What does a teacher make a teacher? For Sergey, it’s all about delivery, using social media channels to broaden his approach in his teaching skills. Using figurative notion, comedic acting, and simple fun and games to boost the viewer’s motivation in actually wanting to learn English. Whatever social platform available, using different monikers for each of them: Demetskyser on Insta, Serdemfun on TikTok, or simply Demetsky English on YouTube.
In his comedic and interactive way of teaching, Sergey early on mixed his passion of acting with his academic knowledge in English, and created unique learning techniques that underline his ‘learning with FUN’ headline statement on his TikTok. A statement proven right when he gained early teaching skills by traveling to China to learn English to little kindergarten-aged kids: using the game Twister on the ground and having the kids stand in a row on front of the mat, making them follow the route of the mat’s round shaped colors in specific motions: Sergey would tell each kid to either fly, run, dive, or jump, etc. – using only the English words – while the kids had to either jump, run, or doing flying/dive motions on the mat, proving their understanding of the words. This technique, followed by many others, eventually translated into an influencer platform where fun is given a new meaning when Sergey either acting out a scenario playing two roles in one, making you interact in the videos as conversation (with breaks in the video to let the viewer do their sentence) or breaking down wordplays and alternatives with clever examples given – all in a playful, comedic and visual approach, making it easier for the viewer to get to not only knowledge, but also a feeling how to use and live in English.
Now, ready to boost more ideas and concepts for the future, Sergey is planning his next moves to bring to the next level, and to re-awaken his social media channels as a renewed influencer, and took the time to discuss his work and what’s behind it in interview form. Below, Sergey discusses with The Urban Twist about his route in becoming a teacher and influencer, how he came up with different ideas, what’s behind his made-up scenarios in his videos and reels, additional tips to better your English, and future plans:
First and foremost, what drove you to become an English teacher?
When I graduated from high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do in life. Fortunately, my dad advised me to learn languages and travel until I figured it out. So, after five years of studying languages and traveling, I earned a degree in teaching Persian and English.
But what drove me to become an English teacher? Honestly, I just wanted to improve my own English! I knew that the quickest way to understand something better is to teach it to someone else. After some practice in the US, I felt ready for a teaching internship in China. I moved there for six months and taught English in a variety of extremely challenging settings – from public school classes with a hundred students each, to training centers with 1- to 3-year-old toddlers!
Although it was hard, it gave me a lot of energy and practical knowledge about children’s mindsets and psychology. These discoveries, which I continue to make every day, keep the fire inside me burning, driving me toward more and more adventures in the field of language teaching.
What I admire about your teaching style is that you found an interactive way to communicate in your videos with a second person: the ‘student’ that’s actually not there (as you are on your own in your videos), but the viewer becomes the student when they watch and participate on their own. For example, in your ‘Unlock Fluency’ video you switch roles with the viewer/student of either being the manager of a bank or a customer who applies for a mortgage, practicing business-related sentences. That’s a really awesome technique. How did you come up with these ideas?
I guess this is how I express myself as an actor, because I’ve always wanted to become one. In general, I believe teachers should be able to shift their personalities during class to make the lessons more engaging and fun, and I often come up with something new while teaching. I always think it would be cool to share these ideas with others, especially because people tend to make similar mistakes, and many of them see themselves in these videos, I think. They act as emotional anchors, helping people remember the lesson, and avoid repeating the mistake.
I believe this is one of the most effective and engaging ways to help people correct their errors. Sometimes, certain students may feel offended by these videos because they recognize their own mistakes in them. I usually portray those moments in a silly and exaggerated way to dig deeper emotionally, so that the experience sticks with them and they remember it later.
It looks like you have a lot of fun though, is it?
It is. There are two things that make me happy in life: the first is teaching, and the second is making videos. I remember meditating after those moments, trying to track my emotions and how I felt after certain activities. After doing these two things, I felt absolutely amazing! This is something I truly love doing.
Very amazing! Your interactive and fun approach stimulated people to learn the language. When teaching people either in person or online, do you notice a difference in a student’s study behavior when using these techniques?
I used to prefer teaching in person because it allowed me to connect more deeply with students. But over time, I realized that one-on-one instruction wasn’t enough for me: I wanted to reach a larger audience. Not just one person, or even a hundred people over the course of my life, I wanted to teach many more. So I decided to put myself out there and start making videos. At first, I thought the value might be superficial, but it turned out to be both efficient and effective in how people learn, and in how grateful they are for what they receive. So, I was wrong, I suppose: one-on-one teaching isn’t the only way. It’s not the only effective method, and certainly not the only way people can learn.
