Teacher Talking Time

teachertalkingtime
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Education
  • Updated Bimonthly

Teacher Talking Time is a podcast for language teachers who want more: more clarity, more autonomy, and more lasting impact, both inside and outside the classroom. Hosted by Leo and Andrew, each episode features thoughtful, in-depth conversations with the educators, researchers, and teacherpreneurs shaping the future of language education. Guests have included Scott Thornbury, Bill VanPatten, David Little, Jennifer Jenkins, John Levis, Angelica Galante, Sarah Mercer, Enrica Piccardo, Claudia Fernández, Shawn Loewen, Paul Nation, Sheila Thorn, and many more. From the latest in second language acquisition research to honest stories of teachers building lives and businesses on their own terms, every conversation invites you to think deeper, teach more intentionally, and take charge of your professional path. We release two episodes each month - with full video versions on YouTube - to help you reflect, stay inspired, and grow as a teacher and changemaker. Subscribe, listen, and join a global community of educators leading with intention.

  1. Sep 27

    The Accent Reduction Myth: What Actually Makes You Easy to Understand - Tracey Derwing

    "Trying to change somebody's accent isn't the goal - accent itself is not a problem. Our goal is to find out what affects intelligibility and comprehensibility so people can express themselves effortlessly without setting them up for a target they can never achieve." In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Tracey Derwing. Tracey is Professor Emerita of Educational Psychology at the University of Alberta and an Adjunct Professor at Simon Fraser University. Co-author of Pronunciation Fundamentals, she is an internationally recognized researcher whose work focuses on L2 pronunciation, intelligibility, pragmatics, and workplace integration for newcomers.   In this episode, we discuss: How working with Vietnamese immigrants in Alberta launched decades of groundbreaking pronunciation research. Breaking down the exact differences between Accent, Intelligibility (message delivery), and Comprehensibility (listener effort) in plain language. Why spending classroom time on low-impact sounds (like /θ/ vs /t/) wastes energy, and how focusing on high functional load contrasts unlocks immediate clarity. Shifting the burden of understanding off immigrant speakers and onto listeners, employers, and workplaces. Red flags in the "accent reduction" market and why chasing "native-like" speech is an unhelpful trap. How teaching predictable social routines dramatically improves comprehensibility without changing sound production. Evidence proving that adult learners continue to improve naturally over a decade simply by staying engaged and using the language   *Prefer video? Watch the episode on YouTube.   FOR MORE FROM TRACEY DERWING: 1. Tracey's publications 2. Accent Coach [by Dr. Ron Thompson] 3. Pronunciation Fundamentals: Evidence-based Perspectives for L2 Teaching and Research   OUR PARTNER: PENSIGHT Going independent was supposed to mean keeping more of what you earn — and more of your week. Then came the calendar, the video plan, the payment app, the site builder — and all the admin. Pensight is all of it, one login, a flat $29 a month. Start a free trial by clicking here.   SUPPORT US: 🫶 Integrate your brand with our podcast in an effort to improve language education. ⭐ Leave a review where you listen.   WORK WITH US: 1. CPD & Teaching Resources 2. Book a free 1:1 chat with us to strategize your teaching business.    THE THRIVING TEACHERPRENEUR Get inspired to start and grow your own education business. Weekly insights, stories, and reflections on education entrepreneurship. Subscribe on Substack here.

  2. Aug 31

    When Safe Isn't Enough: Navigating Risk, Anxiety, and Career Pivots - Andrew Woodbury

