TEFL Commute

Season 5 Episode 4: Video and films

In this episode we meet with Ben Goldstein to discuss video. We take a walk down memory lane and look at how video has been used in ELT courses and discuss where it might go in the future. We also ponder whether the ELT classroom would work well in film, considering how the teachers are often portrayed on the silver screen. We think this one of the most interesting episodes we've ever recorded but will you?

Season 5 Episode 3: Dictionaries

In this episode Shaun and Lindsay talk dictionaries. Well, in fact, we talk to someone who knows about dictionaries with an interview with lexicographer Julie Moore. We discuss dictionaries of all kinds, whether in the digital age dictionaries still have a use, and also how we might get our students using them.

Season 5 Episode 2: Games part 1

In this episode we once more sit down at our virtual round table. This time we look at the role of games in language learning. Inspired by something James said in the previous series, we talk about our favourite (non-digital) games, how we use them in the classroom and why James needs to change his mind. We'll also test your history of games with another timeline.

Season 5 Episode 1: Staffrooms

We're back! In the first episode of the new season Lindsay and Shaun discuss many teachers second home - the staff room. They explore the role of the staffroom, what a typical staffroom looks like and some of their favourite staffroom activities. There is also a new castaway on the Dessert Island telling us about some of their favourite teaching resources.

Season 4 Episode 6:Songs

In the second part of our discussion, Lindsay and Shaun talk about songs. They discuss everything from the songs people like to use in classroom through to issues such as copyright before ending with their favourite ELT song puns (did yours make our top ten?). In addition Ceri brings us one of her corners and Lindsay and Shaun have another 'fight'.

Season 4 Episode 5 part 1:Music

In the first part of our look at the role of music and song in ELT, Lindsay and Shaun focus on music - that is to say tunes without lyrics. They talk about the role of classical music in suggestopedia and discuss how music can be used in the classroom. Along the way they make a confession or two about their past and enjoy a game of timeline.

Season 4 Episode 4: Classroom 101

Do you have a pet teaching peeve? Is there a language point that really gets your goat? Which activity are you tired of doing in the class? In this episode we once more set up the virtual round table and persuade producer James and Corner maker Ceri to sit down to get things off their chest with Lindsay and Shaun. Listen and find out which things in EFL annoy us most.....

Season 4 Episode 3:Schwa

In episode 3 Lindsay and Shaun are joined by Sinead Laffan to discuss how we approach the teaching of the Schwa. We explore everything from how it is dealt with in class, how it got its name and some of our favourite ideas for teaching it. Lindsay and Shaun also try and guess why Sinead has taken her love of the sound to a level most teacher's wouldn't go to.

Season 4 Episode 2: Substitute

In episode 2, Lindsay and Shaun talks about the pains and pleasures of being a substitute teacher. Be it the one lesson cover or the professional stand-by teacher, we look at what it means, how hard it is and explore what things a substitute teacher should have in their toolbox. In addition James unravels some EFL terminology and the angelic Facebook phil brings us more words of wisdom.

Season 4 Episode 1:First Lessons

TEFL commute is back and in the first episode of the new season Lindsay and Shaun talk about first classes and what is like to go back to school, all the things that need to be done and how we deal with a group of new students. We also introduce a new feature ' the tefl fight' and of course provide you with an activity you can try out this week in class.