Cafetalk Tutor's Column

Moving House, Changing Tense: Where I’ve Lived in Japan

When you look at a map of Japan, there are places that feel like temporary stops, and others that f...

Reading, Thinking and Speaking in the Age of Easy Answers

Today, AI tools can give us answers in seconds. This is helpful, but it also means we may stop usin...

Life with a Rescue Cat: Leaving the Farm, Starting Again

This week’s topic is about rewarding ourselves after a year of teaching. While thinking about that,...

Helping Shy Children Feel Confident Speaking English

  Many children want to speak English,but sometimes, they feel shy, nervous, or afraid of making mi...

Clever ways to say 'And'. For Test Prep and Business Customers.

In addition to improving your speaking fluency, I will teach you about 'transition' words in my tes...

Portmanteau Words Make Me Chortle at Christmas!

Portmanteau words make me chortle! A portmanteau is a linguistic blend of words in which parts of m...

My Christmas Tree is up!

As the year draws to a close, I wanted to say a very warm thank you to all the amazing students I h...

REFLECT! REWARD! RENEW!

As the year comes to a close, take a moment to pause and look back. Every lesson taught, every new ...

Celebrate your achievements!

Hi everyone, Rewarding yourself is crucial to maintaining motivation and preventing burnout. By set...

Retiring from my old teaching job to teach English online

I have been teaching for 43 years and I have recently retired from my full-time job. I have taught ...

Mastering Clarity in your IELTS Writing (Tasks 1 and 2 - Academic and General)

Many IELTS candidates believe strong writing comes from memorised structures and “high-level” words...

The Secret of Mastering Vocabulary! [0]

When you study a new English word, how many times do you have to review it before you remember it? ...

The minds are like parachutes; they function only when they are open

If they are not open, then it's a free fall......how to keep them open?

A Year of Shared Growth: Why I’m Celebrating—And Inviting You Along

As the year closes, I’m filled with gratitude. This reflection is a thank you to my wonderful stude...

Impress at Interviews

Smile! Interviewers will be interested in your personal backstory and body language as well as your...

Homonyms for the TOEIC test and other tests

Recognising homonyms (words that sound alike but have different meanings) is key to finding the cor...

Use Emotions When Describing Pictures for Cambridge, TOEIC, and other tests.

What can you see in the foreground of this picture? What can you see in the background ? How does i...

Personal Goals Bingo 2025 - Progress & Prizes!

In 2024 and 2025, I made myself bingo sheets to track certain goals for my hobby... Art!    When I ...

Do Children Learn Languages Better Than Adults?

For a long time, I believed the common idea that children are simply better at learning languages t...

My Year in Review: Small Wins and Big Rewards ??

This year has been full of challenges, but every lesson has brought us closer to our goals. I truly...

Blizzard & Beginning the New Year Right!

Here's what I've been working on regarding the personal curriculum!  I prefer working on paper sinc...

Little Treats Keep me Studying-Reward Yourself!

Have little 'mantras' that you say to yourself.  Remember your 'whys?'  for studying, in other word...

Out of the loop with Business Idioms?

You may hear someone say this in the office: “You can tell she's in the loop. She always knows abo...

My First 10 Lessons on Cafetalk

I’ve just finished teaching my first 10 lessons on Cafetalk, and I’m really enjoying it! Every less...

Learning about cultures

With my lessons, I always try to make time to have a cultural exchange through sharing of experienc...

Let’s sound fluent in French

your fren teacher won't tell you this.

The Winter Solstice in Ancient Egypt

Every year around December 21st, the sun reaches its lowest point in the sky. This moment, known as...

Second year teaching & Winter Solstice in Scotland.

I have now been teaching on Cafetalk for just over two years! Thank you so much to all my wonderful...

Ready, Set, Go! New TOEFL Test!

Hello Customers!Did you  know the TOEFL test is changing in 2026?The good news is, the new version ...