    "Risk is what's left over after you've thought of everything. You can plan out the perfect business idea, and after that, there is still an element of risk that exists. There is no riskless starting of anything; you won't find out what it is until you start." In this special episode of our entrepreneur series, the tables are turned as Leo interviews his co-host and business partner, Andrew Woodbury. Andrew reflects on his journey from an anxious humanities graduate to managing TEFL programs abroad, leaving the post-secondary system, and learning to navigate the reality of business risk. Andrew is an educator, business owner, and co-founder of Learn Your English and ImPact Canada. An advocate for experiential career shifts, he breaks down the myth of "riskless" starting, managing double-ended anxiety, and how he is using ImPact Canada to provide newcomer entrepreneurs with capital, safety nets, and side-door access to build thriving businesses.   In this episode, we discuss: How an introverted history graduate accidentally fell in love with teaching after taking a leap to Costa Rica. Why tricking yourself into a temporary 6-month commitment can be the exact push needed to cross international borders. Navigating the sharp contrast between an introverted personal identity and an energetic "Mick Jagger" teaching persona. Floating in Oaxaca, Mexico, and realizing that 2 weeks of annual vacation in a traditional 9-to-5 wasn't going to cut it anymore. Choosing to leave a university program before the ship sank, and weathering the panic of COVID-19 without a safety net. Dealing with the unique fear of stepping into the unknown vs. the stagnant anxiety of staying in a job you've outgrown. Why newcomer qualifications are routinely ignored in Canada and how to replace patronizing resume workshops with real financial access. Creating a community venture fund to give newcomer entrepreneurs the side-door access and safety net usually reserved for legacy citizens. Accepting that risk is what remains after all planning is done—and why taking action is the only cure for overthinking   *Prefer video? Watch the episode on YouTube.   FOR MORE FROM ANDREW WOODBURY: 1. Connect on LinkedIn 2. ImPact Canada 3. Ingle: The English Practice App 4. Learn YOUR English website (coming soon)   OUR PARTNER: E-Solutions for ELT E-solutions for ELT helps teachers build an online system that works for them by building practical websites, course platforms, landing pages and automations designed around the real needs of their ELT businesses. You tailor your teaching to your students. Your tech should be tailored to you.  Explore E-solutions for ELT here.    SUPPORT US: 🫶 Integrate your brand with our podcast in an effort to improve language education. ⭐ Leave a review where you listen.   WORK WITH US: 1. CPD & Teaching Resources 2. Book a free 1:1 chat with us to strategize your teaching business.    THE THRIVING TEACHERPRENEUR Get inspired to start and grow your own education business. Weekly insights, stories, and reflections on education entrepreneurship. Subscribe on Substack here.

  3. Aug 1

    Why Learning is an Action, Not a Finished Product - Leo Gomez

    "That which seems like a false step is just the next step. What if it wasn't the wrong step? What if it was simply necessary? The path is not something you already know. The path is something that starts to appear because you just keep walking." In this special episode of our entrepreneur series, the tables are turned as Andrew interviews his co-host and business partner, Leo Gomez. Leo reflects on his upbringing in Brazil, the psychological impact of moving across cultures, and how an inherent bias toward action shaped his journey as an educator and founder. Leo Gomez is an experienced language educator, teacher trainer, and co-founder of Learn Your English. A passionate advocate for task-based language teaching (TBLT) and experiential learning, he also breaks down how he built and launched TBL4T by validating demand before creating a single lesson, demonstrating how every "false step" is simply part of the path.   In this episode, we discuss: How growing up in Brazil’s necessity-driven, micro-entrepreneurial ecosystem forged a lifelong bias toward action. The psychological tension between a native, spontaneous Portuguese identity and a structured, academic English persona. Why traditional schooling fails experiential learners by presenting knowledge as a finished product to memorize rather than a tool to use. Sidestepping academic dogma to build a practical TBLT framework for real-world teachers facing rigid constraints. How validating an audience first prevents costly product mistakes. Using student feedback and "loop input" to evolve an 8-week pilot into a high-level, 10-to-14-week transformative program. Reframing client rejections, failed launches, and operational mistakes not as errors, but as mandatory steps on the entrepreneurial path. Why waiting to feel "ready" is an illusion, and why taking scary leaps is the only way to uncover what your market actually wants.   *Prefer video? Watch the episode on YouTube.   FOR MORE FROM LEO GOMEZ: 1. Connect on LinkedIn 2. Teaching Agility 3. Learn YOUR English website (coming soon)   OUR PARTNER: E-Solutions for ELT E-solutions for ELT helps teachers build an online system that works for them by building practical websites, course platforms, landing pages and automations designed around the real needs of their ELT businesses. You tailor your teaching to your students. Your tech should be tailored to you.  Explore E-solutions for ELT here.    SUPPORT US: 🫶 Integrate your brand with our podcast in an effort to improve language education. ⭐ Leave a review where you listen.   WORK WITH US: 1. CPD & Teaching Resources 2. Book a free 1:1 chat with us to strategize your teaching business.  3. Monetize your teaching skills    THE THRIVING TEACHERPRENEUR Get inspired to start and grow your own education business. Weekly insights, stories, and reflections on education entrepreneurship. Subscribe on Substack here.

