<![CDATA[Free Talk TEFL]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!eI7R!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F835c901a-69dd-4bfa-921c-9271bcb07059_341x341.pngFree Talk TEFLhttps://freetalktefl.substack.comSubstackThu, 03 Sep 2026 20:08:22 GMT<![CDATA[The decision that saved my life, and could save yours]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/the-decision-that-saved-my-life-andhttps://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/the-decision-that-saved-my-life-andFri, 28 Aug 2026 02:52:28 GMTThe headline sounds like clickbait, but it’s actually true.

More thoughts on teaching English for yourself in Japan in my book here: https://freetalktefl.substack. com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

]]><![CDATA[Don’t take it personally…]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/dont-take-it-personallyhttps://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/dont-take-it-personallyFri, 21 Aug 2026 05:13:23 GMTSure, be friendly, but the secret to success is professionalism, not personality.

More thoughts on teaching English for yourself in Japan in my book here: https://freetalktefl.substack. com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

]]><![CDATA[Lessons from a walk down Yasukuni Dori]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/lessons-from-a-walk-down-yasukunihttps://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/lessons-from-a-walk-down-yasukuniFri, 14 Aug 2026 02:00:36 GMTLessons a plenty from businesses old and new in Tokyo.

More thoughts on teaching English for yourself in Japan in my book here: https://freetalktefl.substack. com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

]]><![CDATA[The downside of teaching English in Japan and what to do about it]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/the-downside-of-teaching-englishhttps://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/the-downside-of-teaching-englishThu, 06 Aug 2026 23:17:09 GMTTeaching English is what I do and, for the most part, is rewarding. But it’s not easy and not always fulfilling. Here’s how I cope with the downsides, hopefully what works for me might be of assistance to you when you have a bad day. Sorry about the cicadas.

More thoughts on teaching English for yourself in Japan in my book here: https://freetalktefl.substack. com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

]]><![CDATA[Re-thinking our school’s website]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/re-thinking-our-schools-websitehttps://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/re-thinking-our-schools-websiteFri, 31 Jul 2026 02:01:31 GMTFor most of my teaching career I’ve viewed the internet as little more than a glorified business card. It’s time I rethought this approach. Is it time for you to reconsider how you use the internet in your business?

More thoughts on teaching English for yourself in Japan in my book here: https://freetalktefl.substack. com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

]]><![CDATA[Using this summer to re-evaluate what we do ]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/using-this-summer-to-re-evaluatehttps://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/using-this-summer-to-re-evaluateThu, 23 Jul 2026 22:31:18 GMTMore thoughts on teaching English for yourself in Japan in my book here: https://freetalktefl.substack. com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

]]><![CDATA[30-second lesson: Entertain and inform]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/30-second-lesson-entertain-and-informhttps://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/30-second-lesson-entertain-and-informFri, 17 Jul 2026 06:39:26 GMTJust like the title says: entertain and inform. Do only one and you’ll fail. Do both in roughly equal proportions and you’ll succeed. What am I missing?

More thoughts on teaching English for yourself in Japan in my book here: https://freetalktefl.substack. com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

]]><![CDATA[Should you ever refuse to teach a misbehaving kid?]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/should-you-ever-refuse-to-teach-ahttps://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/should-you-ever-refuse-to-teach-aFri, 10 Jul 2026 04:04:48 GMTIt’s tempting to save yourself a spot of bother by refusing to teach “difficult” kids. But should you?

More thoughts on teaching English for yourself in Japan in my book here: https://freetalktefl.substack. com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

P.S. Did you spot the cat?

]]><![CDATA[Don't let teaching limit you]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/dont-let-teaching-limit-youhttps://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/dont-let-teaching-limit-youFri, 03 Jul 2026 05:11:25 GMTYou might think it’s impossible to imagine, but… you are more than just an English teacher. Here’s what I do when teaching just doesn’t cut it. Details here:

https://artbypatricksherriff.substack.com/p/skys-the-limit-exhibition-is-open

]]><![CDATA[Tech in teaching: Just because you can, doesn't mean you should]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/tech-in-teaching-just-because-youhttps://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/tech-in-teaching-just-because-youFri, 26 Jun 2026 02:37:56 GMTI’m not a complete dinosaur, but there’s a time and place for high-tech in language learning, and I maintain that is mostly out of the classroom. Do you agree? Or am I indeed a fossil of an extinct way of teaching?

