TEFL Waffle

What or How - What's more important?

Teachers have to focus on both content and methodology. For our learners, which is more important? What do you think? What does Troy think? Does Steve even think at all? 

As a fun drinking game, don't take a shot everytime you hear a response token like 'um, er, ah, erm', unless you're really looking to get alchohole piosening.

Teacher repertoire

One characteristic of an accomplished teacher is the size of their repertoire. No, that is not a euphamism. Really. Anyway, Troy has a big one and likes to waffle about it and it makes him really awesome. Almost perfect. Is a repertoire as important as we make it out to be? 

Technology and the classroom

Can teachers even technology?? Especially old teachers like Steve, and also ones that are teaching an experientially orientated thing like language. It's so bewlideringly complex, but it's also so breathtakingly attractive at the same time. What on earth should we do? Giggle and chortle along as Troy as he recounts his opinions, and roll your eyes in despair as Steve tries to sound intelligent on this topic.

Movement and learning

Steve tells a lot of boring stories, Troy tells a lot of boring stories, but somehow we create some meaning about the beliefs held by teachers (and management) about children in the classroom, movement, noise and acitivities. Waffle on!

Making mistakes in the classroom

Troy, and sometimes Steve, waffle(s?) about making mistakes when we teach, train or just generally live. Is it humble and noble to admit you're, oops, your mistakes? Is it better to remain a bastion of perfection and never make mistakes at all? This podcast is absolutely mistake free.

How English is your English

We worry, waffle, wonder and whine about the nature of the English that teachers speak (or are supposed to speak) in the classroom. How much is there to waffle about on a topic like this? Well, come find out!

Loving languages

This time, Steve and Troy (not in that order) waffle about whether language teachers should love languages, or perhaps English, or whether they should just love teaching. This is very exciting stuff; to us anyway.

Metalanguage - should we use it in the classroom?

We waffle around the issue of whether teachers should, must, ought to or (add in a modal auxiliary of your choice) use metalanguage when teaching. How do students respond to the teacher talking about past participles? Can teachers handle students asking questions about subjunctives? Do we tell the students about bilabial plosives? We also waffle about guitars and cars because they make cool analogies.

Sharing and caring in the staffroom

We waffle about staffrooms and the culture of being a professional teacher around other teachers. Should we zealously hoard all our best stuff so that we can be the star teacher of the school, or should we be lovely and egalitarian to bring up the capabilities of the staff room as a whole? Which is more important? Your students? Or the school?

 

Unexpected and difficult student questions

Troy and Steve waffle about those awkward questions students sometimes ask that stump, confuse or otherwise bewilder the unsuspecting teacher. "Teacher, what does unsuspecting mean?" As usual Troy waffles much more blithely than Steve, but Steve's quickly catching on.