It’s great to reach so many people! Do also more people approach you directly because of these videos, for one-on-one teachings, etc.?
Yeah, I receive a lot of requests. Whenever I have time within the four hours a day that I dedicate to teaching my V.I.P. students privately, I try to take on new students as well. That said, I usually don’t need to announce any availability – most new students come through referrals, recommendations, or word of mouth.
When I do get requests, I always speak with the person first to see if we’re a good fit and to confirm whether the pricing works for them. I probably should include that information – class rates, how to book, and available time slots – on my Linktree.
For now, I’m happy with how students find me, but yes, I do receive these kinds of inquiries all the time.
I can imagine that. It seems difficult to really know what’s a good rate or how it should look like, et cetera.
Yes, of course. People can always book classes on various online platforms where they can study for around ten dollars an hour – something more affordable for many. I understand that. That said, I operate at a higher level, and I want to be clear: I’m not trying to come across as a greedy bastard or anything like that. 😅
The students who come to my classes usually want to improve their English quickly, and I believe it’s because of the way I teach. My lessons are structured into four core skill areas: speaking, grammar, listening, and reading. I teach Monday through Friday, with each day dedicated to one of those skills. For example, Monday is speaking, Tuesday is grammar, Wednesday and Thursday are listening and reading, and so on.
This structure helps students stay engaged: they don’t get bored, and they get consistent practice across all the key areas. I didn’t invent the material myself; I use textbooks and established resources. But I’ve grouped the content in a way that makes the learning process feel more natural and well-balanced.
I can imagine and relate. You also traveled a lot in your lifetime and visited many different countries. Are there any important key components in learning the language verbally (or when obligated to speak English) that would be more challenging in a traditional physical school setting?
I believe traveling is quite important, especially when you’re learning a language. One of the most valuable things you can do while traveling is talk to as many people as possible. Engaging in real conversations helps you grow, and you should make a conscious effort to do that.
Some people, when learning English, are afraid to show their current level, whether it’s basic or even intermediate. Even those with a solid grasp of the language can still feel shy. But honestly, it should be the opposite: they should go out, speak, practice, see where they stand, and break through that barrier.
Even in my own experience, I work with British and American colleagues. During lessons, I often recommend my students to them and try to arrange weekly practice sessions so my students are exposed to different accents and speaking styles. They may be comfortable with me and think they’re doing well, but when faced with someone new, they can struggle. That’s exactly why it’s important to speak with as many people as possible.
Do you need to travel to do that? Not necessarily. But if you want to learn more effectively and progress faster, traveling can definitely help.
Yeah, a language you can’t only learn from books, right? You just really have to meet people and start a conversation, etc.
Yes, and it’s not just about listening to audio from books, recordings, or videos. Real conversations are often different: they flow differently, and they challenge you in unexpected ways. Sometimes, you simply have to find ways to communicate with people from different cultural backgrounds and mindsets. In those moments, you realize that no one is blaming you, and no one expects you to speak perfectly. That’s when the barrier starts to break – you feel relaxed, you feel honest, and you begin to understand that making mistakes is part of the process. The other person might make mistakes too, and that’s perfectly okay. In fact, some people manage to communicate effectively using just gestures or body language. So the main goal is always the same: to understand and to be understood. That’s the most important thing, especially when people start traveling, attend language schools, or study abroad. That’s when this realization usually happens
“Experience leaves a mark, and shaped my own teaching philosophy”
I remember when I was teaching kids in China, around 8 or 9 years old, who went on a 10-day summer camp trip to London. They were shy, lacked confidence, and were honestly quite scared before the trip. But when they came back, they were surprisingly confident – even overconfident, I’d say! They were still making a lot of mistakes in English, but they didn’t care anymore, which was fascinating. What their teachers in London told them was something they had never heard before. At home, they were told things like, ‘Do your homework neatly, write perfectly, and don’t make any mistakes.’ But in the UK, the approach was completely different.
That experience left a mark on them, and it shaped my own teaching philosophy as well. I take a similar approach, and I believe that’s one of the most valuable things that traveling, studying abroad, and simply connecting with new people can teach you.
Yeah, and about your teaching work in China: Really really great ideas that you used for the kids! The Twister game that you placed on the ground, you saying words like ‘flying’ ‘swimming’, ‘rowing’, etc., in English, and the kids – standing in a row – each of them acting out the movements on the Twister mat individually. It was really fun to see this method live on your former Insta-stories, and a great approach. Was this your idea?
