Running Our First Beginner English Cohort: What Worked, What Didn’t, and What’s Next
- Emma M
- Apr 13
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 23
I have dyslexia and dyspraxia.
I know what it feels like when your brain works differently. When you understand something but cannot get the words out. When you work harder than everyone else and still feel behind.
That is why I built Fully Spoken.
Not to create another language programme, but to create one that actually works for people who have been let down by other approaches.
Running our first Beginner English Cohort was the first real test of that.
The programme ran over four weeks, from 18 March 2026 to 9 April 2026.
What the cohort looked like
Four weeks. Online. Small group. Adult beginners.
Sessions ran on Zoom and were led by Juliana, our specialist language coach.
I kept the group small deliberately. Most learners were elementary to Lower Intermediate. Some had tried to learn English before and stopped. It felt too fast. Too overwhelming. Like it was not built for them.
Our job was simple. Help people speak, read and understand, not just study.
What worked
Juliana was brilliant (Neurodivergent Language Coach with ESOL Teacher background).
She is calm, patient, and knows how to make people feel comfortable quickly. She did not rely on slides or long explanations. She used games, activities, and speaking practice. People were involved instead of just watching.
The moment that stayed with me was the cameras.
At the start, most people kept them off. By the end, more people were turning them on. Smiling. Speaking.
That is not a small thing. That is confidence building in real time.
Riley put it better than I could:
"Awesome English teacher, Juliana! She is full of skills, so kind and patient to every one of us. We played many kinds of games via Zoom instead of just watching slides. I like her laughter and smile! Lovely! Can't wait to see you again next time!"
Queenie said:
"Emma and Juliana, thank you for the Zoom English course and for the time you dedicated to allowing me, a beginner, to participate and giving me the opportunity to practice. It was a very good experience for me."
Queenie’s point about having the opportunity to practise stayed with me. A lot of beginners are told to wait until they are “ready” to speak. You only get ready by actually speaking.
What did not go to plan
This is the part I want to be honest about.
Attendance was a problem.
People secured spots and did not show up. Because the sessions were free, there was not always commitment behind the sign-up. I spent a lot of time engag withing people, sending messages, and following up. That was draining and took time away from everything else.
That taught me quickly. Free does not mean committed.
Promotion was harder than I expected too. Getting in front of the right people when you are building from scratch takes time. Some weeks it felt like no one was seeing it.
We also had mixed levels in the group. Some learners were absolute beginners. Others were further along. That made it harder to keep the pace right for everyone. That part was my oversight. I did not screen properly before the cohort started.
What will change
Future cohorts will require commitment upfront.
We will also screen learners properly before they join so everyone is at a similar level. That makes the sessions better for learners and easier for the coach.
What is next
We have a webinar coming up on 20 May 2026.
It is an honest conversation about why language learning feels so difficult and what actually helps. If any of this resonates with you, it is a good place to start.
You can register here: www.fullyspoken.com
The June cohort follows after that. More structured. More focused. Built on everything we learned from this first run.
Final thought
This first cohort was not perfect.
But people showed up. People spoke. People left feeling more confident than when they arrived.
That is exactly what I set out to build.
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