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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

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

10:15

54. Alternative ways to make money when you are a...

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2024/05/17

It’s not just teaching, you know. As a self-employed person you are free to try your hand at any number of things that use your unique set of skills. Turn on your inner Liam Neeson. 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

5:56

53. The secret to teaching English as a foreign language

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2024/05/10

And the secret is… well, you have to listen or watch the video to find out, but it’s something that we can all do at no cost beyond the time involved to practice this essential skill. 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

6:55

52. Do you need a TEFL certificate?

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2024/05/03

Patrick Sherriff, a self-employed English teacher in Japan for 16 years, weighs up the pros and cons of getting a TEFL certificate. 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

5:55

51. Do you know when to call it quits?

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2024/04/26

Patrick Sherriff talks about a bloke he met in a bar, when to retire and the dangers of working too long or not long enough as a self-employed English teacher in Japan. It’s complicated. Kinda. 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

7:11

50. You're better off saying 'yes'

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2024/04/19

Here are a few thoughts in reaction to my own video where I suggested you have to say ‘no’ sometimes. Well, it’s complicated… 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

8:09

49. Do you feel trapped teaching English in Japan?

The Free Talk Staffroom ·

2024/04/12

AI-generated transcript: Do you ever feel trapped?I ask that because I'm not sure that I ever felt that.Well, maybe.I certainly felt trapped in a job, and that's one reason why I became a self-employedEnglish teacher in Japan, but you may find yourself thinking you're a little bit stuck, or you get into a bit of a rut.Maybe that's middle age, I don't know.But especially if you are a foreigner living in Japan, applying your trade as an English teacher, you can sometimes feel a bit trapped or a bit

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108 results

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