  4. Jul 1

    The Secret to Duplicating Yourself and Moving from Freelancer to Founder - Zoe Smith

    "When you are constantly thinking in scarcity because you're broke... you don't put enough value on yourself, on your time. You will undercharge, you will always look for ways to stretch yourself too thin. And you can also say yes to the wrong customers, too." We sit down with entrepreneur and BE School founder Zoe Smith.  Zoe Smith is the founder of BE School, a specialized Business English institution that scales corporate communication via an international team of over 50 educators. A veteran language coach who designs high-touch corporate environments and personally guides Fortune 500 executives, she recently launched The BE Hub: an interactive sister platform providing editable, real-world target curricula directly to language teachers worldwide   In this episode, we discuss: How helping build a 50-location Canadian childcare ecosystem proved that corporate clients will gladly pay premium fees for high-value operations. Why failing to separate your personal pockets from business capital keeps you acting like an employee. How having a newborn and a new business fueled a "failure is not an option" mentality How eliminating regular month-to-month invoicing in favour of non-refundable upfront class packages entirely deletes the administrative stress of chasing money. What managing C-suite executives reveals about regulating your own internal nervous system against minor operational fires. The necessity of duplicating yourself for your business to really take off The braveness required to shut down classes with CEOs when invoices weren't getting paid. Launching a sister company - BE Hub - without sinking tens of thousands of dollars into technical development overhead.   *Prefer video? Watch the episode on YouTube.   FOR MORE FROM ZOE SMITH: 1. Connect on LinkedIn 2. Visit the BE School 3. Visit the BE Hub   OUR PARTNER: E-Solutions for ELT E-solutions for ELT helps teachers build an online system that works for them by building practical websites, course platforms, landing pages and automations designed around the real needs of their ELT businesses. You tailor your teaching to your students. Your tech should be tailored to you.  Explore E-solutions for ELT here.    SUPPORT US: 🫶 Integrate your brand with our podcast in an effort to improve language education. ⭐ Leave a review where you listen.   WORK WITH US: 1. CPD & Teaching Resources 2. Book a free 1:1 chat with us to strategize your teaching business.  3. Monetize your teaching skills    THE THRIVING TEACHERPRENEUR Get inspired to start and grow your own education business. Weekly insights, stories, and reflections on education entrepreneurship. Subscribe on Substack here.

  5. Jun 13

    You Can’t Teach a Syllabus (And Why Accuracy-first is Killing Enrollment) - Matt Coss

    "People ask me all the time, 'Are you worried that AI's gonna take your job?' and I tell them, no, but I'm worried that you would ask me that question, because it tells me a lot about what you think my job is." We chat with researcher Matt Coss.  Matt is a professor of applied linguistics in the Department of Modern Languages & Classics at the University of Alabama (USA). A research-practitioner who has taught Mandarin and Spanish across all proficiency levels for 13 years, his work focuses on task-based language teaching (TBLT), assessment, language program design, and student retention. He is also the Interviews Editor for TASK: Journal on Task-Based Language Teaching and a founding co-editor of the Focus on Practice section of Language Awareness.   In this episode, we discuss: How a childhood happenstance and an adopted aunt bypassed traditional language learning methods completely. Why tracking technical language gains as an absolute baseline sets a language program up for total institutional collapse. A direct look inside a Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) classroom where a student successfully performed a task but swore their teacher "didn't teach them anything." Why language classrooms are the ultimate retention machine for universities, outperforming massive STEM cohorts by fundamentally validating student identities.  How rigid vocabulary lists and zero training in meaning negotiation caused fluent clinicians to completely misdiagnose a critical patient case. Real strategies for working inside a strict curricular environment by identifying functional communication gaps rather than forcing artificial vocabulary drills. How to bypass structural paralysis by simply asking learners what they tried to say this week but couldn't. Why a student asking for a complex grammar rule is actually a cry for comprehensibility, and how to serve chunks over metadata.   *Prefer video? Watch the episode on YouTube.   FOR MORE FROM MATT COSS: 1. Connect on LinkedIn 2. Visit his website    OUR PARTNER: FLUENTIZE Get 25% off with the code "TTT25"  Want to teach your best lessons — without all the prep? Fluentize turns real-world videos into interactive ESL lessons for teens and adults. Explore 650+ ready-to-teach lessons designed to engage your students, simplify lesson planning, and save you hours of preparation. Start for free here.   SUPPORT US: 🫶 Integrate your brand with our podcast in an effort to improve language education. ⭐ Leave a review where you listen.   WORK WITH US: 1. CPD & Teaching Resources 2. Book a free 1:1 chat with us to strategize your teaching business.  3. Monetize your teaching skills    THE THRIVING TEACHERPRENEUR Get inspired to start and grow your own education business. Weekly insights, stories, and reflections on education entrepreneurship. Subscribe on Substack here.

