Charles WizCharles started teaching in 1985 and has lived in Japan since 1988. He teaches at Yokohama National University in the English Education Department and spends his weekends in Osaka with his family. Like Tony, he is a Mac head, audiophile, and troublemaker.
| Episode 90 September 1, 2017 |
Writing tools: when the writing's not on the wall.
The tools and workflows we use or have tried to help us cope with the many different kinds of writing we need to do in our teaching. From pens to Siri, from simple notes to dissertations, we try to cram it all in. Mentioned in podcast (alphabetical order):
And, as promised, 30% off the essential TextExpander from Smile Software. Also good for renewals, upgrades, etc. |
| Episode 89 August 1, 2017 |
The Inescapable Bias Matrix. Biased? Not me! An attempt to identify and unravel the many ways our biases can affect what happens in the classroom. And then what to do about it. With special guests, the cicadas! |
| Episode 88 July 1, 2017 |
Lessons learned. A leisurely lightning round (?!) of things we learned or were reminded of in the past year or so. Pretty frank and honest introspection and coming clean of things forgotten, unknown, and re-learned. We both think this is a good one. Hope you agree–and let us know.
Mentioned: Taylor Mali on what teachers make (YouTube) |
| Episode 87 June 1, 2017 |
Sage on the stage: Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. Musings on why most classes are still being taught the old way and why change is so difficult to bring about. |
| Episode 86 May 1, 2017 |
Student questions. Kinda. Questions we wish students would ask, the questions they do ask, and enough sidetracks, ratholes, and diversions to bring it all together. Kinda. |
| Episode 85 April 1, 2017 |
Ripeti, con spirito. It's next year. Now what? Trying to apply lessons learned from past years' mistakes to make the coming year the BEST EVER. Trying, anyway.
Mentioned: Episode 69, 12/1/2015, Past our expiration date, or improving with age? |
| Episode 84 March 1, 2017 |
Student Feedback: A yen for their thoughts. Different kinds of student feedback, different ways of trying to get (good) student feedback, why it's important, and why it's so damn hard to get. |
| Episode 83 February 1, 2017 |
Quitting. Things aren't right. When does it make sense to leave a job and when are you better off staying? Once you decide to leave, when and how should you do it? From two guys who have quit more jobs than most people will ever have. Just don't call us quitters. |
| Episode 82 January 1, 2017 |
Take out your phones. Turning student smartphones from a distraction to a learning and teaching device. Got an idea of your own? Share it! |
| Episode 81 December 1, 2016 |
Gotta have it. Things we can't live without. In class, outside of class, essentials, luxuries, wish lists. A long talk about STUFF. Maybe you'll get some gift ideas for the teachers on your list. |
| Episode 80 November 1, 2016 |
To Moodle or not to Moodle? That is what Charles sat down to tease out with two Moodle mavens steeped in geekery, Professors George Trescott and Bill White of Kindai University. Four teachers, two hours later, the conclusion is…
Mentioned in the podcast:
Big thanks to George and Bill! |
| Episode 79 October 1, 2016 |
How to teach whatever. Tony and Charles smash together a lightning round session of "how we teach X." If you want hands on, practical discussion of real-world teaching practices, this is for you: fluency, presentation/public speaking, reading, writing, writing email, manners, listening, pronunciation, class culture, critical thinking, teacher web sites…all in 60 minutes.
Mentioned: |
| Episode 78 September 1, 2016 |
Fluency. What the hell is it? How are we supposed to teach it? How will developments in artificial intelligence and computer translation change our teaching? Not to mention that proficiency vs. fluency conundrum. Tony and Charles spend precious vacation time to stumble around in the dark, separated by 6000 miles. |
| Episode 77 August 1, 2016 |
Interview with Paul Nation - Part 2. Paul and Charles discuss the importance of replication in research, the balance of entertainment and learning, the first day of class, and the future of teaching in light of AI and computer translation developments.
Mentioned in the podcast:
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| Episode 76 July1, 2016 |
Textbooks. What role do textbooks play today, what role will they play tomorrow, and when will they become just a symbol of the way things used to be? Same questions with "should." What textbook alternatives exist now?