Yeah, it was! I’ve never seen anyone else do that, and I thought it would be fun. Usually, people use Twister as a tool for teaching colors, like ‘touch this color’ or ‘step on that color.’ But I wanted to go beyond that. I basically tried to review sewing material and learn about other materials, and that’s how I came up with it. I think I really made full use of the mat; it was all scratched up and worn out after those classes! 😅
I think it was awesome! What I also like is the visual aspect in your teaching posts/videos/reels. For example using images of words that can relate to each other, like world and land, or straw and pipe, to be able to differentiate them better. Do you notice that people respond to some of your learning techniques more than others (some posts getting more responses, for example)?
Yeah, I always try to analyze my posts and reels, but I still can’t really figure out what gets the best retention, or what brings in the most views and likes. I mean, there are algorithms at play, and sometimes it’s impossible to know exactly what works. You just have to create high-quality content and hope it goes viral.
Let’s say you made five really well-produced videos, and only one of them goes viral: it doesn’t necessarily mean that video was better than the others. It could just be timing or luck. That’s why it makes sense to repost the other four later and see how they perform. It’s all part of playing the algorithm game. But I guess the most important thing is to keep improving your content quality and trust that the algorithm will eventually pick up on it. Sometimes, little things matter, like the thumbnail, the background, or even how your face appears in the frame. Videos tend to be more engaging if there are two or three people in them. And if you use an idea that has already gone viral somewhere else, there’s a good chance it’ll perform well for you too.
“I couldn’t rely on viral clips anymore, I needed to come up with something unique and interesting”
I remember when I first started, I was just lip-syncing to other people’s videos. I’d look for viral clips, copy them, and see how they did, and honestly, they usually performed pretty well. That strategy worked at the time, but couldn’t rely on that anymore. I needed to come up with something unique and interesting, so I wouldn’t make any content for two or three weeks because I was brainstorming new ideas: how to shift my approach, get more views, attract more ad deals, and offer real value through my videos. I still haven’t fully figured it out, because I don’t want to just copy what other teachers on Instagram are doing. There are so many of them now, and that makes it even more challenging.
In your made-up scenarios (for example a customer struggling to articulate what he wants to buy; you playing both the cashier and buyer at the same time) I like the comedic ideas, while also providing different options on how to articulate sentences. Would you say that next to being an educator, do you see yourself as an entertainer too (with comedy in your teaching style), or a mix of both?
Well, as I’ve always wanted to be an actor (including a media actor), what I try to do is to perform while also teaching people something useful. I realized that if I were only an actor, I wouldn’t be able to teach. But since I’m also a teacher, with both the skills and background, I can do that, too. So for me, it’s a combination of both. It’s entertaining and educational – not just for others, but for me as well. Teaching is a two-way process: you teach people, they teach you something in return, and you both grow. That’s what I really love about my work.
What’s also great is that you differentiate words in either basic English or IELTS-English. In general, what would you say is what a student struggles most when learning the language (or something that you advise to focus on)?
When I make videos about different English levels, I always emphasize that the vocabulary should be used in context. The words I teach can definitely help learners prepare for exams like IELTS, but it’s crucial that they understand how to use them correctly. Even if a word translates the same way or is a synonym of another, using it incorrectly in context can lead to misunderstandings.
That’s why the most important thing in language learning is to take it easy and understand that it takes time – not just a year, maybe not even two. You should relax and enjoy the process of learning English (or any other language). Have fun with it, but also make sure you’re learning with someone who gives you a clear roadmap: what to do, how to do it, and when.
If you’re not enjoying it, something likely needs to change. The only approach that truly works in the long term is enjoying the learning process. That’s the key. It may take time, but that’s okay. Accept it. You can’t rush fluency; it’s not something you’ll achieve in just a month or two.
Last but not least, what else can we expect from you in the (near) future? Any ideas or future plans, or teaching other languages as well?
I’m thinking of starting a Telegram channel and showing a different side of myself: Teacher Sergey, beyond just English teaching. I want to share more about my personal life and who I am outside the classroom.
For my teaching videos, I have a lot of new ideas coming up. I’m planning to try something different by playing multiple versions of myself: different students and different types of teachers, like the strict teacher, the fun teacher, or even a silly or clueless one. 😂 As for the student roles, I’m thinking of portraying total nerds 🤓 or students who don’t want to study English, using these characters to motivate and encourage viewers to learn the language. It’s a fresh psychological angle, going deeper with my videos and taking a more creative approach to teaching!
For private lessons or business enquiries, you can check out the following link: SERGEY DEMETSKY | Instagram, TikTok | Linktree
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