (Ellis, 1994).
Because processing takes time and usually involves repeated exposure, teachers can support this stage by creating a classroom atmosphere that encourages students to slow down and pay closer attention to the language they are working with. One effective way to do this is through digital tools that let students interact with input more actively. Some tools allow students to replay audio, read along with transcripts, highlight useful phrases and practise sentence patterns in context. Such tools help reinforce the link between what students hear or read and how the language is actually used.
AutoSub is useful for generating transcripts from short video or audio clips. Teachers can use these transcripts to create focused language tasks that support processing. For example, they can remove selected words to create a gap-fill activity or scramble sentences for students to reorder. Another activity is to highlight specific grammar structures and ask students to look for patterns in how and when these structures are used.
Vocaroo is a simple browser-based tool where students can record themselves. In class, students can use it to record themselves repeating sentences or reading a short passage aloud. The teacher may first play a short video or podcast clip and ask students to focus on a particular feature, such as sentence stress, intonation or pronunciation of specific sounds. After listening, students can record themselves saying the same sentence or passage, then listen to both the original and their own version to compare.
VoiceTube offers thousands of short videos drawn from authentic sources like TED Talks, news clips and movie scenes. Subtitles and built-in vocabulary support allow students to follow along, replay lines and complete short comprehension tasks. Teachers can select a clip and ask students to focus on one language feature, such as question forms or linking phrases. After watching, students can read the transcript and highlight examples of that feature. They can also try to write out some of the sentences they remember from the clip.
LyricsTraining uses music videos to create interactive listening tasks. As students watch, they type in missing words from the lyrics, which helps them focus on rhythm, pronunciation and useful expressions. Because students can choose songs they enjoy, the tool also encourages repetition and memorisation in a natural way. In class, teachers can choose a level-appropriate song, preview key vocabulary and have students complete the activity individually or in pairs. After that, the class can review the lyrics together, discussing expressions or grammar points.
Listen and Write is a dictation-based platform where students listen to short audio clips and type what they hear. In class, teachers can select a level-appropriate clip and ask students to type the transcript as the audio plays. After completing the activity, they can compare their version with the full transcript and check for any mistakes.
Processing is where students start to notice how English works. This can happen through small, simple activities that ask them to slow down, listen carefully and look closely at the language they hear or read. Processing does not require complex technical tools or complex teaching methods. In many cases, it simply involves helping students notice what they are hearing or reading and reflect on how it works. As Schmidt (1995) cited in Floris et al. (2018) explains, language learning depends on what students notice in the input and what they understand about how it is used.
Use: putting English into practice
Students make real progress when they begin to use English to interact with others. Swain (1995; 2005), as cited in Floris et al. (2018), believes that using language in real situations is one of the best ways to test and improve what students know. When students try to say something in English, they often realise there is a difference between what they want to say and what they can say. This helps them notice what they still need to learn. It also pushes them to try new words, grammar or sentence patterns. Over time, these efforts help students become more fluent in using English.
To support students in using English for communications, teachers can create classroom opportunities that encourage meaningful language use. A number of digital platforms can help students speak, write and interact in meaningful ways, both inside and beyond the classroom.
Padlet is a digital board where students can post messages in different formats, including text, images, audio and video. Teachers can create a Padlet wall with a weekly question, writing task or class topic. Students respond by sharing short paragraphs, audio recordings, photos with captions or short video clips. They can also leave comments on each other’s posts. Padlet boards can remain private within the class or be shared with students in other classes or schools.
TikTok is a fun, low-pressure platform for spoken English practice through short videos. Teachers can start by creating a class TikTok account. They can then ask students to record 30–60 second clips where students give an opinion, describe something, share tips or act out a short conversation. Students submit their videos to the teacher for review before uploading. In class, teachers can play a selection of the clips, invite peer feedback or lead short discussions based on the content. Afterwards, students can revise their videos based on feedback. Final versions can then be uploaded to the class TikTok account, which can be set to private or public.
Language Exchange is a platform that connects language students from around the world for conversation exchanges. Students create a profile, indicate their first and target languages, and connect with partners for text or voice chats. The platform supports English students by giving them opportunities to practise real conversation in a natural, informal setting. Teachers can guide students in preparing for these exchanges with conversation prompts or vocabulary lists. After each session, students can reflect on the experience in a learning journal or group discussion.