Mentioned in the podcast:
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| Episode 75 June 1, 2016 |
Workflows: A String On Your Finger. Wrestling with the multi-layered difficulties of something that deserves to be (should be, needs to be) so simple: capturing a thought or idea for later retrieval. Oh, yeah, and that managing that steaming pile of "stuff I have to remember to do." |
| Episode 74 May 1, 2016 |
A brand-new year. A new academic year has begun and brought with it a slew of new opportunities to screw things up. What we're doing differently to try to save our students and our sanity. |
| Episode 73 April 1, 2016 |
Interview with Paul Nation - Part 1. Paul Nation, one of the leading researchers in ESL/EFL, discusses the importance of extensive reading, vocabulary testing and acquisition, the flipped classroom, and implicit and explicit knowledge. Part 2 will be aired later in the year.
Mentioned in the podcast: |
| Episode 72 March 1, 2016 |
Futurama. In the tradition of rushing in where wise men fear to tread, Tony and Charles make predictions for the future, predictions that will no doubt return to haunt them. What are we looking forward to? What are we dreading? Hold 'em? Fold 'em?
Also, a reminder that next month we will be interviewing Paul Nation. Don't miss it. Finally, still some chances for free e-book teaching material from Chris Cotter's Heads Up English (see entry for Episode 71 below). |
| Episode 71 February 1, 2016 |
We sit down with Chris Cotter of Heads Up English, a resource site for English teachers to talk about the road that's brought him to his situation as academic director at a private English school and the man behind the web site. Interesting insights on the alternate dimensions of teaching English in Japan.
Chris has generously offered sets of materials from his collection to ten of our listeners. Send an email to twoteacherstalking@gmail.com with "HUE" in the subject line. The first ten folks to respond will get one copy of each: |
| Episode 70 January 1, 2016 |
Starting from zero. You've been assigned a new class. No problem, you're a TEACHER, dammit. You've done this. You reach into your bag of tricks and come up with...air. OK, now what?
Happy new year! 明けましておめでとうございます!
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| Episode 69 December 1, 2015 |
Past our expiration date or improving with age? An attempt to answer the question of whether we're learning and getting better at teaching or if our best years are behind us. Not a simple question, we find, as we wrestle with various vectors of change.
And MacArthur Park. Best of the Holidays to everyone! |
| Episode 68 November 1, 2015 |
Reelin' In the Years. An interview with Prof. Kim Kanel of Kinki Univerity. and a look back at the changes that have snuck by in almost 40 years of English language teaching in Japan. |
| Episode 67 October 1, 2015 |
Japanese Exceptionalism - It IS different here, right? The sometimes obvious and sometimes not-so-obvious ways that teaching in Japan can be very different from what you might expect, and how those differences can affect your teaching. Never assume. You are not so smart podcast, Episodes 52, 53, 55 |
| Episode 66 September 1, 2015 |
Is this working? What does successful learning look like? When you compare that picture with your and your students' accomplishments, how similar are those two pictures? Determining what success is, how to increase chances of achieving it, and how to measure it. |
| Episode 65 August 1, 2015 |
An Interview with D.J. Condon, Headmaster of Canadian Academy. Charles sits down with D.J. Condon to discuss the International Baccalaureate World Schools, assessment, mentoring, student empowerment, and the future of education. |
| Episode 64 July 1, 2015 |
The failure of tech.Why hasn't tech transformed education? Why do our classrooms remain essentially unchanged from those of the nineteenth century? Why are these the wrong questions to ask? And where are our flying cars? Tony and Charles flail. |
| Episode 63 June 1, 2015 |
Tech me, Teacher. Teacher tech tools: Who let the nerds out? Tony and Charles get their tech geek on and talk about the tech that they use (and don't use) in the classroom. Practical advice and bigger thoughts on the use of tech in learning and teaching.
