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PODCAST

The Free Talk Staffroom

Patrick Sherriff

Advice for the self-employed English teacher in Japan. Drops every Friday. freetalktefl.substack.com

education language learning

All Episodes

8:39

75. It's the self-employed bit of "self-employed...

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2025/06/13

And if you want to come out and see me at my July art exhibition near Tokyo, pop on over to http://artbypatricksherriff.subsctack.com: . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

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9:06

74. Sheer terror or mild interest? How to think about...

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2025/06/06

Is AI going to eat our English-teaching lunch? Possibly. But I (and you) don’t really know what’s going to happen. So, here are my thoughts on what we can do right now to prepare for the future.And if that bores you, here is my guide to finding meaning in life — guaranteed no woo woo. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

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6:43

73. Why teach concepts in English folk don't know in...

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2025/05/30

There’s little point in trying to teach little Japanese kids how to write a cover letter in English. But what do you do if your livelihood depends on it? Where do you draw the line? Click for: 52 reasons why teaching English for yourself in Japan is a great idea. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

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2:30

72. How teaching English is a subscription business

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2025/05/23

Think teaching English is a mug’s game? Well, it’s got a lot more in common with tech titans Netflix and Amazon Prime than you might think. Want more biz advice? There’s a whole lot in my book if you click here: https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

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3:06

71. Are you here for the long term?

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2025/05/18

If you are, it means you owe it to yourself to get your s**t together. One way is to think about funnels. Another is to buy my book, The Tower English Way, How to start and run your own little English school in Japan. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

en

4:09

70. How can you get more private students by teaching...

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2025/05/11

It’s a good question, but I’m not sure I have the answer you want to hear. You could try starting your own playgroup… This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

en

7:08

69. An English school in a box

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2025/04/26

Here’s a heads up for my latest scheme… an English school in a box. What’s that? Watch or listen to the video and find out. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

en

7:12

68. How to use QR codes to teach Japanese kids to...

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2025/03/19

QR codes are your friend. At least, they can be in teaching spoken English and especially to help kids to read. Watch the video for more. Here are some useful links, as mentioned in the video:* A blog post I wrote last year of how to teach phonics to Japanese kids. * All 42 videos of me doing the phonetic sounds of English for my new improved workbook.* Here’s a link to details about The Tower English Way on how to teach English for yourself in Japan.* Here’s are links to the new workbook:Available

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6:13

67. A brand new course for adults...

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2025/03/02

To the teacher: Are you sick of scouring the internet trying to find material that will stimulate your intermediate or advanced students of English? Are you sick of spending your free time planning and prepping for lessons? The Free Talk Conversation series if for you.You can get the Free Talk Conversation 3 combined textbook, workbook and video series from any Amazon site around the world.(P.S. The price for the textbook goes up tomorrow, so if you want one, I’d get it asap.)Links to the top 3

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3:06

Are you free tonight? Come say hello in...

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2025/02/23

I’ll be at the Good Heavens British bar in Shimokitazawa to help raise money for Matthew Dons (see his GoFundMe page here) in his increasingly urgent fight against cancer. Come on out, donate as little as ¥500, and have a chat over a beer. Tomorrow is a national holiday after all. Cheers!Patrick This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

en

3:04

65. You gotta love Valentines... for English schools

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2025/02/14

Sure, it’s maybe too late now, seeing as it’s Feb. 14th already, but in general, if you can figure out an English-language-learning angle to whatever annual events happen, you are doing everyone a service. More written thoughts on that on this post here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

en

5:06

64. New students — it’s all about the birds and the bees

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2025/02/02

Well, OK, not so much the birds. But certainly the bees. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

en

3:16

61. Time to get your act together

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2025/01/22

In which I talk about things to do this January. Not sure what you need to do to start and run your own little English school? I have a book about that — The Tower English Way. Details are linked to here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

en

14:36

60. Lovely to see you at the Expo yesterday

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2024/12/08

Thought it might be helpful for you if I collated questions from all the folk I met at the Gaijin Pot Expo 2024 yesterday and my (slightly) more considered answers today. Yoroshiku!Patrick This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

en

2:02

Come say hello this Saturday

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2024/12/01

As I say the in the video, I’ll be in Akihabara, Tokyo, this Saturday afternoon at Gaijin Pot Expo 2024 (I kept saying 2025 in the video but I meant 2024!). Come along if you’re free and want to say hello. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

en

11:06

59. Have you thought about running your own speech day?

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2024/07/28

In which I talk about why I haven’t posted recently — been busy with running the annual speech day. Here are a few thoughts about why you might consider doing a speech day in your English teaching business. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

en

4:42

58. Do you really want to be a one-trick pony?

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2024/06/14

In which I make the case against over-specialising in teaching English in Japan. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

en

5:34

57. Why I teach.

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2024/06/07

In which I spill the beans on why I teach. And it’s not for the money. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

en

5:11

56. Reasons to become a self-employed English teacher...

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2024/05/31

You don’t have to be in love with teaching from the beginning to turn teaching English into a successful, enjoyable business in Japan that opens plenty more doors. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

en

7:32

55. Adapt to survive ... aka know which hill is worth...

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2024/05/24

In which your head Free Talker admits his fallibility. Sometimes we — self-employed English teachers in Japan — have to admit that there is the tiniest possibility that we might in fact be wrong, once in a while. The moment you stop thinking you could be wrong is the moment you stop learning, the moment that you truly get old. Just sayin’ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit freetalktefl.substack.com

en

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