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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

78. Stuck in low-wage English teaching? Time to start...

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2025/07/11

Find yourself still getting entry-level pay but you’ve been in the teaching game for years? One solution might be starting your own school. Yeah, there are pitfalls, but there are also great opportunities. Speaking of opportunities… fancy popping out to a South African cafe bar and looking at some oil paintings? (That’s what I do when I’m not teaching). My show is on until the end of the month at Sun Beam terrace in Mabashi, on the eastern edge of Tokyo. It would be lovely to see you if you can make

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6:26

77. A new dawn for my business? We just hired a...

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2025/07/04

In which I talk about hiring our first employee, and how we found her. There’s not much else I can say as I’m in new territory here myself, but watch this space.Speaking of new dawns and such, I’ll be at Sunbeam Terrace in Mabashi on the eastern edge of Tokyo this Saturday night (July 5th) for my art show “Here comes the sun”. Come along if you want to meet me, look at art or just chill. Details here: http://artbypatricksherriff.substack.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss

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7:13

76. The secret to running a successful English school...

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2025/06/20

It’s not about your marketing plan and certainly not about discount fees.More thoughts on the business of teaching in Japan 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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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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