Links to some of the tools mentioned, in alphabetical order: Bit.ly link shortener http://bit.ly |
| Episode 62 May 1, 2015 |
Teaching incommunicado. Teaching without communication…and only with "appropriate" materials, of course. Tony and Charles work hard at not boiling over in their attempt to understand some new impediments to learning and teaching.
Links: |
| Episode 61 April 1, 2015 |
Won't get fooled again. Another academic year is upon us. So, what did we learn from all the mistakes we made last year? Listen as we struggle to make ourselves seem wise in charting our new routes for the upcoming year. And…
Happy anniversary to us! April 21 will mark the end of our third year of Two Teachers Talking. Thanks for listening and thanks for your support. Mentioned in the podcast: |
| Episode 60 March 1, 2015 |
Great Expectations. Raising the bar for our students and ourselves: what can we do, how can we think to help students perform better than their best. Yes, easier said than done, as you'll hear.
Pygmalion Effect (Wikipedia) |
| Episode 59 February 1, 2015 |
It's not just the classroom. The entire physical environment where teaching and learning happen matters and affects the teaching and learning profoundly. Right? Well, we think so, but... Very special guest Prof. Alison Kitzman from Kindai University.
Regarding last month's episode on burnout (#58), listener Adam Murray provided us with a link to his article on burnout. Especially of interest to 特人-type contract teachers. Related links: Kindai University's Eigo Mura / E-Cube |
| Episode 58 January 1, 2015 |
明けましておめでとうございます！A Very Happy New Year to you all. This month, we address BURNOUT: little ones, big ones, how to tell the difference between a bad day and a sign of something much more serious. Symptoms to look for and ways to deal with the stresses that can lead any of us over the line. No magic, but a solid look at the realities we face as teachers and why burnout is such a prevalent, insidious danger. For those of us winding up the academic year in Japan, some timely help. Mentioned in the discussion: |
| Episode 57 December 1, 2014 |
Holiday reboot! A do-over for the old guys and a look back at the last year of Two Teachers Talking podcasts. What did we say, what do we want to take back, what do we stand by. Happy holidays to all! |
| Episode 56 November 1, 2014 |
So, what exactly is Student Centered Learning and what does it really mean for foreign language education in Japanese universities. Forget the trend of the moment; how do we help our students learn as best they can. |
| Episode 55 October 1, 2014 |
How many bad - or good - apples does it take to change the atmosphere or personality of your classroom? What can and can't a teacher do to use that influence to optimize learning? Sometimes it's just a matter of throwing stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks |
| Episode 54 September 1, 2014 |
Plagiarism. One of the least savory aspects of the job is coming to terms with plagiarism and then dealing with it fairly. While "it's the teacher's fault" is as unpalatable to us as is it no doubt is to you, we look at what we can do to minimize plagiarism. |
| Episode 53 August 1, 2014 |
Failure by design. Ever have one of those days when you look around and wonder how things got so dysfunctional? That doesn't just happen, you think. You're right. We pop the hood on the system, poke around, and look at some of the systemic gotchas the teacher is up against. This much bad takes special talent. |
| Episode 52 July 1, 2014 |
School Culture - Part 2: Administration
How administration affects school culture. Administrative factors that influence the university environment, what it means for you in your job, and how to negotiate the geography. Beware the trolls. 猿も木から落ちる. "Even monkeys fall from trees." Seems the old farts passed over the most obvious tell of all when trying to divine a school's culture: English language support, translation of information into English. See also: Forest, trees. Apologies to all. |
| Episode 51 June 1, 2014 |
School Culture - Part 1: Students
Night and Day. The more schools one teaches at, the more one sees it: the incredible differences in the behavior, attitudes of students, and overall atmosphere of the institutions. Today we look at the student end: why are students so damn different at different schools. |
| Episode 50 May 10, 2014 |
Unteachable? What happens when you find yourself with an "unteachable" student...or, perhaps, a student unteachable by you. Is there such a thing as an unteachable student? Is it them or us? When, if ever, is it acceptable to "give up"? |
| Episode 49 April 26, 2014 |
Five teachers talking: D. J. Condon (Canadian Academy), Alison Kitzman (Kinki University), and Frances Shiobohara (Kobe Shoin Women's University) join Tony and Charles for a discussion about their teaching and how it has evolved over the years. A spirited and enthusiastic analysis of the past, present, and future of teaching English in Japan. This is a good one, and apologies for the background noise. |
| Episode 48 April 12, 2014 |
Transitions. A harvest of graduates leaves, a new crop of freshmen enters. Success? Failure? What do those look like? A pretty intense thrashing of the tea leaves looking for an answer. |
| Episode 47 March 29, 2014 |
A look at the different kinds and evolution of teacher-student interaction and its slippery nature. How can the teacher tweak his/her interaction with students to maximize the chances of quality learning. It's like magic, only harder. |
| Episode 46 February 22, 2014 |
Teaching writing. Paper, pencil, S-V-O…not so fast. The many differences between teaching oral and written communication, pitfalls to be aware of, kinds of writing classes, and, and, and…
Just a fast note to remind you we'll be taking a short break. Episode 47 should be here for you on March 29. Enjoy the spring break! |
| Episode 45 February 8, 2014 |
Final assessment tasks. Quantifying learning and performance.