Want to know how to teach English in Japan for yourself? I wrote a book just for you here: https://freetalktefl.substack. com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

]]><![CDATA[A little known advantage of teaching for yourself]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/the-little-known-advantage-of-teachinghttps://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/the-little-known-advantage-of-teachingFri, 19 Jun 2026 03:01:07 GMTI don’t think I’ve mentioned it before, but there’s something that self-employed teachers have over apparently higher-status company or school teachers’ experiences…

Want to know how to teach English in Japan for yourself? I wrote a book just for you here: https://freetalktefl.substack. com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

]]><![CDATA[The culture shock of working for yourself in Japan]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/the-culture-shock-of-working-forhttps://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/the-culture-shock-of-working-forThu, 11 Jun 2026 22:31:02 GMTIt’s not all shabu shabu and sakura blossoms when you jack in the corporate job to go self-employed. Here, I talk about the adjustments I had to make to get to grips with teaching for myself. Maybe you can relate?

Want to know how to teach English in Japan for yourself? I wrote a book just for you here: https://freetalktefl.substack. com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

]]><![CDATA[Some help with how to teach children to read English]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/some-help-with-how-to-teach-childrenhttps://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/some-help-with-how-to-teach-childrenFri, 05 Jun 2026 03:00:40 GMTLet me show you the basics of how to teach children to learn to read in English… and FOR THE NEXT TWO weeks only, you can get the workbook I use with two-thirds off its usual price.

Here are the links to the reduced-priced Tower Talk Phonics workbook, available around the world from Amazon sites as cheap as I can make it:

Available from Amazon.jp here at https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B09918LPTJ

Available from Amazon.com here at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09918LPTJ

Available from Amazon.uk here at https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09918LPTJ

]]><![CDATA[Make a 5-year plan]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/make-a-5-year-planhttps://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/make-a-5-year-planFri, 29 May 2026 03:00:33 GMTI don’t mean like Stalin, but just make a rough projection of student numbers and therefore income that you might expect over the next couple of years. Why should you bother? Well, I didn’t for 20 years until, er, last week. When I sat down and worked out some basic numbers, I was pleasantly surprised…

Want to know more about teaching English in Japan for yourself? I wrote a book just for you here: https://freetalktefl.substack. com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

]]><![CDATA[You don't have to be an expert]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/you-dont-have-to-be-an-experthttps://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/you-dont-have-to-be-an-expertFri, 22 May 2026 03:01:06 GMTYou don’t have to do the teaching-English-in-Japan thing like I do, you don’t have to be an expert, you can find your own way. In fact, I recommend you do…

Interested in going it alone in Japan? I wrote a book just for you here: https://freetalktefl.substack. com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

]]><![CDATA[It gets easier]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/it-gets-easierhttps://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/it-gets-easierFri, 15 May 2026 03:01:08 GMTWhen you first start out as a self-employed teacher and look over at your company/school employed comrades, it’s tempting to think you done messed up, boy. Give it a year or two, and you and your bank balance will be happy you stuck at it.

Interested in going it alone in Japan? I wrote a book just for you here: https://freetalktefl.substack. com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

]]><![CDATA[Are you ready for the next stages of your journey?]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/are-you-ready-for-the-next-stagehttps://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/are-you-ready-for-the-next-stageFri, 08 May 2026 01:23:10 GMTAge catches up with all of us, if we’re lucky, and being self-employed actually gives us a few advantages over the company drone. But you have to grab the steering wheel yourself if you want to navigate to an early retirement…

If you are interested in driving your own English school in Japan rather than being a passenger at the back of the eikaiwa bus, I wrote a book just for you here: https://freetalktefl.substack. com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

]]><![CDATA[That time I almost became a university lecturer but was glad I didn’t…]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/that-time-i-almost-became-a-universityhttps://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/that-time-i-almost-became-a-universityFri, 01 May 2026 02:48:25 GMTWell, I was asked to apply and then told to sling my hook, but it all worked out for the best.

If you are interested in running your own English school in Japan rather than jumping through the university hoops, I wrote a book just for you here: https://freetalktefl.substack. com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

]]><![CDATA[Don’t be an eikaiwa teacher for more than six months?]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/dont-be-an-eikaiwa-teacher-for-morehttps://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/dont-be-an-eikaiwa-teacher-for-moreFri, 24 Apr 2026 03:01:02 GMTThis was the comment on YouTube I got a couple of weeks ago. At first I thought, what rubbish! Then, I thought, well the commenter is kinda right, when it comes to working for a chain. But….

(Those dots mean watch the video for more, not that I can’t be bothered to summarise my thoughts here when it’s all in the video. Although, that is also true.)

If you are interested in running your own English school in Japan for more than six months, I wrote a book just for you here: https://freetalktefl.substack. com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

]]><![CDATA[Kids or adults — who are better to teach?]]>https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/kids-or-adults-who-is-better-to-teachhttps://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/kids-or-adults-who-is-better-to-teachFri, 17 Apr 2026 03:00:52 GMTKids were always a scarier proposition for me, but I’ve mellowed as I’ve aged. How about you? Do kids fill you with fear or does the thought of a group of adults give you palpitations?

My book, The Tower English Way, has more details, available here: https://freetalktefl.substack.com/p/the-tower-english-way-how-to-start

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