  6. May 31

    Product Problems: Why Most EdTech Founders Fail to Scale [and how you can avoid that trap] - Kate Bodrova

    "To build a company, it really requires time. At some point, there will be only you who still believes in the product - not your team, not your investors, nobody. You and yourself in the room and your laptop, and that's it." We sit down with Amazy founder Kate Bodrova.  Kate spent over 10 years as an ESL teacher and language school owner before founding AMAZY, a digital workspace for teachers and institutions to create interactive lessons, track student progress, and keep everything in one place. Backed by UCL EdTech Labs and recognized as Best EdTech Startup in Europe 2024, AMAZY is trusted by 20,000 users worldwide.   In this episode, we chat about: Why looking at your competition is the ultimate trap, and how Kate found market proof on a crowded street filled with language schools. How introducing a proactive, problem-solving method disrupted the traditional, rigid classroom structures of Eastern Europe. The Ultimate "Mom Test" Fail: Why asking customers if they "like" your product is a hollow question, and the specific data you should be tracking instead. Why seven years isn't enough when building from scratch, and how to survive the brutal phase when you are the only one who believes in your product. How chasing "false hopes" and trying to mirror another entrepreneur's specific timeline will quietly kill your product. How saying yes to a massive, multi-city corporate contract forced a 15x scale and triggered a painful but necessary mindset shift. Why you should stop overthinking your idea at home and focus on the single true metric of business success: trying to sell it in the first 30 days.   *Prefer video? Watch the episode on YouTube.   FOR MORE FROM KATE BODROVA:   1. Connect on LinkedIn 2. Check out Amazy   OUR PARTNER: COMMUNICATING FOR IMPACT The Creative House for Leading Educators & Experts.  Amplify your work with high-end video and podcasts that get results. Create impactful videos and podcasts with their programmes and done-for-you production services. Start your series here.    SUPPORT US: 🫶 Integrate your brand with our podcast in an effort to improve language education. ⭐ Leave a review where you listen.   WORK WITH US: 1. Book a free 1:1 chat with us to strategize your teaching business.  2. Learn how to monetize your teaching skills with TAP. 3. Our CPD Courses.    THE THRIVING TEACHERPRENEUR Get inspired to start and grow your own education business. Weekly insights, stories, and reflections on education entrepreneurship. Subscribe on Substack here.

  7. May 20

    Inside the Black Box: What Actually Happens When Learners Communicate using TBLT? - Jonathan Newton