A room full of students. Create an assessment task that results in a 0-100 numerical representation of their learning in your class. Go. |
| Episode 44 January 25, 2014 |
Five Students Talking: Letting the Students Speak.
Five first year foreign language majors from Osaka University look back at the academic year and talk about their experiences and observations.
Sincere thanks to Mr. Ryo Fujioka, Mr. Taiki Itazaki, Ms. Shoko Kida, Mr. Ryousuke Takemoto, and Ms. Ami Tanaka for taking time from their busy schedules to share their thoughts with us. |
| Episode 43 January 11, 2014 |
Tough enough? What does being a "tough teacher" mean? Is a return to disciplinarian classroom style really something we should be lauding? A look at a (possibly) misguided call to bring fear and threat back to the classroom. Discussed: Why tough teachers get good results, Joanne Lipman, Wall Street Journal. |
| Episode 42 December 21, 2013 |
Missionary?! Me? The teacher's personal and cultural values: when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. The conscious and unconscious role of cultural and personal values in English language education. Where do we draw the line? |
| Episode 41 December 7, 2013 |
Coordinated Programs: coordination or encumbrance? What is a coordinated program and what is it good for? How much coordination is enough and how much is too much? Clarity of purpose or chafing at the neck? |
| Episode 40 November 23, 2013 |
Toys for teacher. Uh, tools. Better make that tools for teacher. With everyone about to start sketching out their letters to Santa, we thought it might be interesting to share some of the tools and toys we use regularly, from wheels, to hardware, to software. Maybe you'll get an idea for a teacher on your list. |
| Episode 39 November 9, 2013 |
Teacher Training: A slippery three-pronged animal. Can you make a teacher? Excellence vs. effectiveness. Objectives? Wrestling with the conundrum of teacher training. |
| Episode 38 October 26, 2013 |
From Ditto to Download - Part 3. A more detailed look at various ways teachers and students can communicate, share, and exchange work online. Google Drive, Survey Monkey, Edublog, Wordpress, Moodle, and Edmodo. |
| Episode 37 October 12, 2013 |
From Ditto to Download - Part 2. Getting information online for students. Down to the basics of getting information online for your students, as well as some advice on arranging for digital submission of their work. |
| Episode 36 September 28, 2013 |
A look at the beginning of the second semester. How does the new start affect our students, our teaching, and our sanity? Maybe we'll get it right this time. |
Episode 35 |
From Ditto to Download - Part 1. We've come a long way from the days of the banana scent of damp blue ditto handouts to our digital downloads. Or have we? What's the reality of digital information sharing in 2013 Japanese university classrooms? Is it worth it? |
Episode 34 |
Does English matter? Immeasurable expense, time, energy spent on learning and teaching English...is there a point? Does anyone care? Why should they? Discussed in the podcast: |
| Episode 33 August 3, 2013 |
Off the rails and into the sky. In an attempt to retain sanity in the madness of the semester's end, we invite world traveller Prof. Alison Kitzman of Kinki University to discuss vacations: kinds, destinations, getting good intel, the teacher's spin on getting away, and the changing nature of leisure time. Start packing. (Yes, the same Alison Kitzman to whom I am very happily married).) |
| Episode 32 July 20, 2013 |
The Grading is Nigh. That big cloud on the horizon? The grading that awaits you with that final wallop at the end of the term. We talk about what we do to try to minimize the pain. |
Episode 31 |
Time management. OK, you've got 90 minutes. Go. Different ideas about ways to think about, approach, and tweak time management. Never mind that we always go over our one-hour podcast limit. Never mind that this is getting posted a day late. |
Episode 30 |
