Teacher or Language Coach? It Depends on the Level

People often call me an English teacher, and they are right. Teaching is my foundation, and I still teach every day. But I also work as a language coach — and the difference matters.

For me, the role changes depending on the level.

In my regular English classes, especially at beginner and elementary levels, I work mainly as a teacher. At this stage, learners need structure, clear explanations, and repetition. They are busy understanding words, sounds, and sentence patterns. Asking them to work on confidence, leadership, or self-awareness would be too much. Here, teaching is essential.

In my Business English and Speak to Lead groups, the situation is very different. The women I work with already have English. They understand meetings, emails, and conversations. What they struggle with is not grammar, but how they feel when they speak. They hesitate, overthink, and often choose silence even when they know what to say.

At this level, my role naturally becomes that of a coach.

We work on real professional situations, communication, and leadership topics. We talk about presence, confidence, and the inner voice that sometimes says “don’t speak.” English becomes a tool for expression, not something to prove.

At ComfyLearning, I am very intentional about this distinction. I teach when structure is needed, and I coach when awareness and self-leadership can truly make a difference.

Knowing when to teach and when to coach is what allows English to feel lighter, more natural, and more empowering. And that is exactly the work I choose to do.