    "Choice generates agency, agency generates engagement, and engagement is where learning begins. If you aren’t ‘falling over’ as a teacher, you probably aren't pushing yourself or your learners to take ownership of the language." We sit down with the esteemed Professor Jonathan Newton. Jonathan is an Associate Professor at Victoria University of Wellington, where he leads postgraduate programs in TESOL and Applied Linguistics. With over 30 years of experience, his work focuses on the "black box" of classroom interaction and how task-based language teaching (TBLT) can foster learner agency and ownership. He has published over 80 articles and several seminal books on classroom interaction and task-based pedagogy.   In this episode, we discuss: The "Black Box" of communication: understanding the actual mechanism that explains how learning occurs during interaction. The power of choice: why giving learners agency is the most direct path to motivation and ownership. Unlearning the security blanket: moving beyond rigid PPP formulas to embrace the "falling forward" of real teaching. The "Magoo" (MG-O-O) criteria: a simple heuristic for tweaking textbook activities to strengthen meaning, gaps, and outcomes. Tasks for absolute beginners: why input-based tasks are the perfect entry point for learners with zero English. Negotiation for meaning: measuring the tangible acquisition of vocabulary through group-work interaction. The "Atlas Complex" in teaching: letting go of the burden of being the sole source of authority in the classroom. The desk as the enemy: how small physical shifts in the classroom can reignite learner engagement.   *Prefer video? Watch the episode on YouTube.   FOR MORE FROM JONATHAN NEWTON: 1. Connect on LinkedIn 2. Visit his website    OUR PARTNER: FLUENTIZE Want to teach your best lessons — without all the prep? Fluentize turns real-world videos into interactive ESL lessons for teens and adults. Explore 650+ ready-to-teach lessons designed to engage your students, simplify lesson planning, and save you hours of preparation. Start for free here.   SUPPORT US: 🫶 Integrate your brand with our podcast in an effort to improve language education. ⭐ Leave a review where you listen.   WORK WITH US: 1. CPD & Teaching Resources 2. Book a free 1:1 chat with us to strategize your teaching business.  3. Monetize your teaching skills    THE THRIVING TEACHERPRENEUR Get inspired to start and grow your own education business. Weekly insights, stories, and reflections on education entrepreneurship. Subscribe on Substack here.

  8. Apr 30

    Why Launching a Business is Scarier Than Skydiving - Martina Monreal

    "It’s 5,000 metres high, and I promise you: it is much scarier to launch a business than it is to jump out of a plane. When you launch, you are open to being judged, and you can fail, but that 80% fear is exactly what drives you to succeed." We chat with Smart Cookie co-founder Martina Montreal. Martina is a language educator and the co-founder of SmartCookie. Since 2016, she has taught over 1,000 students, using that experience to go all-in on building a "second brain" that eliminates administrative chaos for teachers. Martina advocates for the power of patience and taking professional leaps, even when launching a business feels scary.   In this episode, we chat about:  The power of "nàixīn" [耐心]: why patience is the most demanding requirement for both language learning and business. Overcoming the cost of inaction: how saying "yes" to an unplanned Spanish class changed Martina’s entire career. How a background in abstract logic fueled the creation of a "second brain" for teachers, Why Smart Cookie focuses on eliminating administrative fat rather than overcomplicating with features. Why true professional strength is built through failure, not playing it safe. Why rest is not a luxury: the role trashy television plays in entrepreneurship.   *Prefer video? Watch the episode on YouTube.   FOR MORE FROM MARTINA MONREAL: 1. Connect on LinkedIn 2. Visit her website 3. Check out Smart Cookie   OUR PARTNER: COMMUNICATING FOR IMPACT The Creative House for Leading Educators & Experts.  Amplify your work with high-end video and podcasts that get results. Create impactful videos and podcasts with their programmes and done-for-you production services. Start your series here.    SUPPORT US: 🫶 Integrate your brand with our podcast in an effort to improve language education. ⭐ Leave a review where you listen.   WORK WITH US: 1. Book a free 1:1 chat with us to strategize your teaching business.  2. Learn how to monetize your teaching skills with TAP. 3. Our CPD Courses.    THE THRIVING TEACHERPRENEUR Get inspired to start and grow your own education business. Weekly insights, stories, and reflections on education entrepreneurship. Subscribe on Substack here.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Teacher Talking Time is a podcast for language teachers who want more: more clarity, more autonomy, and more lasting impact, both inside and outside the classroom. Hosted by Leo and Andrew, each episode features thoughtful, in-depth conversations with the educators, researchers, and teacherpreneurs shaping the future of language education. Guests have included Scott Thornbury, Bill VanPatten, David Little, Jennifer Jenkins, John Levis, Angelica Galante, Sarah Mercer, Enrica Piccardo, Claudia Fernández, Shawn Loewen, Paul Nation, Sheila Thorn, and many more. From the latest in second language acquisition research to honest stories of teachers building lives and businesses on their own terms, every conversation invites you to think deeper, teach more intentionally, and take charge of your professional path. We release two episodes each month - with full video versions on YouTube - to help you reflect, stay inspired, and grow as a teacher and changemaker. Subscribe, listen, and join a global community of educators leading with intention.

Information

  • Creator
    teachertalkingtime
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Teacher Talking Time

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