Teachers under attack. Looking at the big country across the pond, we examine the many ways teachers in the US are being set upon, and consider what it might mean for us here in Japan. Teaching to the test, anti-intellectualism, erosion of teacher autonomy - the list is long. We also interview a retired Chicago area high school teacher, who shares his first-hand observations in an interview at the end of the podcast. Finally, links to two very relevant classics: Ken Robinson: Do schools kill creativity? Taylor Mali: Be honest, what do you make? Like this blurb, the podcast is a long one. |
| Episode 29 June 8, 2013 |
The full-time / part-time divide - Part Two. No better example of "greener grass syndrome" can be found than the PT-FT teacher divide in the little world of English language education in Japan. Today we look at the lot of the full-time teacher. Mind the elephants. |
| Episode 28 May 25, 2013 |
The full-time / part-time divide - Part One. No better example of "greener grass syndrome" can be found than the PT-FT teacher divide in the little world of English education in Japan. Today we look at the good and not so good in the world of the part-time teacher. Next, we'll look at the full-time side of the fence. |
| Episode 27 May 11, 2013 |
"Problem kids." Sometimes, kids end up in our classes that for a number of reasons, just shouldn't be there. Sometimes, we just need to learn how to teach them. How can we tell the difference? How do we proceed? |
| Episode 26 April 27, 2013 |
Starting Over – マジで? A look at the beginning of a new school year: what we did right, what we did wrong. Again. As we say in Chicago, wait till next year. |
| Episode 25 April 13, 2013 |
Why do we teach? As the new year begins, a look at exactly why it is that we keep teaching, year after year, in spite of the obstacles and frustrations. And, a happy anniversary to us: Two Teachers Talking is one year old. And...Mickey Mantle. |
| Episode 24 March 30, 2013 |
Pre-Prep. Getting your mind right before buying your new notebooks, sharpening your pencils, and taking care of the other million things that need doing before you walk into the classroom on the first day. |
| Episode 23 March 16, 2013 |
Change. The only constant. Your textbook this year may be the same as last year's and the year's before, but everything else in the world around it has changed. Tony and Charles look back at almost 50 cumulative years of teaching in Japan. |
| Episode 22 March 2, 2013 |
Cognitive and Affective Filters in the Classroom. Sorting out the cognitive and affective filters that the teacher and student bring to the classroom experience. The case for multiple universes in the classroom. |
| Episode 21 February 16, 2013 |
Issues, Culture, and Convictions in the Classroom. Language and culture - inseparable, we know. What to do when personal convictions and native cultures clash. Sorting out language instruction and cultural relativism. |
| Episode 20 February 2, 2013 |
Writing the Syllabus. Every class needs a syllabus, but what does that mean? Drudgery or useful tool? space! |
| Episode 19 January 19, 2013 |
Grades. The end of the academic year. Converting a semester or year's work to a number between zero and One hundred. What's fair? What's practical? What makes sense? Is it vacation time yet? |
| Episode 18 January 5, 2013 |
A Flat Learning Curve. A look back at mistakes made, lessons learned, and lessons forgotten. As they say in Chicago, "Wait till next year." |
| Episode 17 December 22, 2012 |
With grading right around the corner, Tony and Charles talk about spreadsheet basics and tips. And if you're not using spreadsheets, why you should. (Sample spreadsheet.) Finally, Santa has some Dropbox storage for you! |
| Episode 16 December 8, 2012 |
Hypocritical. What we say we do, what we think we do, what we really do. Tony and Charles come clean. What really happens when we close that classroom door. |
| Episode 15 November 25, 2012 |
Using Web Technology. So what in the world is a Moodle? Different ways of using web technology in the classroom; roll your own or buy into an existing learning management system? |
