Cafetalk Tutor's Column

Our Cat Short's Birthday

This week was Short's birthday—or at least, what we have decided is his official birthday. Short is...

「すぐ来る」VS「もうすぐ来る」何が違う？ "Sugu kuru" VS "Mōsugu kuru" — What's the difference?

今日のテーマは 『すぐ』と 『もうすぐ』！ 何が ちがうか、クイズで 考えてみましょう♪    English below ↓    ★ではクイズです！★   A：先生 来そう？ B： ①すぐ来るよ...

A Little Story About Shakyo (Sutra Copying)

Hello, this is Emiko.H. Today I'd like to share a little about shakyo (sutra copying). Can you beli...

Failed a Test? Here's How to Turn Disappointment Into Progress.

When a Test Doesn't Go Your Way You studied. You hoped for better. You opened your test paper and f...

From Setback to Comeback: What to Do After a Bad Test Result

I was looking forward to the almighty test. As a Master’s student back then, I’d spent weeks preppi...

World Cup beavers

Photo: Korean-themed World Cup beaver in downtown TorontoYes, you read that right - World Cup beave...

Life in the Countryside: My Easy Any-Citrus Pie Air Fryer Recipe!

  Life in the Countryside: My Easy "Any-Citrus" Pie (Air Fryer Recipe!) Hello CafeTalk community! W...

Dream Destinations for 2026: Travel Goals and English Practice

One of the most enjoyable conversation topics for English learners is travel. Almost everyone has a...

Pop Culture: I'm Down!

Pop Culture Tuesday Getting Down with English English Slang • Pop Culture • Natural Conversatio...

Feeling stuck?

In this video I describe my approach towards learning and teaching foreign languages.

Doing Badly on a Test

Hello everyone!   This past weekend, I went on a road trip with my family to Oga in Akita Prefectur...

Disappointing Test Results? Bad News or Good Opportunity?

Have you ever been disappointed by test results?  If you see these results as an end, you may be mi...

Recommended podcast - The English We Speak - a BBC podcast introducing natural, modern English phrases

"I'm up to my eyes in work!""I like to dabble in art.""We need to rope someone in to help with this...

What to Do After a Bad Test Result (Hint: It’s Not Time to Give Up!)

We’ve all been there. You open your test results—whether it’s a formal proficiency exam like TOEIC ...

Bad Test Result

Hi, I’m Teacher Joanne! I’m new here on Cafetalk, but I have more than 10 years of experience teac...

​The Art of the Micro-Vacation: Bringing the Holiday Spirit Home

Think about your day-to-day life. You work hard, manage the home, and carefully save your money. Al...

The Test Didn't Go Well. Now What? A Guide to Bouncing Back

Let’s be honest: that feeling when you see a score you weren't expecting is the worst. It might be ...

Living in the City vs. Living in the Countryside: Where is Everything?

Living in the City vs. Living in the Countryside: Where is "Everything"? Hello CafeTalk community!...

Why Small Talk Is a Bigger Skill Than You Think

Have you ever met someone who could talk to anyone? Maybe you've wondered how they always seem conf...

"A winner is a dreamer who never gives up" Nelson Mandela

My Favourite Motivational Quote One of my favourite motivational quotes is by the great South Afric...

Interview on Hapa Eikaiwa!

Hello all!! I was featured on an interview with Hapa Eikaiwa. You can find the two pieces of the in...

Bad Test Results

Ouch. You Bombed a Test. Now What? Receiving a terrible grade feels like a punch to the gut, but it...

My Favorite Motivational Quote

Hello everyone! This weekend, my son had a soccer tournament. His team worked very hard and got 2nd...

From Sounds to Stories: Building Confident Readers Through Phonics

Did you know that strong readers start with strong phonics skills? In my Phonics for Toddlers lesso...

Pop Culture: "You Lost Me"

Pop Culture Tuesday Wait, Where Did You Go? 'You Lost Me' Idioms • Communication • Pop Culture ...

Why doesn’t psychology preach the “Eternal”?

This video explores the philosophical and spiritual limitations of modern psychology, arguing that ...

Expand Passion For Cultural Understanding

  ‘To know two languages is to have two souls’ by Charlemagne. He was also known as Charles the G...

A Quote That Motivates Me to Never Give Up

My favorite motivational quote is,"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out...

What the mind can conceive, it can achieve.

We've all heard it: "You can do all things if you put your mind to it."   It sounds simple, but I'v...

English lessons without the lessons!

    Recently, one of my students said something that brought a huge smile to my face.  They t...