Spotify for Podcasters (formerly Anchor) is a platform that allows students to create and share their own podcasts using simple recording and editing tools. To begin, the teacher creates a free account and sets up a class podcast channel. The class then works together to choose a podcast name and theme, for example, daily school life, student opinions or English tips. Students then create short audio segments such as interviews, stories or discussions in English. These can be done individually or in groups. Once the content is ready, the teacher uploads and manages the episodes through the class account, which can be published on Spotify.
Write the World is an online writing community designed for teenage students aged 13–19. Students can write short opinion pieces, reviews or creative texts and receive comments from other young writers around the world. Teachers can use the platform to assign regular writing tasks and guide students through the writing process: brainstorming, drafting, revising and finalising. Teachers can also support students by organising peer feedback sessions and helping with the final edits before publication.
When students use English to create messages, connect with others and share ideas, they begin to see the language not just as a classroom subject but as a tool for real communication. Activities such as podcasting or writing for an audience encourage students to organise their thoughts, choose words carefully and pay closer attention to the speaking or writing context.
This supports Swain’s view (1995; 2005, as cited in Floris et al., 2018) that producing language helps students notice what they can and cannot yet say, which pushes them to improve their language skills. Furthermore, studies show that engaging in authentic communication helps develop grammar, vocabulary and fluency over time. For instance, collaborative writing has been shown to improve grammatical accuracy and overall language competence (Makena, 2023).
Input, processing and use function as an integrated cycle that supports language learning. Input through listening or reading provides students with examples of how English is used. Processing helps them notice useful words, phrases and sentence patterns in what they have heard or read. Use gives them opportunity to practise what they have learnt by speaking or writing.
When these three elements are connected in a lesson, they help students move from passive understanding to active language use. With thoughtful planning, teachers can design lessons where input, processing and use flow naturally from one to the next. Many of the tools introduced earlier, such as BookBox Inc., Padlet or Spotify for Podcasters, can be used in different ways to support this cycle of learning.
These examples illustrate how linking input, processing and use makes lessons more meaningful and engaging for students. They also demonstrate how simple technology, when used thoughtfully, can help teachers guide students through each component of this learning cycle.
Example 1:For example, a lesson might begin with a short, animated video from BookBox Inc. (input). While watching, students are asked to shadow the narrator to build their pronunciation. After viewing, the teacher provides a transcript (either using YouTube’s automatic subtitles or generating one through AutoSub) and asks students to identify specific language features, such as past tense verbs (processing). Finally, students are asked to retell the story in their own words using the past tense forms they observed. They can share their stories by creating short videos for the class TikTok account (use). Example 2:In another lesson, the teacher might start with a listening activity from Culips English podcast or Elllo.org (input). Students listen to the episode while following along with the transcript to improve their comprehension. Next, they are assigned to complete a Listen and Write dictation or reorder jumbled lines from the episode to focus on key expressions, for example, phrases for giving advice, if the episode was on that topic (processing). Then, students are asked to respond to a related prompt such as ‘give advice to a friend who feels nervous before an exam’. Students share their advice by writing short posts on Padlet or recording their thoughts as mini podcasts using Spotify for Podcasters (use). Example 3:Another example involves a class in which students use a graded reader with audio from Extensive Reading Central (input). Students listen to the story while following along with the text to support comprehension. Then, using Vocaroo, they record themselves reading a short passage aloud to practise pronunciation and fluency (processing). Next, they upload their recordings to a shared Padlet wall, where classmates can listen and rate how clear and understandable the recordings are. Students can also give each other short comments on pronunciation or clarity (use). |
Conclusion
Learning English effectively involves receiving plenty of meaningful input, having time to process the language and actively using the language to communicate. Successful language learners like RM and Rich Brian naturally followed this cycle, but most students need structured guidance to do the same. Teachers can support students by carefully planning activities that integrate input, processing and use in clear, practical ways. Simple digital tools such as podcasts, videos, recording apps and online platforms can help teachers make this integration easy, engaging and accessible. By connecting these three key elements consistently in their lessons, teachers provide students with the right support to become active users of English in real-life situations.