| Episode 14 November 10, 2012 |
Teaching for the future. How can we help our students prepare for a reality that doesn't yet exist. Mentioned in the podcast, Ken Robinson's TED talk on Creativity and Education. |
| Episode 13 October 27, 2012 |
OK, everybody, switch chairs. What it's like interviewing job applicants and what might be going on in the interviewer's mind. Strategies for finding gold and diamonds and for avoiding future headaches. |
| Episode 12 October 13, 2012 |
The ins and outs of interviewing for teaching jobs in Japan. So you got called for an interview. Now what? Take a good look at your shoes, for starters. |
| Episode 11 September 23, 2012 |
OK, break's over. Along with a new semester, it's job-hunting season for teachers in Japan. Now's the time to get your CV in the hands of your next boss. First, though, let's take a good look at that CV before you send it off. |
| Episode 10 August 18, 2012 |
Finally, it's here: your summer break. It'll be over before you know it, so think now about how to make the most of it. Tony and Charles fight the fatigue to help you set your own priorities. |
| Episode 9 August 4, 2012 |
Pet peeves. The middle of the summer and time to blow off steam. Tony and Charles talk about the stuff that drives them crazy. MEXT, admins, sysadmins, coordinators, students: INCOMING! |
| Episode 8 July 21, 2012 |
About those grades. The art and science of grading. A peek into the out-of-control kitchens where student grades get cooked up. Not for the faint of heart. |
| Episode 7 July 7, 2012 |
Essential Teacher Tech. Tips on software that will make your job easier and help your students learn. PLUS, some great software giveaways.
Very special thanks to the folks at Dropbox, Smile Software, and IdeasOnCanvas for their generosity and support. Check out their great software. We can recommend these apps because we use them. Smile Software www.smilesoftware.com TextExpander Dropbox dropbox.com IdeasOnCanvas mindnode.com MindNode |
| Episode 6 June 23, 2012 |
Mid-semester blues - help for you and your students. Or...Tony and Charles bitch incessantly about the weather. |
| Episode 5 June 9, 2012 |
Wish we knew then what we know now. A collection of lessons learned the hard way - things no one ever tells you when you're new to Japan, and things it takes us a long time to figure out. |
| Episode 4 May 26, 2012 |
Losing It. How to keep from running out of patience - and what to do when you do. And you will. |
| Episode 3 May 12, 2012 |
Walking on Water (when you can't even swim). What to do when you're asked to do the impossible. |
| Episode 2 May 1, 2012 |
Manipulating Classroom Space. Tony and Charles discuss effective ways of using classroom space - and when to bail. |
| Episode 1 April 21, 2012 |
Surviving Week One. Only fourteen to go. Tony and Charles talk about the beginning of the semester and the mistakes they won't make next time. |
| Introduction April 21, 2012 |
Introduction - Who are these guys and what do they think they're doing here? |
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Tony Silva Native of Chicago, IL, Tony began teaching English in Japan in 1988. Osaka University, Osaka City University, Kyoto Women's University, Kobe College, and Kobe Shoin Women's University. Husband, Mac nerd, audiophile, driver, karate ni-dan, wise-ass, and all-around troublemaker and fun-lover.
Teachers know that when classes are done, the beer has been poured, and teachers gather around the table, the talk turns to...yes, teaching. Great (and not so great ideas) are thrown around, argued, praised, and ridiculed. What's been missing is a microphone on the table. Until now. If you're a teacher, and especially if you're teaching in Japan, have a listen. Then let us know what you think.
Two Teachers Talking™ – subscribe on iTunes (or download individual episodes below). Also available on Soundcloud.
Drop us an email at <twoteacherstalking@gmail.com>, or leave us a message on Skype <twoteacherstalking>.
