The Free Talk Staffroom

Hosted by Patrick Sherriff

Entrepreneurship Education Language Learning

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Episodes

142

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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About the show

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

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60 recent

October 22, 20263 min

Time off abroad is all part of the teaching life, now

I’m off for a break in England, but that’s all part of the life of a self-employed English teacher in Japan — although it took me a few years to be in a position to enjoy this particular fruit of my labour. 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 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

October 16, 20266 min

Stop asking for permission

By all means be polite and if you really must seek permission, ask after you’ve already started doing the thing. You’ll find it’s a key skill to leading a better life in business and pleasure… 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 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

October 9, 20267 min

What can English teachers in Japan do to protect our way of life from AI?

I only ask, because I’m not sure what, if anything, we can do to keep our livelihoods as self-employed English teachers in Japan. I’d like to think that community and empathy will do the trick, but that may be wishful thinking. What do you think? Leave a message if you have any thoughts to add. 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 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

October 2, 20268 min

What do you teach your adult students?

I only ask became it’s not as easy as it looks. Once you’ve gone through some greetings, the major tenses and a bit of chit chat, what’s next? And how do you keep going for a year of lessons? Well, my answer is 42 lessons on interesting, but 04timeless topics that I put together in a textbook, Free Talk Conversation, and you can download an ebook version of it for free right now. Just click here for Amazon.co.jp , or here for the Amazon.com site and click on the orange download button (¥0/ $0 option). Click here for more details . But it’s only available for free for the next couple of days, so download asap if you need help with your adult lessons. 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

September 25, 202610 min

5 things I don’t do any more after 20 years as a self-employed English teacher in Japan

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 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

September 18, 20266 min

It’s OK to ditch the lesson plan sometimes

September 11, 20266 min

How to prepare a trial lesson

I show how I got a trial lesson ready for a new prospective student yesterday. Spoiler alert: after the lesson, her Dad said she would join our school next week. So, all that prep worked out! 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 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

September 4, 20268 min

Teaching English doesn’t have to be the centrepiece of your life

More power to you if you love teaching, but don’t worry if you have other things going on in your life that sustain you. In fact, the beauty of being a self-employed English teacher In Japan can be in the self-employed bit. Why? Because you are free to indulge in your other passions. Here’s one of mine: publishing thrillers. And for the next few days, you can download for free my novel Year of the Talking Dog, a thriller set in pre-COVID Japan. You can download from any Amazon site, but here are the three most popular: 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

August 28, 20267 min

The decision that saved my life, and could save yours

The 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 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

August 21, 20267 min

Don’t take it personally…

Sure, 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 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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